Black Bears

A

Adrenaline Addict

Guest
Anyone seeing a lot of bears this season?

I came into two encounters on my ride yesterday. First one I didn't mind so much because the bear was alone and took off. The second one had me freaked. I was on my cooldown at the end of my ride and there were two bears. A mother and her cub.. they stood for a second then took off..
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Anyone seeing a lot of bears this season?

I came into two encounters on my ride yesterday. First one I didn't mind so much because the bear was alone and took off. The second one had me freaked. I was on my cooldown at the end of my ride and there were two bears. A mother and her cub.. they stood for a second then took off..


Just don't get between mommy and the little 'un and all is well..
 
A

Adrenaline Addict

Guest
Just don't get between mommy and the little 'un and all is well..
that was my concern with the second encounter... ill tell ya what tho.. ive never climbed a hill so fast in my life! :)
 

MEAN IRISH GUY

Horse-faced space dog
damn. i wanna ride a bear.
babybear.jpg
 

RNG1

Well-Known Member
Dude, I hope that is not a self portrait photo. Nice art on the wall though.
 

sixseven

New Member
I think I have seen the guy on the bear wandering around on foot in Rutgers eco preserve. Is it nature or nurture?
 

monteverest

New Member
saw many last season

but this season ran into my first one yesteraday about 25 yards ahead of me on the trail. usually bears will run away on sight or from our sounds which is a good sign. the one i ran into yesterday didn't budge and actually assume a rather aggressive stance. i slowly backed away until it was out of sight.
 
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RNG1

Well-Known Member
Did you really back away slowly? I have always heard that is what you should do but thought it was like someone saying "don't panic" when you obviously don't intend to.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Yea the best thing to do is #1 don't scare them but make noise so that they know you are there. Make noise or yell loudly to see if they will run off. If not walk away slowly until you are a safe distance and then ride away.

I forget the rule about eye contact though. For some animals its considered a threat if you make eye contact. Most of the times they see me, I yell and they run off. I have had one come walking towards me and I had to back away slowly and then jump on the bike and fly to get away.
 

monteverest

New Member
Did you really back away slowly? I have always heard that is what you should do but thought it was like someone saying "don't panic" when you obviously don't intend to.

Fortunately I saw the bear first and had enough distance away from it to keep my cool. I even had the wherewithal this time to put the bike between me and the bear. I didn't behave so cooly last year when I was bluff charged.

I have bear bells on the bike and they appear to help - after putting them on my bike, I didn't have another bear incident until yesterday. The bells are also great for pedestrians and hikers.
 

DownhillR3

Well-Known Member
One word... Airhorn.

Since I started riding XC consitently and deeper into the woods, never ride without it. Although never got to use it yet, knock on wood.
 

word133

New Member
I was at the park last week and I was coming down a hill. And at the corner of my eye I see something move right next to me. It was a bear. I was moving pretty good so no harm done. I swear I could have touched it. I heard the bear take off running through the woods. It just made me think if I came down the hill earlier and the bear was on the trail I would if smacked him. I wonder who would win that accident. Ever heard of a mountain biker crashing into an animal? One of my teachers in high school was road biking and a ground hog ran out right in front of him. He ran it over and ended up breaking his collier bone.
 

SpartaBard

Well-Known Member
I was at the park last week and I was coming down a hill. And at the corner of my eye I see something move right next to me. It was a bear. I was moving pretty good so no harm done. I swear I could have touched it. I heard the bear take off running through the woods. It just made me think if I came down the hill earlier and the bear was on the trail I would if smacked him. I wonder who would win that accident. Ever heard of a mountain biker crashing into an animal? One of my teachers in high school was road biking and a ground hog ran out right in front of him. He ran it over and ended up breaking his collier bone.

I cam flying around a corner once at KVSP and there was a bear in the middle of the trail (red trail?). She took off pretty quick, but I was about 10 yards away.

One word... Airhorn.

Since I started riding XC consitently and deeper into the woods, never ride without it. Although never got to use it yet, knock on wood.

My wife bought one of those mini air horns that she always takes with her when she goes for a walk either down the street or back in the woods. She has never used it, most of the time the bears wander off on their own. Although, a couple weeks ago I got into a little bind while walking down the street on garbage day. There were two bears eating one of my neighbor's garbage cans and they were in between me and my house. They had no desire to move until they were done eating so I called my wife who hopped in the car and drove down the street with the car horn blaring. That made them leave. :D
 

latenightrabbit

New Member
Yope, seen quite a few myself but less frequently since the summer began and I'm there almost every other day. I've run into 2 pretty big bears right on the trail but they jammed when they heard me. They both ran back, stopped, stood up but walked away. This old timer I met who has a farm nearby says they're harmless so I wouldn't sweat it.
 
A

Adrenaline Addict

Guest
well whatever you do, don't play cards with the bears... they don't like to loose and get really out of control when they drink 151
 
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