If you go hiking or spend some time in the woods make sure to always bring bear spray with you, or, if possible, a gun. But let’s supposed that you didn’t do that and you end up meeting a bear. What do you do?
Start by remembering this simple rhyme:
If it’s brown lay down.
If it’s black fight back.
If it’s white say goodnight.
If you see a bear before it notices you stand still, don’t approach and enjoy the moment. Then move away quietly in the opposite direction.
If you encounter a bear that it’s aware of you, don’t run; running may trigger a chase response. Back away slowly in the opposite direction (never giving your back) and wait the bear to leave.
Experts recommend that hikers in bear country carry with them bear pepper spray and know how to use it. Keep it accessible as it is the most efficient deterrent against bears
There is a big controversy about playing dead in case you encounter a brown bear. Some suggest to back off and in worst case scenarios to fight it with anything possible.
Climbing a tree is near useless as bears are expert with that; running away is not an option as they can reach 60 km/h but playing dead is certainly the riskiest as you don’t know if the bears is attacking you because it is hungry or because it’s protecting the cubs.
If you play dead while they are acting territorial you may signal you are not a threat, but if it’s hungry… You are basically serving yourself on a silver plate (quite literally)
