National Park Service Notice –
READ: Please don’t run from bears or push your slower friends down in attempts of saving yourself.
As a follow-up to a previous post, if you come upon a stationary bear, move away slowly and sideways; this allows you to keep an eye on the bear and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears. Do NOT run, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. Like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals. Do NOT climb a tree. Both grizzlies and black bears can climb trees. Do NOT push down a slower friend (even if you think the friendship has run its course).
Stay calm and remember that most bears do not want to attack you; they usually just want to be left alone. Don’t we all? Identify yourself by making noise so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal. Help the bear recognize you as a human. We recommend using your voice. (Waving and showing off your opposable thumb means nothing to the bear) The bear may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.
P.S. We apologize to any “friends” who were brought on a hike as the “bait” or were sacrificed to save the group. You will be missed.
#FindYourPark #RecreateResponsibly
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/index.htm
—
“i’d rather write about polar bears than people”
-mary oliver
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image credit: Bear resting on a log thinking bear things at Katmai National Park & Preserve, NPS/ J. Ehrlenbach
Though perhaps a grizzly truth that not all black bears are necessarily black, is it possible that bears are bipolar?
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they get around
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I probably would freeze with fear if I came face to face with a bear. Would try to recall these tips. 🐻
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I would too, and I’m sure I would blank out all on all advice
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I hope we don’t have to test out the theory. 🐻
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right!
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👍
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What a great post! Not sure I need your advice here in Australia but I certainly got good visuals from your tips!!
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put out by our national park rangers, who clearly mix a bit of humor in with their advice
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No such problems with our cuddly Koala’s…..
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aww
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A bear can run 35 mph for short distances. As fast as an Olympic sprinter. Luckily, you don’t have to outrun the bear, just one other person. That is why I always recommend taking a slow-moving, delicious looking friend with you on any trip into the woods!
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hahaha, perfect, just as the rangers predicted!
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Look like the bear just think “Be calm just look how calm I am”. 😀
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Luckily, even forest rangers have a sense of humor.
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they do, and that sure is good to know –
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I’ll bear with the Rangers’ sense of humor, Beth.
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))) good call
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I’m glad that bear in the picture didn’t being bothered for a picture, cute! Good info about avoiding being eaten!
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yes, I’m glad they have a sense of humor mixed in with their advice
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very good info! rangers have sense of humour ahaha
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they sure do!
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This one cracks me up 🤣
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Me too!
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I can’t believe that you didn’t make this up …. you didn’t, right?!
And I’m really glad to know that I just have to sing a bit of J.S.Bach or Händel and suddenly, I’ll be able to Händle it…. 😉
PS: Of course, I’m in agreement (again!) with Mary Oliver
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no, this is absolutely real, issued by our national park service rangers. visitors to the parks have not been behaving in the most intelligent way lately, trying to get selfies with the wild animals, etc.
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hard to believe but then, humans…..
I’m happy to see that your national park ppl have such a great sense of humour! 🙂
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It’s a good wY to get people to actually read their advice
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It’s good to laugh at things like that. Especially, if you’re not the one brought along, like in Star Trek, as the one marked for death.
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absolutely
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Good advice! I didn’t know about the human voice part. “Hi there. My name’s Jennie. What’s yours?” That should do it as I creep sideways, don’t you think?
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I’m guessing that I might fall to the ground on the fetal position, so my odds are not good
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Haha!
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Love the disclaimer at the end! Great share!
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Isn’t that great?)
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We did see a bear on a hike once–it was far away, but we were quite frightened. Other people on the hike wanted to get closer–we thought they were crazy.
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Yikes!!!
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Having been up close and personal with bears, I concur. Bottom line: don’t be an idiot. Calm conversation works as you carefully move along.
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Those four words work in any life situation. “Don’t be an idiot.”
