Meeting a man with a bear. How to behave and what to do? A small reminder. What to do when meeting a bear

14.06.2019

The phenomenon is not as rare as it seems at first glance. The animal poses a great danger, after the wolf it is the largest predator in Russia. He has powerful paws with long claws, sharp teeth and an impressive weight, reaching 500 kilograms. Despite the imaginary sluggishness, in a jerk, the bear develops a speed of 60 kilometers per hour.

Bear habits

The habits of the bear are well studied. This makes it possible to talk about the causes of animal aggression:

. violation of the boundaries of personal space

. fright

. cramped conditions

Why is the bear aggressive

Often clubfoot aggression is associated with the desire to protect offspring from the enemy. It ranges from mild negativity towards a person to an attack. Never play with bear cubs! Life is more precious than a moment of curiosity!

Sometimes the bear initiates the meeting. The desire to feast on fragrant food makes him come closer to the human camp to scout out the situation. An animal living near settlements is less aggressive. Don't check how friendly the bear is - it will end badly.

Proximity threshold - the permissible limit of proximity of a person with an animal. Do not approach the beast closer than permitted, otherwise it will attack. The likelihood of such a development of events is high if the animal is injured, protecting prey, or met you during the flight from a source of fright.

The risk of an unfavorable outcome of an encounter with a predator varies by season and time of day. It is highly likely that the bear will rush at a person after a long, prolonged hibernation, during the rut, or in case of sleep disturbance. At night, he behaves more relaxed. If you are moving around at this time of day, stock up on lighting fixtures.

How to avoid a bear encounter

Do you suspect that there is a bear's lair in the forest? Let me know you're nearby. Make noise, sing, talk. When traveling with a group, the level of safety is higher: it is easier for a bear to determine by a loud noise that he will receive a worthy rebuff. Avoid dense bushes: move in open areas where you can recognize the approach of a predator in advance.

Arrange lodging for the night away from paths or roads. The bear does not like to make its way through dense thickets in the forest and prefers the beaten path. If there are carrion-eating animals nearby, or if there is a bad smell, know - there is a bear lying nearby or a place where the animal left its prey.

Keep your distance and avoid activities that might frighten the animal. Keep food away from the camp so that the bear does not get close to it. For example, hang food from a tree. If you travel with dogs, their food becomes an object of interest for the bear. Do not take strong-smelling foods and avoid the smell of food on clothes. Wash dishes thoroughly after meals.

Watch for "signals" of the environment. Squashed grass, a strange noise, sharp cries of birds should suggest that there is an object of danger nearby.

Rules of conduct when meeting with a bear

If the animal comes close, follow the instructions:

. calm down

. wave your arms, shout out threatening words - do everything so that the bear understands that you are a person

. if the bear is opposite, move diagonally backwards, take your time

. do not run and do not shout that you will not become a victim in the eyes of the animal

. if the bear pounces, fall to the ground and pretend to be dead, don't move until the animal is gone

Use your weapon with care. Discard this method if you picked up a gun for the first time. When shooting, aim for the brain or spine. So you exclude the possibility of a slight injury to the bear. Enraged, he aims to kill the enemy.

Be unexpected! The bear is afraid of noise and surprise. A sharply opened cloak, a fall of a backpack, cotton or a savoryly spoken obscenity will make the bear give up active actions. If possible, climb a tree. Due to the heaviness, the bear will not climb after you.

These tips will delay the meeting with the bear or turn the situation in your favor if the meeting took place.

Hunter joke:

Two hunters, an experienced one and a young one, the young one asks the experienced one:

What should you do if you meet a bear?

The main thing is not to panic and start smearing yourself with shit from head to toe in order to discourage him from attacking you with your smell...

Where do you get so much shit?

If you meet a bear, it will be shit, no doubt...

How to behave when meeting a bear.

The bear (Brown bear) inhabits the entire Urals, Northern Ural, Subpolar Urals and Polar Urals.

The brown bear is the most large predator living in the Ural taiga. Its weight can exceed 600 kg. Powerful forelimbs, equipped with long claws, have great destructive power - with a blow of the front paw, the bear is able to break the backbone, tear out the ribs or break the skull bones of the moose. With its teeth, a bear can bite through the trunks of a smoothbore gun.
With apparent massiveness, the bear is a very "agile" animal. In a jerk, it reaches a speed of 60 km / h, and from a standstill.

On the lower part of the paws, the bear has peculiar calloused formations. These calluses leave footprints on the ground that are characteristic only of a bear. The complete imprint of the hind foot somewhat resembles that of a human foot. The color of the fur varies widely from black to straw-red.

On the subpolar Urals a lot of bear. Especially along the river banks. This is his country. his hunting grounds. And there is only one owner here - BEAR. We are visiting him, do not forget about it. If you are traveling alone through the bear's possessions, and even more so along the river bank, where there is a lot of willow, let us know about you. Especially where the landscape or vegetation makes it difficult to see. Make noise, sing, talk loudly, or tie a bell to your backpack. If possible, travel with a group. Groups make more noise and are easier for bears to recognize. Avoid dense bushes. If you can't, then try to walk so that the wind blows from your back, and the bear can smell you. Contrary to popular belief, bears see almost as well as humans, but trust their noses more than their eyes or ears. Always let the bear know you are here.

