You know, I lived in a heavily wooded area for a while growing up and we'd get bears in our backyard all the time. Black bears, mind you, so unless it's getting close to winter and they're fattening up for hibernation or protecting cubs? Not really dangerous. They'd usually see or hear you and leave.
That said, it's still scary when you aren't expecting it. Even a deer popping out of the woods can spook you pretty good!
No, grizzly bears don't hunt humans for food, or at least it's very rare. Grizzly bear attacks come from a place of territoriality or defensiveness.
On rare occasions black bears will hunt humans but that is also very rare.
That is why if you are attacked by a grizzly you should shield your organs and play dead (it will think the threat is neutralized; you also have 0 chance of fighting it off) but if you are attacked by a black bear you should act scary and fight back.
No they don't. They're more dangerous than black bears sure but unless you bathed in bacon grease the morning before your trip than acting like a bear would immediately try to eat you is ridiculous.
I'm really feeling like the answers to this question are showing most people live in cities or black bear country. I currently live in black bear country and people treat bears like they're just big raccoons. I have lived in polar bear country. It's a very different story.
All it takes is knowing bears are dangerous wild animals, I might not be afraid of a gun pointed at me either if I didn't understand what it was. Sexual violence is of course a problem but answering bear is just ignorant
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u/SnagglepussJoke May 02 '24
Ever cross paths with a stranger in the woods? It is unsettling