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I can’t stop laughing at the first sentence. This was such a fun way to share bear safety tips! I’ve only come close to seeing one once and it scared the life out of me
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I agree! And a good way to get people to actually read their tips! I would have been terrified,glad you lived to tell )
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az`Hahahaha I would soooooo push down a friend. Yes, I said it – no shame in being truthful 😀
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Apparently, my kids told me that I pushed them in front of me in a haunted house and used them as human shields
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That sounds plausible
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Whenever there is a story of someone who is attacked in the wilderness, I always think that, while it is a tragic event, it is NOT the fault of the Bear…we need to respect their habitat…great advice by the way…I read book about going on safari…it was called “Whatever You Do, Don’t Run!” Why? Because FOOD RUNS!
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Both true and funny and real!
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I grew up in Northwestern Montana Grizzly Bear country. We didn’t go huckleberry picking without a sidearm. Something with stopping power. Now, people carry big cans of pepper spray. Yes, huckleberries are real! 🖤
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Wow –
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Even the P.S. is real??? Seems quite insensitive, to say the least. Perhaps one of Trump’s toadies has been handed the job of writing for the park service:) As one who has seen black bears in the wild, I take all this very seriously!
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i think their motivation for this style was to get people to read it, especially young people who have been taking selfies, etc.
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You’re probably right, Beth, and I bet it’s working!
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i hope so –
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We were camping in Glacier National Park and I noticed all the shops were selling “bear bells” to keep the bears away. I asked a ranger if they worked, and she said the best you could expect was that those bells would be the last thing you heard…
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oh, yikes!
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This was great! Thanks for posting 🙂
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my pleasure –
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I love that warning and shared it on my FB page. Today in Colorado a bear was killed because some stupid human had been feeding it and the bear bit the man’s hand. The man is fine; the bear was “euthanized.” Sometimes I just really, really, really hate people.
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oh no, not the bear’s fault. this is why they keep trying to warn people about what should be obvious.
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I heard about this on the radio. Hilarious 😆
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i thought so too !
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Three cheers for that author! Park Service employees are a different breed. Highly educated, poorly paid, and forced to deal with the public while wearing silly hats. My dear friend, a historian, once showed me a magazine written by and for historians. There was a column devoted to stupid questions from stupid visitors, such as at Mount Rushmore: “Where to they put it in the winter?”
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hahahaha – i’m sure they have a million!
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Hi Beth,
Not quite what the NPS has on their site, but funnier your way… Thanks for including their link. I followed it to see what is there and they have some beautiful photos of bears! If I have a spirit animal, it’s a bear (or a raccoon or a dog). Well, it’s one of those. Please don’t force me to choose…
🙂
Kevin
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i would never…)
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I love this, and I also love the Mary Oliver quote. LOL
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thanks! )
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Here’s to lost friends!😎
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❤️
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I think humor is often more effective than a dry message…
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I so agree
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seems very sensible -I saw a film clip of three girls who had come across a bear, they just stood very still, the bear sniffed one of them (she actually took a photo) and when the bear moved on they moved off! No harm done.
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i don’t know if i could stand still
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Uh…..I barely know what to say.
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)))
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yup. its correct… 🙂
Spirituality Awakening
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❤️
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Oh dear! After reading this, I’ll take careful consideration of the ‘the Friend’ I go on a hike with in bear country… so I can be the ‘Pusher’ not the ‘Pushed’
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it’s certainly something to add to your pre-trip considerations )
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Yes!
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There’s an old joke that draws my wife’s ire. She tells me that I’m ‘stale’ but my daughter and I repeat it time to time for a some nonsense: “if a bear was chasing you, would you run into a church or school for safety?” The listener picks one, either one, and you reply, “what, with a ‘bare behind’?” That’s it. Why, I’m laughing again. Maybe my wife is right 😉😂🤪
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Hahahahaha
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Have you retold it, yet?😂
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LOL!
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Hi Beth, I have actually been up close in personal with two grizzly bears in the wild. One was a young male who was following me and my young daughters on a hike. Scary!!! I definitely had to use all my tools to get away from that one. The second bear was a momma grizzly and her two cubs. I was hiking and came over the pass to find her. The wind was towards me, so she didn’t see or smell us. I had to yodel to get her attention as there were hikers coming up behind me. She startled when I yelled, and for a second I thought she was going to charge. Then she calmed, and went back to eating. We watched her for a several minutes, then turned around and left.
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