North America has had a long, tumultuous history of living with Ursus Americanus or the common black bear. Stealthy and powerful, black bears roam the darkest corners of our backwoods usually out of sight, and always on the prowl, as they meander the north woods. Black bears account for more attacks on humans than all other predators and, though encounters are rare, ‘bear awareness’ is crucial for anyone planning to camp or RV in bear country.

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Boasting the most intricate nasal olfactory receptors of any terrestrial animal, bears are widely recognized for their legendary sense of smell. For campers, this means extra vigilance required when it comes to food storage and preparation, but being ‘bear aware’ does not stop there. Knowledge is power when it comes to Yogi, something outdoor enthusiast need heed. Let’s take a look at other areas campers need be more Bear Aware.

Ontario, Canada’s Bear Wise Program

Source: Bear Wise

The province of Ontario, Canada, always sought to educate, rather than disseminate widespread panic, when it comes to bear awareness. Enter Ontario’s Bear Wise Program, introduced in the early 2000’s as a province-wide bear encounter hotline, to deal black bear encounters. Any bruins deemed ‘troublesome’ were live-trapped and relocated unless they were juveniles. Bear Wise also had educators visit schools to inform students on dealing with bears in our midst. As time went on, and funding for the program fizzled, responsibility for managing human/bear conflicts shifted to local municipalities, and residents themselves. Relocating problem bears proved ineffective which resulted in Bear Wise focusing more on educating the public than physically moving the animals.

Camping ‘Bear Rules’ Spelled Out

Source: Bear Wise

Canada’s famous Algonquin Park is a popular camping destination with more than its share of resident black bears. For visitors to the Park, bruin awareness is written out like a playbook in their Black Bear Safety instructions. Park rules discuss four types of bear behaviour: 1) Fleeing Bear 2) Habituated Bear 3) Defensive Bear and 4) Predatory Bear. The most common bear encounter while camping is 1) Fleeing bear. This bear has already sensed your presence and is making their escape. The 2) Habituate bear is used to humans and lost its natural fear, likely because of food. This bear behaviour rarely results in confrontation, simply announce your presence, stand ground and make noise to scare the bear away. A Defensive bear (3) encounter also rarely ends in an attack. In this case, stop and face the bear. Make sure the animal has a clear escape route, and then slowly back away. Use a whistle or air horn if you have them. Do not turn and run.

Predatory Bears 

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The rarest and most dangerous bear behaviour is the Predatory bear. When confronted with a lone male bear that perceives you as prey, you must stand your ground! Announce your presence with loud clapping and yelling, waving your hands to let them know you mean business, and do not retreat or run.  If the bear continues to approach, make yourself appear larger than you are, bang a tree with a stick or clap two rocks together. Most times, the bear will back down if you have convinced him that you are a formidable adversary. Predatory male bears account for nearly 90% of all fatal attacks in North America.

Fatal Park Attack!

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On Thanksgiving weekend, 1991, campers on remote Bates Island in Algonquin Park returned to their campsite with food supplies for their trip. They were met by a predatory male bear, which completely disregarded the fresh food they had with them, instead focused on the campers themselves. It is grotesque to fathom but when the couple did not return as planned, a search discovered their mostly devoured bodies a short distance from the campsite. The bodies still being guarded by the bear and none of their food had been touched.

Food storage & predator safety

Source: Bear Wise

While camping and cooking in bear country, adopting scrupulously clean practices and proper food storage will lessen your chance of a negative bear encounter. The single best way to avoid confrontation with a black bear is, obviously, to stay out of bear country altogether, but for thousands of campers this is not an option. The moment you enter most forested areas of North America, you are in bear country. For those who camp and prepare food where bears are present, there are things you must do to lower the likelihood of an unwanted visitor.

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Keep your food supply stowed far away from your sleeping area. Limiting the scrap food around your tent/trailer will lower the chances of a bear entering your campsite. Do not bring so much as a stick of gum into your tent after dark. Any sort of food or sweet smelling morsel could attract unwanted guests to your tent. The best food storage location is locked away in the truck of your car or inside the back seat of your SUV, or truck. Food storage containers and coolers may be brought to campfire-area during meal preparation, and dinner, then returned the safe area immediately afterward.

Bear safety equipment

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Anyone who planning to camp in bear country should have bear pepper spray with them. It is legal to carry in both the United States and Canada as self-defence against predators, and could very well save your life!  Hunters who also camp and RV, and are legally licensed to carry a firearm, should consider bringing one for safety when camping in bear country. Under the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Act, residents are legally allowed to dispatch an animal perceived to be a threat to life, or person property. This is the last recourse and likely most situations would never warrant the use of a firearm.

Bear Aware = Happy Camping

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Being more bear aware this summer will ensure your next outdoor adventure is safer and worry-free. With the recent purchase of a new trailer myself; I look forward to camping in many of wonderful campgrounds across the United States and Canada, with my first outing planned for the beautiful state of New Hampshire! Enjoy reading about black bears? Check-out my feature on trophy black bear hunting in North-western Ontario!