How to Survive in Bear Country

At the end of March I am planning to go on a 7-day, 6-night backpacking trip in the Daniel Boone National Forest in Eastern Kentucky. I'll be hiking a 52.5 mile loop around the Red River gorge. The scenery promises to be absolutely beautiful as the trail follows the ridgeline of the cliffs along the red river and includes some steep, difficult terrain. However, in researching the area I have discovered that black bears are making a comeback in large numbers in the area.

This guide is the results of my research into black bears and how to survive when in bear country.



Black bears grow to be 4 to 6 feet tall and range from about 250 to 600 pounds. They can be black or brown in color and are smaller than grizzly bears. Apart from being larger, grizzlies have a large hump between the shoulder blades and their face is concave-shaped. It is important to properly identify a bear that is encountered in the wild because grizzlies and black bears behave completely different and what will save you from one type of bear will surely get you killed by the other.

By nature bears shy away from humans. Bears realize that while a human can be a meal, most humans can defend themselves and the fight is generally not worth it for a bear. Most bears prefer to avoid encounters with humans. Bears don't like to be surprised by humans and mother bears don't like anything to come between them and their cubs. Bears also ferociously defend animal carcasses that they have been feeding on. These are three instances which may provoke a bear to attack.

Since bears prefer to avoid humans whenever possible, attaching a "bear bell" to your pack may be all that is required to avoid bear confrontations. A bear bell is a bell in a small mesh bag that is attached to your pack so it rings when you walk on the trail. Bears, and other predatory animals like large cats, will hear the noise and often leave, realizing that the sound is not natural and means there is a man around.

If you happen to spot a bear while on a trail the distance at which you see the bear is indicative of the type of encounter that will ensue. If you are around 50-100 yards from the bear make noise so the bear will hear you. Metallic noises work best, so ring your bear bell, bang pots or canteens together, and talk in a loud, deep voice. Getting upwind of the bear, if possible, is also recommended so the bear can smell your presence. Your goal is to let the bear know you are there so you don't surprise it. In such situations the bear will most likely leave.

If you encounter a bear that is less than 50 yards from you, additional measures may be necessary. Stand up tall, slowly wave your arms out to your sides, and talk in a loud, deep voice. Help the bear identify you as a human. Do not shout. Hold out a jacket above you to make yourself look even larger. Avoid direct eye contact with the bear. Keep an eye on it with your peripheral vision but do not look directly at it. Eye contact can provoke a bear to attack. Begin to slowly walk diagonally backwards away from the bear.

The bears reaction is critical so watch it very closely. If the bear stands up on it's hind legs it is curious and is getting up high to get a better sniff of you; this is not aggressive behavior. If the bear moves it's head from side to side and makes short "woofing" sounds it is reluctant to approach you and is looking for a way out of the situation. If the bear has it's ears back near it's neck, the hairs on the back of it's neck are standing, and/or the bear is making gutteral, growling type noises the bear is aggressive and will likely charge you.

If the bear is standing it's ground, growling with ears back but has not yet charged, you may be able to scare it by throwing sticks or rocks near it. Don't hit the bear directly as this may provoke an attack. Just let the bear know you are not afraid and that you will fight back. Bears prefer food that doesn't struggle and this may cause them to turn and run.

When bears charge they will usually make one or more false charges, running forward and stopping about 10 feet from you. Stand your ground and let the bear know you are not frightened by it. By all means, DO NOT RUN. A grown bear is as fast as a race horse and can reach 30mph in an instant. If you are confronted by a grizzly bear and there is a large tree that you can climb, drop your backpack or other large item to distract the grizzly and walk backwards to the tree and climb it. Grizzlies can reach about 10 feet up into a tree so you must climb at least that high. And please, make sure your feet are at least 10 feet up and not just your head. If you are confronted by an aggressive black bear DO NOT climb a tree since black bears are adept climbers and will go climb after you.

If you are carrying a Bear Spray, a strong pepper spray made for bears, spray the bear directly in the face when it charges you. The bear sprays normally reach out to 20 feet but may only be accurate within 10 feet. Only spray when you are sure you can get the spray into the bears eyes and nose. The spray is documented to have a catnip-like effect on bears if sprayed anywhere other than the eyes and nose. Bears will lick the spray off themselves or other items that have been sprayed. There have been many reports of foolish people who believe the Bear Deterrent spray is a "bear repellent" and spray down their tent at night. This attracts bears from miles around and will cause them to eat the tent and ultimately it's inhabitants.

If the bear fails to retreat and attacks you must know what type of bear it is. If you are attacked by a grizzly bear you should play dead by laying on your stomach in a fetal position and using your hands to cover your neck and face. A grizzly will normally leave you alone if you play dead. A black bear, on the other hand, will begin to eat you if you play dead in front of it. This is because black bears that attack humans are normally hungry, adolescent males who don't yet know that humans aren't the best food source available.

If the bear attacking you is a black bear, fight back as aggressively as possible. Hit the bear with anything you can get your hands on, like a rock, a stick, even your fists. Use your thumbs to gouge out the bears eyes. Make as much noise as you can and continue to fight. The black bear will quickly realize you aren't worth the struggle and will run away. I read one story of a 10 year old girl who hit a bear with an ax and then threw boiling water on it, driving it away after it wandered into the family's camp site. Bears don't like pain and if you fight back aggressively the bear will leave.

Recommended Reading:
Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance

Living With Bears: A Practical Guide to Bear Country


In the next segment I'll write about how to bear-proof your campsite and yourself when camping in bear country.