Glacier Park Bear pictures,
movie and information.
You and a friend are hiking along a trail through a
subalpine meadow blanketed with wildflowers and a few stunted fir trees. Here
and there, you see telltale signs of a grizzly: earth tilled up in the search
for glacier lily bulbs, or a large pile of droppings. The signs are old, but you
are still wary. You hear a branch snap. Your heart seizes in your chest. You
look in the direction of the sound, and a mule deer steps gingerly from behind a
fir. Your friend breathes a sigh of relief, and you look at one another,
laughing nervously.
Glacier and Waterton are part of a truly wild area. This wilderness is home to
many creatures, including bears. The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) and
the black bear (Ursus americanus) are both residents of the area, although the
chance that you will spot one is rare. We visit this wilderness with the
knowledge that many risks are inherent; that a confrontation with a wild animal,
including a bear, is always a possibility.
You are a visitor in one of the few refuges left for bears. Knowledge of bear
behavior can reduce the chance of an unpleasant encounter. Bears are naturally
wary of humans. However, the only predictable thing about bears is that they are
unpredictable. Here are a few guidelines you can follow to reduce, but not
eliminate, your chances of having a close encounter with a bear.
While Hiking,
before you hit the trail, stop in at a visitor center or ranger station to get
an update on bear activity and to find out what trails or campgrounds may be
closed. Please help the park staff by reporting all bear sightings.
Don't hike alone. There is safety in numbers. Consider going along on a
ranger-guided hike if you have no hiking companions. Leave your pets at home,
because dogs and bears are natural enemies. A bear may chase your dog to you,
endangering both your lives. It is illegal to bring pets on trails in Glacier
and not recommended in Waterton.
Make noise. Bears don't like surprises and will usually move out of the way if
they hear people coming. While talking and wearing large bear bells are methods
of making noise, these sounds often don't carry well. A loud shout now and then
combined with sharp clapping will carry much farther. Use your judgment in
deciding how often you need to shout; shout more frequently around a noisy
stream, on a blind curve, on a windy day, or when in heavy brush.
Hike during "business hours." Bears may be active at any time of the day or
night, but they tend to be more active at dawn and dusk. Plan your hikes
accordingly and stay on the trails.
Observe bears only from a distance. Your car makes a safe blind. Never approach
bears for a better look or a photograph.
Hiking farther up the trail, you detect movement high on a mountain slope. You
see a bear with two cubs. The mother bear's shoulder humps are obvious, even
from this distance: grizzlies! Through binoculars you and your friend watch the
bear family as it makes its way across a snowfield and out of sight.
While Camping and Picnicking,
always leave a clean camp. Black bears that obtain human food unfortunately may
have to be killed because they grow bold around people at campsites. As
necessary, bears are darted or trapped by park rangers for relocation. Any items
that may give off an odor must never be left unattended, even for a moment. Put
such items as food, coolers, utensils, and toiletries away in a hard-sided
vehicle or food locker as soon as you're done using them. Toss garbage in
bear-proof garbage cans, not in your fire grate. Dump water used to rinse dishes
and hands in a rest room utility sink, not on the ground. Whenever you leave
your site, double-check that nothing has been left out that might get you or a
bear in trouble. As the number of visitors increases yearly, so does the need to
follow these regulations. These are park regulations, not simply
recommendations! Ask at a visitor center about these and other campground
regulations.
In the backcountry, never leave any odorous items unattended. Every backcountry
campsite has a special cable or pole from which you can hang food and garbage.
Cook and eat only in the designated food-preparation area, and hang the clothes
you cooked in if they might have absorbed food odors. Camp only in the
designated sites, which are situated well away from the food-hanging and cooking
areas. Be sure to pack out all garbage.
Bear cub picture by Steve, Bigfork Photo.
If You See a Bear
All bears are dangerous. Never approach or feed any bear, even a seemingly
"tame" one. Bears will fiercely defend cubs and food (if you see an animal
carcass while hiking, report it to a ranger immediately).
Even when following these guidelines, you may encounter a bear at close range.
If you do, stay calm and slowly leave the area. Climbing a tree is not always an
option; there may be a lack of time and trees. Don't run or scream; this may
provoke a chase, and bears can run about 35 miles an hour.
Bear attacks are exceptionally rare. When they do occur, it's usually because
the bear perceives a person as a threat. If an attack should occur, act
submissive and protect yourself by rolling up on the ground with your fingers
interlocked behind your neck and your knees pulled to your chest to protect your
stomach area. Leaving your pack on may provide extra protection for your back
and neck. When the bear no longer feels threatened, it will usually leave the
area. Do not move or make noise until you are sure the bear is gone.
For more information on bear safety, read the park's newspaper and stop in at a
ranger station or visitor center.
As you continue your hike, you and your friend take turns shouting to announce
your presence to any bears nearby. Your senses are heightened and you are
exhilarated. You have seen an animal that truly symbolizes the vanishing
wilderness.
Odors attract bears. Our campground and developed areas can remain
"unattractive" to bears if each visitor manages food and trash properly.
Regulations require that all edibles (including pet food), food containers
(empty or not), and cookware (clean or not) be stored in a hard-sided vehicle or
food locker when not in use, day or night.
Keep a clean camp! Improperly stored or unattended food may result in
confiscation of items and issuance of a Violation Notice.
Inspect campsites for bear sign and for careless campers nearby. Notify a ranger
or warden of potential problems.
Place all trash in bear proof containers.
Pets, especially dogs, must be kept under physical restraint.
Report all bear sightings to the nearest ranger or warden immediately.
This aerosol pepper derivative triggers temporary incapacitating discomfort in
bears. It is a non-toxic and non-lethal means of deterring bears.
There have been cases where bear spray apparently repelled aggressive or
attacking bears, and accounts where it has not worked as well as expected.
Factors influencing effectiveness include distance, wind, rainy weather,
temperature extremes, and product shelf life.
If you decide to carry bear spray, use it only in situations where aggressive
bear behavior justifies its use. Under no circumstances should bear spray create
a false sense of security or serve as a substitute for standard safety
precautions in bear country.
Bear spray should not be confused with anti-personnel defense sprays.
Anti-personnel defense sprays are not suited for bears. Likewise, bear spray is
intended as a deterring mechanism for bears, not humans.
Some brands of bear spray may be transported across the U.S./Canada border while
others may not; check before attempting.
Glacier National Park is located in the northwest
corner of Montana, just north of Columbia Falls. The park encompasses more
than one million acres and is home to grizzly bear, moose, elk, along
with 63 varieties of wild mammals. While most of the roads in Glacier
National Park are closed off during the winter, this provides miles and
miles of tracks for snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Visitors are
seldom around in the dead of winter, so the muffled hush of the
snow covered woods is especially enticing and serene.
A ski or snowshoe trip along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which is
one of the most scenic roads in North
America, is a great option, according to park rangers. The road is
closed to cars from September or October until snowmelt, usually in
June. Several short hiking trails branch off from the road, which
would be excellent for snowshoeing or skiing in the winter season.
Once you have your gear, head up to Glacier National Park
for an exciting adventure. Guided snowshoe trips are available, led by a
park naturalist, and are highly recommended. If you are looking for an
informative tour, snowshoeing is an easy way to explore the winter
wonderland of this unique park. Snowshoeing will provide even the novice
an effortless activity so your senses are more in tune with your
environment and your guide's knowledge on the history, wildlife,
geology, and biology of this precious ecosystem.
Russ Berrie,
Teddy Bears
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