Like people, bears use paths and roads. Don't pitch your tent near a path they can walk on. Avoid places where you can smell dead fish, animal, or see animals that feed on carrion. There may also be bear food, and if it is nearby, it can aggressively defend the hiding place (nick). As a rule, in such places, a bear has a rookery - lying down.

Don't push the bears!
Give the bear as much free space as possible. Some bears are more tolerant than others, but each bear has its own "personal space" - the distance within which the bear feels threatened. If you are in this zone, the bear may react aggressively. When photographing bears, use telephoto lenses; approaching for shooting close-up, You may be in this danger zone.

Bears are always looking for something to eat.!
Bears only have 7 months to accumulate fat before their long hibernation. Don't let them know that human food or garbage is easy prey. It is foolish and dangerous to feed bears, or to leave food or garbage to attract them.
Cook food away from your tent. Keep all groceries and food away from the camp. Hang food so that the bear cannot reach it. If there are no trees, store food in airtight or special containers. Remember that dogs and their food can also attract bears.
Keep the camp clean. Wash dishes. Do not use strong smelling foods such as bacon or smoked fish. Don't let your clothes smell like food. Burn garbage at the stake, burn cans. Bears are equally attracted to food and trash, so handle them properly. Waste disposal is a waste of time. Bears have a keen sense of smell and are good at digging.

If a bear approaches you while fishing, stop fishing. If there is a fish on the line, do not let it splash. If this is not possible, cut the line. If the bear realizes that he can get the fish only by approaching the fisherman, he will return again. The bear can also mistake you for another bear - a stranger that hunts (fishes) in its territory and reacts very aggressively.

Close encounters with a bear. What to do?
If you see a bear, try to get away from it. Give the bear every opportunity to avoid meeting you. If you encounter a bear, stay calm. Attacks are rare. There is a chance you are not in danger. Most bears (she-bears) are interested in protecting their food, cubs or their personal space. When the threat has passed, they will pass by.

Let me know!
Let the bear know that you are a human. Talk to the bear in a normal voice. Wave your hands. Help the bear recognize you. If the bear cannot recognize who you are, it may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or sniff. A standing bear is usually curious and not dangerous. You can try to slowly back away diagonally, but if the bear starts to follow you, stop and stay where you are.

Don't run!
Do NOT RUN under any circumstances. You won't be able to run away from the bear. They have been found to run at about 60 km/h and, like dogs, they will chase a fleeing animal or person. This beast takes an animal running from it as a victim, and easily kills in 90% of cases out of 100. Often bears intimidate, terrify, sometimes 3 meters from their enemy, without trying to attack. Keep waving your arms and talking to the bear. If the bear gets too close, raise your voice and become more aggressive. Knock on pots and pans. Use loud instruments. Never imitate a bear's growl or squawk.

If the bear attacks.
If the bear starts to attack, give up! Fall to the ground and pretend to be dead. Lie on your stomach or curl up in a ball with your hands behind your head. It is typical for a bear to stop attacking if it feels that the threat has been eliminated. Stay still for as long as possible. If you move and the bear sees or hears you, it may return and renew its attack. In rare cases, an attacking bear may mistake a person for food.

Protection.
Use weapons with caution as an alternative to a sensible approach to dealing with close encounters with a bear. If you are not experienced with firearms in an emergency, you are more likely to get hurt by a gun than a bear.

You can shoot a bear ONLY in self-defense during an attack, if you did not provoke the attack, and if there is no other way out. In all other cases, a warning shot must be fired into the air to frighten the bear. If you are not a hunter, but a fisherman and you do not have a gun, take a traumatic (gas) pistol with light-noise cartridges with you. It should always be at hand (on the belt in a belt holster, in the bosom, in a body holster). If there is no such thing, ordinary firecrackers or a rocket launcher are quite suitable. On no account leave the camp without a means of guaranteeing, if necessary, a shot or noise clap.

AT ordinary life collisions with people with bears are milder. Usually, whoever is smarter is the first to give way. Bears almost always do this. If the bear does try to get close, 90 percent of the time, a sharp whistle or an unexpected pop in the palm of the hand is enough to make the beast run away. If he continues to approach, the next remedy is to throw a pebble at him. As a rule, it works. Some hunters claim that it helps from a good bear mat.
Bears are afraid of the unexpected. For example, unexpectedly opening umbrellas, especially if two big eyes are drawn on them. An unexpectedly open floor of a raincoat or a backpack suddenly thrown up. Any unexpected behavior.

The greatest troubles have to be endured by young, actively exploring the world bears, as well as from mature males-dominants who do not have enemies in wild nature and forgetting how to give way.
One last tip: when in bearish places, don't forget to look back sometimes!

