Bear Attack Survival Tips

Bear Attack Survival Tips

Hostile encounters between bears and humans sometimes end in tragedy for humans, especially when unarmed. Both black bear and Grizzly bears have been known to attack humans. If you find yourself face-to-face with an aggressive bear, instead of panicking, use these bear attack survival tips to walk away from an undesired encounter. If you are not hunting and do not care about being quiet, you can make noise intentionally while hiking through the woods to avoid startling a bear when you are already in it’s proximity. Attaching bells to your pack is a good idea.

Do not Panic
Even though your first instinct would be to panic and run, you need to keep your wits and resist the urge to sprint. A bear could perceive you as prey if your back is turned towards it and can pursue you with disastrous consequences. If you are sure the bear is about to attack and is not rummaging for tidbits, there are a few moves that could scare it away.

If you have a powerful flashlight or even a camera with a flash you can aim it at the bear’s eyes. This will momentarily blind the bear and could cause it to back away. If the bear is small in size making a loud noise by banging pots and pans could drive it away.

Make yourself as large as possible
A bear might try to make a few bluff passes that may seem like an actual attack. In reality, the bear may be trying to size you up. You should try to make yourself as large as possible by waving your hands over your head and talking in a soft and soothing voice. If that does not work, you will need to begin shouting at the top of your voice in a bid to scare the animal. You can also wave your coat or jacket around if you have it by your side. While backing away, you should make sure that you face the bear at all times.

You need to hold your ground as showing weakness will only activate the hunting instincts of a bear and compel it to hunt you down. However, if the bluff attack stops and the bear gets too close for comfort, you will have no choice but to fight back.

Use anything that you can lay your hand on
Out in the wilderness, there are several items that can be used as weapons to ward off a bear attack. You can grab large stones and throw them at the bear. If you can lay your hands on a long and strong stick then use it to keep the bear at bay until you can reach your pepper spray or increase the distance between the bear and you. If you have a backpack then you should utilize it as a shield between you and the bear; the bear may end up biting your backpack instead of you.

You can even try kicking the bear on its nose with your sturdy boots as that is a very sensitive area. However, avoid punching the bear with your bare hands as that will hardly cause any damage to the animal. You should also make sure that you remain uphill in relation to the bear since this will not only make you appear more menacing and larger, but will also provide you with a chance to kick the bear on its face as well as provide a possible escape route in case the bear slows down in its pursuit. Although it would be unlikely you could outrun a bear.

Use bear spray with caution
If you have bear spray, remember to use it with caution. You need to read the instructions on the can as soon as you buy the spray. Also remember the effects of bear spray will be blunted to a great extent in case of heavy rain or if the wind is blowing away from the bear. Keep the spray can next to you at all times. If the spray achieves the desired effect of momentarily stopping the bear in its tracks, grab the opportunity and sprint for your life in an upwind direction. Make sure the wind is not blowing towards you as you will be greatly inhibited if you become contaminated with the bear spray. The O.C. spray will cause temporary blindness, excessive mucous, intense burning of the skin, and can cause you to panic. If you become contaminated with OC spray you will need to flush the areas with cold water then you will need lots of fresh air, preferably wind to help decontaminate.

Play dead
Another great tip to survive a grizzly bear attack is to play dead by curling up in a fetal position and remaining motionless. The bear may sniff around your body and could get bored before wandering off. You should lie still for a few minutes and try to observe the location of the bear since the bear might just stay around to see if you get up.

However, in case you have been injured during the attack and feel the bear licking on your wounds then that could signal a renewed attack. In such a case you will need to surprise the bear with a swift kick to the nose, shout at the top of your voice, and make a break for it if the bear has retreated enough to do so. Rather than running, you should try to walk fast while facing the bear.

Run around a tree rather than climbing it
If you locate a large and wide tree then it makes more sense to run around a tree until the bear finally gets tired of running round it and wanders off. Climbing a tree may not be such a good idea when avoiding a black bear as they are expert climbers. You may be able to avoid a grizzly bear by climbing high enough to avoid its paws.

Shoot the bear
If you are allowed to keep a gun or rifle in the area where you plan to hike or fish then it makes sense to do so. However, make sure you have enough rounds in your weapon as sometimes a bear will not go down with a single bullet especially if it’s adrenaline is pumping. You may need a .30 caliber rifle or larger round to stop a large bear in its tracks. A shotgun is another good option but remember that past 40 yards the effects will be reduced. A 12 gauge shotgun loaded with multiple rounds of triple 0 buck shot, or slugs would be a good option at close range. If you are in areas that allow a handgun I would recommend a .44 magnum or higher for protection in bear country.

The above bear attack survival tips need to be ingrained in your mind before you set out camping, hiking, or fishing in bear country. You will not be in a position to remember them during an attack, hence your instincts should be based on these invaluable tips. Also remember there is no exact textbook answer for surviving a bear attack. Bears are unpredictable creatures that need to be respected.