Based out of Soldotna, Alaska the folks at Alaska Small Craft Adventures enjoy their days flying around and fishing places like the Kenai River, Homer, Seward and the North Gulf of Alaska battling wind and waves to hook big fish like as halibut, lingcod, yellow-eye rockfish, king salmon, sockeye salmon and silver salmon.
Fishing remote areas in Alaska, you won’t find much competition from fellow anglers but you may come across local wildlife that is interested in what you are doing in their backyards and that includes grizzly bears. Alaska is home to the largest population of grizzly bears in North America with an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 grizzlies living in the state and fishing in Alaska may lead to encountering one like Ryan Hall with Alaska Small Craft Adventures who had this to say about the following encounter:
“You can’t outrun a bear, do this instead. A short video showing a method for deterring a brown bear that has been stalking us for hours in the bush of Alaska. Always be on the lookout for these stealthy enormous animals when traveling in Alaska’s backcountry. Getting up close and personal to an animal as dangerous as an Alaska brown bear can really make the hair on your neck stand straight up! This close call was just too close for comfort!”
Knowing it was futile attempting to outrun an apex predator with a top speed of 35mph, Hall decided to stand his ground and managed to shoo it away by simply scuffing his shoe on the ground and kicking a bit of gravel towards the bear.
According the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, the best way to avoid negative encounters is respecting bears and learning proper behavior to help avoid potential conflicts.
“It’s best to understand what bears need and avoid bears whenever possible. You can do this by keeping a clean camp and home, and by following bear safety advice when recreating or working in bear country.” –Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Learn more about what do in a grizzly bear encounter from the Alaska Department of Fish & Game below.
Alaska Department of Fish & Game Bear Encounter Guidelines:
If you see a bear, avoid it and give the bear every opportunity to avoid you. If you do encounter a bear, remain calm and try to observe what the bear is doing. Chances are good you are not in danger. Most bears are interested only in protecting food, cubs or their “personal space.” Once they feel there is no threat, they will move on. Remember the following:
If You See a Bear
- If the bear appears not to have sensed you, move away without alerting it. Keep your eyes on the bear.
- If the bear does notice you, face the bear, stand your ground and talk to it calmly. Let the bear know you are human. Talk in a normal voice. Help the bear recognize you. Try to appear larger by standing close to others in your group or wave your arms slowly above your head. Try to back away slowly, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. Prepare your deterrent if you have one.
- If a bear cannot tell what you are, it may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.
- If you take the above actions and the bear continues to focus on you or approach, you should become more assertive: raise your voice, beat on pans, use noisemakers, throw rocks or sticks. Use your deterrent if you have one. Drive a bear off rather than let it follow you. If you are with others, group together to look big and stand your ground.
Surprise Encounters
- If you surprise a bear at close distance, it may feel threatened and act defensively, especially if it has cubs or food. Continue to stand your ground. If the bear moves away, walk away slowly, keeping your eyes on the bear. Increase your distance.
Never Run
- You can’t outrun a bear. Bears can run much faster than a sprinter and, like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals. A charging bear might come within a few feet before running off. It’s important to stand your ground.
In the Rare Event of an Attack
If a bear makes contact, you have two choices: play dead or fight back. The best choice depends on whether the bear is acting defensively or is seeking food.
- Most brown bear attacks are a defensive response. Play dead in defensive situations: Hit the ground and lie still if a brown bear you have surprised or any female bear protecting cubs makes contact. Lie flat on your stomach, legs spread apart for stability, with your hands protecting the back of your neck. A defensive bear usually ends its attack if it feels you are not a threat. Remain motionless for as long as possible. If you move, and the bear sees or hears you, it may return and renew its attack. In a prolonged attack, fight back.
- Fight back in other situations: Rarely, lone black bears or brown bears may perceive a person as potential food. Fight any bear that has been calmly focused on you and makes contact or that breaks into a tent or building. In almost all situations, your best defense against an attacking black bear is to fight back. Concentrate on the bear’s face or muzzle with anything you have on hand.
