Bears in Yosemite

canisters work.

"Dog that survived wolf attack mauled by cougar"

Must be an especially tasty dog.

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2014/mar/05/dog-survived-wolf-attack-mauled-cougar/

Interesting! I worked for YNP over the summer, and they truly so everything they can to minimize the accessibility of human food for bears.

Canisters definitely work! And the rangers are really on the ball about keeping people aware of food in car camping areas too.

My favorite cartoon like this, which I thought was a far side but haven't been able to find it anywhere since so maybe it was an "imitation far side", was one of a couple of bears sitting on a fallen log (and I think there is a campfire in front of them). The bears are eating something, and from the stuff around them it is clear they are eating campers. I remember one bear holding a leg or something, but that seems like it would have have been over the top for Gary Larson. If anyone recognizes this one, I'd love to be able to locate a copy. I think I saw this on a wall somewhere in a Yellowstone NP store.

Anyway, the bear with the leg says to the other bear, who is also eating something –

"Pass the pepper spray".

http://articles.latimes.com/1998/feb/15/news/mn-19305

ANCHORAGE — It’s not what backpackers and hikers want to hear–the pepper spray they count on to scare off bears may actually attract the big beasts, like catnip does cats.

Smith jumped from his observation post and sprayed the beach with repellent. Several bears approached the beach 40 times to paw and roll in the spray. “It’s a 500-pound cat with a ball of catnip,” Smith said.

Here’s the best part:

“We’ve had some parents spray it on their children because it says ‘bear repellent,’ ” Johnson said. The company has begun changing the wording on its packaging to “bear deterrent” instead of repellent.

And you thought your parents gave you a hard time!

— Rex

I remember reading a "survival" manual that was supposedly based on the SAS curriculum. Its advice if you thought a predator was stalking you was to back away slowly while spraying the general vicinity with bear spray. Someone obviously didn't do his homework.

Warning sign at the Fort Steele Campground in British Columbia

How do you tell the difference between a black bear and a grizzly?

Simple – just climb a tree

If the bear climbs up the tree, pulls you down and eats you its a black bear.

If the bear pulls the tree up by the roots, shakes you and then eats you its a grizzly.

You could take bear spray with you and if a bear attacks, spray it on your partner?

Woman's testimonial about the Beretta Jetfire .25 caliber pistol:

While out hiking in Alberta, Canada with my husband, we were surprised by a huge sow grizzly bear charging at us from out of nowhere. She must have been protecting her cubs because she was extremely aggressive and on us almost immediately. If I had not had my little Beretta Jetfire with me, I would not be here today!

Just one shot to my husband's knee cap was all it took. The bear got him, and I was able to escape by just walking away at a brisk pace. That little Beretta is one of the best pistols in my collection.

"Just one shot to my husband's knee cap was all it took. The bear got him, and I was able to escape by just walking away at a brisk pace."

Ha ha! Taking my wife on her first backpacking trip this summer. I'll leave her XD at home and not show her this story as there are some surly looking marmots where we're going and I don't want to give her any ideas.