There is nothing worse than being confronted by a beast suddenly - it may take it as an act of aggression.

A protective aerosol spray containing capsicum (red pepper extract) is available from some hunting shops and has been used successfully to repel bears. These sprays are effective at a distance of about 5-6 meters. If sprayed upwards or in a car, they may injure the user. Take precautions. If you carry a spray, keep it handy and know how to use it.

Bears can be ardent protectors of their cubs. Standing between a she-bear and her cubs is a big mistake. A mother bear can react violently to anything she considers a threat to her cub.

The bear's rutting period begins in June and ends in late July - early August. During this period, the animals are excited, often there are groups of adult animals. Demonstrative competitions and fights arise between males, as a result, the female remains with one male, while the others stay nearby. Males show high activity and aggressiveness, and the entire period of estrus is near the female.

Bear cubs appear in January-February. In the Urals, it is not uncommon to meet a female with three cubs.

The daily activity of a bear is determined by the season of the year, the availability of food and the general life cycle of the animal. In spring and the first half of summer, bears can feed around the clock, especially in cloudy weather. High daily activity bear remains until the beginning of the course of salmon and grayling. During the day, the bears lie down without going far from the feeding place, usually in thickets of shrubs, in closed glades, in small forest curtains, on hot days they can be located in the floodplain high grass or willow of the river.

During the mass run of salmonids, daytime activity decreases and shifts to the evening, morning and night hours. With a lack of food (especially with a weak course of fish), the activity of bears increases, and they feed on berry fields, in cedar dwarf forests or in mountain meadows at almost any time of the day. For rest, the bear usually settles under the canopy coniferous trees, and beds can be used repeatedly. In the twilight and in the forest thicket, the bear feels much more confident than a person.

The bear is omnivorous. In the Urals in the spring, after leaving their dens, the animals come out onto the warm slopes of the mountains, warmed up and quickly freed from snow cover where rhizomes and bulbs are dug. Later in May, they begin to go out to the rivers or to the berry fields, pick up carrion, eat the remains of berries. Animals often visit the coasts of rivers and lakes in search of animal and plant waste.

With the start of the fish to spawn most of bears is located near spawning rivers. On the mountainous Ural rivers, fish is the main source of animal protein food. Having eaten on fish, the bears go to the berries or grass, in order to return to the river after some time. Thus, the menu diversifies, the diet becomes richer. In the autumn before the occurrence (October-November), the bears leave the rivers and gradually move, eating berries and nuts of the dwarf pines, go to the wintering grounds. In their environment, bears are cannibals. More big bear can catch and devour a bear cub (which most often happens during the mating season, when the cubs are not far from the bear). Cases of attacks and eating by bears of smaller (more often young) individuals have been registered.

Bear winter shelters are usually located in the ground or caves. Two or three animals can sleep in one lair. With an abundance of food, individuals of good fatness may not go to dens at all, arranging surface nests.

Bears live on average 25-30 years.

A person is not an object of food for a bear. Most of the bears in normal conditions they try to avoid meeting a person, and, having discovered him first, they try to leave unnoticed. If the meeting took place, then the vast majority of bears take flight.

However, you should always remember and clearly know that the behavior of a particular bear that you meet in a particular situation is UNPREDICTABLE!

The main reasons for the attack brown bears on people.

In our desire to communicate with nature, we are getting further and further into the forests. We are beckoned by taiga distances, modern technology allows us to get in. The roar of helicopter engines and all-terrain vehicles scares forest dwellers pristine taiga. But at the same time, we are accustoming the same bears to our presence for longer and longer, without knowing it.

The predator gets used to a person (becomes, without knowing it, the so-called "synanthropic" bear) in places where he constantly has to deal with. He gradually loses his fear of humans and, as a logical conclusion of the process, the aggressiveness of the bear increases, which by its nature does not like meetings with humans. At the same time, some part of the population, perhaps insignificant, shows a tendency to hangover, adapts to life close to a person and at his expense. Harmless at first, these beasts become more and more aggressive. They are LOSE FEAR in front of a man!

Many researchers agree that aggressiveness towards a person is an extreme expression of "synanthropism". An important, if not the main reason for the entry of animals into camps, camps and settlements and conflict situations, lies in the careless maintenance of garbage dumps, different kind landfills of food waste, leaving food waste, garbage in the forests, as well as careless storage of products. Animals in these cases are attracted by the smell and availability of food. Bears are attracted by fish, from which fishermen cook fish soup and fish waste, which tourists leave behind.

Thus, bears pose an increased danger to humans. :

For some reason, those who have lost the opportunity to get their usual food (sick, injured, old) or who have learned to pick up scraps, eat food waste left by a person;

Individuals adapted to contacts with people (including bears - "beggars"), often meeting with humans, living in the area of permanent camps;

Animals with "torn behavior" - in one way or another "tried" to hunt a person - once killed him with impunity;

The degree of danger largely depends on the circumstances of the contacts.

