What To Do If You Encounter A Black Bear

If you encounter a black bear:
As long as you stay away, a bear is usually less dangerous the louder it is. The sound serves as a warning and is intended to scare you off.

Do

• Back Away your steps slowly, keeping the bear in view, and wait for it to go.
• Toss things, move your arms, and create noise by yelling, whistling, or using an air horn.
• Get your bear spray ready.
• If there’s a building or car nearby, go inside.
• Give up any food you may be holding, then back off carefully.
• If a bear is in a tree, leave it alone and continue on.
• If you come across a mother bear with her cubs, then play dead.

Do Not

• Run away, climb a tree or swim
• Kneel down
• Make eye contact
• Approach the bear to get a better look
• Attempt to feed the bear
• Let your dog off a leash
• Play dead unless you are attacked by a mother bear defending her cubs

If a Bear attacks

• Use bear spray and immediately leave the area
• Fight back
• Do not play dead unless you are sure you are being attacked by a mother defending her cubs

Preventing bear encounters

• burn off food residue and oil from barbecue
• Clean up all food scraps, and wrappers from the campsite
• Never leave out food to feed wildlife
• Don’t dump oil outside
• Don’t leave your pets outside unattended

Bear warning signs:

A shocked bear gives warning signs to let you know you are too close since bears hate surprises. A bear, for instance, might stand on its hind legs. It’s not an indication of hostility; rather, the bear wants to get a closer look or smell you. Letting bears know you’re around so they can stay away is a good way to minimize encounters with these animals. When you are in places where sight is limited or where there is a lot of background noise, such as near streams or waterfalls or on windy days, make noise by talking, whistling, or singing.

A defensive bear 

• Will salivate excessively and exhale loudly
• Make huffing, moaning, clacking and popping sounds with its mouth, teeth and jaws
• Lower its head with its ears back while facing you
• Charge forward, and or swat the ground with its paws (this is a bluff charge)

A predatory bear

• Will make a steady, silent approach
• May come closer despite your efforts to scare them away with yells or thrown objects.
• If bear spray is used properly, they will retreat, but they will eventually come back, so you should leave the area right away.