- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Grizzly Mauls Hiker in Yellowstone
Posted on 7/6/11 at 10:00 pm
Posted on 7/6/11 at 10:00 pm
https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/06/us-grizzly-death-yellowstone-idUSTRE76578E20110706
any bear safety tips? i am heading to jackson WY in 2 weeks and would like to avoid this fate while on the trail. i've read all the "bear aware" tips - don't feed bears, use bear canisters for food, avoid bears with cubs, make noise on the trail, use bear bells [joke: "how do you know it's bear scat? there are bear bells in it"], carry bear spray, stand ground if charged, punch bear in nose if attacked. i've hiked in arizona black bear country but nothing like the tetons / yellowstone where grizzlies abound.
you guys have any pro tips?
any bear safety tips? i am heading to jackson WY in 2 weeks and would like to avoid this fate while on the trail. i've read all the "bear aware" tips - don't feed bears, use bear canisters for food, avoid bears with cubs, make noise on the trail, use bear bells [joke: "how do you know it's bear scat? there are bear bells in it"], carry bear spray, stand ground if charged, punch bear in nose if attacked. i've hiked in arizona black bear country but nothing like the tetons / yellowstone where grizzlies abound.
you guys have any pro tips?
Posted on 7/6/11 at 10:19 pm to Bunsbert Montcroff
Avoid smelling like bear food.
Posted on 7/6/11 at 10:20 pm to flynz08
Large caliber revolver or shotgun with slugs. Or rifle in caliber large enough to penetrate deeply.
Posted on 7/6/11 at 10:28 pm to Bunsbert Montcroff
No way I go in the woods without a gun.
Posted on 7/6/11 at 10:38 pm to Bunsbert Montcroff
quote:
carry bear spray, stand ground if charged, punch bear in nose
This made me
Posted on 7/6/11 at 10:42 pm to Bunsbert Montcroff
quote:
you guys have any pro tips?
.44 mag to the jaw. Then he cant bite you.
Posted on 7/6/11 at 10:47 pm to Bunsbert Montcroff
quote:
you guys have any pro tips?
I lived in Yellowstone one summer. I hiked over 100 miles in the area. I never saw a bear while hiking. I saw 4 bears at different times while driving down the road. Just get yourself some bear spray if you plan on doing some serious hiking.
This post was edited on 7/6/11 at 10:49 pm
Posted on 7/6/11 at 11:02 pm to Bunsbert Montcroff
quote:
stand ground if charged
...by a Mountain Lion.
quote:
punch bear in nose if attacked
...by a Black Bear
If Grizz attacks you, assume the position... Roll into a ball, clasp your hands behind your neck and try not to shite your pants. Do you best to remain quiet and motionless while Grizz bites your head or arse and legs - which is great advice in theory, but considerably more problematic in practical application. (Hopefully, your backpack will provide protection to your spine and your hands to your neck)
Once Grizz decides you are no longer a threat, he/she should leave. Unless, of course, it's been a bad berry year and they're hungry. If Grizz starts to activily eat you, THEN its time to fight.
Good luck and enjoy your vacation!
Posted on 7/6/11 at 11:17 pm to White Roach
If you have reciprocity in whatever state your in within Yellowstone, you can concealed carry if you want. You're just not legally allowed to shoot the gun even in self defense. SO just keep that in mind.
Posted on 7/6/11 at 11:39 pm to Bunsbert Montcroff
Take someone you can beat in a 50 yard dash...you don't have to be faster than the bear just faster then the other guy.
This post was edited on 7/6/11 at 11:40 pm
Posted on 7/6/11 at 11:52 pm to mikeytig
good luck w all of that. chances are you just shoot someone you're with or piss bear off worse. plus guns are heavy as hell for backpacking.
Posted on 7/7/11 at 12:00 am to Bunsbert Montcroff
Grizzlies don't really abound in Grand Teton. There are a few, but not many. Just take the precautions you mentioned, and remember that these stories are newsworthy because they're so rare. Enjoy yourself. You're unlikely to even see a Grizzly, much less be attacked by one. Don't ruin your trip worrying about something that is less likely than being struck by lightning.
