 Carry
and use bear pepper spray as a first line of defence. If you come
across a bear while hunting other game, make every attempt to
resolve the situation non-lethally. Shooting at a bear often kills
or wounds an innocent animal. A wounded bear may become aggressive.
Although common sense might suggest that guns would provide greater
personal protection than bear pepper spray, research and experience
are showing the opposite. Research suggests that human-bear encounters
involving firearms are more likely to result in injury to humans
and bears. Evidence is suggesting that law enforcement agents
and experienced hunters who use firearms to defend themselves
suffer injury about 50% of the time, while people defending themselves
with bear spray escape injury most of the time and the injuries
that occur are less severe (Herrero 2002, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service 2005).
Always store food at your campsite in a bear-proof manner (see
At your Campsite section).
 Use
a portable electric
perimeter fence around hunting camps and where meat is hung.
Remove your game carcass as quickly as possible from the site
and let others in the area know there is game residue present.
If you have to leave a game carcass over night, use a portable
electric perimeter fence and make sure it is well out in the open.
Approach the site very carefully when retrieving your game. Do
not try to shoot out the situation if a bear has taken over your
kill. It is illegal to shoot a bear in defence of a game carcass.
For more information, get a copy of the Living
with Predators Resource Guide: Recreating in Bear, Wolf and
Mountain Lion Country. The guide contains information on recreating
in wild areas (including a special section for hunting in bear
country); securing your food, garbage and other gear; and deterring
predators.
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