Survive a Bear Attack: Fight Like Hell Against a Black Bear

If you’re looking to survive a bear attack, you’ll need to be resourceful and strategic. There were two fatal black bear attacks on Americans within a day of each other this past June. Experts expect the frequency of black bear attacks to continue to rise. Now more than ever, it’s important to know what to do when you come across a black bear while camping or hiking in the woods.
That’s why we’ve outlined three preventative measures and five life-saving steps campers and hikers need to take in order to make it out alive when a black bear wants to chase them up a tree. This is the second installment in our three-part series on how to survive a bear attack. Again, I urge everyone to pack a first aid kit if you’re planning a camping or hiking trip in the woods. You can learn what to include in a wilderness first aid kit and which essential pieces of equipment you’ll want to bring along on your adventure here.
You’re most likely to encounter black bears when camping or hiking in the northern part of the North American continent. Black bears are common from coast to coast–from Washington to Massachusetts.. If you live in the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Washington, Wyoming, Montana, and parts of Idaho), it’s perhaps even more important to learn what to do when you encounter a grizzly bear in the woods. For those of you in northern Canada, make sure you know what to do when you cross paths with a polar bear looking to find its next meal.
 
These bears are known for being smaller and faster than other types of bears. They’re excellent climbers, too. You’d much rather come across a black bear than a grizzly bear. They’re less likely to attack humans, and because they’re fast, they’d rather run away than fight you. Still, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family while camping or hiking from black bears.

How to Avoid a Bout With an Agile Black Bear

You’ll want to avoid a black bear encounter if you can. Here are three preventative measures you can take to make sure you never even have to deal with a black bear when hiking or camping:

1. Make Some Noise

   Black bears aren’t looking for you. If they can hear you in the woods, they’re more likely to ignore you than they are to chase you. After all, black bears aren’t nearly as aggressive as grizzly bears. They’re easily startled and won’t often try to stand their ground. That said, they’ll attack you when they feel threatened, and they’ll feel threatened if they’re surprised. Talk or hum to let them know you’re around.If you end up coming across a black bear, but they don’t see you, don’t disturb them.

2. Minimize Trash

   If you leave food and trash at your campsite, black bears are likely to show up and rummage through your stuff. You don’t want to come back to your campsite to find it ransacked, and you definitely don’t want to open your tent and find a bear scratching up your sleeping bags. Secure your food and trash in as small a space as possible. For the best results, put your food and trash in a bear canister.

3. Leave Your Pets at Home

   A black bear is more likely to want a go at your pet than they do at you. Luckily, black bears still aren’t looking to fight your dog. If you’re camping or hiking in black bear country, be mindful of bringing your pet with you. While we recommend this less than we do for people camping and hiking in grizzly bear country, it’s still best to be aware of the danger.

How to Fend Off a Black Bear Barreling Toward You

If you do happen to encounter a black bear, and they notice you, here are the five steps you need to take in order to make it out alive:

1. Play Up Your Presence

   Black bears are easily intimidated. If you stand up straight  and make loud noises, black bears will usually leave you alone. They’d rather not risk getting hurt in a fight against you. Wave your arms and hold sticks or your backpack over your head to make yourself appear bigger than the bear.

2. Do Not Run Or Climb a Tree Under Any Circumstances

   If the black bear charges at you, do not run! Keep making noise. Black bears often charge without any intention of attacking, and if you call its bluff and keep at your display, they’ll likely stop in their tracks. That said, if the bear does charge, prepare to draw your weapon.
   Most importantly, don’t even think about climbing up a tree. Black bears will chase after anything that runs away from it, and they’re fantastic climbers. If you think you can escape from a black bear in a tree, you’re dead wrong. Black bears will climb up there and swipe you down to the ground.

3. Use Bear Spray

   Don’t go into the woods without a can of bear spray on you at all times. Bear spray is the absolute best piece of equipment you can carry in order to survive a bear attack. That said, while some National Parks allow bear spray, in more recent years, others have banned it under the belief that the preventative measures listed above should be enough to keep visitors safe. We disagree with that decision.  Campers and hikers are better safe than sorry, and bear spray is undoubtedly the best option for surviving a black bear attack.
   Use bear spray while the black bear is charging. The spray is most effectively used 40 to 50 feet away from the bear. You want to create a cloud of bear spray between you and the bear so that the bear will run into it with its eyes open as it charges you. If it works, and the bear stops, then you can get away. Bear spray is best kept in a holster or front pants pocket for ease of access. You will only have a few seconds to spray it while the bear charges.

4. Fight Like Hell

   This is advice we would never give to someone looking to survive bear attack when up against a grizzly bear. Black bears are significantly smaller and weaker than grizzly bears because they lack the distinctive hump of muscle tissue on their back that grizzlies are known for. Experts agree it’s better to fight back against a black bear than it is to crawl into the fetal position and protect as much of your body as you can. Use anything you can find as a weapon–sticks, rocks, your backpack–and make sure to continue looking big and making a lot of noise.
   Aim for sensitive parts on its body. Punch it in the nose or scratch at its eyes. This can deter the bear from continuing to attack you. If it works, and you can pick yourself up, back away from the bear slowly and try the bear spray again. Most importantly, don’t run away. It will chase you. You want to appear so threatening that it runs away on its own. Besides, you really can’t outrun one of these things.

Bear experts agree that bear spray is the best weapon against black bears. Guns are another reasonable choice, as you’re likely to maim or kill a black bear with a couple shots much more easily than you would if you shot a grizzly bear. If you’re out hiking or camping in the woods, bring along some bear spray or a firearm and a first-aid kit that leaves nothing out. You can find a list of the most essential, life-saving pieces of equipment you need when hiking or camping here. And watch this video by the National Park Service demonstrating how to use bear spray correctly: