Spectrum\Stephen F. Stringham
The mauling deaths of Rich and Kathy Huffman remind us again of the need for extreme precautions when camping in bear country. Ignoring precautions was probably a major factor in the deaths of Tim Treadwell and his fianc/e nearly two years ago.
|
|
First, surround your camp with a four- or five-strand 3,000- to 10,000-volt electric fence. Strands are placed at 1-inch intervals, starting an inch above ground level. Use a lightweight, battery-operated charger and twine-wrapped wire.
Most fence wire is so thin that bears may walk into it and get shocked before they notice the fence. In a few cases, a bear has ended up trapped inside the fence, afraid to go through the fence again to escape. Talk about an unwelcome guest!
To avoid that, help bears spot your fence from afar by hanging 6-inch strips of plastic flagging ribbon at 5-inch intervals along the upper and middle wires.
Each flag is attached to a paper clip that is hooked onto a fence wire. This clip keeps flagging from being blown down the wire by wind, and it minimizes the hassle of flagging removal, which is best done before you roll up your fence wire preparatory to moving camp.
I surround my electric fence, five to 10 feet away, with a single-strand perimeter alarm fence. Any intruder trips this alarm before reaching the electric fence. This tends to slow intruders and makes them curious.
It also alerts you to the intrusion, perhaps in time to ready yourself -- for instance, with pepper spray, pepper balls (like paint balls, but filled with pepper,), marine hand-held flares, firearm, hatchet, knife, etc.
Rather than end up as some bear's breakfast burrito, I always sleep with my sleeping bag unzipped, just draping it over me or closing it with Velcro patches. I sleep wearing a military torso harness with a knife sheath over my heart, handle down, where I can reach it quickly, without having to fumble around searching, perhaps while pinned under a collapsed tent with a bear standing on top.
For the same reason, if I have a pistol (e.g., .44 Magnum), I wear it on my lapâ and don't sleep on my stomach. If I have a shotgun, I lay it beside me, safety off, with no slug in the chamber.
Knife stabs are best aimed into the belly, up under the ribs reaching for the heart, or into the throat or sides of the neck.
My tent has a door on three sides, allowing me to escape from the tent on the opposite side from any bear. It has a window on each side, which is always open slightly so I can noiselessly look and check for bears.
To hide my camp from both human and ursine intruders, I use an earth-colored tent with a camo tarp fly. I pack all gear at the sides of my tent so my movements don't cause the tent fabric to move or make rubbing sounds that could attract a curious bear. Three cubs I raised loved attacking my tent from the outside, much as cats have loved attacking a plastic bag with my hand rattling and rubbing around inside. "Attacks" that begin playfully can turn deadly.
To use pepper spray, I delay firing until the bear is within 20 feet, then aim for the mouth, hoping to fill its lungs. What stops a bear is not pain, but inability to breathe as lung muscles "freeze." If approached or threatened by a predatory bear, I would try to intimidate the bear as thoroughly as possible; if that failed to discourage the bear, I would kill it if possible.
For information on how to distinguish which bears are predatory, or for further details on safety precautions, safety-product assessments, and information on where selected products can be purchased, consult the Web site of the Bear Viewing Association, www.gobearviewing.com (due to go online in July) or Dr. Tom Smith's Web site, absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/attacks.
Stephen F. Stringham, an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska's Kenai and Mat-Su campuses, researches bear behavior and teaches bear safety. His next course will be in October at Mat-Su College.
Comments
12 comment(s)nexQuimimip wrote on Feb 14, 2009 3:07 PM:
Donna wrote on Feb 6, 2009 7:14 AM:
I would like to contact him if anyone can get him my e-mail address it would be greatly appreciated.
Donna J. Hoover (formerly Donna J. Groleau) "
Halcrow wrote on Nov 8, 2008 2:27 PM:
Alas, even if it should make its way over to corporate Diebold, it'll be dismissed as the irrelevent raving of an unrecognized voter (unrecognized, courtesy of Diebold). Only in America. "
Pantloath wrote on Jul 1, 2008 10:39 AM:
Nifoziyf wrote on May 1, 2008 7:36 AM:
About respect Administration of a portal "
Hixintori wrote on Apr 15, 2008 9:04 PM:
meridias capital
G'night "
Alfagreyus wrote on Apr 13, 2008 10:43 PM:
Without taking into account the issue of establishing a stone by God, which he won't be able to pick up, how do you think, may be something in this world, what can God never see? "
Jourgenz wrote on Apr 2, 2008 1:24 AM:
I could't post a message... "
chris wrote on Mar 19, 2008 7:56 AM:
Goomy wrote on Jan 19, 2008 2:26 PM:
Thanks google "
Tedeldemijamb wrote on Jan 15, 2008 1:51 AM:
Best jewelry links! "
Nancy France wrote on Dec 14, 2007 11:39 AM: