Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Woman killed by Black Bear in Oilsands camp

schteve_d · 05-09-2014, 05:59 PM

I was talking today with people at work (not far from where this happened). I was saying that the danger for me is that I have had so many encounters with black bears, in Northern Alberta and on Vancouver Island, that I no longer even think of them as dangerous, or treat an encounter with them with the fear that I probably should. I've been within feet of black bears many times and have always essentially shooed them away. I've had two dogs that are really not that big or all that tough that love nothing more than chasing a black bear for fun.
Black bears really are for the most part sissies. This was a really odd encounter but those first few weeks after hibernation are I suppose the most dangerous to encounter them.
Grizzlys, now that's a different story, they scare the bejeezus out of me. I always carry bear spray when hiking in grizzly territory.

05-09-2014, 05:59 PM	#61
schteve_d First Line Centre Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fort McMurray, AB Exp:	I was talking today with people at work (not far from where this happened). I was saying that the danger for me is that I have had so many encounters with black bears, in Northern Alberta and on Vancouver Island, that I no longer even think of them as dangerous, or treat an encounter with them with the fear that I probably should. I've been within feet of black bears many times and have always essentially shooed them away. I've had two dogs that are really not that big or all that tough that love nothing more than chasing a black bear for fun. Black bears really are for the most part sissies. This was a really odd encounter but those first few weeks after hibernation are I suppose the most dangerous to encounter them. Grizzlys, now that's a different story, they scare the bejeezus out of me. I always carry bear spray when hiking in grizzly territory.