\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Stay calm and never run, just back out of the campsite slowly. The force of each bite was like a sledgehammer with teeth. Check the wind direction. Those working in remote areas, such as field biologists, oil explorers, intrepid remote hikers, etc., may be psychologically comforted by having a firearm. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Also, how would you be able to get a good look to make sure it's a male? Sloth bears ("Melursus ursinus"): Sloth bears are a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. Two grizzly bears were in the area, and a female bear knocked her down. Avoid leaving alone any individual who could be singled out for attacking. Defensive attacks are the most common type of bear attack. Polar bears, on the other hand, have been known to track and attack humans. In the case that the bear actually charges and attacks, use whatever you can to defend yourself, including pepper spray and sticks. “Bear attacks on humans are rare, but Montana is bear country with populations of grizzly and black bears that frequent higher and lower elevations,” the agency explained. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), know how to protect yourself from a grizzly, This Man Beheaded a Snake—And It Still Bit Him, The Chilling Story of a Wolf That Tore Into a Family’s Tent During the Night, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Hold your arms up above your head and perhaps spread your legs a little more widely apart (but not so as to unbalance yourself). Alex Neumann's claw and bite wounds are healing after he was mauled by a grizzly bear in northern B.C. Obey all rules in relation to firearms and wildlife protection; use of a firearm should only be in self-defense and not an act of provocation or cruelty. Crucially, the curriculum is drawn from real-world experience surviving grizzly attacks and includes hands-on time with a real, live grizzly bear. Grizzly bear, traditional name given to brown bears (Ursus arctos) of North America. If you have a flashlight, try shining it in the bear's eyes to scare it away. You. Sloth bears have shaggy, dusty-black coats, pale, short-haired muzzles, and long, curved claws that they use to excavate ants and termites. Realize that firearm use has its own hazards and mishandling one may prove more lethal than any potential for a bear attack. Knowing that bears are common throughout the area and not wanting to surprise one, I hollered out, “Hey, bear!” every 30 seconds. Larger bears have been known to knock them down. Note that there's a big difference between bear pepper spray and human self defense pepper spray. Share Link. Even a camera flash can temporarily blind a bear in poor light or the dark. If the wind is blowing toward you, you'll need to carefully get to a better position. Moreover, a polar bear has a keen sense of smell (they can find a buried seal pup up to 2 kilometers away!). “One bite on my forearm went through to the bone, and I heard a crunch.”. This article has been viewed 497,724 times. It can always be replaced, while you cannot be. Paperback $15.37 $ 15. Naturally, being surprised by a stealth charging bear can make this easier said than done, so always be alert when in bear … A cream-colored "V" or "Y" usually marks their chests. Do not act like prey––stay calm and fight back with everything (and everyone) in the tent. Predatory bear attacks are rare for grizzly bears and black bears. Polar bears, on the other hand, have been known to track and attack humans. “I looked to the left and all of a sudden I heard a roar and he … Cover your head and neck with your hands and arms. Predatory bear attacks are rare for grizzly bears and black bears. I could smell the terrible, pungent odor she emitted. Use pepper spray at the moment of the attack. … If visiting a place known for its bears, talk to locals about the safety issues. It won't do you any good to spray the bear only to have the spray fog you instead. Hence, trails attract them, so be alert even when following trails. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. She would eventually hit an artery in my neck, and I would bleed out on the trail. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. A few more steps and I spotted a grizzly bear with her cubs on the trail at the upper end of the meadow. A grizzly will tend to make a direct charge, while a black bear may zig zag charge to attack from undercover. last month, but memories from the attack are harder to deal with. The true story of two fatal grizzly bear attacks that changed our relationship with wildlife. Sloth bear: Sloth bears mostly feed exclusively on plants, so it's probably attacking you to defend itself or its cubs. I was lucky after the first attack, but could I survive a second? Last Updated: November 17, 2020 A bear attack is an attack by any mammal of the family Ursidae, on another animal, although it usually refers to bears attacking humans or domestic pets. Grizzly Attack Overland to the Yellowstone River After an unsuccessful