Prepared for Bear Encounters

The old adage: "A fed bear is a dead bear" is a weighty reminder of the responsibility we humans shoulder for proper storage of all manner of attractants around our homes for our own safety as well as the preservation of truly wild bear behavior. The saying applies equally well to the spring bear harvest season upon us now. 

Beginning April 15 and running through June 30 here in Unit 13, ADF&G issues permits to qualified hunters for the specific purpose of drawing in bears with biodegradable attractants in order to harvest certain individual bears. What!? At first blush, this would appear to be a highly unsafe and counterintuitive method of hunting a potentially dangerous animal. Thankfully, the Board of Game has explicit requirements associated with each permit issued by ADF&G, meant to provide for public safety.

Because of the Board of Game’s high standard for ethical hunting practices and safety, all persons must have completed an online bear baiting clinic prior to obtaining a bear baiting permit to ensure that legal, ethical, knowledgeable, responsible, and effective bear baiting and hunting occurs in the field.  The online clinic also teaches hunters how to be respectful of other backcountry user groups and minimize adverse effects of bear baiting activities.

An ethical bear baiter is fully knowledgeable about and respectful both of the targeted animals and the requirements of the landowner where a bait station is placed. This hunter has practiced marksmanship enough to ensure a clean humane shot, after very thorough and careful observation of the animal, while following all wildlife regulations for that hunt. 

An ethical hunter always behaves in a way that satisfies what society as a whole - and other outdoor users in particular – expect of them as a hunter and fellow outdoor enthusiast. In sum, ethical hunting goes beyond what the law requires.

Armed with all pertinent knowledge, an ADF&G bear baiting permit, a hunting license, bear harvest tickets as necessary, and their firearm, hunters then knowingly walk in on an active bear bait site on a regular basis, but with important precautions taken to avoid surprise encounters with nearby bears. 

These wise practices include walking into their bait site during daylight hours, remaining hyper-vigilant while making minimal noise, and positioning themselves in a well-situated, elevated tree stand for safer optimal observation from high above any action below. 

The logical reasoning for the tradition of bear baiting is that it enables a hunter to more safely and very patiently observe interesting bear behavior while ensuring clear and unhurried identification and legal harvest of only boars or sows not accompanied by cubs, as required by regulation. To do otherwise risks the illegal harvest of a sow with cubs. 

Hunters recognize that sows with cubs will often stash their cubs out of sight for their safekeeping, while coming in alone to feed at a bait station. Therefore, very patient, often repeated, and deliberate assessment of all sows is necessary to ensure she is not lactating, before pulling the trigger. Remember, judging bears is an art but can be learned over time with long hours of experience, patience, and dedication to the cause.

Bear bait permittees are required to post cautionary signage at their bear bait site, and it is recommended that additional signs be posted further out near obvious access points to provide ample warning for all who might potentially be headed into the bear-baited area. 

Hunting regulations also state that permittees “MAY NOT set up a bait station within one mile of a house (including the permittee’s own house), a school, a business, a developed recreational facility, a campground or a permanent dwelling including a seasonally occupied cabin”.

Lastly, an ADF&G regulation and permit condition which adds a layer of safety for the general public states that permittees “MAY NOT set up a bait station within one-quarter mile of a publicly maintained road or trail”. This is obviously a much narrower margin of safety for the general public to be aware of and prepared for when venturing outdoors between April 15th and June 30th. 

Besides always carrying personal protection (a firearm and/or pepper spray) in case of a bear encounter that goes sideways, the obvious question becomes, how does the rest of the local population of outdoor enthusiasts avoid stumbling unexpectedly upon an active bear bait site between April 15th and June 30th, replete with hungry bears looking for an easy meal? 

For recreators and other backcountry users: when you are out and about this spring to enjoy the awakening countryside, make a plan and share that plan with someone else by clearly stating where you are going and when you expect to return. Pay close attention to all newly erected signs that you observe along the way to lessen your likelihood of approaching a bear bait site. 

It’s also a well-known fact that people on foot are less likely to be harmed by a bear if they venture out as part of a cohesive group of people, rather than alone. Make loud, audible noise as you move through the woods, especially around noisy streams or in dense brush to forewarn any nearby bears so they can choose to escape what they would perceive as an approaching threat. Stay alert with all of your senses: look around you, listen when you’re not making noise, and pay attention if your nose detects an unusual odor--some bears stink!

Keep dogs close and under your control, preferably on a leash, to prevent your dog from running ahead and encountering a bear. If you do encounter a bear, remain calm and follow the Safety in Bear Country tips at alaskabears.alaska.gov. If you do encounter a bear, tell other trail users, and consider making a report by calling your local ADF&G office or submitting online at wildlifeencounters.adfg.alaska.gov.

Residents can also reduce the risk of negative encounters with bears by managing bear attractants around the home. Consider replacing your trash cans with readily available bear-resistant garbage containers now offered by Copper Basin Sanitation (CBS). These bear-resistant containers are available in two different sizes to help you ensure that bears are not being rewarded for their trash-raiding bad behavior. To learn more about the one hundred bear-resistant garbage containers available locally, contact CBS at 907-822-3600. 

Kudos also to CBS for erecting and maintaining an electric fence around their landfill to discourage and prevent bears from foraging there daily. While the initial weeks of fencing implementation during the fall of 2017 did cause several nuisance bear problems as garbage-habituated bears searched for other easy food sources, the long-term goal of forcing bears to forage for natural foods has proved successful.

Because of the significant uptick in expected bear activity now and over the next several months, April is officially Bear Awareness Month in Alaska. For a reminder of all comprehensive bear safety measures recommended by Alaska Department of Fish & Game, visit AlaskaBears.alaska.gov for a thorough presentation of the various aspects of living in harmony with our ursid neighbors. 

ADF&G also invites you to view Fish and Wildlife Technician Wilson Puryear’s presentation on best practices to safely live and recreate in bear country, as part of the continuing ADF&G Winter Wildlife Series. Wilson works at McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and regularly presents bear safety information to thousands of Alaskan students during the school year. You can find Wilson’s presentation by visiting the ADF&G YouTube Channel. This is an exceptional opportunity to share an important safety message in your home with school-aged children before they head off into the coming summer. 

Keep your head on swivel and stay safe out there!