Another Bear Attack in Yellowstone

If you were watching the national news yesterday, you might have heard mention of another deadly bear attack in Yellowstone National Park. Two hikers found the deceased man on the Mary Mountain trail. He was alone and there was evidence that it was a bear attack, including tracks, hair and bear droppings. You can read the full news article online (click here).

Unfortunately, the is the second deadly bear attack in Yellowstone this year. I talked about the first one in a previous post (click here). Given that this man was hiking alone, we will probably never know the circumstances of what happened.

There are several things you can do to reduce the risk of encountering a bear on a hike, as well as several tips for what to do if you encounter a bear.

First, I think as a general rule, never hike alone. If you get injured, you have no one to go get help for you. Often times you can't get cell phone reception, especially when in the middle of the parks.

Second, when hiking in bear country, make a lot of noise. Seriously, the louder you are, the more likely a bear knows you are around. If you are hiking with someone, talk loudly and often. This is what my husband and I did when hiking some backcountry trails in Yellowstone. Another option is to wear bear bells. You may sound like Christmas while you walk down the trail, but it should hopefully provide proper warning to all bears.

Third, be prepared in case a bear does show up. Some tips below to help you with that.

 -Carry pepper spray. Pepper spray can be a very good deterrent if a bear decides to attack.

 -Actually keep the pepper spray somewhere where you can get to it quickly. Don't bury it in the middle of your pack. Keep hanging on the outside of your pack if possible so you can reach in a hurry if need be.

-If you see a bear, and it is not approaching you, slowly walk away.

-Try to avoid direct eye contact with the bear. You don't want to come off as a threat.

-Do not run!!! They may look slow, but bears have some speed on them.

-Do not climb a tree to escape a bear. They can climb a lot better than you, especially black bears.

-If the bear attacks, lie flat on your stomach or curl into a ball on your side. You have more vital organs that can be reached from the front than from the back.
               
 -Try to remain calm and make as little noise as possible.

-If you see a mother bear with cubs, get out of there. Mothers are protective and will attack to make sure her cubs aren't harmed.

Hope these are some useful tips if you find yourself heading out to bear country.