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Mt. Carr, NH Oct 8, 2011 - Bearly made it out alive / no joke

billski

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I barely made it out of this one.

Beautiful fall day, west approach to Mt. Carr. Nice easy gradually incline. Having a great old time about two miles in. I come to the crest of a ridge, hear some rustling in the leaves to my left. I see the rear of a bear running away from me. That's OK. He then crawls up a tree about 20 feet away. Wait, it was a cub. Oh tihs. I then hear what I think is another cub bolting up a tree. I'm stopped on the forest road at this point. Within seconds, this big black momma bear jumps up onto the road above me about 10 yards from me. No exaggeration.

Now, picture a triangle. The momma, cub and I are on each point of the triangle. I'm frozen. Then she starts to step toward me, growling. I have never been eye to eye with a bear the way I was today. Then a large ROAR! my First thought was, "oh tihs". Second thought "oh tihs" Third, well, get the idea.

So here I am. In a place I tell people never to go: between mama and her cub. S... happens. I crested the hill and we startled each other. Mama didn't want me there and neither did I. It was the ONLY time in my years of hiking that I wished I had a firearm.

I start looking at my options. Up the road, nada. mama is there. To my back, brush and deadfall. No way I could make quick time through that. Back down the road. Oh tihs. I have to go right past the cub. Oh tihs.

Thoughts are racing through my mind. Well, I'd better be prepared to get mauled because she's a stepping towards me, growling. The little cubs have a good seat watch the unfortunate show. Oh joy. This whole thing wasn't more than 30-60 seconds, but it was a lifetime. The strength and the size of those shoulders and snout was my worst fear. She looked dead at me, eye-to eye. Nothing at all like those city zoo with one inch railings.

Adrenalin was pumping high, but there was no time to get scared or do something panicky. It was clear standing there was not an option. So I began to side step back down the road in one foot steps. One, two three. She stops but is still staring into my eyes seemingly ready to lunge. Four five six. She's standing glaring mid road. I did not want to take my eyes off her. Not that I could have done anything. I stepped it up at about the 100 foot mark. The bear still staring. I finally went around a bend, but I didn't feel good about it.

So I started to do something I'd never done. Hiking while checking my back side every couple of seconds. I checked to the left, to the right. You never know where she might pop out. I got about 1/4 mile away. Should have been enough distance? Not for me. I went another 1/4 in a time that felt like eternity.

I was a jumpy mess. "I'm going straight home" I was thinking. I was so jittery. The rotten stumps that were dark black scared me. A chipmunk spooked me. The little toad startled me. I didn't stop a mile. Even then I was pretty nervous. Not scared, just spooked big time.

It all feels like a dream. The only times before I've ever seen a bear, was it's rear end running away from me. I don't know if I'll sleep well tonight or have nightmares. Don't tell my wife, please!
 
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riverc0il

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Wow, Bill. Thanks for sharing! Glad you were able to extract yourself without incident... that is unfortunate timing that you wandered between them just at that time.

I've twice encountered bears while hiking. Once while hiking a ski trail. Came around a corner and there it was sunning itself on the open field. Instinct took over pretty quick, no panic, just slow deliberate steps backward up the hill without turning and avoiding eye contact. After I got up hill about 100 feet or so and well out of sight, then I was like "oh crap!" LOL

S and I were hiking trails around Rattlesnake a few years back when we saw a cub go clawing up a tree 100 feet in front of us on the trail and momma taking a defensive posture. We backtracked, waited 15 minutes, and checked back and they were still there. We had to do a 3 mile detour but there was no other choice.

Fun stuff!
 

billski

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This bear stuff makes Moose encounters look lame. Thanks for the thoughts. Interesting stories. I've only ever seen lone bears before and they were on the lam.

I was thinking about all those tv shows with pictures of cubs up a tree and how cute they are. Well, they are up that tree for good reason; something not cool is going on below.

The whole idea of making noise goes against my grain.

Funny, I carry an air horn with me, but just as well I didn't have it within reach, it would have startled her and just made matters worse.

I didn't know you should not make eye contact.
 

TheBEast

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I've had a couple close encounters in my neighborhood with a black mama bear. Not quite as close as you billski, but way too close for my comfort!!
 

thetrailboss

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I have not yet had this experience but I know it is scary as hell. I've only seen bear once and it was crossing the auto road @ mtw. From what I've read you did the right thing--back away slowly while facing the bear. If you show your back they will put chase as it is their instinct. I'm seriously thinking of getting bear spray from cabela's now that I'm out west and the bear are bigger!
 

billski

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From what I understand, you can't use your ordinary pistol. You need some big honkin thing to take it down. It's highly discouraged as not only would we not be well-trained, but it could go off by accident
at the wrong moment.

I had dreams all night about that bear staring at me.

The longer you bike/hike/ski/board, you increase the chances of these things happening. unfortunately.

BTW, bear hunting season is Sept. 1st to Nov 22. Now, we were in the WMNF but surrounded by lots of private land. I can see how they would be on the move now.

