Mundane News

[Mark12]

It was a part of a ten mile loop in the Great Smoky Mountains I hiked every Sunday over two years beginning at or near daybreak. I was on the Turkey Pen Ridge section ascending and heard some rustling in the brush to the left of the trail. The bear kept its rear end facing me. We both stood there not moving, then he turned to look at me and I snapped the photo. I resumed my hike at a noticeable faster pace!

Sounds like a fantastic moment. I'm a huge nature lover and can only dream of a moment like that Fantastic

 

[R181]

Sounds like a fantastic moment. I'm a huge nature lover and can only dream of a moment like that Fantastic

Should you ever be in a position to have a close encounter with a black bear, be aware that they can turn deadly very quickly. Statistically, that does not happen very often but the possibility is always there.

Bob

 

[Smiffy]

Should you ever be in a position to have a close encounter with a black bear, be aware that they can turn deadly very quickly. Statistically, that does not happen very often but the possibility is always there.

Bob

One of those issues of association.

We don't see Moose or Bear or Wolves, the only bears we see are childrens toys being hugged, wolves just being big and misunderstood dogs and moose being big lumbering odd looking deer, the idea that these animals could deliberately do harm is a brave new world.

The fools among us are convinced that we could sit down with a bear, say hello, rub his shoulders, have a biscuit and we would all have a much better day.

 

[Twelvefret]

If you are going to hike where I did, interactions with wildlife are to be expected. I was wearier of the wild boar that habituated the Smokys. Initially I was surprised I could spook a bear. A lone hiker isn't talking as a pair or group would.

I was schooled by Dwight McCarter, a ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains. He explained that running was futile. He advised picking up a large branch to increase your size and making a noise. However, my four interactions with bear on this loop trail was that the bears were running away from me. Dwight McCarter, skilled tracker and rescuer, remembered | Opinion | themountainpress.com I highly recommend all of his books, but especially this one, Lost!: A Ranger's Journal of Search and... book by Ronald Schmidt

I carried bear mace, a bear whistle, as well as a small are horn and only used the horn once after passing some hikers who had seen a bear where I would be heading. I wanted to head off a possible interaction.
SABRE, Frontiersman Bear Horn, 130dB, Loud, Up to 0.5 miles - Walmart.com
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