What would I do if I was on the menu?
Pile on the Deet and zip up the bug net!
(And curse those tiny Scottish gentlemen)
Pile on the Deet and zip up the bug net!
(And curse those tiny Scottish gentlemen)
When you're on the menu. What would you do?
- Thread starter Quixoticgeek
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A guy on the Vancouver Island 'reality' survival show had a pair of fake eyes on the back of his hat.
He reasoned that predators like to attack from behind & this might save him.
Also good if you fail to follow advice & run away ?
He reasoned that predators like to attack from behind & this might save him.
Also good if you fail to follow advice & run away ?
As said already here, camp where the animals don't go instead of on game trails, have a fire, and don't keep any food or have cooking areas anywhere close to camp. The grand-kids all think that I walk slowly in the bush due to age, but where I live I don't want to surprise a bear lying on a killed animal or gut pile. If you have a camp where animals are - with a big fire then you're still probably safe, but your stuff won't be if you leave it and animals come to check it out.
I've relied on a 3" magnum slug gun when fishing -where I am among lots of bears each day. It's very reliable in function, and extremely fast to bring into action and for aimed repeat shots. I was a competition shooter, though and so recoil proof. My grandson is now fast accurate and recoil proof with the gun, but I have suffered deeply with the cost of shells. Unless you've trivialized the cost of the gun with shell cost for training, a gun is more likely to cause problems than solve them.
Typically I've relied on guns over spray because I live on the coast where wind is a huge factor in spray use, but in forest I'll happily carry spray now. To be honest, that would be forest with little food and so where bears are not to be expected.
Going back to the beginning, knowledge is important. My son is checking out hunting spots close to where he works. Unfortunately he recently found out that that's where problem grizzlies are being relocated. That's not likely to be a problem until carrying out a deer in which special vigilance and having enough gun is warranted simply because of broadcasting blood smell and having something that a bear (which is not afraid of people) wants.
It's surprising how much that matters. I've done well with facing down stuff simply because I was confident. And most wild animals will know everything about your state of mind and lots more from smell. Going out with someone who is deathly afraid, often leads to trouble.
I've relied on a 3" magnum slug gun when fishing -where I am among lots of bears each day. It's very reliable in function, and extremely fast to bring into action and for aimed repeat shots. I was a competition shooter, though and so recoil proof. My grandson is now fast accurate and recoil proof with the gun, but I have suffered deeply with the cost of shells. Unless you've trivialized the cost of the gun with shell cost for training, a gun is more likely to cause problems than solve them.
Typically I've relied on guns over spray because I live on the coast where wind is a huge factor in spray use, but in forest I'll happily carry spray now. To be honest, that would be forest with little food and so where bears are not to be expected.
Going back to the beginning, knowledge is important. My son is checking out hunting spots close to where he works. Unfortunately he recently found out that that's where problem grizzlies are being relocated. That's not likely to be a problem until carrying out a deer in which special vigilance and having enough gun is warranted simply because of broadcasting blood smell and having something that a bear (which is not afraid of people) wants.
It's surprising how much that matters. I've done well with facing down stuff simply because I was confident. And most wild animals will know everything about your state of mind and lots more from smell. Going out with someone who is deathly afraid, often leads to trouble.
We spend most of our time in places where there are many bears, further east in summer ground there are barren land grizzlies, further east only black bear. And wolves.
We don't worry about brother wolf. He's like us and takes care to look after himself so he normally runs away. Sometimes if we go places others have not been he'll come close to camp but always keeps away.
Beers are different. Leave untidy camp, food around and a big bear will come. But they too are normally careful and scared of humans. They too can be curious and if one gets too near we shout and chase the bear away. Only a very old or young and stupid bear will ignore that message. You must be bold and not show sign of being scared. Approach the bear with confidence and shout or throw stone always works. I don't know of any one of us whose ever had to shoot a bear because the bear was though to be dangerous.
But bears can be dangerous when they have young, so we are always careful to avoid places we expect bears to be when they have young and not get too close to thickets of bush. We hear that some white people try to get close for photographs. Bear won't like that and thats when they attack. You will be unlikely to survive a big bear. Playing dead will not work but may make you die quicker!!!
In the more populated places in Canada the squirrel is much more dangerous. Many more people get bitten by squirrels when they try to stroke them or feed them by hand when they visit garden feeders.
We don't worry about brother wolf. He's like us and takes care to look after himself so he normally runs away. Sometimes if we go places others have not been he'll come close to camp but always keeps away.
