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Journeyman

(15,446 posts)

28. Grizzly bears are easy to outsmart and protect yourself from . . .

Sat Aug 15, 2015, 02:27 PM

Aug 2015

In Montana, when I hiked there some years ago, there was sage advice posted at the trail head.

The sign warned that both Black Bears and Grizzlies were in the area and advised that the way to safeguard from attack was to wear small bells on your clothing, to alert the bears you were nearby, and to carry pepper spray to use if the bears got too close.

The sign said the best way to determine if there were bears nearby was to look for fresh scat along the trails. Black Bear scat, it said, has small berries and bits of fur mixed in, all part of the bear's diet. Grizzly scat was easier to identify as it's larger, smells like pepper spray, and has little bells sprinkled throughout.

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How big is a Grizzly Bear Paw? [View all] Uncle Joe Aug 2015 OP

Puts things into perspective. That is frightening, and makes me think that "playing dead" djean111 Aug 2015 #1

a friend of mine who lives on a river a few miles away had one of those and her roguevalley Aug 2015 #15

I understand that their paws are enormous but that picture doesn't provide a comparison rhett o rick Aug 2015 #38

Her hands are on the paw. If that's not "perspective," I don't know what would be. nt Hekate Aug 2015 #42

Wow! Why so hostile? rhett o rick Aug 2015 #51

Not hostile, just a fact. Or if you will, my own perspective. ;) Hekate Aug 2015 #52

Recommended! H2O Man Aug 2015 #2

I am in awe of the paw as well. Uncle Joe Aug 2015 #7

Now I want to make a run to the pastry shop... Tom_Foolery Aug 2015 #3

mmm mmm m lonestarnot Aug 2015 #5

Mutant, six-toed bearclaw. n/t Beartracks Aug 2015 #23

Damn. Codeine Aug 2015 #4

Freaking wow! malaise Aug 2015 #6

As big enough as needed to hold you down as they eat you alive alphafemale Aug 2015 #8

But if you just ring a little bell.... bvar22 Aug 2015 #35

While I have never encountered a bear Aerows Aug 2015 #36

As a boy raised on Louisiana Bayous, bvar22 Aug 2015 #37

Well Aerows Aug 2015 #41

I'm with you, Aerows! pinboy3niner Aug 2015 #45

I always remember this sign when I hear that "wear a bell" claim csziggy Aug 2015 #47

Likely people been worried about bears since there were people. Octafish Aug 2015 #9

Wow. I found a carved figure that looks almost exactly like that, Zorra Aug 2015 #48

Do you still have it? This thing was found on the west coast, south, near San Diego... Octafish Aug 2015 #57

That's very scary. Solly Mack Aug 2015 #10

That gives us paws to reflect on the power of nature Jack Rabbit Aug 2015 #11

Imagine that thing taking a swipe at your guts? CanonRay Aug 2015 #12

Open you up like a sardine can. sarge43 Aug 2015 #14

play dead and you might live. Black bears on the other hand ... roguevalley Aug 2015 #16

Oh black bears..had enough of them when I was younger nadine_mn Aug 2015 #18

Speaking of black bears... gregcrawford Aug 2015 #24

Lived in Alaska for a while, in Bristol Bay. truebluegreen Aug 2015 #32

BEAR TOES!!!!!!! How COOL is that? I just want to tickle them. underahedgerow Aug 2015 #13

Mongo jellybeans! Usually toe beans are much smaller: tblue37 Aug 2015 #30

pink toes! swoon! roguevalley Aug 2015 #40

Amazing..and sad how little respect some have for these animals nadine_mn Aug 2015 #17

Holy crap. secondvariety Aug 2015 #19

What lady doin with mah foot? shenmue Aug 2015 #20

^^LOL irisblue Aug 2015 #21

Upon first glance, ejbr Aug 2015 #22

Wow!!! kpete Aug 2015 #25

"Oh, don't worry.He's asleep." jtuck004 Aug 2015 #26

.. Liberal_in_LA Aug 2015 #27

Grizzly bears are easy to outsmart and protect yourself from . . . Journeyman Aug 2015 #28

Okay, that was funny! n/t djean111 Aug 2015 #39

Ha! herding cats Aug 2015 #43

LOL! nt laundry_queen Aug 2015 #54

K&R. nt tblue37 Aug 2015 #29

Depends truebluegreen Aug 2015 #31

Will grizzlies be extinct in 2100? tabasco Aug 2015 #33

That does help put into perspective the power behind their swing and attack. Rex Aug 2015 #34

someone once told me that yuiyoshida Aug 2015 #44

Somebody needs a mani/pedi pinboy3niner Aug 2015 #46

Hey Mikey. LOL. GGJohn Aug 2015 #50

And they can sprint at 45 mph for short bursts ... eppur_se_muova Aug 2015 #49

Wow! Amazing. smirkymonkey Aug 2015 #53

Not all of them are that big Ex Lurker Aug 2015 #55

If we want to get technical, Polar Bears are even larger. Uncle Joe Aug 2015 #56