Another Yellowstone grizzly attack, different outcome

[TrishandAlex]

Pepper spray saves the day...

http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/Another-Grizzly-Attack-in-Yellowstone-125529788.html

 

[timmus]

Wind direction was just right I guess...

So glad Northeast bears are not that dangerous !

 

[TrishandAlex]

So glad Northeast bears are not that dangerous !

Me too!! I'm not sure I'll ever do much hiking in grizzly territory...unless, perhaps, I'm with about 80 other people...

 

[freighttrain48]

Me too!! I'm not sure I'll ever do much hiking in grizzly territory...unless, perhaps, I'm with about 80 other people...

Ten should be enough just make sure you are faster than 5 of them

 

[DougPaul]

Me too!! I'm not sure I'll ever do much hiking in grizzly territory...unless, perhaps, I'm with about 80 other people...

Herrero states that his records show most attacks are on groups of one or two and show no attacks on groups of six or more. (I presume the group needs to stick together for all to be counted. Small children may not count as a full person (in the bear's math).)

Ref: Herrero, Stephen, "Bear Attacks, Their Causes and Avoidance", The Lyons Press, 2002, pg 5.

Doug

 

[TrailwrightBratt]

Bear

Would being faster than just one other work?

 

[DougPaul]

Ten should be enough just make sure you are faster than 5 of them

Running from a grizzly is the worst thing to do unless you are very close to a sturdy tree and can get out of its reach (10-12 ft) before it gets there. They can run at 35 mph. You can't.

Doug

 

[TrishandAlex]

Herrero states that his records show most attacks are on groups of one or two and show no attacks on groups of six or more. (I presume the group needs to stick together for all to be counted. Small children may not count as a full person (in the bear's math).)

Ref: Herrero, Stephen, "Bear Attacks, Their Causes and Avoidance", The Lyons Press, 2002, pg 5.

Doug

Thanks -- this is good to know.

 

[DougPaul]

Thanks -- this is good to know.

It is worth reading the entire book if you expect to hike in bear country. (As you probably know, there are black bears in the WMNF. And yes, black bears occasionally attack people.)

Doug

 

[TrishandAlex]

I've got some books on black bears, thanks! Never been too worried about them, since, generally speaking, they're a lot less aggressive than grizzlies. I also always hike with pepper spray. If/when I start hiking in grizzly territory, then I'll up my group hiking numbers for the reason you quoted.

 

[JoeCedar]

Running from a grizzly is the worst thing to do unless you are very close to a sturdy tree and can get out of its reach (10-12 ft) before it gets there. They can run at 35 mph. You can't.

Doug

reminds me of the old joke of someone to his companion . . . I don't need to outrun the bear, I just need to outrun YOU . . .

 

[bobandgeri]

(As you probably know, there are black bears in the WMNF. And yes, black bears occasionally attack people.)
Doug

Facts to back up that claim ??? Some people claim to have been attacked but the odds are it was a bluff charge.

 

[dug]

Facts to back up that claim ??? Some people claim to have been attacked but the odds are it was a bluff charge.

None in the WMNF listed, but I don't think bears care about Forest or state boundries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America#Black_bear_2

 

[dug]

So, pepper spray worked on a bear. Good thing it wasn't a tiger .

 

[DougPaul]

(As you probably know, there are black bears in the WMNF. And yes, black bears occasionally attack people.)
Doug

Facts to back up that claim ??? Some people claim to have been attacked but the odds are it was a bluff charge.

Read Herrero.

Most of the time, black bears are only after your food. However, they occasionally decide that you are the food... (Predatory attack.)

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

Ten should be enough just make sure you are faster than 5 of them

reminds me of the old joke of someone to his companion . . . I don't need to outrun the bear, I just need to outrun YOU . . .

Two versions of a tired old joke that is dangerous if it makes people think they can run from a bear. A bear is fast enough to get both (all) of you if it so desires...

Doug

 

[Brambor]

yes and contrary to popular omission : Bears can climb trees

Two versions of a tired old joke that is dangerous if it makes people think they can run from a bear. A bear is fast enough to get both (all) of you if it so desires...

Doug

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

Facts to back up that claim ??? Some people claim to have been attacked but the odds are it was a bluff charge.

There was an incident in the Catskills maybe eight years ago where a black bear snatched a baby from a stroller and killed it. I'll see if I can find an article. Rare, but it happened.

ETA: Here's a link to one of the articles

Catskills bear attack

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

Herrero states that his records show most attacks are on groups of one or two and show no attacks on groups of six or more. (I presume the group needs to stick together for all to be counted. Small children may not count as a full person (in the bear's math).)

There are trails in the Canadian Rockies where they impose a group size minimum. One year I think it was a group of six and the last time we were there it was a group of four (tight group of four, expected to stick together on the trail).

 

[sierra]

Personally I dont hike in Grizzly country, they are the only north american animals that I fear and I dont think I could enjoy myself knowing thier lurking around me. IF I did, I would carry spray and be armed with a firearm of a very high caliber, not that I would relish shooting at a bear with a handgun, the odds of dropping him or her would be slim at best. As far as playing dead while being mauled, to be honest that sounds like it would be tough to do. Luckely my favorite mountains only contain cougers which I can deal with.