bear encounters in mass

jstarks188 · Jul 14, 2005, 10:10 AM

howdy,
i'm section hiking the A.T. in mass. right now,and would like some
guidance on the best ways to handle a bear encounter.
thanks
jack

awf170 · Jul 14, 2005, 10:15 AM

bears are scared of humans...

**Greg** · Jul 14, 2005, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awf170

bears are scared of humans...

Austin is right. You likely won't even see one. If you're lucky enough to, they'll probably just boogie. I suppose a mother and cub encounter could be dicey, but with black bears you should just hold your ground and they'll eventually leave.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jstarks188

i'm section hiking the A.T. in mass. right now

Right now as in right now? I don't think it's what you meant, but your post sounds like you're logging in from the trail...

Anyway, welcome!

pizza · Jul 14, 2005, 10:23 AM

Eastern bears are pretty benign. They're not meat-eatin' grizzlies. In fact, I can't remember hearing of any bear encounters. They'll only attack if they feel threatened. So don't appear threatening:

Don't be between a mother and a cub
Don't look them in the eye
don't run away
walk away calmly, keeping the bear in your field of vision.

That's about it.

cbcbd · Jul 14, 2005, 12:17 PM

Yeah, pizza's got it... no eye contact, drop your backpack or food, back away slowly.
Good link
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/wi...encounters.pdf

Are you encountering a bear right now?

If anything, in the MA AT the animal you'll mostly encounter are porcupines. Don't leave anything salty accessible to them (shoes, clothes, etc) - they'll chew it right up. I did the MA section a few years back and a porcupine chewed on our shelter all night long (hikers sweating and leaving saltiness on the edge of the shelter floor attracted him).

**JimG.** · Jul 14, 2005, 12:24 PM

One last thing...things that humans don't consider food black bears do. These things include soap, lotion, toothpaste, basically anything they could eat and not get too sick from.

If you're smart, keep all these items and food in a bag strung between 2 trees. The bear might climb the tree, but they don't walk tightrope.

Jaytrek57 · Jul 14, 2005, 12:53 PM

Schools of thoughts on bear encounters are always changing.

Dropping your pack, despite what the link says, is not a good practice. It teaches bears an association between packs/humans and food. It will lead to the bear being more aggressive in encounters because of this association and eventually it will become a "problem" bear and eventually "destroyed" by humans.

There's more but, alas, back to work.

peace.

ctenidae · Jul 14, 2005, 12:59 PM

I had three run-ins with two bears when I was in Arizona. One bear was just an ass, and charged me twice (on seperate occasions). First time I almost wet myself, second time I said, "Look, we both know you're an ass. Go away." So he did.
The other bearwas roting around for food,a dn was circling my position. He worked in a little close adn got downwind of me just the other side of some brush. I think it scared him when he caught a whiff of me (I'd been out there in a tent for two months) and charged through the brush. I had a spotter scope on a tripod, ready to swing like Sammy Sousa, as if that would have helped. Fortunately,a s soon as he broke through the brush (about 5 feet away from me), he realized what I was and left. I was glad I had an extra pair of underwear back in my tent.

My advice for dealing with bears- be big and obviously human. Make noise, flap your arms, whatever. Do not run.

cbcbd · Jul 14, 2005, 1:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaytrek57

Schools of thoughts on bear encounters are always changing.

Dropping your pack, despite what the link says, is not a good practice. It teaches bears an association between packs/humans and food. It will lead to the bear being more aggressive in encounters because of this association and eventually it will become a "problem" bear and eventually "destroyed" by humans.

There's more but, alas, back to work.

peace.

Good point, I remember reading about that and had forgotten.

ctenidae · Jul 14, 2005, 2:18 PM

That pamphlet rocks- They do recommend dropping your pack, but only if the bear is being agressive (I guess in the hope the bear becomes more interested in the pack than you).

Be big and obviously human. That's the key.

Jul 14, 2005, 10:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
jstarks188 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: newington,ct. Posts: 29	bear encounters in mass howdy, i'm section hiking the A.T. in mass. right now,and would like some guidance on the best ways to handle a bear encounter. thanks jack

Jul 14, 2005, 12:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
cbcbd Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Seattle,WA Posts: 1,635	Yeah, pizza's got it... no eye contact, drop your backpack or food, back away slowly. Good link http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/wi...encounters.pdf Are you encountering a bear right now? If anything, in the MA AT the animal you'll mostly encounter are porcupines. Don't leave anything salty accessible to them (shoes, clothes, etc) - they'll chew it right up. I did the MA section a few years back and a porcupine chewed on our shelter all night long (hikers sweating and leaving saltiness on the edge of the shelter floor attracted him). __________________ Sign, sign everywhere a sign... pointing out the trails, can\'t make up my mind.

Jul 14, 2005, 12:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
ctenidae Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Boston Posts: 4,954	I had three run-ins with two bears when I was in Arizona. One bear was just an ass, and charged me twice (on seperate occasions). First time I almost wet myself, second time I said, "Look, we both know you're an ass. Go away." So he did. The other bearwas roting around for food,a dn was circling my position. He worked in a little close adn got downwind of me just the other side of some brush. I think it scared him when he caught a whiff of me (I'd been out there in a tent for two months) and charged through the brush. I had a spotter scope on a tripod, ready to swing like Sammy Sousa, as if that would have helped. Fortunately,a s soon as he broke through the brush (about 5 feet away from me), he realized what I was and left. I was glad I had an extra pair of underwear back in my tent. My advice for dealing with bears- be big and obviously human. Make noise, flap your arms, whatever. Do not run. __________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the vote."- Benjamin Franklin

Jul 14, 2005, 2:18 PM	#10 (permalink)
ctenidae Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Boston Posts: 4,954	That pamphlet rocks- They do recommend dropping your pack, but only if the bear is being agressive (I guess in the hope the bear becomes more interested in the pack than you). Be big and obviously human. That's the key. __________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the vote."- Benjamin Franklin

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Jul 14, 2005, 10:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
pizza State highpoint # 9 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Suffern, NY/Times Square/Killington, VT Posts: 259	Eastern bears are pretty benign. They're not meat-eatin' grizzlies. In fact, I can't remember hearing of any bear encounters. They'll only attack if they feel threatened. So don't appear threatening: Don't be between a mother and a cub Don't look them in the eye don't run away walk away calmly, keeping the bear in your field of vision. That's about it.

Jul 14, 2005, 12:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
JimG. MRG-20th hole Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Hopewell Jct., NY Posts: 6,158	One last thing...things that humans don't consider food black bears do. These things include soap, lotion, toothpaste, basically anything they could eat and not get too sick from. If you're smart, keep all these items and food in a bag strung between 2 trees. The bear might climb the tree, but they don't walk tightrope.

Jul 14, 2005, 12:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jaytrek57 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Blue Hills, MA Posts: 207	Schools of thoughts on bear encounters are always changing. Dropping your pack, despite what the link says, is not a good practice. It teaches bears an association between packs/humans and food. It will lead to the bear being more aggressive in encounters because of this association and eventually it will become a "problem" bear and eventually "destroyed" by humans. There's more but, alas, back to work. peace.

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