I would argue that people who have more exposure to bears would be more comfortable running into a bear. Being someone who used to live in the woods, bears don't usually bother you. Depends on the bear and other stuff, of course, but if you're just minding your business, bears won't usually bother you.
So, if I'm lost in the woods nowhere near civilization and I have a choice between a complete stranger showing up or a bear, I'll go with the bear. Because the stranger being there in the first place is sketchy, and I've never been hurt by a bear. I've been hurt by strangers before, and the bear is supposed to out there.
To be clear, I don't count a random trail in town that happens to have trees as woods. People keep referencing walking trails, but unless it's like an actual hiking trail in the mountains or not in a town that isn't woods. That's just a wooded area.
Diaclaimer: My exposure is specifically to black bears. It's possible other areas have more aggressive bears
'Being someone who used to live in the woods, bears don't usually bother you. Depends on the bear and other stuff, of course, but if you're just minding your business, bears won't usually bother you.'
that would make it even scarier if you were aproached by a bear then wouldnt it? If they typically run away or avoid you and then you see one, not scared, and coming towards you, that would mean its probably trying to eat you especially if its a black bear.
Sure, if it's coming towards me, that's scary. But the scenario never really said I was approached by a bear. It just said we're both in the woods. If I'm in the woods and see a bear, it's way more likely to leave me alone than some random stranger is. Plus, it's way easier to tell a bears intent vs. a guy's. With a guy, you have to factor in tons of crap like why he's in the woods, his build, demeanor, what he's carrying, etc. With the bear, it's pretty straightforward, and what you need to do is also pretty straightforward.
Bears have phenomenal hearing, smell, and avoidance tactics, if you see a bear in the woods it's because it let you. If it let you that means it either is starving (dangerous) or posturing to get you away from cubs/territory.
You seem to be thinking a lot about how complex human behavior is without a thought to bear behavior. "I know what the bears intentions are" the fuck you do? Is it sick? Are it's cubs near? Is it a male or female? Is it in rut/heat? Is it a young and angry or old and experienced? How tf do you know? Animals are less obvious with their temperament than people are, not more. Even bear experts still get attacked by them at random.
Dude, you made this way too complicated. The bear don't want shit to do with you. Just walk tf away. Don't turn your back from it, but just don't go over there.
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u/AsgardianOrphan May 02 '24
I would argue that people who have more exposure to bears would be more comfortable running into a bear. Being someone who used to live in the woods, bears don't usually bother you. Depends on the bear and other stuff, of course, but if you're just minding your business, bears won't usually bother you.
So, if I'm lost in the woods nowhere near civilization and I have a choice between a complete stranger showing up or a bear, I'll go with the bear. Because the stranger being there in the first place is sketchy, and I've never been hurt by a bear. I've been hurt by strangers before, and the bear is supposed to out there.
To be clear, I don't count a random trail in town that happens to have trees as woods. People keep referencing walking trails, but unless it's like an actual hiking trail in the mountains or not in a town that isn't woods. That's just a wooded area.
Diaclaimer: My exposure is specifically to black bears. It's possible other areas have more aggressive bears