Do Black Bears Pose a Threat?

Speaking from personal experience, I can say that seeing a black bear on the path may be startling no matter how prepared you are for such an encounter.

Perhaps it’s because their claws are four inches long. Or, how they can fracture a bowling ball with their teeth. Or maybe it’s because their size is more noticeable up close than it would be from afar.

Black bears are omnivores and generally peaceful, although when challenged they may resort to protective behavior. Knowing what to do if you see a bear is important for hikers or anybody who frequently travels through bear habitat.

To paraphrase what I’ve always said, “A black bear is nothing to be terrified of, but you should still treat them with respect..”

Is it safe to go near a black bear?

Black bears are the preferred wild species you’d want to see on a trip over grizzlies and mountain lions. They don’t have an aggressive attitude and are surprisingly cautious.

About 800,000 black bears are thought to inhabit the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the rest of North America. Although thousands of hikers encounter bears annually, only a small fraction of these encounters end in serious injury or fatality.

The National Park Service estimates that the odds of being hurt by a bear are 1 in 2.1 million, with fewer than one black bear assault per year in the United States. There have been 67 deaths in North America attributed to black bears since 1900.  One death every two years, roughly.

How to Size Up a Black Bear: 10 Criteria

A wild bear, upon first sight, always appears enormous. That’s why, on your first bear hunt, you shouldn’t kill the first bear you see. Only if your skilled guide suddenly hisses “Take him!” should you consider breaking this rule.

Examining a bear’s physical characteristics is the most reliable way to tell if it is an adult bear worth killing or a juvenile to be avoided. Beyond those indicators, observing the bear’s personality and its interactions with other bears might shed light on its age, size, and social standing.

1. Initial Impressions

A huge bear could be the first thing that comes to mind. However, one shouldn’t always rely on one’s first impressions. It would be difficult, for example, to estimate the bear’s size if there were nothing else of comparable mass in the vicinity. It is quite hard to estimate size in the wild if it goes out into a coastal flat or into a clover field.

Bear hunters might use the bait’s container as an indicator of the bear’s size. In this situation, the outfitter will provide suggestions based on the size of the barrel. Certain length logs are also placed out by some guides. The bear is kept if its length is greater than that of the log.