LARGE ANIMAL ATTACKS - Medicine for Mountaineering and Other Wilderness Activities - page 460

Signs of a bear's presence, such as tracks or scat, must be carefully sought. Partially
eaten carcasses should be given a wide berth because bears usually return to finish their
meal. Vultures circling over such a carcass indicate its presence and also warn that a bear
may be near.
One of the best ways to avoid injury by brown bears is to travel in a group. No serious
attacks on groups of four or more people have been reported, and attacks on two or three
individuals are less common than attacks on persons traveling alone. Herrero found that in
88 percent of brown bear incidents only one person was injured, in 8 percent two people
were injured, and in only 3 percent were three persons injured.
Campers should observe the following precautions:
◆ Bear trails or feeding grounds should be avoided.
◆ Sites with bear signs such as droppings or tracks should be avoided.
◆ Sites where food or garbage has been left should be avoided.
◆ The cooking area should be 100 yards or more downwind of the tent.
◆ All food and strongly scented materials should be stored at least 100 yards from the
tent, preferably suspended in a tree in a manner a bear cannot reach them, orin a bear-
proof container.
◆ In brown bear territory, camp should be near an escape tree or well in the open away
from cover.
◆ Packs should be left outside the tent with the flaps open.
◆ In bear country, all campers should use tents. The danger of brown bear predation ap-
pears definitely to be reduced by sleeping in a tent.
Dealing with Encounters with Brown Bears
Brown bears have evolved in open environments, not in forests, and have not learned to
be frightened by aggression, as have black bears. During a “provoked” encounter (when a
human surprises a brown bear), a human should attempt to be as unthreatening as possible.
A brown bear who stands on its hind legs is only trying to evaluate the situation, prob-
ably trying to get a better smell. A bear on all four legs may show agitation by salivating,
swaying its head from side to side, making huffing noises, or making clacking noises with
itsteeth.Chargesarecommon,butmanyarefalsechargesinwhichnocontactismadewith
humans. Herrero considers the position of the bear's ears to be a significant indication of
the bear's intentions; like a dog, the farther back the ears are, the more aroused is the bear.
Eye-to-eyecontactshouldbeavoided.Backingawayslowlyisthebestwaytogetaway.
Running is not advisable because it attracts the bear's attention, and bears can run much
faster than humans, approximately one-third faster than a world-class sprinter.
“Playing dead” if the bear approaches is often—although not always—successful. Indi-
viduals shouldcurl uponthe groundwith their arms overtheir heads andnecks. Ifthey are
wearing a pack they can try to shoulder it over their head. Brown bears often make only