Date:         Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:43:11 -0600
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Bear Attacks Camper NVC
Comments: To: Daniel O Stevens <dosteven@SYR.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <2ACA97189C2EF74D9A8E287072A52D19489D5C576A@suex07-mbx-03.ad.syr.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Daniel O Stevens wrote:
> Lest we as humans tend to forget, we're just food to them..
> Especially the Polar Bear, during this current ice cap diminishing trend..
>
Bears are bears. They do what bears do. Eat, sleep, and breed, and the
females raise the young, to which they are extremely devoted. Never ever
get between a she bear and her cubs. Other than that, reasonable
precautions to prevent altering a bears behavior generally works. Don't
wear cloths that you spilled fish juice on when fishing, put the food in
a sack then pull it up in a tree well clear of the ground, or lock it up
in secure storage away from the tent or other quarters, make noise when
hiking, etc. In bear country, - having lived in Alaska a long time - I
do believe in carrying - but it is only for the absolute last resort. It
rarely ever happens, but if it does, and you are the focal point of the
event, you will regret not having it. It's just a precaution. And
regrettably there a whole raft of damn fool idiots out there that will
have the firearms. You are more likely to be in danger from them than
the bears.

I am reminded of a bit of a grim cartoon of Polar bears who have ripped
to top out of an igloo. Boots and jackets and mittens are laying around
with some pink stains in the snow. One bears says to the other as he
picks his teeth - "I really like these - crunchy on the outside and
soft, pink, and chewy on the inside!"

Doesn't really happen that way, but a polar bear is a predator, a
carnivore, and will eat just about anything of food value to him.That
should be kept in mind in ALL bear country, whatever it is.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL driver