Bear attacks in Yellowstone and surrounding areas are rare. But they do happen.

One very lucky camper was attacked in Soda Butte Campground in 2008 on an early July morning while asleep in his tent. Not that he was lucky to have been attacked, he was lucky that he suffered only bite and claw marks while protecting himself. 
 
 
After the attack, the U.S. Forest Service evacuated and closed the campground as well as a nearby Chief Joseph campground – a few miles from the northeast entrance to the park.

 Bear attack in Cooke City Montana July 2008

Another bear attack was in 2007 when a Montana wildlife photographer was hiking in the back country, something he did often. He was attacked by a female grizzly with a cub nearby. Female Grizzles will attack suddenly and without warning when they think their cubs may be in danger.

You are in prime grizzly country when in Yellowstone and although bear attacks are rare, they do happen. Grizzles naturally avoid people, but don’t think that will be to your advantage if you encounter a grizzly bear.

How to Survive a Grizzly (or Black) Bear Attack:

4 major causes of bear attacks:

* Going it alone. There have been no reported attacks of people in groups of 3 or more.

*Hiking or camping to close to a bears food – if you smell rotting carcass, back up, turn around and travel the other way. Bears are very protective of their food.

* Hiking or walking between a mama bear and her cubs.

* Surprising a bear.

Other bear facts from American Hunter Magazine (May 2007):

* 65 percent of people attacked were hiking

* 16 percent of people attacked were working

* 65 percent of the bears that attacked were alone

 * 33 percent of the bears attacked when they were startled
 
If you plan to hike, fish, backpack or camp in Yellowstone  (or anywhere that is considered Grizzly country),  take these precautions to avoid any encounters with a bear.

A bear is likely to advoid running into you if he knows that you are there.

*Make plenty of noise

*Travel in groups

*Carry bear spray

*Use a lens when taking photos

*Hike or walk in the day. Night is hunting time.

If you do encounter a bear:

* Don’t run! You will look like easy prey to the bear.

* Back away slowly.

* Talk softly don’t shout.

* Don’t drop or throw anything at the bear.

* Avoid making direct eye contact as bears will see this as a challenge.

* If you are charged freeze and: 

A) Use bear mace – if you don’t have bear mace go to B

B) Drop to the ground and lie on your stomach with hands clasped  tightly around your neck. You may have heard that dropping to the ground and rolling into a tight ball, legs to chest, hands behind neck, is the posture to take…. this is wrong! One swipe of a bears massive paw will take that arm protecting your head right off!

Watch this video:

Using Bear Spray

The best defense against a bear attack, especially when camping, backpacking, fishing or hiking alone is mace bear pepper spray. You can purchase bear spray in  any of the general stores in Yellowstone.  Always carry the bear spray on your person within easy reach and not in your backpack when in the back country.
 

FRONTIERSMAN Bear Attack Deterrent with Hip Holster

The best bear pepper spray that  has the strongest EPA approved animal repellent rating (2.0% Capsaicinoids) with an extreme blast range of 35-feet is Mace Bear Pepper Spray! Human pepper spray is not the same as bear pepper spray. Only EPA approved bear sprays may be sold as deterrents against bears and have specific minimum requirements that must be met.

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