The danger is extremely great if:

The beast is wounded (the bear is very strong on the wound, even a mortally wounded bear is able to attack and kill the hunter);

When meeting with a she-bear accompanying the cubs (especially if the person is between the cubs and the she-bear);

A bear protecting its prey;

If a person accidentally finds himself in the path of a bear running away from some kind of danger.

It is very dangerous when a person steps over the threshold of "rapprochement", i.e. is too close to the animal. The science of animal behavior - ethology, claims that predators have one feature - the so-called critical approach distance. All living creatures that find themselves closer to the predator than this critical distance are perceived by him as aggressors, that is, attackers. In this case, it is difficult to predict how a particular bear will behave.

Among the BEARS there are also " underpants"and unperturbed" Olympians", and aggressive " brawlers".

"Coward" runs away from the attacker;
The Olympian just stands there and watches what happens next;
Aggressive "Brawler" himself instantly attacks the "attacker".

Therefore, you can find yourself in the clutches of a bear not attacking, but defending! Absolute majority known cases attacks of bears on people can be explained by this feature of the behavior of predators, when he perceived a person as attacking him.

It is extremely dangerous to approach a bear caught in a snare (noose or trap), which poachers often set near food bait (fish, animal carcasses, or on a trail). A bear, caught in a loop fixed tightly (usually to a thick tree), tries to escape to the last, with a roar destroys everything around him in a radius depending on the length of the cable. If the samolov is attached to a sled (a log, chains with an anchor, and the like), then the bear, moving, pulls the stag behind it, leaving a furrow on the grass and soft ground. If you get close to such a beast, he will definitely attack. Woe to the one who meets with the enraged bear escaping from the dead grip of the noose.

The degree of danger to humans is also different in different seasons of the year: upon leaving the den, during the rut, and also in winter period when "rods" appear - bears that have not accumulated a sufficient amount of fat, or are injured, and therefore do not lie down in the den.

The degree of danger also increases at night: it is more difficult to notice the beast, and at night the bears are more active and bold, there are cases when they went straight to the fires.

Cowardly, inexperienced, untrained dogs can also provoke a bear. Some bears not only actively defend themselves against dogs, but also chase them themselves. Cowardly dogs at the same time seek protection from a person, throw themselves at his feet, which can cause an accident. An attacking bear can be stopped only by dogs that are taunted by a bear and not afraid of it. Therefore, do not take your untrained pets with you to the forest, on an expedition to the taiga, they will not protect you from a bear, but they can provoke an attack. Only a dog can protect a person from a bear, capable of detaining him at the cost of his life.

Ways to reduce the chance of encounter and attack.

In order to avoid dangerous situations when meeting with a bear, the following rules can help you:

1. When moving along the route, hunting in the forest, picking mushrooms or berries, relaxing in picturesque taiga places, always remember that a meeting with a bear can happen at any time, in any place, and You must be mentally prepared for this.. Plan possible actions in advance. Listen to the birds around you. Nutcrackers are especially talkative. By the behavior of birds, you can predict in advance the place and time of the appearance of the beast.

2 . To avoid the critical approach distance and not unexpectedly collide with a bear, it is necessary to move in the forest noisily talking freely and loudly, and preferably in a group of at least 3 people. Avoid close encounters with bears. Look out for signs of a bear that it is nearby and make as much noise as possible. Let's know about ourselves.

3 . To avoid the appearance of "synanthropic" (accustomed beggars) bears, it is important to ensure that not to create conditions for their complementary feeding. Food scraps and carcasses of slaughtered wild animals must be disposed of so that predators do not take advantage of them.

4 . Do not leave in the forest in places of your rest and intermediate stops food leftovers, garbage. You can not arrange near the bases, camps, trails, on halts and routes such objects as garbage dumps, dumps, warehouses of food waste. Do not attract the bear through improper storage of food and garbage.

5 . When moving through the taiga and river banks, the maximum try to avoid areas of high grass, willow trees, thickets of elfin cedar, closed cozy glades, thickets of "burdocks" in the floodplains of rivers and streams, places of possible rest for a bear on day trips. Move to open areas where you can see the bear far enough away.

6 . Seeing a bear in the distance don't get close to him, carefully leave this place, bypass it. Keep calm.

7 . Post camp in the open, with sufficient field visibility. Carefully monitor the cleanliness of their territories, all food waste burn. Do not store food in accessible places, isolate them so that smells cannot attract animals.

8 . In no case do not stay overnight, do not put up tents and do not set up camp on bear and other forest trails.

9 . Avoid walking along river banks and streams during the spawning season of salmon in the evening and morning twilight and at night. Generally avoid walking in the taiga dull twilight and night. Remember, night is Bear time! If fate forced you to walk at night, you need to at least move around with an electric flashlight on.

10 . Under no circumstances don't come near in places where bears may be found the remains of dead animals, masses of abandoned fish, other possible baits. A bear disturbed on prey in most cases goes on the attack.

