u u u u u u u Bear Avoidance Precautions BLACK BEARS AT A GLANCE Always follow local regulations and review trailhead signs before hiking.

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2 Straight face profile Short claws Front claw 1 2 long Tall ears Front track No sholder hmp Bear Avoidance Precations Always follow local reglations and review trailhead signs before hiking. Let someone know where yo re going and when yo plan to retrn. Keep children close and in sight at all times. Stay on the trail. Be aware of yor srrondings, and scan ahead periodically. BLACK BEARS AT A GLANCE Black bears can be fond across most of North America. Black bear habitat varies from the lowlands of Florida to montains, deserts and sbarctic tndra. Black bears can be fond in and adjacent to metropolitan areas. Colors: Black, brown, blond, rst, or cinnamon. Rare colors are white and ble. Size: Adlts measre abot 3 feet at the sholder and 5 to 6 feet when standing. Weight: Adlts weigh 125 to 425+ lbs. Some can weigh as mch as 700 lbs. Life Span: Approximately 20 years. Eyesight: Similar to hmans. Sense of Smell: Excellent; can span miles. Attribtes: Very agile; climb trees well; good swimmers; and can rn as fast as 35 mph. A black bear s diet can inclde acorns, berries, insects, vegetation, fish, and carrion. They mate dring May and early Jne. They hibernate between November and April when food is scarce, thogh this may vary. Healthy mothers prodce 1 3 cbs. Don t hike alone or at night. Grops of for or more tend to make more noise, appear more formidable, and can provide one another with assistance. Althogh bears may be encontered any time, they are most active at dawn, at dsk, and at night. Make yor presence known. Talk, sing, clap hands, call ot hey ho, etc., to alert bears of yor presence. Don t rely on bells; they are too qiet. View and photograph from established observation areas or the trail. Use binoclars, spotting scopes, and telephoto lenses. Don t approach animals. Don t try to interact with an animal by offering food, throwing rocks, making noise, or trying to herd it. Allow the animal to go abot its reglar rotine ndistrbed.

3 Watch for bear signs sch as tracks, diggings, rocks/logs rolled over or torn apart, scat, and claw marks. Avoid carcasses. Report dead animals near a trail or campsite to a local wildlife management agency. Do not approach a carcass a bear may be nearby. If an animal approaches, back away to maintain a safe distance. Don t try to prse an animal that is leaving the area. Always leave an animal a clear line of travel. Taking pets on hiking trails is not advised: they may attract bears or cogars. Pets are not allowed on trails, in national parks or refges. If pets are permitted, keep them on leashes at all times. Avoid odoros items sch as food or beverages with strong odors or scented personal hygiene prodcts. A bear conditioned to hikers may not leave the area when it hears people hiking on the trail. Allow the bear plenty of space to contine its activities ndistrbed as yo proceed ot of the area. Stay with yor gear. Don t leave packs, food, or beverages nattended. Hang these items ot of reach of bears. ConterAssalt.com Grizzly Togh Bear Spray & Food Storage Units Wildlife Stewardship: For Yor Safety and to Keep Wildlife Wild Give them the space to go abot their daily rotine ndistrbed. Don t habitate them to yor presence or condition them to yor food or garbage. Please do not approach or follow or attempt to interact with and/or feed. Keep them wild for ftre generations to enjoy. Cogar Enconters Cogars are qiet and elsive. Stay on the lookot for cogars in thick brsh and behind fallen trees. They often only give a glimpse of themselves before disappearing. Repeated sightings shold be treated with alarm. If a cogar attacks, grop together and fight back sing sticks, rocks, and pans. Bear spray has been sccessflly sed on cogars. Retreat to a place of safety. Never play dead. Snake Enconters Snakes will try to avoid yo if they can. To avoid snake enconters, always be very aware of where yo re walking. Avoid stepping where yo can t see, sch as behind rocks or logs or in tall grass. Be carefl when sitting down and when picking things p that a snake cold hide nder or behind. Don t attempt to approach, toch, or wrangle any snake enjoy them safely and responsibly from a distance.