Posted on 7/7/11 at 12:01 am to Bunsbert Montcroff
If you go overnight backpacking in Yellowstone, you have to get an overnight back country pass and you have to watch a video about bear safety with the guy that gives out the passes. He told us that he has been backpacking for 25 years (something like that) in Yellowstone, carries bear spray, and has never had to spray it.
Posted on 7/7/11 at 12:22 am to White Roach
quote:
If Grizz attacks you, assume the position... Roll into a ball, clasp your hands behind your neck and try not to shite your pants. Do you best to remain quiet and motionless while Grizz bites your head or arse and legs - which is great advice in theory, but considerably more problematic in practical application. (Hopefully, your backpack will provide protection to your spine and your hands to your neck)
This is how you do it. Black bear, fight. Brown bear, play dead, cover the back of your neck.
-"Bear spray" is pretty useless if a bear is attacking you
-Most pistols are worthless against a charging bear. File off the front sight so it don't hurt so bad when the bear shoves the pistol up your arse.
-Hiking, make noise. Bears can be dangerous if surprised. If you make noise, odds are you will not see any. They don't like being around people.
-Suspend any food from a high limb if you are camping.
Posted on 7/7/11 at 2:05 am to RogerTheShrubber
Living in Alaska, you obviously know the drill. I spent 4 months camping and backpacking in AK and western Canada a few years ago. Many areas have Black and Brown Bears. If you're attacked, you should react according to species and circumstances. On top of that, in some areas Black Bears have a dark brown or even cinnamon coloration, like a Grizzly.
I'm typically very calm in crisis situations, but the prospect of properly identifying an attacking bear in the second or two you have before it's on your arse has always seemed like quite the challenge to me! Thankfully, it never came to that.
Further complicating matters is that apparently all bears haven't read the guide books and NPS literature. Black Bears are supposed to be more easily frightened than Browns and (allegedly) will run off if you yell or shine a light on them... There's at least one living along Root Glacier, north of Kennecott, who was unaware of the "rules" and was not afraid of me at all. Mid-Sept, about 10:30 at night, Mr or Ms Black Bear was unconcerned that I was camping in a small clearing by what was apparently their favorite soapberry patch. I got out of the tent and started trying to make the bear aware of my presence, gradually getting louder and louder. I spoke. I clapped and slapped my thigh. I shouted. I shined a light. I tossed 4 or 5 golfball sized rocks around him/her. After a couple of minutes of this activity, with the bear completely ignoring me, I whipped a fastball into its haunch, expecting that it would haul arse. I now had the bear's undivided attention and, to my complete surprise and abject horror, it wasn't running away! I was certain that I'd just made the worst of my many mistakes in life. The bear gave me a look as if to say, "Throw another rock and I'll be on you instead of these soapberries." and proceeded to amble away at a very relaxed pace.
That's my "best" bear story and I hope I never top it!
I'm typically very calm in crisis situations, but the prospect of properly identifying an attacking bear in the second or two you have before it's on your arse has always seemed like quite the challenge to me! Thankfully, it never came to that.
Further complicating matters is that apparently all bears haven't read the guide books and NPS literature. Black Bears are supposed to be more easily frightened than Browns and (allegedly) will run off if you yell or shine a light on them... There's at least one living along Root Glacier, north of Kennecott, who was unaware of the "rules" and was not afraid of me at all. Mid-Sept, about 10:30 at night, Mr or Ms Black Bear was unconcerned that I was camping in a small clearing by what was apparently their favorite soapberry patch. I got out of the tent and started trying to make the bear aware of my presence, gradually getting louder and louder. I spoke. I clapped and slapped my thigh. I shouted. I shined a light. I tossed 4 or 5 golfball sized rocks around him/her. After a couple of minutes of this activity, with the bear completely ignoring me, I whipped a fastball into its haunch, expecting that it would haul arse. I now had the bear's undivided attention and, to my complete surprise and abject horror, it wasn't running away! I was certain that I'd just made the worst of my many mistakes in life. The bear gave me a look as if to say, "Throw another rock and I'll be on you instead of these soapberries." and proceeded to amble away at a very relaxed pace.
That's my "best" bear story and I hope I never top it!
Posted on 7/7/11 at 2:55 am to White Roach
I've been right there. Never saw the bear, though.
Posted on 7/7/11 at 7:54 am to Bunsbert Montcroff
May have been a squatch. Gotta be careful to avoid those things man
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News