oprfcc wrote:
That is a scary story. I hope your friend was able to fully recover. I also live in Western MT. I never carry bear spray and I've had a black bear in my house. I treat black bears as large scared dogs. If you freak them out, they will respond appropriately. If you give them warning, it is almost never a big deal.
If I'm in an area where you can't see far ahead, I make noise while I'm running. Even if that means continuously talking out loud while running by myself.
There are basically no grizzlies near where I live. When I go into Grizzly country. I carry bear spray. Grizzlies are terrifying.
To the original poster: Learn how to point and discharge the spray. If you have bears becoming accustomed to people with food, you'll need to be prepared.
I recommend running with a trail backpack that has the front mount bottle holders. They do a good job of holding the spray and make them easy to access.
Other than more frequent wearing of hats he's OK, but even more "Bear Aware" than usual. The Forest Service folks found an animal carcass just off the road from the incident so evidently mama bear thought he was threatening her late afternoon snack.
So about that bear in your house, did he leave politely or did you have to break out the home movies of your last 27 triathlons?
You: "Now back in '93 you can see that I'm really fit but I was nursing an anal fissure and some terrible hemorrhoids, but nonetheless..."
Bear: "He's out of beer, this isn't worth it"
"They know f_ck-all over at Slowtwitch"
- Lionel Sanders