Bear Country

[Shawn]

How do you prepare for hiking in bear country?

 

[Driftwoody]

I've hiked many miles and spent many nights in black bear country. I've never seen one other than crossing a forest road on my way to a trailhead, but twice I've heard what sounded like a bear in the distance. As for preparing, I always exercise awareness when hiking and secure my food when camping.

Other than ticks (I hate them!) my only encounters with dangerous critters were a small rattlesnake that struck at me but came up short in Red River Gorge, and being rudely awakened near the Rockcastle Narrows (also in Ky) by a pack of feral pigs. I was asleep in my Warbonnet Blackbird hammock at 4am when I heard the most godawful noises close by. Almost immediately I perceived what they were, but was still in shock mode when I tried to shout but nothing came out. I forced myself to relax, took a deep breath, then loudly yelled YOU GET OUTTA HERE YOU PIGS!!! They made screaming noises, then quickly skedaddled.

 

[Shawn]

Pigs would freak me out more than anything else LOL

We saw 16 black bears at Great Smoky NP. Never once did I feel threatened. The one on the trail close to us got away once we made some noise. It wanted nothing to do with us LOL

 

[neidholdt]

I have only seen one bear on the trail in 50 years and he saw me first and was already running from me. A good number of Nat. and state Parks required bear cannisters, so I comply. Otherwise, I keep a clean camp, If I cook, I cook many yards away from my tent, don't store food in camp, especially in my tent or backpack. Just in general practice standard bear protocols. Mountain lions scare me more than bears.

I have had a lone wolf pass ahead of me about 50 yards on a trail one time. And one time in Missouri I had a couple coyotes circle me. I was passing a brush pile and think they had a litter of pups they were watching over.

 

[Shawn]

I saw all my Blackbear sighting in less than a week at the Smokies lol.