Page 40 — THE CONWAY DAILY SUN, Saturday, May 21, 2011
BEARS from page 39
grab bird feeders, or eating an apple out of someone’s hand, or a cub coming close to take a sandwich, I don’t see a “cool” pic. I see a soon to be tagged bear, and a soon to be dead bear. Because at that point, when the bear has been successful, where some of that natural fear has worn off, it’s just too late. Too late for me to say “Don’t feed bears,” and too late for the bear. It’s a horrible place to be — that space of knowing it’s just too late, when people’s behavior have affected the safety not only of themselves, and the campers and recreators coming behind them, but also the safety of the bear. A bear will keep coming back to the site of success. That means when your family leaves, another family may bear (no play on words here) the burden of a food habituated bear. And now a decision has to be made — a careful, hard, and gut wrenching decision. But, here we are now at the beginning of the camping season. It’s the perfect time to make sure everybody knows and cares that we are indeed in bear country. You need to come prepared for bears and make sure you read signs at trailheads and campgrounds with bear messages. I know, for some, seeing a black is almost a magical moment, a moment to take in the awe of beauty, a moment of reverence and respect for nature. For others, the thought may not be so comforting. While some will never see a bear, knowing what to do and what to bring helps everyone feel more comfortable. So what do you do when you encounter a bear? Well, it depends. If you are hiking and encounter a bear, stop. You can raise your hands and say “whoa bear, whoa” and slowly walk away. Remove yourself from the situation. If you stop for a picnic lunch out of your backpack, keep it right next to you and don’t walk away from it. Just those few moments away are enough for a bear to successfully steal your pack. If you’re camping and a bear wanders into your site, stop and slowly back away. Remove yourself from the situation. If car camping, you might even slip
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into your car until the bear moves on. Always report encounters to your campground hosts or to backcountry rangers. That information helps us know where bears are, if they’ve gotten food or not, and gives us that information to pass along to our visitors who then in turn can make informed decisions about their hike or stay. Whether hiking or camping, in campgrounds from vehicles or in the backcountry, if you encounter a bear, it’s a good time to stop and think, “Are you prepared to be in bear country?” Can you secure your food overnight? This means keeping a clean camp, putting food away and coolers in secure vehicles, or having a bear-proof canister or equipment and experience to do a proper bear hang. If you are prepared and feel comfortable, you may decide to keep your itinerary. However, if you aren’t prepared, perhaps it’s time to rethink your plans. Never keep food or toiletries in your tent. People think about candy bars or granola bars snuck in their tents for midnight snack – but often forget other smelly items that might attract a bear. Yup, even toothpaste and soap smell good to a bear (remember they’ll crawl into a dumpster). Make sure all smelly items (don’t forget about those clothes you cooked in) are removed from your tent and secured in a vehicle, bear hang, or bear-proof canister (still placed 100 feet from your sleeping area). Let’s start the season right. The best thing we all can do, for the bear, for ourselves and for each other, is to be careful with how we store our food — whether we’re in the White Mountain National Forest, visiting a State Park, or at home. Together we can change our behavior, or influence the behavior of our guests or even neighbors — and therefore not change the behaviors of bears. We can help keep black bears wild, know what to do if we encounter a moment with those majestic animals, and have a safe summer season. For more information on black bears and camping or hiking, contact the White Mountain National Forest at see next page
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