Scared of Bears?

[redheadaussie]

Hey all, I am due to your sunny shores on Aug 16th. I am really scared of bears. Doesn't that make you laugh! I live in the country known for the world's deadliest reptiles, insects etc! When I was there last year, I slept through a bear raiding a dumpster in the campground I was in. Lovely hero of my ex-B/F pretty much pooohed his pants all night. He was more afraid to tell me and of my reaction than the bear eating us both!
Anyway I was looking on the net just now to see how to defend myself in case one should happen to encounter me, and what to do to advise I am not on the menu, when I stumbled across this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJAVe57yH-o
It is really funny as well as educational.
Are you scared of bears? Have you had any encounters with bears? I'd love to know! (Facing my fears, will make me stronger...she says as a Mantra to herself!)

[nissah46]

My daughter had a bear encounter her first summer in Lake Louise, Alberta.  It was early in the morning and she was walking up the road to the hotel photo shop where she worked. She wasn't paying particular attention to her surroundings, and was suddenly right in front of the bear, which was eating.  She turned on her heals and ran fast. She was a cross country runner, which helped.  There were no houses around, so she ran until she came upon some rentals. No answer at the first door she banged on, she ran to the next.  A couple of ladies looked out, but wouldn't open the door to a screaming stranger.  Finally she made them realize she was frightened of the bear and they let her in. They offered to drive her up the road to work, and there on the road was the bear in the same spot, still eating, totally cool. Funny thing Maria, she is now in NZ, but her first choice was Australia until her sister gave her a book. She read about snakes, spiders and alligators, and said she wasn't going there.  It's not like she is going to encounter them walking down the street, but there was no changing her mind.  She experienced the earthquake last week, and thought her flat was haunted until she found out what was going on.  

[Cherie762]

when we took a vacation west once we encountered what is called a bear jam, a Grizzly decided to just sit in the middle of a 2 lane rd on a mountain. so the cars have to just sit there and wait for him to move. Its advised and posted when this happens to stay in your car. One gentleman left his car approached the grizzly to take a photo the bear got upright, that man ran fast and jumped in the nearest car, when the bear sat back down and looked the other way he slowly facing the bear walked to his own car. Dont approach Grizzlys...
....hint bears dont want human contact we have many brown bears up north at our hunting property we sing outloud when walking in the woods have taught children to either whistle or speak to each other loud , or sing. if the bear hears you comming the will scat.

[redheadaussie]

My friend in Eugene Oregon showed me the paw print on his patio door when I was there last year. Apparently it was late at night and he and his wife had forgotten to put a casserole back in the fridge. This ginourmous bear apparently ripped off the flyscreen and was bashing the door down! My friend's thought it was a burglar and came downstairs. My friend is nearly 7 foot tall and looks like  a bear himself! He did the usual yelling and arm raising etc, but the bear kept smashing that door down! My friend bolted upstairs, slammed the door shut, pushed heavy chairs in front of it and dialled 911! A ranger came and chased it away.  It ws obviously able to smell the casserole and wanted some yummy home cooked diner!
Man! When I saw the size of that paw print and that story I was freaked!
  The lady of the same house told me when I was there 5 years ago, not to go the car at night on my own as I was about to get my overnight bag. The car was almost at the front door. They live on the outskirts near woodland in Eugene. She said, "Oh, but you might be taken by a bear or a cougar" Well, that did it for me!!!! That was the start of my fear of bears!
I still love the fact I slept through a bear raiding the dumpster at the campground one night. Can't believe I never woke up to all the banging and crashing of the metal lid. I must have been exhausted!

[redheadaussie]

I land in land in LA on the 16th then get a flight to Portland Oregon. Stay the night at a friend's place  (by then it  will be closer to 1am in the morning!) then head out to Bend Oregon the next day. I will then no doubt sleep for 3 days!

[Melissa0116]

We'll when I was 18, and still lived at home, my parents went away on a cruise and my brother and I had the neighbors over.  We'll we heard this loud noise outside the door and all went out to see what was going on.  Their was a brown bear standing in the front yard.  We all just stood their in disbelief.  We lived right off a major highway but the highway was right below the mountain area here in Pennsylvania.  We just never thought that a bear would have been that far from its habitat.  We'll we did not know what to do and the neighbor boy decided to chase the bear away.  I told him to get away from the bear and he finally did.  The bear was not in attack mode and actually found us all fascinating.  He finally decided that he would head back to where he came from but we called the local sportsman assoc. since they would not kill the bear they would just take it back to where it should be.  

They are more scared of us and as long as you do not move and stay still they will not hurt you.  When you run then they will chase you thinking that you are their dinner.  

[Lonelymom]

Can't say that I am scared of Bears but we don't have Bears where I live. Only snakes and spiders to worry about.

Where are you going to be on August 16th?

[jollyman069]

thats take out for bears....lol

[ChitChatNine]

We get them in our neighborhood ... when that happens we get Reverse 911 calls alerting us for safety .. since, after all, we aren't in the mountains and not used to this type of animal roaming our back yards!  

[redheadaussie]

Yeah, but how do you know they are hungry!!!! ...and hungry for a 5' 8" skinny redhead from Australia!

[jollyman069]

they will only eat when they are hungry !!!!!!!

[IBKleen]

That was a funny video but not too far from the truth.

I live in the mountains and we have all sorts of creatures coming to visit, large and small. It is amazing on a night when I put out a chicken carcass and the next morning the whole thing is gone...bones and all. I often wonder what lurks around here at night but maybe I don't really want to know.

I am petrified of snakes and spiders and we have plenty of those.

Deer and Turkeys are an every day sighting in our yard and about once a week we have a Bear come along.

The only time I am truly afraid of the Bears is when they are with their cubs, which is this time of the year. The Mommies are very protective and that is one of the few times they will attack. A week ago I walked out on my back deck to find a mommy Bear helping two cubs out of a tree not five feet from the house. I just stood perfectly still until she wiggled them down and all three walked away. I don't think I even took a breath the entire time.

Still, like the video said, they don't want to see you anymore then you want to see them.

We have had a mouse trapped under our dishwasher for 4 days now. All of my cats are lined up and staring. The poor thing is on the verge on dying of thirst...literally and I suspect today is the day. You want to talk scared? I am petrified of the thing and it is probably small enough to fit in my palm.

I totally understand your fear and you are not alone. Be safe and enjoy your visit!