How to avoid a bear attack

Stand and face the bear directly. Never run away from or approach him. Make yourself look as big as possible by spreading your arms or, better yet, a coat. Make as much noise as possible by yelling, banging pots and pans or using other noisemaking devices.

As a rule, brown bears seldom attack humans on sight, and usually avoid people. They are, however, unpredictable in temperament, and will attack if they are surprised or feel threatened.

Play deceased.

Even if the bear starts to attack, it’s likely trying to neutralize you as a threat. And since you‘ll never outrun or overpower it, faking death is your best chance at this point. Even if it walks away, don’t get up. Grizzlies are known to linger and make sure you‘re deceased, so stay down for at least 20 minutes.

Bears also dislike the strong scent of pine-based cleaners, but avoid using anything with a fresh, lemony or fruity smell. And never mix bleach and ammonia; the combination produces fumes that can be deadly to both people and bears.

Black bears by nature tend to be wary of humans and avoid people. To scare the bear away, make loud noises by yelling, banging pots and pans or using an airhorn. Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms. If you are with someone else, stand close together with your arms raised above your head.

Pee, by any other name, still smells the same, and bears, lions, and other predators are interested in anything that smells interesting. They say human urine deters nosey bears. But the majority of experts oppose this view.

The reason a bear will smell food in your car is because out of all animals, bears have the best sense of smell. On average, a bear has a sense of smell 2,100 times better than a human. A bear’s intelligence and sense of smell are just two of the many good reasons not to leave food in your car.

They can also provide an easy point of entry. With a sense of smell about 300 times as powerful as that of a human’s, bears can sometimes smell food through closed doors and windows and are powerful enough to break through them.

Keep bears out

Install sturdy grates or bars on windows if you must leave them open. Keep car doors and windows closed and locked if you park outside. Make sure there’s nothing with an odor in your vehicle, including candy, gum, air fresheners, trash, lotions and lip balms.

In Picnic Areas and Campgrounds

In some parks, food may be stored inside your car as long as it is out of sight, with windows completely closed, and only during daylight hours; never store food in a pickup truck bed or strapped to the outside of a vehicle.

Can a bear smell canned food? How about unopened sodas or freeze-dried meals? Yes, yes, and yes. A bear’s sense of smell is vastly more sensitive than a human’s – any food or beverage, no matter how it is packaged, could attract a bear.

Store your canister on the ground hidden in brush or behind rocks. Do not place canister near a cliff or water source. Bears may knock the canister around or roll it down a hill.

General Food Storage Tips

Keeping human food (and other aromatic items such as toiletries) away from animals requires similar practices in both a campground and backcountry campsite. Never leave food, trash or other scented products inside your tent. Never leave your food unattended.

To be bear–proof, food must be suspended at least 10 feet off the ground and 8 feet from the trunk of a tree. To accomplish this by creating a bear bag, you’ll need to arry 50 to 100 feet of thin cord and two stuff sacks. Look for a load-bearing branch 20 to 25 feet overhead that extends far enough from the trunk.

The basic method is to put your food in a nylon stuff sack with drawstring cord and tie it (or connect it with a carabiner) to a roll of lightweight 50 foot nylon cord. Tie one end of the cord to the stuff sack and the other to a rough edged rock that easily fits in your hand.

Generally, you should keep your food in a bear canister, or hang it using the counterbalance method. Hard-sided canisters are the most effective way to protect your food. They‘re the best choice for most of the trail. Problem is, they‘re heavy and bulky.

There are five things you can use in varying combinations to keep your foods cool: loose ice, block ice, frozen gel packs, dry ice and the food itself. Loose ice and gel packs can last for several hours, block ice is good for a day or so, and dry ice if well wrapped can last for several days.