In the late 90s, I spent four summers finding the best route to the top of the highest 50 mountains in Eastern Washington. It turned into a hiking guide that has since been published and gone out of print. I didn’t carry anything to deter bears on those hikes, and I still don’t.

My rationale is a complete lack of reported bear attacks in Eastern Washington. After all those miles on remote trails, I can recount nine encounters with black bears while hiking. Every bear fled, frightened. Except one.

Hiking the Thirteenmile Trail south of Republic, Wash., I awoke a bedded down bear just off the trail. He started running toward me, so I yelled and waved my arms. He didn’t respond favorably. I tried shinnying up a tree even though black bears climb trees.

Realizing there was no way I’d get far enough up, I dropped down and gave one last, deep-voiced yell and threatening wave of arms. The bear was undeterred. It quickly closed the gap between us. Standing my ground, the bear slid to a halt, inches away. I could’ve pat him on the head. After a brief pause, he turned and ran away.

Never growling or acting aggressively except to run toward me, I theorized he was groggy after being startled awake. Realizing I was human, he did what bears normally do. I resumed my hike, making noise for a while, then not even worrying about it.

On another one of my hikes in Northeast Washington near Horseshoe Lake, I stopped for a good view while descending a ridge. Seventy feet below me, I noticed a pair of bear cubs. The sow was a bit farther down.

After a few moments watching, I tossed a pine cone which landed below me. The cub ran to mom, whimpering at being startled. The sow, suddenly alert, scanned the landscape thoroughly before relaxing. I was amused something so simple as a pine cone falling to the ground scared the cub. I retreated, made plenty of noise, and resumed hiking down the ridge.

As I expected, the family of bears had disappeared. I was lucky I’d stopped at just the right spot to see them without being seen. Had I walked straight into the bear family, it could’ve been bad news.

Things didn’t turn out so pleasantly for Michael Reasoner, a Forest Service assistant silviculturist. In August 2017, traversing through the thickly wooded Caribou Creek Drainage in North Idaho, he happened upon a black bear cub who ran, whimpering, to mom.

Reasoner believes what he did next caused a dangerous encounter. When he turned to walk away, the 300-plus pound sow galloped after him. She came within 20 feet, growling and huffing aggressively. Reasoner talked to the bear calmly and soothingly.

Eventually retreating, the sow returned, charging again. More talking caused the sow to back off, but then charged a third time, coming within 10 feet of him. He raised his hands and yelled. A loud, aggressive standoff ensued as the bear responded likewise.

The sow eventually backed off before charging a fourth time. Reasoner pulled out his core auger, a forestry tool used to determine the age of trees, and behaved as aggressively as possible while slamming the auger against a tree. Agitated, the bear came within five feet, growling loudly, spit flying from her mouth.

When the sow turned to check on her cub, Reasoner hid behind a large Douglas fir. Shortly after, she returned, searching and sniffing about but didn’t find him. Able to slip away, Reasoner moved quickly until coming to a steep hill. The 20-minute adrenaline-fueled encounter had left him completely drained, and he could barely exert himself, but he had made it away safely.

Reasoner told me he has five to eight encounters with bears each year. The bears, he says, almost always run away. Crossing paths with a sow and cub was a first and his only frightening bear encounter.

It took a couple years before he could begin his daily forest trudges without feeling uneasy. He didn’t have bear spray that day, but now carries it, always. His story gives good reason for me to do likewise.

James P. Johnson’s book “Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Freshwater Shark Attacks,” came out March 2022. He wrote about five things to never do at a lake for the July-August 2022 issue.

Find stories in the OTO archives about bear safety, including “Bear Country Safety Advice” by Crystal Atamian.

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Chuck Bartlebaugh of Missoula, Mont., based nonprofit Be Bear Aware says there is an easy equation to remember when you’re recreating outside—whether it’s in town or in the trees, WILDLIFE + DISTANCE = SAFETY.

Black bears aren’t just in remote areas. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) removed a bear one block south of I-90 just two years ago. Biologist Carrie Lowe points out that “if they can show up there, they can show up anywhere.”

Just last summer, a black bear in a residential backyard in Spokane’s South Hill neighborhood, who took refuge in a tree, was caught by WDFW and released back into the wild.

Bears are often reported in areas like Dishman Hills and Nine Mile Falls, but Bartlebaugh’s favorite story is about the bear that settled down and was sleeping under the Red Wagon slide in Riverfront Park (the bear was moved without incident).

Live safe in bear country: Secure outdoor garbage. Bears can wander into residential areas when there are attractants. // Photos: Shutterstock.

Learn How to Be Bear Aware

Be Bear Aware was founded by Bartlebaugh in 1976, and since then the Montana-based organization has produced some of the best bear education materials.

