Do not climb a tree. What to Do If You Encounter a Black Bear. Heintooga Picnic Area at Balsam Mountain, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail – Auto Tour, Three Big Reasons You Should Not Feed Bears, The Best Place to Spot Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains, UDAP 18HP Super Magnum Bear Spray 13.4 oz, Frontiersman Bear Spray w/Hip Holster-Max Strength & Range-35 ft-9.2 oz, The Best Place to See Black Bears in the Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park: My Smoky Mountain Guide, *Bear Pepper Spray: If noise doesn’t work, you may need to take accelerated measures. According to one bear researcher, you are more likely to be killed by a domestic dog, bees, or lightning than you are a black bear. Make sure you know you to use it properly, though. The black bear is a wonderful part of their experience. Our goal is to provide valuable, proven information for you and your safety. Scenario: A bear is following you or it is approaching you slowly. Back away slowly, preferably in the direction you came. Climb a Tree: Grizzly bears aren’t as good of climbers as black bears, so one option is to climb a tree – though this is no guarantee that the bear won’t follow you up the tree. Try to escape to a secure place such as a car or … If the bear walks toward you, act boldly, yelling and throwing something at it. Finally, if there is physical contact, Forbes says the best advice is … Using Bear Spray During a Bear Encounter. Black bears tend to be more timid than … Enjoy them; safely! We do not want to contribute to an unhealthy fear of bears, but apparently this is not the problem. Stay away from the bear and tell others to do the same. Millions of people come from throughout the world for the outdoor vacation of a lifetime, and they get it. Do not turn and run. You should be able to use your spray on auto-pilot during a grizzly bear encounter. Walk away slowly, if the bear is not approaching. If the bear is cornered, back off slowly to give it room to escape. Remain still until the bear leaves the area. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. Vacationers get so excited about seeing a bear that they forget that these creatures can, and will, kill if they feel threatened. If you have bear spray, remove the safety, and be ready to use it if the bear approaches you. Any Smoky Mountains outdoor adventure should include safety equipment. DON’T climb trees to escape a bear. ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings and NEVER get within 50 yards of a bear. Walk, don’t run, and keep your eye on the bear so you can see … Having black bears around is not an immediate threat, and like all wild animals, black bears should be treated with respect and given space. Use the pepper spray, blow your whistle. This relaxed mind-set is very dangerous. The best way to handle a bear encounter is never to have one. As you increase your distance, the bear will most likely do the same. If you see a black bear in your yard, enjoy the sighting from a distance and report your sighting. Typically a bear is more afraid of humans. Several bear pepper sprays are on the market. It does not change your price at all. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. Ensure the bear has an escape route. What to do if you encounter a black bear. In most situations, if left alone, the bear will return to the forest on its own. From 1900 to 2015, only 64 people were killed by black bears in all of North America, mostly in Canada and Alaska. If it is a black bear, the best course of action is to try to escape, but if that isn't possible you should fight back. Black Bears: If you are attacked by a black bear, DO NOT PLAY DEAD. A black bear was seen in Joelton, in northwest Davidson County, on Aug. 15.What's believed to be the same bear was spotted Saturday, Aug. 25, in … Understanding the difference between black bears and grizzlies can help determine how you will act if you encounter them. Clap your hands. Meaning: This behavior communicates that the bear believes you are too close and it feels threatened and afraid. If it follows you or gets closer, get aggressive and begin shouting, blowing your whistle, and throwing rocks and sticks at it (anything other than food). Make noise; a lot of noise. Back away when possible. If so, you may find the following suggestions helpful if you are ever confronted by a black bear in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you store recyclables outside, use enclosed bins. Your vacation in Great Smoky Mountains National Park might include hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking, bird watching, or some other outdoor activity. If a black bear (or any bear that is stalking you) makes contact. IMPORTANT: Black bears are wild animals and their behavior can be unpredictable. The average weight of a black bear is 300 pounds. You also need to plan what you will do if, and when, you encounter a black bear. [Like] any wild animal, black bears need to be respected." For details, please read our Front Page News post. In case of a charging bear, spray when it is 30-60 feet (10-20 meters) away. Black bear playing in a puddle in Yellowstone National Park | Shutterstock Bear encounters in the woods are relatively infrequent, Madden said, as bears want to avoid people more than we want to avoid them. We want your Smokies vacation to be the best ever! Aim at the bear’s face and keep in mind the direction of the wind. Wild, powerful, and unpredictable, bears and cougars pose a substantial threat to people. In general, when you encounter a black bear you should: Remain calm. Bears in the Smokies. Even so, the Boy Scouts’ motto, “Be Prepared”, is timeless advice. We are required by law to tell you that we receive a small referral commission if you buy something. To some, seeing a black bear can be a thrilling experience, but to others, it can be a bit unnerving. However, be sure you are not doing anything to attract the bear to your yard. Cloudflare Ray ID: 60f179021de2fa5c (Persistent bears will break into … Attempt to scare the bear off by making noise, such as banging pots and pans, shouting or using an air horn or whistle. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Leave slowly: Cautiously back away from the bear and leave the area. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. This holds true for black bears. If the bear attacks you fight back with any surrounding object and spray it with pepper spray. If you encounter a grizzly, do not run. Differences Between Black Bears and Grizzly Bears. Blow your sound horn or whistle. Scenario: A bear is looking at you, making loud noises, and/or swatting the ground. We at My Smoky Mountain Guide want you to have a wonderful vacation right here in our backyard, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If it gets too close, use your pepper spray*. However, speaking as someone who sucks at climbing trees, this doesn’t seem like a good option. Here is what to do if you run into a cougar, black bear, or grizzly bear in B.C. What to do if you see a black bear. For the most part, they coexist without incident. At a campsite A pair of black bear cubs sitting in a tree. Scenario 2: You see a bear and the bear sees you (but at a distance) Again, if you are being aware of your surroundings and encounter a bear there's a chance you'll both notice each other from a distance. Response: Back away slowly from the food and give the bear plenty of room. 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