combined military, fur company and allied Indian campaign against the Arikara, often called Rees for short, in the summer of 1823, Ashley and Henry determined that the Missouri River was no longer a viable route to the Rockies. Bears, as far as scientists can determine, have as good eyesight as humans. September 22, 2020 12:49 pm. Avoid making any eye contact––eye contact can be perceived by a bear as a threat and can provoke a charge or repeated attacks. Never cook in your tent or leave food in it; never leave any highly aromatic item in a tent, such as toothpaste or deodorant. She was on top of me, biting my arms, shoulders, and backpack. Note that a lot of people argue that firearms can often be useless against bears unless you have the right type of gun and can aim decent enough. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Unfortunately, you remain a clear target while exposed against the vast tracts of snow. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. They can run at speeds of over 30 mph and have long claws! If you know which direction the bear cub came from, carefully and slowly leave the campsite in the other direction. He and a friend were hunting in the backcountry in Montana when they unexpectedly walked up on a grizzly feeding on a carcass. Assume the attack is predatory and that the bear won't stop attacking you. But then she stopped, turned, and charged straight for me. There’s nothing else like it anywhere in the world. On the whole, they are not, testified to by the fact that bears have ample opportunities to attack human beings that they don't choose to act upon. In this latter case, if you do find yourself forced to climb a tree, climb very high to a point where even a small 300 pound bear cannot go without snapping the branches. It certainly can, but if you can get to a doctor within 24 hours of the bite (or, if you are vaccinated, within approximately a week), you're safe. (Submitted photo) Camp cook Vito Giannandrea said Dowler’s injuries were gruesome. $3.99 shipping. Speaking historically, the spring and summer human-grizzly conflicts are already an outlier. Straight line kicks can be effective––this is the kind of kick performed by police when breaching a door. About three miles in, I stepped out into a meadow and hollered again. If there is food attracting them, they'll be there, you may simply not have seen them, for they are very secretive. A bear can go from disinterested to dangerous in an instant. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Can I kick a male bear in the groin in self-defense if I'm being attacked? Learn more... Having a bear looming over you is probably one of nature's most terrifying encounters, and rightly so. The Voorhes for Reader's Digest This past October, I took an early morning hike in the Madison Valley in southwest Montana. The grizzly bear, also known as the North American brown bear, can reach 1,300 lbs and 5 ft in size. It took doctors eight hours to stitch me back together. the fish is only a few inches away from its gaping jaws. Spray should only be used in the moment of attack and directly into the bear's face. Do not try to climb a tree. Officials say if you run into a bear, you should remain calm, avoid eye contact, slowly back away and don't run. Never spray pepper spray on tents, clothing, etc. There’s nothing else like it anywhere in the world. –Gravelly Mountains image via Wikipedia; grizzly bear image courtesy of the U.S. Another couple bites to my head caused a gash to open above my ear, nearly scalping me. They will bite you in the head. It will go for biting the nape and the top of your head. Make plenty of noise when in bear country, to avoid surprising a bear. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. I knew that if she came back a third time, I’d be dead, so I wiped the blood from one eye and looked around. If you’re in danger of a bear attack, try to appear as big as possible by raising your arms and spreading your legs. Above all, do not run or you will trigger the bear's instincts to give chase. Forty-five minutes later, I got into my truck and drove 17 miles to the hospital. Bears come out any time of the day or night; you're no safer just because it's daytime. For 30 seconds, she stood there crushing me—my chest smashed into the ground, my forehead in the dirt. Because a startled grizzly, ... And that's how you survive, a grizzly bear attack. Using a firearm is something that not everyone wants to do or even knows how to do. a brown bear (ursus arctos) about to catch a salmon in its mouth at the top of brooks falls, alaska. I thought this was the end. If wearing a backpack, leave it on. Be aware that the bear's prey drive may overcome his ability to distinguish his own pain and/or the threat you pose to him. Tell each other what you're about to do as both reassurance and certainty of actions. Bear Attack. Rammel had been alerted by a neighbor that a grizzly was in the area and when he went to check an abandoned shed, the attack was immediate. 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