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5 Sdden close enconters - Do Not Panic! Calmly grop together and pick p small children. Do not rn, make sdden movements or direct aggressive eye contact. These actions may instinctively case the black bear to charge. If the black bear clacks its teeth, woofs, pants, growls or slaps its paws on the grond, it is warning yo to back off. Give the bear a chance to identify yo as a hman, and not a threat. Let the bear calm down and retreat. Now wold be a good time to do the following: Assess the sitation: Is this a female with cbs? How close is the bear? Is it possible that it s protecting a fresh kill? Is the bear acting in a predatory manner? Give the bear a chance to leave the area. Talk firmly in a low-pitched voice while backing away. Keep backpacks on for added protection. Retreat to a place of safety. Monitor the bear s response and adjst yor actions accordingly. Bears sally leave at this point, bt yo shold be prepared to se yor bear spray or other weapon (i.e. walking sticks, rocks or branches). If the bear stands p, it is trying to identify what it smells and hears. It s NOT preparing to charge. Both black bears and grizzly bears can climb trees. Rnning to a tree may case a bear to chase yo. Predatory black bear behavior can sometimes be identified by the following actions: Contines to follow or circle yo or disappears and reappears. Enters yor camping, sleeping or cooking area either dring the day or at night. Under these circmstances do not play dead. If the black bear contines to approach: No matter how passive this bear appears, it is acting in a possible predatory or threatening manner if it contines to approach yo. Yor grop shold become increasingly aggressive by shoting No! Go Away! Throw rocks. Use yor bear spray. If the black bear physically attacks yo, fight back by hitting its nose and eyes with yor fists, and by kicking. Yor hiking companions can help yo fight with walking sticks, pans, branches, and rocks or their bear spray. Always review the latest bear information provided by local wildlife and land management agencies, especially if yo are planning to visit areas where there are grizzlies, brown bears or polar bears. Bear behavior may vary from species to species and sometimes from location to location. Bear behavior is often a reslt of individal experiences. There is no single assred protective action to take dring an enconter or attack. There is no garantee of yor safety or the safety of yor property. Always remain standing. Do not kneel or bend over. E P O P D N A G N U O Y C L U B

6 Bear Spray Read the label make sre yo are prchasing bear spray, not personal defense spray. The label shold clearly indicate that it is for deterring bears, not people. Active ingredients: 1 2% Capsaicin and related capsaicinoids. Look for EPA registration nmber on front of can. Recommended minimm spray distance is 25 feet. Spray dration is 6 seconds to allow for mltiple charges/ mltiple bears, to compensate for wind, and so there is a reserve for the hike ot. How to Use Bear Spray Bear spray isn t a sbstitte for following appropriate safety precations. Bear spray shold only be sed on aggressive, charging or attacking bears. Don t spray tents, gear, or people with it. BEAR SPRAY Active Ingredient: Capsaicin and related capsaicinoids 1% to 2% EPA Registration Nmber The Be Bear Aware and Wildlife Stewardship Campaign works in partnership with the Sotheastern, North-eastern, Midwestern, and Western Associations of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; The Wildlife Management Institte; The Wildlife Society; and hnting, fishing, otfitting, and giding organizations. Please join with s by sharing this bear avoidance and wildlife stewardship safety material with family, neighbors, schools, and commnity organizations. Yor local, state, and federal wildlife and land management agencies have edcational websites and staff who can provide edcational programs. Their web addresses can be fond in or agency directory at Photographs and edcational concepts by Chck Bartlebagh; additional bear photographs by Milo Brcham and Bill Lee; design by the Graphic Arts Wildlife Fnd; text development by Elizabeth Moore. Brochre was peer reviewed by federal and state agency bear biologists. Practice removing the can from a hip holster and the safety clip from the trigger. Keep bear spray readily available. Bear charging from a distance: spray a short 2 to 3 second brst toward the bear; point can slightly downward; se side-to-side motion to create expanding clod of spray the bear mst pass throgh. If the bear contines approaching, contine to spray. Close enconter: spray at the front of the bear ntil it diverts its charge or makes contact. If the bear makes contact, play dead and wait for the spray to take effect. Bear spray has been shown to redce length and severity of malings. P.O. Box 8289, Missola, Montana Center For Wildlife Information, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.