In truth, none of the larger mammals of the New England woods want anything to do with us. As long as we’re far enough away from them, they’re likely to take off in the opposite direction before we know it. But if they feel threatened or cornered, it’s a whole different story.
The only bear you’ll find in New England is the black bear (although they are sometimes more brown than black). Black bears, like their forest roommates, are trying to adapt to a shrinking habitat. As a result, they are becoming more and more brazen with people. They have been known to break into cabins and cars to raid food storage containers and take whatever they can.
In general, black bears are much more afraid of you than you are of them, and if you make a lot of noise while walking or setting up camp, you’re likely to chase away anyone nearby. But if you run into a bear unexpectedly, you need to know what to do.
The situations that trigger aggression are usually surprise encounters. For example, you turn a corner only to find a black bear standing nearby with two cubs and, oh, oh, you’re between mom and her babies. That scenario is probably the worst of any other meeting in the forest. The bears will attack anyone who gets between a sow and her cubs.
Second, there is great danger in hanging around the site of a bear kill. If you’re hiking or looking for a good camping spot, be on the lookout for carcasses and scavenging birds, such as ravens and ravens, that congregate in a specific area. If you see them, you might be close to a kill spot, so keep moving away from it.
Finally, the bears leave any number of signs that they have been nearby, meaning that they are likely to appear in a specific area multiple times. Signs range from tree scratch marks to scrape marks on or near a fire pit. If you see any of these signs, or if you’re near a game trail, find another place to camp.
When setting up camp, be sure to set up your outdoor kitchen well away and downwind from your campsite. While bears can’t see well, their sense of smell is many times stronger than humans’, so when you’re cooking a meal, it’s a good idea to:
1. Cook only the amount of food you plan to eat. Anything left can be a bear magnet.
2. Change your clothes after cooking and place them in strong plastic bags. Bears can pick up the smell of food from the clothes you were wearing while cooking.
3. Never store food in your tent or car. The best way to store it is to use a bag tied to a rope that is thrown over a tree branch that is too high for a bear to reach.
4. If you see a bear, but he hasn’t seen you, calmly walk away from him. Do not run! Never turn your back on a bear. If he’s headed toward you on a trail, go downwind and let him pass, or take a detour off the trail, downwind again.
If a bear sees you and is a good distance away, you want to make sure it knows you are human and not a threat. Speak calmly to him and slowly wave your arms above your head. That makes you look bigger and tells the fool that you are human.
For more information on off-trail walks and wildlife encounters, visit the e-zine page at: www.NewEnglandTimes.Com.