They also offer courses in how to deploy bear spray in varying attack situations, and how to handle encounters with bears, cougar, moose, rattlesnakes, and other wildlife. Trainings cover how to use bear spray to deter an attack from a surprised bear as well as encounters where there’s more distance.

Always, the primary goal is to learn how to maintain distance and avoid an encounter in the first place. The key is learning what bear sign looks like: bark smoothed from rubbing, hair or scratches on trees, shredded stumps. What does bear scat look like? Google it with your family: it’s a fun way to start the conversation.

Bears are attracted to smells, so store food, fishing tackle, harvested fish or game, and even your toothpaste in a bear resistant container or inside a locked vehicle if you are out overnight. Whether you are hiking, camping, or mountain biking, make sure to carry bear spray, and have it in a place where you can reach it easily.

Bikers move fast through the landscape and need to pay special attention to being aware of any strong smells (bear, or dead animal that a bear might feed on). Bartlebaugh recommends calling out in a way that is non-threatening and human sounding—music will not do the trick, voices will.

Bartlebaugh also has specific suggestions for people in residential areas. “It’s all common sense. Clear the brush away from the house so you have a good view (this helps with fire danger too). Garbage needs to go out only on pick-up day, and if you can, get a bear-resistant container for trash. Also, get rid of attractants like fruit that’s fallen from fruit trees.”

WDFW Biologist Carrie Lowe says that rural residents with backyard chickens need to be especially aware because the birds are attractive to bears. She emphasizes that as Spokane continues to grow, “more houses are on the outskirts of bear country. Anyone should expect to potentially see a bear where they live.”

Bartlebaugh also noted that wildlife feeding and people’s desire to get up close and interact with wildlife is a big problem and the primary reason behind most human–wildlife conflicts. “We need to learn to enjoy wildlife for what they are and not what they will do for donuts.” A culture of respect and avoidance is key, not just for bears, but for all wildlife.

Another warning, brought up by both Lowe and Bartlebaugh, was to always keep your dog on leash in wild areas. Bears rarely attack humans, but according to Lowe, a large percentage of those attacks are when a dog is off leash and the bear chases the dog back to the owner. This is also an issue with moose, who are known to get aggressive with dogs.

Use Bear Spray the Right Way

Be Bear Aware recommends that you carry an EPA-approved bear spray cannister that will spray for at least seven seconds and travel at least 30 feet. Knowing that distance and how far your cannister will spray matters. Importantly, the group states in their trainings that how you deploy bear spray is determined by the bear’s agitation level and how far away the bear is. (Learn more: “Bear Spray Science.”)

In addition to courses on bear encounters and how to deploy bear spray, Be Bear Aware has developed a Train-the-Trainer program where anyone can take the course and then learn to become a trainer themselves. This program has expanded in Montana and is being introduced here in eastern Washington.

For more information, contact Be Bear Aware at bearinfo@cfwi.org or call 406-239-2315.

Find more stories about bears and other North American wildlife in the OTO archives.

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Bear biologist Carrie Hunt, founder of Wind River Bear Institute (WRBI), conducted experiments with bear repellant deterrents at the University of Montana in the 1980s, for her master’s in science degree. She found some potential in personal defense and military pepper sprays, but there were drawbacks. Her research indicated that the ingredients and the delivery method are what makes a spray more effective.

Hunt’s study led Bill Pounds to develop a concentrated formula that could be dispersed in a cone-shaped cloud that did not require precise aiming, but could simply be directed downward in front of a charging bear. This helps compensate for the effects of wind, rain, and cold. (Pounds went on to found Counter Assault and to manufacture and market bear spray.)

Bear spray has six times as much spray and is much more pressurized than pepper spray. The contents are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and each can has a registration number on the label.

Improperly stored trash can attract bears (left); Photo: Shutterstock // Chuck Bartlebaugh demonstrates how to deploy bear spray during a training session. // Photo courtesy Be Bear Aware.

Capsaicin and related capsaicinoids are the active ingredients in bear spray; claims of 10%, 20%, or 30% Oleoresin Capsaicin are not indicative of the amount of active capsaicin and capsaicinoids in a spray. This and the spray pattern are what make bear spray so effective.

If it’s not EPA registered, it will not work the same in a bear encounter. Make sure to look before you buy.

The recommendation based on Hunt’s study is to spray for seven seconds, 30 feet in front of you. The minimum sized can registered by the EPA is 225 grams (7.9 oz.); smaller cans may not have sufficient spray duration to deter a charging bear.

Chuck Bartlebaugh of Be Bear Aware said it’s important to ensure that you bring enough bear spray with you; you’ll want enough to deter an aggressive bear and still have some for the hike out. Visit the Be Bear Aware Campaign website to learn about staying safe in bear country and how to deploy bear spray.

Find more stories about bears and other North American wildlife in the OTO archives.