Beers are different. Leave untidy camp, food around and a big bear will come. But they too are normally careful and scared of humans. They too can be curious and if one gets too near we shout and chase the bear away. Only a very old or young and stupid bear will ignore that message. You must be bold and not show sign of being scared. Approach the bear with confidence and shout or throw stone always works. I don't know of any one of us whose ever had to shoot a bear because the bear was though to be dangerous.
But bears can be dangerous when they have young, so we are always careful to avoid places we expect bears to be when they have young and not get too close to thickets of bush. We hear that some white people try to get close for photographs. Bear won't like that and thats when they attack. You will be unlikely to survive a big bear. Playing dead will not work but may make you die quicker!!!
In the more populated places in Canada the squirrel is much more dangerous. Many more people get bitten by squirrels when they try to stroke them or feed them by hand when they visit garden feeders.
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If I'm camping in bear country then food would be bagged and hung away from camp, cooking would be done away from camp, if a big beastie comes visiting then I suppose I'd try and keep calm, avoid eye contact and keep talking to the animal while I back away to a safe distance, it's likely to get distracted and probably shred a tent/hammock/bivvie while I make my getaway.
I certainly wouldn't plan to arm myself, if something wants to eat me in it's own back yard then that's just fate. The attraction for me of going to such places is to enjoy the nature, not kill it.
Failing that just make sure you can run faster than everyone else in your group
I certainly wouldn't plan to arm myself, if something wants to eat me in it's own back yard then that's just fate. The attraction for me of going to such places is to enjoy the nature, not kill it.
Failing that just make sure you can run faster than everyone else in your group
Dogs make good protectors. Good for telling you what's about and even better than throwing stones. Dogs we used once for hunting bear and other big game. They are fast and can out manoeuvre bigger animals.
But they must be kept loose. Loose dogs can also be a problem. Chained up like some are gives you warning of but a grizzly who is looking for dinner knows the dog cannot run away and cannot chase him. Then you loose dog and grizzly get eat easy food.
I hear some people tell you can fight grizzly if he attacks but I have seen what a grizzly can do when digging out wolf dens
for the pups in spring. A grizzly can easily tear big roots maybe a wrist thickness in two without problem.
I don't know about eye contact. Looking away is what many animals do if they are submissive. We don't want to act submissive so I never heard of anyone doing that. I look at the bear in the eyes and tell him go away or he's going to be in big trouble. A rock helps him understand.
But they must be kept loose. Loose dogs can also be a problem. Chained up like some are gives you warning of but a grizzly who is looking for dinner knows the dog cannot run away and cannot chase him. Then you loose dog and grizzly get eat easy food.
I hear some people tell you can fight grizzly if he attacks but I have seen what a grizzly can do when digging out wolf dens
for the pups in spring. A grizzly can easily tear big roots maybe a wrist thickness in two without problem.
I don't know about eye contact. Looking away is what many animals do if they are submissive. We don't want to act submissive so I never heard of anyone doing that. I look at the bear in the eyes and tell him go away or he's going to be in big trouble. A rock helps him understand.
First course of action in that situation is to soil myself and scream loudly I think. Failing that ideally a manigable rifle carbine length or SBR, oh to be American and have access to SA rifles! Failing that slugs or buckshot and lots of it, 1 000buck cartridge might not take down a bear, 5 will
Do you reckon the bear will wait around while you fire off your 5 shots though Mick?
Lets say you have just woken up, noticed the bear, reach for the gun... now the bear is on top of you, are you firing 5 shots or working out how you'll cope with a bear's digestive tract?
Time and distance are your friend; Time to react and distance enough to buy the time. Hence the dogs are still a good idea even with a gun.
I was once told the only real way to change someone's mind was with a rock
Sticks and stones can break my bones, but hollow points expand on impact.
That's very unlikely if you have a fire - or at least I've never heard of attacks in camps inside the limit of the firelight. Of course if you choose to have no fire, well good luck with that. A guy got drunk in Stewart had a fight with the friend he'd been visiting, and went to sleep it off in the campground. He got killed and partly eaten by a griz at place I've camped at and would camp again. I'll just be especially careful about the fire and not reeking of sweet booze and food. One guy I'd taught as a kid was killed etc. because while was he was told not to venture outside the light at a fish camp at night because bears would be checking the place out, but no he had to go take a pee in the dark. I know of so many cases like that, but I don't recall any of people being attacked in a camp with a proper setup and fire.
