Although bear assaults are uncommon, they’re not extraordinary and are typically deadly. It’s essential that each RVer learns bear security to keep away from such a state of affairs. So, I’ve compiled our bear security articles into this grasp useful resource….
A Texas man was lately awoken by a bear biting his head whereas tenting in New Mexico. That’s proper, its large jaws had been wrapped round this sleeping camper’s head.
At first, Paul Georgoulis heard loud sniffing, after which the subsequent factor he knew, a black bear grabbed his head in its jaws. Paul screamed till the bear let go and retreated.
“I scream as loud as I can, proper in its ears, and it type of lumbers off,” Georgoulis stated after the assault.
“The phrase ‘life flashed earlier than your eyes,’ I don’t assume can be a very correct phrase of what I skilled, however I can’t consider any higher technique to say it,” he added.
Georgoulis had been cowboy tenting on his pal’s land in Glorieta, New Mexico on his approach residence to Texas. His pal, Dean Dommer, described listening to his pal’s screams as he raced towards his cabin.
“It was 3:30 within the morning, and he was operating for the home screaming and bleeding,” Dommer recalled. Georgoulis had a gash in his head that required 16 stitches, which he obtained on the native hospital.
“I used to be actually fearful as a result of when that bear grabbed me. … I heard a little bit of a crunching sound. Fortunately my CT scan got here again OK,” Georgoulis mentioned.
The end result may have been a lot worse, particularly since Georgoulis believes it was extra of a mistake than a bear assault.
“I feel actually what occurred was there was a curious bear within the incorrect place on the incorrect time,” he mentioned, not putting blame on the bear.
“It felt extra prefer it was type of making an attempt to softly decide up my head and drag it someplace else, if that makes any sense. Like I feel he thought it was like an inanimate object type of a factor that smelled good.”
Whatever the bear’s intent, it was a harmful state of affairs that might have simply resulted in dying. That’s why it’s crucial that campers and RVers are up on their bear security.
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Bear Security Assets
Jennifer and I’ve a number of articles and podcasts about bear security. So, I believed it could be useful to consolidate them on this article as a type of useful index.
First, I need to reiterate that bear assaults are uncommon; you’re more likely to be attacked and/or killed by one other human than a bear. Nevertheless, your odds of not being attacked by a bear are even higher in the event you observe bear security.
So, I’m going to present you a quick abstract of every useful resource under, and you’ll click on on the title to study extra…
Useful resource #1: Careful Camping in Bear Country: What You Need to Know
Tenting in bear nation comes with beautiful scenic views, however it additionally comes with… bears! Right here’s what you should know to remain protected and shield your self and your gear.
It’s a tragic reality of life that there are tenting fatalities and accidents yearly due to bear assaults.
Throughout peak season, at the very least one bear each week is put down by recreation officers someplace in North America as a result of it strayed right into a campground. Sadly, most incidents come up due to irresponsible people who left meals out.
So, this article is to help protect you and the bears whose residence we’re visiting!
Useful resource #2: Bear Safety and You: 3 Tips from an Expert
I interviewed the founder and director of the Be Bear Aware Campaign, Chuck Bartlebaugh.
Chuck has researched human-wildlife conflicts extensively and studied why an growing variety of individuals try to method and work together with wild animals. He’s labored with nationwide parks, universities, bear biologists and wildlife analysis companies for many years.
He has traveled extensively, photographing and observing human-wildlife interactions in nationwide parks, forests, and refuges within the decrease 48 states, Canada, and Alaska.
He shares his best tips to help campers stay “bear aware.”
Useful resource #3: Podcast Episode 113: What You Need to Know About Being Safe in Bear Country
We are in the 400s for podcast episodes! So if you wish to return in time and take heed to us from 2016 (which appears like 100 years in the past) you may take heed to our interview with Chuck Bartlebaugh.
Click on on the hyperlink, scroll to the underside, and push play. You possibly can bounce ahead to the bear security interview by quick forwarding to the 27:42 timestamp.
Useful resource #4: How to Safely Watch Bears: Via Live Streaming
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It’s stunning how many individuals get too up-close-and-personal with wildlife, together with bears!
As an alternative of venturing too shut (risking severe harm or dying!), you may safely watch bears through stay streaming with this useful resource.
Useful resource #5: RVing and Camping in Bear Country
Inevitably, in the event you do quite a lot of wilderness tenting in your RV, you’re going to search out your self in bear nation.
It’s a tragic reality of life that there are tenting fatalities and accidents yearly due to bear assaults and in the event you journey with canine, there will be different issues.
But despite the headlines and all the warning signs, bear incidents are actually uncommon, and a whole bunch of hundreds of campers and RVers take pleasure in wilderness tenting deep in bear nation with out even seeing a bear. However that doesn’t imply precautions shouldn’t be taken…
BEST BEAR SPRAY
In case you do not examine or take heed to the podcast with Chuck Bartlebaugh talked about above, you should at the very least stroll away with this information.
Chuck, a bear security professional, says bear spray is your best option for stopping a charging, attacking, or threatening bear. The bear spray he recommends is known as “Counter Assault.”
Chuck additionally mentioned it really works on all varieties of bears and that “it’s efficient on any animal that breathes deeply and has eyes, and lungs, and nostril.”
He mentioned it really works as a result of it’s highly effective and in a position to shoot 25-30 toes – one thing to bear in mind contemplating bears can transfer at a velocity of as much as 30 miles per hour.
If mountaineering in a bunch, each particular person ought to have their very own can.
Different Useful Animal Security Articles
Since we’re speaking about animal security, it’s value mentioning two different articles concerning one other (but a lot smaller) harmful creature: snakes.
5 Basic Snake Safety Tips Every RVer Needs to Know
Have you learnt what number of U.S. states have venomous snakes? And I’m speaking about venomous snakes, not simply snakes typically.
In case you don’t know, go forward and take a guess. I can hear your ideas churning…
Okay, Alaska’s too chilly, and several other of the northern states are most likely too chilly, too. All southern states have snakes however do all of them have venomous snakes? Hmm, what about Hawaii?
I guess your guess is within the 30s vary, proper? Yeah, I’m certain there are extra states with snakes, however you requested about venomous snakes!
Properly, except you solely eradicated 4 states out of your listing, you’d be incorrect. 46 of the 50 United States have venomous snakes! (I’ll inform you which 4 on the finish.)
That’s why, regardless of the place you’re touring, you need to be up in your snake security…
45 Do’s and Don’ts of Snake Safety While Camping
I coated the fundamentals within the earlier snake security article, however now I’m going to enter extra depth. I’m going to listing out the Dos and Don’ts of snake security…
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