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However, when the commission voted in November 2021 on whether or not to have a bear hunt in the spring of 2022, the commission was short one member, which led to a 4-4 vote. Without a clear mandate to hold the hunt, the commission defaulted to halting the season.

Since that controversial decision, another commissioner, Fred Koontz, who voted against the spring bear hunt, resigned in December.

The canceled hunt first gained attention when two sisters attempted to sue WDFW, stating that the public was not properly notified about the halt, but that lawsuit was struck down. The lawsuit did, however, bring the hunt into the national spotlight, particularly with animal rights groups like the Humane Society.

Those opposing the spring black bear hunt claim that it is unethical, citing that female bears can be harvested who may be rearing young, and those cubs would likely not survive. They also have concerns that WDFW does not have sufficient data on bear population numbers.

Washington’s current spring black bear hunt has occurred since 1999. The hunt was implemented to manage populations, reduce human-bear conflicts, and to reduce young tree mortality when bears are foraging in the spring, which can cause damage to commercial timber interests.

The 2022 special permit hunt would have issued tags to 664 hunters with an anticipated 145 bears harvested.

WDFW’s data states that only 2-percent of cub mortality is related to the spring bear hunt. The agency also requires that hunters notify the agency within 72 hours of a kill.

Hunters must present the raw pelt, with evidence of sex, and the skull to the department within five days. This data is used in part to estimate bear populations and set hunting limits.

Several of the commissioners who voted against the hunt stated that they are listening to Washington State as a whole—with hunters being less than 3-percent of the population—and that halting the 2022 hunt could give WDFW the needed time to collect more robust population estimates.

Other commissioners who voted for the spring bear hunt, including Spokane’s Kim Thorburn, state that Washington has a healthy bear population and WDFW is using standardized methods to estimate populations. Commissioners supporting the hunt also state that WDFW has the right to offer recreational hunting opportunities when it is deemed to not hurt population numbers.

The suspension of the 2022 spring hunt has upset many hunting groups. The Washington chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers released the following statement: “The announcement regarding the 2022 spring bear hunt was incredibly disappointing for our organization, which advocates for the tenets of the North American Model of Conservation, particularly in regards to the use of science to set wildlife policy and that hunting is an appropriate tool for wildlife management.”

Dan Wilson, the secretary of Washington Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, adds that “Predator hunting can obviously elicit strong emotions, but the truth is that our bear populations are incredibly stable, deserve honest management policies, and provide a great source of meat for hunters seeking out healthy and sustainable foods.”

Despite disagreements, getting the commission fully staffed is something all sides seem to agree on. The current state of Washington’s wildlife commission, which as of January 2022 had two vacant seats as well as several sitting members whose terms ended in 2020, has raised the hackles of groups on both sides of the issue.

Case in point, the first action of the new nonprofit Washington Wildlife First, that is seeking to restructure state agencies to focus on the non-consumptive values of natural resources, was to write a letter to Governor Inslee along with other groups encouraging him to fully staff the commission.

Originally published as “Report on the Spring Bear Hunt and Washington’s Wildlife Commission” in the January-February 2022 issue.

Adam Gebauer has seen many bear on his wanderings but more bears have probably seen him. He last wrote about the need for more fire in a fire-prone forest.

Find more stories about Northwest wildlife in the Nature column archives.

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“As a kid, I used to watch nature shows on TV. My passion was sparked by sitting and watching TV when I was seven,” she says with a laugh. That passion has since become an extensive education and career studying the movements and behavior of large carnivores.

“Really I just wanted to start big with the really big problem, the really big animal,” she says.

Focusing on large carnivores has a proportionally large impact. These “umbrella species,” as they’re termed in conservation, need the most space and require the most specific resources. If you work to protect them, “you’ll likely be protecting a lot of other species that fall under that same habitat,” Wynn-Grant explains.

Wynn-Grant will present her show, “The Secret Life of Bears,” at the National Geographic Live event in Spokane on January 26, 2022. During her engaging visual presentation, she’ll share some of the “really crazy behaviors” and “some of the mysteries scientists still haven’t figured out yet.”

National Geographic Live presenter: Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant holding a cub (left) and at a bear den. // Photos by Peter Houlihan, courtesy of National Geographic Live.

“There are eight species of bears around the world. In this show, I’m going to take the audience around the world to learn about all the things you were never taught about bears,” she explains.

One species of bear she’ll cover “has a fur pattern so interesting that every bear is unique—so you can actually identify a bear by the pattern on its fur, like a human fingerprint. No two bears that ever lived, ever in the history of the world, have ever matched. Scientists are just uncovering that.”

She’ll also talk about a bear species that today eats only plants—but scientists have discovered the species probably used to be entirely carnivorous. “Sometime over the past several thousand years of its evolution, it has evolved into a totally different animal than it used to be.”