According to the WMNF there is one bear per square in the NF.

I'm still going hiking.
 

Ski Diva

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Glad you made it out of there, Bill. I can't think of any way you could have done it better.

Can anyone comment on what you're supposed to do in this sort of situation?
 

skidmarks

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Glad it turned out okay!

Did you get any pictures??

We had a chance encounter with a momma bear and it's cub years back in Shenandoah National Park. It was after a long day of hiking and we were about a mile from the campsite and some much needed cold beer. The cub crossed the trail in front of us and climbed a tree; Mom grunted and made a flanking charge towards us. We backed right off and took a detour adding more miles and another hour to our hike.

I have bear bells maybe I need to use them in NH.
 

David Metsky

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Glad you were safe. It's important to keep in mind that rarely would a situation like escalate to an actual bear attack. While bears are individuals and it's impossible to predict what any bear will do it takes a lot to get a bear to go beyond a bluff charge. Black bears will often bluff charge with no real intention of attacking. She was just letting you know that it was time to move away.

I'm sure it's almost impossible to NOT react in the case of a bluff charge, but shooting the bear in this situation would IMO be an over-reaction. I acknowledge that's much easier to say from the comfort of a computer. :)
 

billski

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Thanks everyone for the thoughts and interest. It still seems like a movie that never happened.

While bears are individuals and it's impossible to predict what any bear will do it takes a lot to get a bear to go beyond a bluff charge. Black bears will often bluff charge with no real intention of attacking. She was just letting you know that it was time to move away.

Yeah, I learned the bluff later. However, she wasn't just growling, she let out a honkin huge roar. Now people say to talk calmly and raise your hands to let her know your a people. However, the last thing I wanted to do is get her more agitated.

but shooting the bear in this situation would IMO be an over-reaction. I acknowledge that's much easier to say from the comfort of a computer. :)

I later learned that you a) need a honkin huge caliber to have a chance, have a keen eye for where to shoot and get it there. You also stand a greater risk of the gun going off by accident or simply aggravating her more.

Do you think there is the chance for a Crocodile Dundee TV show in my future? Easier to say from inside my man-cave. :wink:
 

bigbog

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Ah sorry billski...another late read/reply.
I like riverc0il's thoughts and Skid's wearing bells is the right idea. Yeah..you always want them to hear you...they have poor eyesight and once bear and intruder(what we're seen as) get close, especially without them hearing you...you get into the fight or flight syndrome, with most animals seeing you as intentionally sneeking up on them with them on the dinner menu. I've most always relied on hand clapping with some voice, but the bells sound better. You did really good bill, particularly for your first encounter. Just let them know your intentions by backing off without turning and running...then you take on the appearance of the fleeing lunchtime appetiser. For their size..black bears are pretty wary and charge mostly out of defense of their young.
 

Abubob

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Wow! Intense story. I think you did all the right things. Not running, backing down slowly and leaving. Not surprised you felt jumpy :daffy:.

I know you have ideas about the future and you mentioned a gun. What would you carry. I had thought the same thing in terms of rabid animals. But I would not feel comfortable with anything bigger than a .22 and would not stop a bear.

My wife told me something interesting (We live in Bristol, NH). When she goes out to our dumpster at night she jingles hers keys the whole way. So I told her I'd buy some bear bells. She loved the idea of wearing bells on her shoes! I've seen many a hiker with them around here.

The other thought I had was some bear repellant. The only time it wouldn't work is if the wind is in your face. But if you spray a cloud in front of the bear as you back away it can act as a barrier (bearier?).

Thirdly, I think you should submit this story to something like Backpacker magazine. They just published an issue about surviving harrowing experiences. Your story would be a great response I think.

Anyway, Thanks for sharing that it should give us all "paws" to think about how to handle an unexpected meeting like that.

One more thing: I've read that talking to the bear in a low calm voice actually soothes them.
 
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billski

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I am convinced that a firearm would be a mistake. First, you'd need a large caliber. Second, if you're not trained well, you could miss and piss of the bear (instead of frighting her) or end up hurting yourself.

I think the noise and making yourself large and talking (ID yourself as human) would be the best course.

Interesting they say not to go eye-to-eye. I had to do it. I needed to know where she was and what she was gonna do. Either I got lucky or a had good judgement. I think the former.

I think the bear repellent is a little too late.

I'm not sure it's eventful enough for a story. The ending was anti-climatic. I supect there are more instances of this than people lelt onto.

I am hanging a whistle over my neck now when hiking.
 

Abubob

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The ending was anti-climatic.

Ha! Thank God for that! I think the way you told your story was very captivating.

How else would that have ended in a good way? - "Just as the bear lunged for my throat the ladder from the rescue helicopter dropped between us! The bear came to a screeching halt, bewildered. I jumped on and the helicopter carried me to safety!" :blink:

Another gun thought: What if you had the proper caliper weaponry and dropped the mamma bear on the spot? Where would that leave the cubs? Would you be able to dress the carcass and transport it out? Would you have eaten it?
 
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