Grizzly bear kills two people in Banff National Park

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

So by the transitive property, people also taste like bacon?

All I know is that they use pig valves for heart surgery sometimes. Draw your own conclusion.

[ThisIsAnOutrage]

Well, I guess the old saying is true. A bear in the wild is worth two in the bush.

[Fuzz]

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-66944513


Maybe we need to follow the lead of the Japanese, and release robot wolves.

[dammage79]

Well, the Bear had to be put down. No way around it. Hikers are going to hike. I'm sure they were as prepared as they could be for such an eventuality of coming across a Bear but the risk will always be there.

Now what grinds the heck out of my gears are humans who treat wildlife like roadside attractions. Humans who have zero regards for the animals personal space and then wonder why the Elk or Bison rammed them or gored them. Ppl who go to take selfies with bears, I wish nothing but the goriest Bear mauling death to be caught on video and shared relentlessly.

We somehow need to embarrass these tourists from Staying away from these animals because nothing else seems to work. This is not a f***ing petting zoo.

Human/Wildlife encounters are the worst games of "F*** around and find out", because Humans F*** around, wildlife defend themselves and then other humans make the wildlife pay. It's a one-sided game.

As for these hikers, No greenhorn goes that off track so they knew the risks, it's sad things went the way they did. But that's the cost of loving the outdoors. If you don't have the tools that make you the apex predator out there, you're not the apex predator. And that's the risk.

[Scooter]

To all the morons who want to see a bear up close, go to the f______ zoo!

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

People have taken dogs everywhere for tens of thousands of years.

So that means people have always been defying the prohibition against dogs in the back country of national parks at the same rate as they are today? No chance norms around pets and behaviour in parks have changed in the last 30 years?

Because anecdotally, I see way more people with dogs in the mountain parks than I used to. And not just in raw numbers, but the proportion. Last hike I was on I counted roughly a third of the groups on the trail had a dog with them. That simply wasn’t the case 20 or 30 years ago.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

People have taken dogs everywhere for tens of thousands of years.

I wish they would stop.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

At least this will serve as a wake up call. Definitely digging up my spray & knife holster after becoming lazy and storing them in side bag pouches for the last couple of seasons.

If you can find a large walking stick on the trail (not your poles), it's also good for keeping bears away since it intimidates them. Funny enough, a rake is also highly effective at repelling bears.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Its a theory but certainly a big assumption as well.

Not really. Chances of attack go up if a dog is present, and they go up even further if the dog is off leash. Plenty of research supports this.

https://www.bigskyfishing.com/campin...ng-hiking-dog/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...fety-1.4879813

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/v...26&context=hwi

Our results provide additional justification for closing recreational areas such as trails, campgrounds, and picnic areas to dogs to reduce the risk of an attack, especially if the area is being frequented by a female bear with young.

Grizzlies typically don't go after people unless they feel threatened by them. People with dogs are a different story. I'm in bear country anywhere from 2-7 days a week, no way would I bring my dog.

[Sliver]

I find it sorta funny that nobody has acknowledged I was right to clear the trails with bear bangers just a few weeks ago. This is why I do it.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

They were armed depending on the area and time of year.

Better to have bear spray and know how to use it than a gun. Bears generally don't want anything to do with people. Sad that these people died and sad (but understandable) that the bear was put down. Sucks all around really.

Despite persistent doubts among hikers and campers venturing into bear country, you're better off with an eight-ounce can of bear spray than a gun, according to an analysis of 20 years of data.

Canadian and U.S. researchers announced Wednesday that they found the spray stopped aggressive bear behaviour in 92 per cent of the cases, whether that behaviour was an attack or merely rummaging for food. Guns were effective about 67 per cent of the time.

Brigham Young University bear biologist Thomas Smith, along with Stephen Herrero, bear expert and professor emeritus at the University of Calgary, and their research team report their findings in the April issue of the Journal of Wildlife Management. The researchers analyzed reported bear encounters in Alaska involving 175 people.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/spra...study-1.707738

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I find it sorta funny that nobody has acknowledged I was right to clear the trails with bear bangers just a few weeks ago. This is why I do it.