11 . Don't push the bear Please respect his "private space". In case of an unexpected meeting "short", even if you are unarmed, categorically it is impossible to run away from the beast(this is useless and can only additionally provoke the bear to pursue). It is necessary, trying to keep calm as much as possible, to remain in place (no matter how scary it is), calling for help with a loud cry, or, slowly backing away, retreat. In this case, you can try to scare away the bear with the ringing of metal objects, a loud cry, voice, shots in the air, rockets, hand flares.

13 . Never, do not, under any circumstances, approach bear cubs no matter how sweet and cute they seem to you. Do not try to feed or lure them. If you happen to meet them, or they come out to your resting place, stop immediately, look around quickly and look for an escape route as quickly as possible. Bear cubs are curious and if they are heading towards you, drive them away loud cries. Remember - somewhere near the she-bear, and GOD FORBID You will find yourself between a she-bear and a bear cub. The attack of the Bear, if she considers that you are a threat to her baby, will be the last thing you will see in your life.

14 . Protect you, your camp only strong, brave and vicious dogs can. Even among the huskies, not everyone is able to attack a bear. Under no circumstances should dogs be used to guard against a bear without the skills, dexterity and strength to at least briefly detain a bear on the spot.

15 . Scaring away the bear with shots, don't try to shoot the bear itself. A wounded bear is extremely dangerous! Even if he leaves you, he can become a serious danger to other people. You can only kill a bear with a large-caliber weapon, and even a shot "on the spot" can not always immediately stop the bear. Reliable shot exactly in the brain or spine.

16 . In extreme cases, you can escape from a bear on a tree if you manage to get on it. An adult large bear, due to its weight, will no longer be able to climb on it. Such cases of rescue, or rather sitting out, on trees are known. If there are several trees, try to choose the largest one.

17 . Being in the taiga always be very careful, do not go into thickets of elfin, tall grass. Do not climb in floodplain thickets of bushes. Settling down to rest, carefully look around for signs of the presence of a bear. On clay outcrops, swamps, banks of streams, you can see the traces of a bear, and in floodplain places, feeding places (kopanki), where he dug marsh plants. If you suspect that a bear has been here, leave the area immediately and look elsewhere.

18 . Even if the bear nevertheless went to you, there is still hope that he will turn aside. Never DO NOT turn your back on an attacking bear! The man who escaped is almost certainly doomed. When attacked by a bear, you cannot manifest external signs fear. If there is no reliable shelter or shelter nearby, it is necessary to face the danger by standing face to face. There are more people who survived the attack of the bear in this way than those who were able to flee. Don't run.

19 . Seeing a bear that accidentally entered the path (road), never, never feed them no matter how harmless and cute they seem. The bear does not need your feeding, but starting to feed the bear you bring up a beggar in him, who will very quickly begin to demand food, and if he does not receive it, he becomes aggressive and is able to attack a person, the fear of which he loses. Remember that by your actions you endanger the lives of others.

20 . Upon detection of a bear showing aggression, a wounded bear, a bear caught in a samolov (loop), a bear attacking dogs and people, other people should be warned immediately located in the same place or in close proximity to it.

21 . And last - ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE: Having met a bear, regardless of its size, behavior and appearance treat him like a formidable and powerful predator, with unpredictable behavior.

Studies conducted in our country and abroad have shown that there is no single universal means of protection against bears - and the above recommendations cannot be considered as an absolute guarantee against an accident, but to reduce the likelihood conflict situation they will help.

In many cases, bears do not pose a threat, but they deserve your respect and attention. When traveling through the taiga, be vigilant and take the opportunity to see these amazing animals in natural environment their habitats.

Unfortunately, even full compliance with the recommendations cannot completely exclude the possibility of a bear attack, because it is impossible to foresee the circumstances of each specific case of a meeting with a bear. Bear behavior is unpredictable. But we will be sincerely glad if, after reading the recommendations, you become more careful in taiga expeditions.

Basic reference material taken from open sources of information.
Prepared by Evgeniy Svitov.

Stereotypes about Russia and bears did not appear out of nowhere. Of course, contrary to the firm conviction of our European and American comrades, the Bears we do not walk the streets and are not used on the farm. Maybe sometimes, but that's not the point. However, there is a risk of meeting this dangerous one, especially if you live in Siberia or even further. As, however, with our Canadian comrades. Therefore, it is extremely important to know how to minimize the risk from this dangerous meeting. So.

1. Don't run

The first thing to recommend. Bear, of course, not a purely predator, but an omnivorous animal, but it reacts naturally to a fleeing person - as to prey. And oh, how difficult it is to escape from him - 60 km per hour over rough terrain, swims perfectly, and in his youth he can also climb trees. So the chance of escaping is small. Unless you have a friend with you who runs more slowly ...

2. Make some noise

Most animals have a clear reflex: “Only those who have the right to make noise can make noise. Who is strong, dangerous, or too big to be easy prey. Therefore, when moving through the territory, which are found the Bears, try to make as much noise as possible - talk loudly, sing, break branches. As a rule, the toptygin does not want to be interested at all, and who is it making noise at 3 in the morning, so he will bypass you.