Discoveries like these illustrate that even with more familiar, well-known species, “there’s still a lot of science to be done, still a lot of discoveries to be made,” says Wynn-Grant.

“For a Spokane audience, I imagine folks at that tour stop will already know a lot about bears, especially black bears . . . and that’s really cool,” she says. “They’ll know what I’m talking about in some ways, but there’s just going to be so much [new information] to talk about.”

“It gives me so much joy to talk about nature on TV, on stage, wherever it is,” says Wynn-Grant. “I’m definitely trying to inspire people to see themselves as curious scientists and people who can make a difference and keep asking questions.”

Wynn-Grant will be in Spokane for the National Geographic Live “The Secret Life of Bears” on January 26, 2022, at 7 p.m. at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox.

Find more stories about wildlife species, conservation, climate, and other environmental topics in the Nature column archives.

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Northeastern Yellowstone National Park is unbelievably wild. A dear friend of mine has taken a group of university students there for a week every summer since 2005. They watch wolves and write. Teeming herds of large mammals, expansive vistas, and the surging power of nature aid these practicing authors. Most writers don’t get a week like this—especially writers like me. 

I am quadriplegic. I am an electric wheelchair user. I can’t get myself a drink, eat, or swipe away marauding insects without assistance. That represents the tip of the iceberg when it comes to helping me. Still, I maintain a unique individuality.  

My parents are my caretakers. Helping me join in the Yellowstone experience was something they were more than happy to assist with. They are incredibly supportive of my independent pursuits, even when it means getting up before the sun to wander around the wild. 

On the first day of our Yellowstone experience in June 2017, the early morning gray skies began to lighten as we neared the Lamar Valley. A cow moose running near the river was our first wildlife sighting of the day. She was nervous about something, but we did not see what it might be. The sun was fully up by 6 a.m. as we backed into our parking spot with a view of the hills bordering the northern edge of the valley. 

Other drivers using the turnout heeded our request for extra room on our passenger side so when wolves were sighted I could exit using the wheelchair lift. My experience is that people are generally gracious when they have time to process the needs of others. Setting up viewing scopes for the students was the next order of business. Then we got down to serious scanning. 

I’ve been a successful deer hunter several times over. It seems I have a knack for spotting animals from afar in their natural habitat. This trip taught me there is no way the naked eye can compete with high-powered optics at distances over 2,000 yards. Still, at our first stop I was the first to see three elk along the ridgeline. That was worth something to my ego. 

We sat for an hour and a half before deciding to change locations. Students gathered the gear and we were off. It was not a failure to have to look in more than one place for these cautious canines. Being in the wilderness, begging fate to consider us lucky enough to see wolves outside of cages in a zoo, working to better our odds—it was a thrilling chase.  

Our next stop was a known den site. Turf wars had been recently witnessed there. Onlookers had spied an individual from a neighboring pack sniffing around. Mob style behavior in nature. Very cool.  

A very large, very brown lone animal was spied walking across the hillside half a mile from us. It appeared wallowing in its gait. I was certain it was a grizzly bear. Wolves were the prime objective, but I also wanted to see the single most powerful predator in North America. And there he was, unhurried in his girth. 

Turned out to be a damned buffalo. There was some joshing at my expense. My desires had led me to into an incorrect assumption. This happens to everyone who spends time outdoors, and I consider being teased a rite of passage. My ability to take it in good spirits solidified me as part of the group.  

We found wolves at our third stop. Four vehicles parked at a bathroom pullout quickly turned into 50 or 60. Extra rangers were called in to assist with parking and show folks where to look. Rick, a ranger in the park with over 20 years’ experience, turned into our private guide. He explained the history of each individual wolf we saw. He answered questions and told dry jokes for the better part of 45 minutes. Ranger Rick left quite the impression on our group that day. 

I didn’t even exit the van to use the spotting scope. My friend placed it on the wheelchair lift and dialed it in so all I had to do was place my eye to the lens and enjoy. I did. For 15 minutes, sharing time with others, we watched five wolves lie down and wander around from 2,200 yards away. We were a family. They were a family. It was not life and death thrilling. It was Woody Allen drama. It was incredible for its normalcy. 

Class was scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. Our breakfast had worn off and lunch was calling from the hotel. On the way, we saw a spectacular herd of American Bison. 2,000 members were spread across the valley. Each of them milled around with its own agenda, not bothered by sightseers or their history of being massacred in such collectives. None of them did anything spectacular, but the vision of this traditional Western motif was moving. 

Travis Laurence Naught is an author from Cheney, Washington. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to complete coursework in the sports psychology graduate program at Eastern Washington University. His books include “The Virgin Journals”  (2012) and “Joyride” (2016). 

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