I think you were wrong when you claimed that people love it (they might love you for it now though).

And I thought you said you did it because it was fun?

It's OK though, not often does a bit of news provide a golden opportunity at vindication after being the butt end of bear banger/bear jokes. This is the day we admit sliver was (ew) right..

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

So that means people have always been defying the prohibition against dogs in the back country of national parks...

Can you show where there's a prohibition? Last I read on the Parks website, it only indicates that dogs aren't allowed in the back country huts and lists some trails you aren't allowed to have dogs on. Other than that, it just says they should be leashed at all times; there is a singular line that suggests it's better to leave your dog at home if you're going into the back country, but nothing outright prohibiting it.

I'm neither going into the back country to hike, nor have I a dog to take with me if I were, I just haven't seen any prohibition on dogs being there, aside from the aforementioned restrictions.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I wish they would stop.

I like seeing a well trained and friendly dog on the trail but I agree.

When squirrels and other dogs get your dog excited, why on earth would you have it out in bear country? You're adding variables to your situation that could complicate a potential run-in greatly. More so if you're letting it run off leash.

I think many people have the false impression that having a dog companion makes them more safe as opposed to less (this "bear alarm" theory).

I'd sooner have a cat on the trail! And I've seen two instances of that this year.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

People have taken dogs everywhere for tens of thousands of years.

But people probably weren't silly enough to intervene in a bear-dog conflict because they had an emotional attachment to the dog.

We'll never know exactly what happened here, but I suspect the humans tried to scare the bear away from his prey/kill. Maybe the humans here considered possible scenarios and figured the dog would be an early warning system and that they would be able to scare any bear off...they probably didn't think through what they'd do if the bear had the dog in its jaws.

It's hard not to feel a little judgmental here, but I think it's also important to remember that we've all made tons of very dangerous mistakes in our lifetime (in the backcountry or otherwise) but it rarely ends up costing us like this.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Much more than judging the couple that sadly perished, I think it's about learning from whatever fatal mistakes we can glean from this situation.

..And then proceeding to judge every one we cross in the future for making those same mistakes.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I find it sorta funny that nobody has acknowledged I was right to clear the trails with bear bangers just a few weeks ago. This is why I do it.

Lol. That's not the way Bear Bangers work. You don't fire one off randomly and it clears out the whole trail. They are designed to be used when you actually encounter a bear.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I find it sorta funny that nobody has acknowledged I was right to clear the trails with bear bangers just a few weeks ago. This is why I do it.

Nope, it's still just obnoxious, at best.

Unless your strategy is to fire a banger every 5 minutes as you hike (obnoxious+), you are just being obnoxious in the instance of absolute lowest risk in your day (aside from the highway of course).

[blankall]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Much more than judging the couple that sadly perished, I think it's about learning from whatever fatal mistakes we can glean from this situation.

..And then proceeding to judge every one we cross in the future for making those same mistakes.

Not a whole lot you can do.

The bear finishing off the couple and its dog, seems like a predatory attack to me. The news article and the statements from the experts also hint at predation multiple times.

It's that time of year when bears are hungry. The population of Grizzly's, around Banff, has double in the last decade or so, which means more bears sharing the food resources as they instinctively fatten up for winter.

Humans are likely not their preferred diet, but there's less to go around. A bell isn't going to keep you safe, when the bear is actively hunting.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by blankall

Not a whole lot you can do.

The bear finishing off the couple and its dog, seems like a predatory attack to me. The news article and the statements from the experts also hint at predation multiple times.

It's that time of year when bears are hungry. The population of Grizzly's, around Banff, has double in the last decade or so, which means more bears sharing the food resources as they instinctively fatten up for winter.

Humans are likely not their preferred diet, but there's less to go around. A bell isn't going to keep you safe, when the bear is actively hunting.

Yep. Although I'd add that a bear bell isn't going to do anything at all. Best case, it does nothing and the bear ignores it. Worst case, it actually attracts curious bears.