I’ve had over a dozen black bear encounters, and two grizzly. The blacks I’ve just made a lot of noise and looked like more trouble than it’s worth.

The first grizzly I just froze and he lost interest or couldn’t see me (I was downwind) and the second I had my nephew get behind me and keep me between us as he crept away. The bear watched and then went back to grubbing a log, so I slowly moved directly away from him.

I’m still alive so I must be doing something right, besides the part where I don’t backpack where the bears are.