Sandy said:Hi! Jen! I too,,,,,,have started walking,,,and I'm now up to three miles a day.....last
week,.walking on my favorite path,,,,,I remembered reading in the paper,,,,,,,that there are bears
in the area........It's a very quiet path,,,,,,,hardly any people or cars,,,,I told myself,,,don't
be such a sissy,,,,just keep walking......but on the way back,,,,,I heard branches break,,,,,and I
knew it wasn't a small animal,,,,,it had to be deer,moose or bear!.......Yes,,,I really picked up
speed on my way back..... I'll go to the gym this week......and walk on the treadmill,,,,but
nothing compares to walking in the Outdoors! All I carried was a bottle of water,,,,,,,,but I'm
interested to know,,,,,,,what do other people carry?? Live in Canada. I'm not a wuss,,,but I try
to be realistic........there have been sightings of bears,,,,,,,,,I live in a Village, and I
really want to keep up my walks.. Thanks for listening. Sandy..
"Jenny Lee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:I've been walking 3 miles in the morning, about 1 mile is uphill (1 mile downhill and one level
mile) which is a huge accomplishment for me since I started at 1/4 mile. Two times this week
I've encountered dogs, one of the dogs was quite aggressive and (I do carry a stick) would have
attacked me if another walker hadn't came by with their larger stick. Yesterday I got stung on
the scalp by a bee, maybe one of the Africanized bees (it was quite aggressive). I had to pour
my drinking water on top of my own head to dislodge it.
What next? Wild boars?
I really, really hate the dogs. I wish people wouldn't let them roam. I live in a small town. I
hate to discontinue my outside walking.
Any pointers or advice?
JL
I've 'walked' with bears often. That is I've had encounters with bears in the Sierra, Colorado and
Alaska. There are two types of bears. North American Black Bear (also brown) and its larger relation
the Grizzly (also shades of brown as a Kodiak). The polar bear is an altogether different type of a
problem. You are fair game for this large predator -- they will track you down and eat you. Probably
won't see one of those on your walk around your village.
The black bear is relatively mellow, usually harmless and always hungry...but humans are not on its
diet. Think of it as a stomach with four legs or a large raccoon. Most people who know, don't mess
with raccoons either. If bears were routinely chomping on humans they would have disappeared
centuries ago. The dangerous, unprovoked encounters are so rare they make great news. Usually the
black bear is looking for food - garbage if close to human's habitation. The more used to humans a
black bear is the more chance of some injury or a confrontation. Around camp sites (town garbage
cans or dumps) they sometimes are aggressive enough to challenge you for your supper. If you try to
protect your food (or what they consider to be food) they then become a mean junk yard dog -- that
you have teased with a nice soup bone.
A chance meeting with a brown bear will usually result in a missed photo op and not a tragedy that
will end up in some newspaper. Treat them with caution, don't provoke them, don't try to hug them
and stay away from ANY cubs anywhere. I am more concerned about a chance meeting with a skunk than
by a bear. If you have the rare pleasure of having to face down an aggressive black bear, the
current wisdom is that you don't run, don't look directly at it (look to the side) and slowly back
away. If you are carrying anything, leave it on the ground in front of you as an offering. It is
probably what it wants anyway. If you get mauled, roll up in a ball and protect your head with
your hands.
The grizzly is fairly much the same. Except they are more aggressive, more territorial and if used
to humans should be avoided rigorously. Your odds of being injured go up around grizzlies.
The fact that you are meeting up with them in your town is an indication that not a lot has happened
between the bear and human population. People really do live in harmony with bears in North
America...look at all those year around cabins in the woods.
Dogs? You can carry an old umbrella. If a dog becomes aggressive or starts a charge the pointy end
works and if it gets beyond that, pop the umbrella open and hide behind it. They usually get the
idea, or loose interest if they get poked a few times. But not hard. They have feelings too. Some
breeds (e.g., pit bull) become more excited when injured.
Pepper spray is a good idea if you have severe dog problems. Check with local ordinances on any
restrictions to carry it.
Pepper spray is not a good idea for bears - it takes a larger dose, must be more potent than
anything you want to use more than once. You have to have nerves of steel to hold your ground, be
prepared to take on a full charge as you spritz them with it.
If you have loose dogs and can't find the owner attached, call the city. That's why you pay taxes.
There is NO reason why you should be so afraid to walk in your neighborhood that you have to stay
inside. That's supposedly why you pay taxes. Take advantage of those 'insurance' premiums you have
been paying over the years. This goes for dogs, bears, wolves, gangs, crooks, fast cars, or just
mean people.
