When traveling through bear country, give bears plenty of warning and watch out for signs of their presence. First, make a lot of noise—clapping and loud talking work best. Bear bells usually aren’t loud enough. Second, travel in groups whenever possible. One recent study found that between 2000 and 2015, 63 percent of worldwide bear attacks happened to people who were alone. Bottom line: if a bear hears you coming, it will likely move away from the area.
“Bears are really good at avoiding people,” says Fortin-Noreus. “They don’t want to encounter you any more than you want to encounter them.”
Some recreational activities carry additional risks in bear country. Fortin-Noreus points out that trail running and mountain biking increase your risk because you move more quickly and quietly than you would while hiking, and that gives bears less time to react. Fishing and hunting add risks because the smell of entrails can attract bears, among other potential issues. Hiking with a dog off-leash also brings added complications. In that scenario, the dog could run off and surprise a bear.
“If the dog gets chased and runs back to you, you’ve got problems,” Lemon says.
If you bring your dog along, make sure you keep them under control and close to you (or on a leash).
No matter how you spend time in the backcountry, always stay aware of your surroundings. That includes watching for signs of bears’ presence. Common indicators include bear scat, paw prints, trees with scratched bark, turned over logs, and dug up anthills. Lemon says that if you see fresh signs of a bear, you should turn around and move away from the area immediately.
In addition, consider how wind direction, visibility, and ambient noise level will affect bears’ ability to detect you—and vice versa. Hiking into a headwind will make it harder for bears farther up the trail to smell you, for example, and the sound of a nearby creek can drown out your footsteps and voice.
“If there’s a particular area that has poor visibility or a lot of ambient sounds,” says Fortin-Noreus, “slow down so that you have more reaction time.”
It’s also a good idea to know what kind of bears you might encounter in your area. Bear ranges are expanding, so Fortin-Noreus recommends talking with a local park ranger to get the latest information on bear activity. That way you can avoid places the animals frequent.
What to Do if You Encounter a Bear
By following the guidelines above, you’ll lower your chances of a surprise bear encounter. If you do see a bear, however, you need to respond carefully. First, make sure you give bears at least 100 yards of space, especially if you see a mother and cubs. If the animal doesn’t notice you, or sees you and ignores you, calmly move away from the area, Fortin-Noreus says. If the bear does pay attention to you, the NPS recommends speaking calmly to identify yourself as a human. Immediately pick up any small children in your group, and make your group look as big as possible by slowly waving your arms. A bear might stand up on its hind legs to get a better look at you—this is usually not a sign of aggression. According to Fortin-Noreus, an aggressive or agitated bear might hop, sway its head, pop its jaws, or paw at the ground. Regardless, if a bear watches you, make sure you have your bear spray ready and slowly move away from the area. If the bear follows, stop. Running, yelling, or making sudden movements can provoke a bear to attack. If you follow the correct bear safety guidelines and practice awareness, you likely won’t have any issues with bears, and they won’t have any issues with you.
Here's a link about "What to do in a bear encounter". This is a great educational video courtesy of REI. https://youtu.be/SHZ-prhA7E0
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