Summer Tips: How To Let A Bear Know You're Friendly and Nothing to Be Afraid Of

It’s summer, which means it’s finally time to go hiking and camping to your heart’s content. For some of us, that means venturing into bear country, so here’s a few tips for sharing the trail safely and respectfully, especially if this is your first time getting up close and personal. Remember: bears are more afraid of you than you are of them, so it’s up to you to make them feel relaxed, safe, and like they can really be themselves around you.

1. It’s unrealistic to assume you’re never going to surprise a bear. It’s a big country, and bears can handle a lot more than some people think. They’re 500-pound apex predators with years of experience living in the wild, where anything can happen. A little surprise isn’t going to throw them off their game!

2. Go on, approach it!

3. Toss any human food you might have nearby towards the bear as a friendly offering. He’s probably never tasted anything this good!

4. Bears are naturally curious and empathetic, and hate to feel left out — so if you see a bear running, you should start running, too.

5. If you have a camping knife handy, make a shallow cut on your shin or forearm and let a little blood trickle out. Bears love this smell — it reminds them of hunting, which is one of their favorite activities — and it also lets them know you’re mortal and nothing to be afraid of!

6. Try to make yourself look as small and alive as possible. This serves two important purposes: First, it will relax the bear once she realizes that she’s bigger than you. Second, it will reassure the bear that you are not a spirit or some other form of insubstantial vapor.

7. What do you think the fur feels like??

8. If your bear happens to have her cubs with her, try to make friends with them. Try to get right in between them and their mother so she can see how well you’re getting along.

9. And don’t be afraid to roughhouse a little — they’re wild animals! They can handle it. This goes double if you have kids of your own with you. Wouldn’t a little baby bear (or two!!!) would make a great pet?

10. Something a lot of people wonder is whether it’s possible to ride a bear like you would a horse. Only one way to find out!!!

11. If you’re hiking with your dog, be aware that there is a tendency for bears and dogs to occasionally clash when they encounter one another. For this reason it’s better to keep your dog off-leash, so she doesn’t feel confined, and let the two of them sort out their differences without human interference. This is between them. That doesn’t mean you can’t stay and watch, of course.

12. If any bears do start getting aggressive with you, stay where you are and hold your ground. You have just as much a right to be here as this bear does — don’t let it push you around.

13. And if things do start getting a little tense, don’t be afraid of showing a little emotion, getting upset, or even displaying some classic, unmistakable “fearful prey” responses.

14. Eat a granola bar to show how unconcerned you are with whatever the bear is doing. Don’t even bother trying to brush away the crumbs — that’s how little control she has over you! She’ll get the picture soon enough (and she'll likely feel so embarrassed).

15. If you’re feeling uncomfortable at any point, you can always climb a tree to take a break, catch your breath, and get the lay of the land for a few minutes. That bear is so much heavier than you! There’s no way he’s following you up there. How fast can something that big possibly be?

16. Try showing the bear something personal and humanizing that demonstrates your peaceful intentions, like a smell of your favorite perfume or the chance to look through your unsecured garbage.

17. And have fun with it! Bears have an incredible sense of smell, and while they like a lot of the same things we do, it’s also true that some smells we find off-putting or even repellent (like rotten leftovers) are seriously interesting to a bear’s keen nose. Why not make a little game for the bear, and see how many of your strongly-scented secret stashes she can find? Remember, you’re in the bear’s home — the least you can do is bring a gift.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons]