Backcountry Beacon

• Grizzly bears will also usually move along if they sense a human nearby. Try to make your presence known as often as possible when you travel through grizzly territory. Human noises work best, so try to keep a conversation going, or shout “Hey, bear! Coming through!” if you see signs of a bear in your vicinity.
• When surprised, grizzlies attack more often than black bears, but the same “threat” mentality applies. Back away, speaking in a strong but soothing voice, showing the bear that you mean it no harm. Read More …

• Make noise while you hike. Most mountain lions will leave if they hear people coming.
• If you see a mountain lion, do not run. Running will stimulate the “chase and attack” instinct, and four powerful legs outrun two human ones.
• Do not approach the lion. Give it a way to escape. Most mountain lions will avoid confrontation (unless they have cubs with them or are very hungry).
• Maintain eye contact and face the mountain lion. Make yourself appear larger by raising your arms, opening your jacket, or holding your backpack over your head.
• Speak in a firm voice.

• Keep your distance from the snake – most rattlers will leave you alone.
• Go around the snake at a safe distance if the terrain allows. At best, rattlesnakes can strike a distance of two-thirds their total body length (this means a three-foot-long snake can snarf a bit of your leg within two feet of where they lie). Play it safe and give them a wide berth.
• If you can’t go around, throw a few small pebbles around the snake from a safe distance (this is not a squash-the-snake game, you’re just trying to get the snake to move).

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• Most black bears will high-tail it when they hear or smell a human. While being loud and ripe with B.O. is a social no-no in the human world, it’s a good idea in bear country.
• If you surprise a bear on the trail, back away while speaking calmly and choose a new route or wait for the bear to leave the area.
• Avoid eye contact. This is perceived as a challenge to bears and may change their attitudes from “What’s that weirdo doing?” to “What the hell are you staring at? I’ll rip you apart, smartass!” Read More …

Happy Solstice, everyone. Now that warm weather is officially here, we implore you to be careful out there. Because along with heat of summer comes something else: deadly animal attacks!

To kick off the summer season, we’ve compiled some tips (and some shockingly realistic videos) on how to handle animal encounters. Over the next few days, keep an eye out for the advice and the video that just might save your life. Read More …