Learn how to act when you meet a brown bear — from a distant sighting to a close approach — and how to read its warnings.
The master of the forest doesn't look for a fight
Meeting a brown bear
The brown bear (grizzly) is the strongest animal in northern forests, and that's exactly why it has no reason to attack: almost all its attacks are defensive — surprise, cubs, a kill.
The bear hasn't noticed you: quietly go back along your own tracks and give the place a wide berth. Don't try to “chase it off,” and don't take photos.
It has noticed you: stop. Speak in a calm, low voice — let it recognize a human. Slowly raise your arms to look bigger and back away at an angle, without turning your back or staring at it. Standing on its hind legs isn't an attack: it's looking around. Huffing, teeth clacking, ears pinned back — that's its language for “go away.” A bluff charge that stops short is the last warning. Do as it says, slowly.
What not to do. Don't run: a bear can reach 50 km/h — uphill and downhill (“bears can't run downhill” is a myth). Don't climb a tree: it will reach the tree before you do, and young bears are excellent climbers too.
Protection — bear spray or a handheld flare — works only if it's in your hands: carry it on your belt or pack strap so you can draw it in two seconds. At the bottom of your pack, it doesn't exist.
Lesson notes
Meeting a brown bear
The brown bear (grizzly) is the strongest animal in northern forests, and that's exactly why it has no reason to attack: almost all its attacks are defensive — surprise, cubs, a kill.
The bear hasn't noticed you: quietly go back along your own tracks and give the place a wide berth. Don't try to “chase it off,” and don't take photos.
It has noticed you: stop. Speak in a calm, low voice — let it recognize a human. Slowly raise your arms to look bigger and back away at an angle, without turning your back or staring at it. Standing on its hind legs isn't an attack: it's looking around. Huffing, teeth clacking, ears pinned back — that's its language for “go away.” A bluff charge that stops short is the last warning. Do as it says, slowly.
What not to do. Don't run: a bear can reach 50 km/h — uphill and downhill (“bears can't run downhill” is a myth). Don't climb a tree: it will reach the tree before you do, and young bears are excellent climbers too.
Protection — bear spray or a handheld flare — works only if it's in your hands: carry it on your belt or pack strap so you can draw it in two seconds. At the bottom of your pack, it doesn't exist.