That sounds noble except if you are hurt badly or killed and didn't provoke the attack, then probably a lot of animals will be killed in the search to find and kill the right one. If a person has a gun and it gives them the courage to stand up and not run, or uses spray - then the local animals are safer.
I read a few times that making eye contact with bears is a 'come at me bro' kind of thing. It's apparently best to avoid eye contact so you don't invite them for a fight, so to speak. From what I gather, it's best to keep it in your peripheral, so you know where it is, but don't stare it down directly.
True that. Your fear/confidence/etc gives of a smell that such animals can detect. If you're giving off the right (or wrong) pheromones, your situation can change rapidly!
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Go in winter when the bears are hibernating. If a wolf/ wolves came within sight of camp, I'd be over the moon! What a treat.
Best Bear deterent according to Mors Kochanski is a hand held flare. Which you should be able to procure. and keep ready. [not in your pack]
We're visitors on their turf.
I think there have been less than 5 caused wolf fatalities in the last fifty years,and my guess is, they were all down to the stupidity of people.
Did no-one watch that program where gordon buchanan went to meet a completely wild arctic wolf pack that had never met people?
Apex predators are widely misunderstood and badly persecuted by human beings.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ww480
[video=youtube;QZipBjJvXgE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZipBjJvXgE[/video]
Best Bear deterent according to Mors Kochanski is a hand held flare. Which you should be able to procure. and keep ready. [not in your pack]
We're visitors on their turf.
I think there have been less than 5 caused wolf fatalities in the last fifty years,and my guess is, they were all down to the stupidity of people.
Did no-one watch that program where gordon buchanan went to meet a completely wild arctic wolf pack that had never met people?
Apex predators are widely misunderstood and badly persecuted by human beings.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ww480
[video=youtube;QZipBjJvXgE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZipBjJvXgE[/video]
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Dave on the go in winter sid of things I heard a tale a couple of years back that might make to think again.
Supposedly true but you can never tell.
Two chaps had been out wandering when one of them startled a bear. The other being a good friend lept to his defence and though he saved his friend he was badly mauled himself.
Spent a couple of months in hospital getting put back together and one of the things that kept him going was the thought of getting out for a walk again.
After recovery and some physio it was said he was fit to go walking in the woods again, and despite thick Canadian snow he was looking forward to it.
Unfortunately the route he was taking took him over some weak snow and through he plunged into a rock shelter into... You guessed it a hibernating bear! Seemingly it didn't awake and he was able to get out but he took it as a sign to sell his gear and take up another pastime.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
Supposedly true but you can never tell.
Two chaps had been out wandering when one of them startled a bear. The other being a good friend lept to his defence and though he saved his friend he was badly mauled himself.
Spent a couple of months in hospital getting put back together and one of the things that kept him going was the thought of getting out for a walk again.
After recovery and some physio it was said he was fit to go walking in the woods again, and despite thick Canadian snow he was looking forward to it.
Unfortunately the route he was taking took him over some weak snow and through he plunged into a rock shelter into... You guessed it a hibernating bear! Seemingly it didn't awake and he was able to get out but he took it as a sign to sell his gear and take up another pastime.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
Yeh Im sure there are examples like that, and even some examples of hungry bears in some places staying awake throughout the whole winter, scavenging on wolf kills and so on.
A confrontation with a grizzly or a polar bear would make the heart beat faster. But not blacks and wolves. Even then with a large burning hand held flare burning in front of you, I bet 99% of animal encounters would result in them legging it.
Just about being prepared isnt it? If youre not prepared youve no business being there. We've stolen so much of their habitat over the last century.
You can mail order a handheld flare without any licenses or anything in the UK, but they cannot mail them abroad for you. So you have to find them locally. Just takes a bit of effort and research.
[Off topic, I'd love to live a lifestyle like some alaskans do. Kill one moose a year, maybe a reindeer, grow your own veg, have a few hundred pounds of meat and salmon and veg in a root cellar, enough for a long winter. Maybe keep some livestock, chickens, turkeys, a few cows. Like the Kilchers do.
I constantly wonder how difficult it would be to go and learn how to do all that, you know, proper circle of life stuff, without any money. I mean how do they afford bullets and so on. They must have some small income from somewhere.]
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Locale/climate has something to do with it as well. Our bears down her don't truly "hibernate" though they do slow down through the winter.
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