When It's a Bear, Don't Stare

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If you're in a group, stay together. You'll look larger and that could keep the bear from charging.

Often bears will bluff a charge, meaning they will rush toward you and then stop in close proximity to your position. It's a warning to back off. Heed the warning. Back off. Slowly. But should the worst happen and the bear attacks, reach for your bear pepper spray. If you carry bear pepper spray, make sure it is easy to reach — it won't do you much good in your backpack, so keep it close to your hands.

DUCK AND COVER

Sometimes just the sound of the spray discharge will stop a charging bear. But if the bear keeps coming, as a last resort, drop to the ground and play dead. Either lie on your stomach with your hands protecting your neck, or lie on your side in a fetal position with your legs and head tucked into your chest. And keep your backpack on. It can serve as a shield. Basically, you want to protect your soft tissue and organs to the best of your ability against a large animal that is built to maul.

Finally, don't move or get up until you're certain the bear has moved a distance away. There's a story of one hiker who made the mistake of reaching for his bear spray while the animal was nearby, an action that provoked another attack.

One last bit of advice if you plan to camp in bear country. Most people know to keep their food either in the trunk of their vehicles or in an approved bearproof container. Many campsites, even in the backcountry of some national parks, have bearproof storage lockers or bear poles. If unavailable, hang a "bear bag" at least 200 feet from your campsite. A bear bag is a stuff sack loaded with your provisions, cooking gear and the clothing that you wore while cooking, which you suspend from a sturdy tree branch at least 10 feet above the ground and 5 to 8 feet from the tree trunk. Make sure you store your cooking clothes in the bear bag, because sleeping in the same clothes you cooked in is like yelling, "Come and get it!"