Slowly back away while keeping the bear in sight and wait for it to leave. Throw objects, wave your arms and make noise with a whistle, air horn or yelling if the bear does not leave. Prepare to use bear spray. Get inside a building or vehicle, if you are nearby, as a precaution.
What is the best thing to do if you see a bear?
Slowly wave your arms above your head and tell the bear to back off. Do NOT run or make any sudden movements. Do not make any loud noises or screams—the bear may think it’s the sound of a prey animal. Hike and travel in groups.
Should I report seeing a bear?
If there’s a threat to public safety, call 911. Seeing a bear walking through an elementary school or heavily populated area with people would warrant a 911 call. Seeing a bear on the outskirts of town in a less populated area might warrant a call to your local police or sheriff department’s non-emergency number.
Do you need bear spray in Ontario?
Carry bear spray
Anyone who plans to camp in bear country should have bear spray with them. It is legal to carry in Canada as self-defense against aggressive bears (it is illegal to use bear spray against a person—it’s many times more powerful than regular pepper spray and is considered a dangerous weapon).
Should you throw rocks at a bear?
Don’t yell or throw rocks. If the bear charges, stop backing away and use your bear spray. If the bear shows no signs of stress and is approaching, make yourself look big and scary by outstretching your arms, holding packs above your head, making loud noises, throwing rocks, and preparing to use your bear spray.
What to do if a black bear is coming at you?
Back away when possible. If attacked, immediately fight back. DON’T feed bears. A word about bear spray: Bear spray (pepper spray specifically made as a bear deterrent) can be an effective tool if you encounter an aggressive bear.
Will yelling at a bear scare it away?
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.
What to do if you see a bear in your backyard?
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. If the bear approaches and you have bear spray, spray the bear as he approaches.
Do you call 911 for bear sighting?
If the bear is threatening human safety or pets, or is destroying property, call the police at 911.
What smells will deter a bear?
Scent Deterrents
A bear’s nose is 100 times more sensitive than a human’s. If you find bleach or ammonia fumes unpleasant, you can imagine what they smell like to a bear. Bleach or ammonia- based cleaners are good for trash cans and other areas where strong scents could attract bears.
Which bear Do you play dead?
If a grizzly/brown bear charges and attacks you, PLAY DEAD.
Will a fence deter a bear?
A properly installed electric fence will prevent bears from accessing areas of your property and can be an effective long term solution to preventing bear problems. Electric fencing can be used in many situations to effectively deter bears and other wildlife from various attractants.
Does clapping keep bears away?
Bears won’t hear the bells until you’re too close. Yelling, clapping, and talking are more effective ways of alerting a bear to your presence.
Should you wear deodorant around bears?
Avoid using scented personal care products, like shampoo, deodorant, lotion, etc. Bears have a great sense of smell, so they’ll investigate a peculiar scent. Bears are also attracted to the smell of toothpaste, so make sure that’s hung at night along with food and trash.
How can you tell if a bear is aggressive?
If you come across a bear acting aggressive / defensive, you can expect to see any or all of the following behaviors.
- Vocalizations. These can include moaning, woofing or jaw popping.
- Body language.
- Paw Swatting.
- Bluff Charging.
Should you scare a black bear away?
The most effective noisemaker in bear country is you. Talking or singing loudly can help prevent surprise encounters with wildlife. With enough warning of your approach, wildlife typically remove themselves and their young from the area.
Are black bears aggressive?
In fact, they are often attracted to people’s food sources or get used to the presence of humans. However, black bears are typically not aggressive and fear the “repercussions of attacking someone,” Garshelis said. “They just don’t want to attack people,” Garsheilis said. “They’re kind of timid animals.”
Can you outrun a bear?
Myth: Bears can’t run downhill.
Bears can run as fast as a horse (35 mph), and they can do it uphill, downhill, and everything in between. A bear can outrun you no matter what, so if you see one in the wild do not try to run away from it. Instead, you should stand tall, wave your arms, and talk loudly but calmly.
What to do if a bear chases you?
Here’s what the experts say:
- If you encounter a grizzly, do not run.
- Avoid direct eye contact.
- Walk away slowly, if the bear is not approaching.
- If the bear charges, stand your ground (you cannot outrun it).
- Don’t scream or yell.
- If you have pepper spray, prepare to use it.
Why do bears run when you say hey bear?
Although you may feel silly at first, walking down a trail (especially when you have low visibility) and shouting “Hey Bear!” is extremely effective. Most of the time the bear will move to get out of your way because they are just as scared of you as you are of them.
What animal Are bears afraid of?
“Bears are naturally afraid of canids,” Hunt says. “Why? Because packs of coyotes can steal cubs.” The most common breed of bear dog is the Karelian bear dog, a black-and-white working dog that hails from the region between Finland and Russia called Karelia.