Grizzlies bears [brown bears] are apex predators. Their motivations revolve around food and food acquisition. Predictable. However, they really are indifferent to people. Grizzlies, that have never been habituated to human activity resulting in food reward will likely walk right past you in the wild. *Specific to Grizzlies* all documented cases of grizzlie attacks on people literally fall into one of three categories : surprise, proximity to a sow’s cubs, human food habituation.
It’s important to make noise when you’re out and about in bear country. Talk loudly. Whistle. Utilize a Bluetooth speaker to listen to music or an audiobook. Startaling a grizzlie Bear can really ruin your day. This is where understanding posture and predator response can save your life.
The typical response of inadvertently stumbling on a bear in the wild- eeep>run away>die.
When startaling/surprising a grizzlie, you can anticipate a few responses. Pay attention to those responses because how you respond will greatly depend on if the grizzlie has been habituated to human activity equating to a food reward.
So, if you stumble on to a bear, and it simply stays on all fours and orientates itself toward you… waiting. You’re fucked. It’s been habituated to people. And it’s been fed before. It’s waiting for food and you’re probably it. Tossing it the lunch you packed will only further endanger you btw. Predator Confirmation Bias. You have just confirmed to the bear that you mean food. In this scenario the best thing you can do is back away slowly. And keep backing away until the bear starts focusing on other things. Grizzlie bears don’t stalk people. Only black bears and Polar bears stalk people. So if it starts focusing on other things it’s already decided you’re not a snack/or worth the hassle. You may egress now. Don’t run. But don’t don’t doddle. Gtfo
Now; if you startle a grizzlie, and it stands up on its hind legs, don’t run. This, despite appearance, is not a threatening gesture. It’s exploratory. Hey. What’s this. What’s going on.
The bear, will hold its ground. Don’t challenge it. Don’t try to walk around it. Back off. Go away. You never know if there are cubs around. Unless you see a grizzlie urineting it’s almost impossible to distinguish between a boar and sow. If the bear is guarding its food cache or cubs, the danger level increases exponentially. They don’t care about people. But they literally will kill to protect their food and their cubs.
It’s important to know what a bear is telling you to do. Because they are the boss. Believe that in your bones. They are dictating the situation.
Standing on hind legs, head swaying- curious
Woofing- agitation, warning, go away.
Pawing at the ground/trees/rocks- back off or pain human
Orientated toward you head swaying back and forth slowly, may be incorporated with little hops of the front paws and woofing- it’s about to attack.
Grizzlies are also known to bluff charge. Lunging and stopping. You’ll fail. But try not to run. You won’t even have a chance to die tired. Continue to back away slowly. If it’s bluff charging it doesn’t want to eat or fight you. It wants you to leave. Oblige. If you run though, it will chase you and you will join the food cache.
Black bears and polar bears are different. But I’m out of time. I haven’t looked over what I wrote to edit it, clean it up, and I haven’t had coffee yet. But time is up.