But "usually" does not mean "always". Small bear cubs will prefer to hide stupidly, according to the same reflexes. And here it is already necessary to be afraid of their mother, who absolutely does not care about noise, size and shots. That is, from January to March, when the cubs were just born, walk along wild forests especially dangerous.

Also paradoxically, young people can behave the Bears. They, on the contrary, may become very interested - and who is it making noise there? And I'll come and have a look. More precisely, I sniff, since my eyesight bears relatively weak. But it will be just curiosity, not open aggression.

Besides, bear almost never attacks a group of more than 4 people. So the more you are, the higher the chance that the animal stupidly bypasses you on the tenth road. But singles and couples are much worse.

3. Don't store food next to the tent

The only reason why bear can come up to a tent near which a fire is burning, it smells of smoke and a bunch of unfamiliar and strange smells - grub. The sense of smell of these animals is amazing, they can smell food through a backpack, a tent and for several kilometers. Not immediately, fortunately. Therefore, almost all tourists are strongly advised to carefully bury leftovers, and as far as possible from the camp, this time. And two - to store their provisions in a separate backpack, which is hung at a height of 3-4 meters, somewhere 40 meters from the camp. So even if the beast comes, it will focus its attention on much tastier and safer targets. If it gets there, of course. Folk remedies"Odor beatings" such as kerosene and other muck are ineffective.

4. Assess the situation

Difficult moment, really. It is very difficult to assess intentions bear, if faced with him nose to nose. There are usually several typical scenarios:

The bear himself is in shock, but he is full and not aggressive. In this case, gently backing away from his field of vision is enough. And go around the tenth road, making noise and stating in every possible way: "I'm here, you saw me and you don't want to see me again."
The bear himself is shocked, but hungry, although not aggressive. In this case, you can "pay off" by leaving a backpack with grub or part of the grub to be torn to pieces by the beast. While the animal is busy with business, slowly back away. And then - all according to scenario 1.
The bear himself is shocked, but hungry and aggressive. This is perhaps the worst option, since the animal will attack. Or pretend to attack. It is useless to run away, as he will immediately realize that he is stronger. And then the hunting instincts, there's nothing to be done. You need to become visually taller, if there are several of you - rally in a big bunch or climb on top of each other. The animal's eyesight is poor, so if it sees something larger than itself, it may stop attacking and retreat. It is also desirable to make noise, waving over your head with everything you can. It is undesirable to look into the eyes at the same time - this can be perceived as a challenge. And you need to give the impression of a big and strong prey, which is simply risky to mess with. But it doesn't always help.

5. Defend/play dead

But this is a really difficult situation. Yes, bear you can scare with guns, flares, torches and other noisy, fiery and gunshot things. So yes, carrying pyrotechnics with you is a great idea, since all wild animals are afraid of smoke, fire and explosions. In addition, a special "anti-bear" pepper spray is produced in Canada. Which, yes, is effective, but no, only in 14 cases there are 15 of them. That is, one out of fifteen bears will not care about both a broken sense of smell and closed watery eyes. But it won't help you much. Plus all the usual problems associated with the use of pepper sprays - wind, distance, duration of use.

The method of "playing dead" personally in me causes not just distrust, but wild rejection. The fact is that bear- Pretty much a predator. Of course, he loves a little rotten meat more, but he does not disdain fresh meat either. And this means that nothing prevents him from "biting" a sudden dead person. Or poke him with hefty sharp claws. Or come. However, the method is officially recommended in the Canadian Tourist Guide. This means that the chance of surviving the "sudden dead" is still higher than that of the fugitive. Well, I don’t want to check, I’ll have to take my word for it.

6. Hope for good luck

Alas, the Bears are also different. normal wild adult bear does not feel the slightest desire to contact a person. It’s easy to scare him off, and he himself won’t come to you. Worse, if the bear is "baited", that is, it has repeatedly been near people and knows that they have food. These can be impudent, but they almost do not show aggression. Although they can pretty spoil the property.

Wounded and hungry bear- this is the first degree of pi ** tsa. He already does not care about the fear of smoke and people. Even the noise and dimensions of the "target" are of little concern to him. Here is the fire and flares - yes. And shots, too. Well, the worst option is a she-bear that protects cubs. She attacks not for food, but to kill a potential threat. And he stops at nothing. There is only fire to kill, and even then, on adrenaline, even deadly wounded bear can do things. In short, hope you get lucky.

This animal lives almost everywhere where the forest zone is located. What to do if you meet a bear? If a person is not a professional hunter, do not try to kill the beast. There are few chances for that. And the fact that he will become furious and try to attack is a lot.

What to do if you meet a bear? Danger

By nature, bears are not super-aggressive creatures. He can attack if he is caught in a trap, sick or injured, while guarding prey, or in the event of a sudden appearance of a person, which causes fear in the bear. In the absence of these reasons, the bear itself will try to retreat from the meeting place. Do not try to set up tents on bear trails, as these animals move along them. Do not attract the attention of the bear by the smell of leftover food - dispose of it in any way possible. Do not hang provisions on a tree, do not stop near animal carcasses, rotten fish.

