I’ve been reading and thinking about bears (Timothy Treadwell, Among Grizzlies and the film, Grizzly Man). The prospect of travelling and camping in bear country should definitely give one pause. Many point out that guns and bear spray often give false security. An article at Backpackinglight mentions that for some bears, at least, spray can be highly effective in warding them off. The article also mentions concerns that bear problems will only get worse: “California wilderness parks make for good case studies of controversial bear management practices. The storage of food in so-called bear-proof containers (while the hiker is encouraged to sit back 50 yards or more and be patient) trains bears to be persistent and further habituated to the odors of human food.”
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