Despite Yosemite National Park having an estimated population of 300 to 500 black bears, bear spray is strictly prohibited within the park. This policy also applies to several other California National Parks, including Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Lassen Volcanic, where the National Park Service classifies bear spray as a prohibited weapon.
While many U.S. National Parks, especially those with grizzly bears like Yellowstone and Glacier, encourage carrying capsaicin-based bear spray as a non-lethal deterrent, California’s national parks take a different approach due to their exclusively black bear populations rather than grizzlies. Black bears are less aggressive towards humans and can be deterred through non-lethal and non-chemical methods.
In these parks, possessing bear spray can result in confiscation and potential fines under federal regulations. In leui of having a canister of bear spray within arms reach at times, Yosemite recommends yelling at them while keeping your distance:
“If you see a bear outside of developed areas, keep your distance: Remain at least 50 yards (four shuttle bus lengths). If you see a bear in a developed area or if a bear approaches you, scare it away by yelling very loudly and aggressively.” -Yosemite National Park
While it might seem like overkill to outright ban bear spray at places like Yosemite, its completely understandable as black bears are typically less aggressive than grizzlies and can be effectively deterred by noise, presence, and proper food storage. Learn more about how to avoid negative black bear encounters at Yosemite below:
What to Do if You See a Bear while visiting Yosemite National Park:
You may not see a bear during your visit because bears naturally avoid people. If you do see a bear, what you should do depends on the situation. In any case, always let a ranger know or leave a message at 209/372-0322. If a bear is attempting to get human food or won’t leave a developed area, you can call 911
Bear in a Developed Area or Approaching You
If a bear approaches you or if you are in a campground, picnic area, parking lot, lodging area, or other developed area, act immediately to scare it away. Scare the bear away by yelling aggressively and as loudly as possible until the bear leaves. The bear is intruding on your personal space: act angry and be persistent. If you are with other people, stand together to present a more intimidating figure, but do not surround the bear. While never a guarantee, these techniques are highly effective when done well. (Bear spray/pepper spray is not allowed in Yosemite.)
If you have food out and are having trouble scaring the bear away, pack up all your food and leave the area. Throwing food at the bear or leaving food behind will only encourage its behavior and likely result in the bear’s death. Never have out more food than you can control and do not leave food out of arm’s reach, even for a moment. (Do not try to take back food that a bear already has.)
The purpose of yelling aggressively is not to harm the bear, but to scare it from the area and restore its natural fear of people by providing a negative experience. Scaring a bear away, along with storing your food properly, helps keeps bears wild and alive.
Bear Outside Developed Areas and Not Approaching People
If you see a bear away from development and people, keep your distance (at least 50 yards, or about the distance four shuttle buses parked end to end would take up). If you get closer, you will be helping the bear become used to being around people.
Bears that become comfortable around people lose their natural fear of us and sometimes become too aggressive; sometimes they then have to be killed.
When a ranger sees a bear, the ranger may use non-lethal aversive tactics to chase the bear out of a developed area. During your visit, you may see and hear rangers patrolling public areas for bears. You may hear rangers yelling at and chasing bears. You may also see or hear rangers shooting noisemakers or non-lethal projectiles (such as rubber slugs from a shotgun or clear paintballs from a paintball gun). The intent is not to harm the bear, but to scare it from the area and restore its natural fear of people by providing a negative experience.
NOTE: These regulations and precautions help decrease the chance of personal injury or property damage. However, bear damage and confrontations are still possible even when all of the above guidelines are followed. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in citation and/or impoundment of property.