Bear behavior

The animal can stand on its hind legs, start snorting, growling, undermining the ground, which indicates that it wants to show who is the boss here. The desire of the bear to attack is evidenced by the hair raised on end, standing ears and a direct look at the enemy. He will literally fly up to a person on all legs, after which he can stand on his hind legs to strike. Therefore, to the question: "What should I do if I met a bear?" - you can answer that first of all you need to assess its condition. The low speed of approaching a person indicates the uncertainty of the beast.

Greatest Danger

The most great danger lies in wait for a person when meeting with a bear. And also with an animal that you met suddenly. What to do if you meet a bear? Don't try to run! In the case of the presence of a backpack or any other things, throw them away from you to arouse bearish curiosity, which will help you either leave or climb a tree in these seconds or minutes. Adults do not climb them. But this is in the most hopeless situation, because a bear will climb a low tree. It will not climb on a thick and high one, but, seeing a running person, it can sit and wait under a tree for a long time. You can also freeze in a prone position (legs are tucked up, hands cover your face and neck), pretending to be dead (trying not to breathe) - the beast will most likely leave without causing harm, or scratch it a little. Get up after waiting a while, because the bear might not have gone far, but hide for the purpose of observation.

Meeting in the forest

When moving through the forest, carefully watch for anthills, the presence of scratches on the bark of trees, broken young trees. For paw prints, the presence of excrement, torn stumps, etc. But what to do if you meet a bear in the forest? Remember that he is the master here. Do not try to run - it will catch up anyway, leave, as far as possible, calmly diagonally, without turning your back on the beast. He knows his boundaries, and if they are not violated, then most likely you will calmly leave. If the meeting cannot be avoided, stand facing the beast, but do not try to look into his eyes, scream, yell and yell. If the bear is watching you, and the ears are laid back, do not try to make any movements. Begin a gradual retreat after the removal of the bestial gaze.

Meeting in the forest seasonal

In the spring, the bears wake up after hibernation and become dangerous. Especially - bears with cubs. From you - no threat to the side, first of all, cubs, and also no aggression towards the she-bear. It is explainable.

What to do if you meet a bear in the forest in summer? In July-August they have mating season. At this time, males become aggressive, which is especially evident if there is a female within the radius of his sense of smell and touch, which may not yield to males in aggression. This season, young growth can also attack, but competent actions in this season will quickly scare it away. Follow the advice above, shout, sing, raise your hands or a stick above you and wave them, but do not throw yourself at the bear. If you have weapons or firecrackers - shoot in the air. Basically, in the summer there is a lot of food. Bears, as a rule, do not attack for no reason. Bears that have accumulated fat over the summer become more docile in autumn.

In winter, with some probability, you can meet a connecting rod bear in the forest. This bear does not have time to eat during the summer, which causes his winter wanderings. The rods are very dangerous. Since there is no food, meeting them is fraught with danger. What to do if you meet a bear in the forest in winter? As you move, look for footprints in the snow. If you see bear tracks, turn off this path.

bear attack

Further. What to do if you meet a bear and it attacks? This is where the struggle for existence takes place. Therefore, when attacking, you need to give the maximum possible rebuff. Aim at the eye sockets if possible, preferably with sharp objects. If it is impossible to strike in the eyes, one should try to kick in the stomach. The blow to achieve the required effectiveness must be direct. The right blow to the face can cause hemorrhage and fracture of the cervical vertebrae. According to some researchers, a direct blow to the nose is most effective. If you have a gun and know where to shoot for sure, and if it is impossible to take other actions, to save own life use this opportunity.

Regional features of bears

In various regions, a meeting with this beast conceals various dangers. So, the bears of the European part of our country, the Carpathian, Central Asian, Caucasian and Belarusian bears are distinguished by a more or less peaceful disposition. The highest frequency of attacks is observed on Far East, in Eastern Siberia, Amur and Irkutsk regions, in Buryatia and Primorsky Krai. Most aggressive beasts live in Japan. What to do if you meet a bear in the forest in the north? You need to follow all the previously given advice, try to retreat without turning your back on the beast.

Simple rules for avoiding a bear encounter

It’s easier to avoid meeting the beast than to frantically remember what needs to be done later. So, following these simple rules will help you avoid meeting a bear:

move around open areas and light forests, where you can see the beast in advance and prevent a meeting with it;
bypass the bear paths, which are two parallel rows of holes that are about 20 cm apart from each other;
try to avoid willow and elfin cedar - the preferred habitats of bears;
these animals can be near water bodies, catching salmon;
try to move in groups of several people - the likelihood of a bear attack decreases;
if you linger in the area of bears for the night, it is better to light a fire that will scare away the beast;
after each meal, it must be disposed of so that the smells do not attract hungry bears;
move through the forest or mountains noisily, but without shouting. An animal nearby will hear an extraneous sound, and, most likely, will leave this place;
do not visit places with the presence of burdocks and tall grass;
halts should be arranged only for open spaces areas with good visibility;
try not to move around the expected habitats of bears at night;
if you are not going hunting, do not take your dog with you. She can attract the beast by barking, or when meeting with him she can rush at the bear, which will only make him angry;
do not try to take a picture with the beast, the bear will not appreciate your addiction to selfies.

