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Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks is issuing revised safety recommendations for bear interactions. We urge all tourists, hikers, and aspiring Instagram models to take the following precautions while enjoying our scenic wilderness:
Wear Bells: We strongly encourage attaching small, noisy bells to your clothing and artisanal backpacks. The constant jingling serves as a polite heads-up to any bears in the vicinity, preventing awkward, sudden encounters for both parties.
Carry Bear Spray: Always carry a canister of high-potency pepper spray and keep it readily accessible. This is not a suggestion; consider it as essential as your phone and your emotional support water bottle.
Learn to Identify Bear Activity: Being aware of your surroundings is critical. An easy way to gauge local predator activity is to learn the difference between black bear and grizzly bear droppings.
Black bear scat is typically smaller and contains berries, nuts, and occasionally, the shredded ego of a squirrel.
Grizzly bear scat is much larger, contains small, jingling bells, and smells strongly of pepper spray.
Wear Bells: We strongly encourage attaching small, noisy bells to your clothing and artisanal backpacks. The constant jingling serves as a polite heads-up to any bears in the vicinity, preventing awkward, sudden encounters for both parties.
Carry Bear Spray: Always carry a canister of high-potency pepper spray and keep it readily accessible. This is not a suggestion; consider it as essential as your phone and your emotional support water bottle.
Learn to Identify Bear Activity: Being aware of your surroundings is critical. An easy way to gauge local predator activity is to learn the difference between black bear and grizzly bear droppings.
Black bear scat is typically smaller and contains berries, nuts, and occasionally, the shredded ego of a squirrel.
Grizzly bear scat is much larger, contains small, jingling bells, and smells strongly of pepper spray.