Bear warning

[Skillet]

The Montana Department of Wildlife would like to alert hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts of an increase in human / bear encounters. The state provides habitat to Black bears, as well as Grizzly bears. There are several ways to avoid a dangerous encounter with a bear. First, make the bear aware of your presence, consider wearing little bells on your clothing / gear & speaking loudly while in the outdoors. Should you encounter an aggressive bear, you need to act according to which species the bear is. Black bears are generally not aggressive, and will back down when yelled at or spoken sternly to, also try to make yourself look large. Grizzly bears are much more aggressive and require a passive response. Lay down in the fetal position, remain stiil & cover your head and neck with your arms as best as possible. Most importantly, wait until the grizzly bear has left the area, before moving, failure to remain still may trigger an aggressive rersponse. Another option available is to carry a large can of pepper spray, which may help to deter the bear from approaching you. Learn to tell the difference between the two species. Black bears are the smaller of the two, usually black in color, but sometimes they are a cinnamon or tan. They subsist mostly on nuts, berries, and carrion. Grizzly bears are much larger than black bears. They are a dark brown color. They subsist on much the same food as black bears, however are a much more efficient predator, able to kill elk, and moose sized animals. Being aware of the sign in an area will help you know which species to look out for. Larger tracks will most likely be from a grizzly. Scat is also a good indicator. Black bear scat is smaller and contains nuts, berries and possibly fur. Grizzly bear scat is larger, & will often contain little bells and smell strongly of pepper.