If you nevertheless met with the beast, but it does not show aggression, but only curiosity is visible, you need to act according to the circumstances - either slowly retreat, or try to scare it away using the methods described above. The bear has poor eyesight, but close range no need to look him directly in the eyes, he will regard this as aggression.

When meeting with a bear, you need to try to maintain composure and clarity of thought. Remember that if the animal sees a confident person, he will most likely prefer to leave. Do not try to imitate a bear growl, it is unlikely that the bear will understand you.

These rules are typical for any area where you can meet the beast. In particular, they are also applicable when answering the question: “What should you do if you meet a bear in the taiga?” In this situation, it is better to take lighting devices with you: flashlights, cameras with a flash to blind the animal for a while and try to move away during this time.

Meeting at the mountain

Next moment. What to do if you meet a bear in the mountains? If you are at the foot and the beast is dangerous, you can try to hit it and escape. Climbing the mountains. The rest of the rules of conduct are the same as those listed in the article above.

Finally

Let's return to the question asked at the beginning of the article: "What should I do if I met a bear?" All the advice given here should be taken into account. But remember that none of them guarantees the safety of life. The most important thing is to keep your cool, not to try to come into conflict with the bear. If possible, leave, stepping back diagonally.

The bear is a very cautious animal and for the most part avoids encounters with humans, but one of the few animals that can be dangerous to humans. Every year in our country there are many people maimed or bitten by bears.

In the vast majority of cases of encounters with humans, bears run away. But sometimes it happens that the beast does not run away, but even approaches. In places where people rarely visit, this behavior may be dictated by curiosity.

At the end of June, in July, but more often in August, the bears have a rut, and a jealous male, at enmity with other rivals, can attack, finding a person in his territory. The question often arises: “What to do if you meet a bear?” It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally and simply, but nevertheless, you can give some tips to avoid an unwanted meeting:

Firstly, you can not leave food waste in the place of rest and on the paths where people constantly walk.

Secondly, you need to watch where you set up camp. It is advisable to do this away from the trails. big fire and big company the camp will also keep the bears at a distance, provided that he can bypass the camp.

Thirdly, when you are moving along the path, try to make more sounds: talk, sing, knock stone on stone. The fact is that the bear is a very cautious animal, once again it will not climb on the rampage. It is often enough for him just the clatter of feet and the noise of moving branches to hear a person from afar, and go to the side. But additional sounds will help you miss the bear. In general, in the forest, try to keep open places and light forests. In open areas, it is easier to see a bear in advance than in a thicket.

If a meeting with a bear could not be avoided, then the most important thing is not to panic under any circumstances! The bear does not like to face anything that is bigger than him, so there is this way to scare the bear away: raise your backpacks above you or get into a tight group or, for example, stand on each other's shoulders, open your jackets. You can make noise and scream, it helps. In no case should you scatter in different directions, divide the group.

If the bear does try to get close, 90 percent of the time, a sharp whistle or an unexpected pop in the palm of the hand is enough to make the beast run away. If he continues to approach, the next remedy is to throw a pebble at him. As a rule, it works. Bears are afraid of the unexpected. An unexpectedly open floor of a raincoat or a backpack thrown up unexpectedly. Don't turn your back on the bear! Don't try to run away from the bear. When in contact with a bear, try not to look him in the eyes, in the animal world this means a challenge. The most dangerous for tourists is a meeting with a she-bear who has cubs, especially if you happen to be between her and her cubs. Therefore, as soon as you see a bear cub, immediately go where it will be difficult for him to follow you. The cubs are very curious, and the she-bear, following her instinct, will blindly protect them. And the height of stupidity will be an attempt to approach the bear cub to stroke it, play with it, take a photo. Even if the she-bear is not visible nearby, she is most likely somewhere nearby. There is an opinion that the bear, standing up on its hind legs, expresses aggressive intentions. But in fact, most often he takes such a pose in order to better consider what interested him and warn of his presence. But if the bear starts looking at you, sticking out his lower lip and lunging in your direction, this is a signal that you have violated his territory, the requirement is "leave." You must “leave” without turning your back to the bear, do not make noise, do not make sudden movements, just reverse quickly, smoothly move away from danger zone diagonally, but if the bear starts to follow you, stop and stay where you are. When you leave dangerous place, run as fast as you can and make more noise, shout, blow the whistle, get other people's attention! If the bear starts to attack, give up! Fall to the ground and pretend to be dead. Lie on your stomach or curl up in a ball with your hands behind your head. It is typical for a bear to stop attacking if it feels that the threat has been eliminated. Stay still for as long as possible. If you move and the bear sees or hears you, it may return and renew its attack.

One last tip: when in bearish places, don't forget to look back sometimes!