5 misconceptions about bears

Folks often let their dogs run off-leash to help keep bears away, but that’s exactly what you shouldn’t do, says Kim Titchener, the founder of Bear Safety & More, an Alberta-based organization that offers bear and wildlife safety training to industries, communities and governments. “A large percentage of people that get attacked by bears have dogs with them,” she explains. “A bear that feels threatened or stressed is more likely to attack.” Keep your dog on a leash when you’re walking or leave them at home.

Not necessarily, says Titchener. How you react to a bear depends a lot on how it reacts to you and the type of bear you encounter. “Grizzlies tend to get defensive quickly, especially if you surprise them while they’re eating or if they have cubs with them,” she explains. “A bear that’s under stress and feeling defensive will be huffing, swaying its head, popping its jaw or snapping its teeth.” Adding to a bear’s stress by acting aggressively may cause it to charge, so back away, talk calmly and don’t make any sudden movements. If a bear seems to be following you intently but isn’t obviously stressed, it may be thinking of you as potential prey. Consider that an invitation to yell, shout, wave your arms and try to scare it off. While these kinds of encounters are rare and usually involve black bears, they can be dangerous.

Absolutely not, says Titchener, and research backs her up. Studies in both the US and Canada have shown that your chances of escaping serious injury is far greater if you use bear spray, rather than a firearm, against a charging bear. The best thing to do, Titchener explains, is carry bear spray on your belt and be ready to use it. And if you don’t have bear spray? “If you’re being charged by a grizzly, that’s when you drop to the ground and play dead,” she says. “There’s recent research that suggests fighting back against black bears is more effective -- but the best way to get away from a charging bear is to use bear spray.”

Encounters between bears and humans are increasing as human habitats expand into bear territory. In Ontario, black bears are moving further and further south, drawn by the pull of easily-accessible food in garbage cans, landfills and other human locations. The best thing to do: don’t be complacent about the possibility of seeing a bear, and carry bear spray whenever you’re in an area that might attract them.

Keeping your garbage and compost inside or in bear-resistant containers is a good start, but there are other things that will attract bears to your property. “Bears aren’t only drawn to garbage — fruit bearing trees, like crabapples or chokecherries, can also attract them,” says Titchener. “If you’ve got a garden, or beehives, an electric fence will help keep bears away.” Enclosing the bottom of your deck is also important, she points out, because bears will sometimes make dens under cottages, which could be an unpleasant discovery when you open the cottage for the summer.