Procedure

Following the Electronic Field Trip, the teacher will . . .

• Divide the class into four groups, giving each a copy of the student handout.

• Instruct students to seek agreement within their groups as to what information is either an unsafe practice or a bear misconception. A recorder should underline information that the group believes represents a mistruth. Another student should be prepared to present their group's findings with the class.

• When all groups are finished, have a student from one of the groups read the parts that they underlined as "wrong" from the first bear story. Discuss as a class. Do the other groups agree or disagree? Why? Consult the teacher handout. Following the same procedures, allow volunteers from different groups to present the remaining bear stories.

Extensions

• Invite students to write their own bear stories, using both factual and incorrect (yet plausible!) information. Allow each student the opportunity to exchange his/her story with another student. Each student should identify misinformation contained in the other student's story. Students may volunteer to share their stories with the entire class for discussion.

• Have students, either individually or within groups, write their own bear stories with focus on appropriate human behavior in bear country. These stories should illustrate how negative human/bear encounters can be minimized.

Student Handout: What is wrong with these bear stories?

Story #1: Backcountry Bear Safety in Yellowstone

A vacationing family went on a two-night camping trip in Yellowstone’s backcountry. From the start, everyone was excited about having the opportunity to camp in the wilderness and experience bear country. They made it to their backcountry campsite with lots of remaining daylight hours. They set up their tents, established a cooking/cleaning/garbage area away from their tents, and sprayed pepper spray on their tents to keep bears from coming into their area.

Immediately after eating dinner, they changed into fresh clothing and hung their smelly clothes on the lower branches of trees about fifteen feet away from their tents. Then they cleaned the area, hanging all food items in a bag four feet out from two trees, and ten feet off the ground. The family felt good about their actions because black bears wouldn't be able to get into the bags at those distances, and the grizzlies wouldn't be able to climb trees in the first place. Before going to sleep they placed their cleaned dishes, toiletries, dishtowels, and dishwashing liquid by the extinguished campfire to dry. As they slept, a bear entered the campsite.

Story #2: Bear Jam in Yellowstone

Last July, a large crowd gathered in the Hayden Valley when a sow grizzly and her two five-year-old cubs were seen foraging about 200 yards from the road. Because dozens of people were nearby, the five visitors thought that the bears wouldn’t charge if they walked a little closer. So they approached the bears, stopping within 100 yards of them. The crowd grew bigger, and the five assumed that the situation must be really safe. After all, a park ranger would be present if it were dangerous. They drew closer and closer to the bears.

In an effort to get the bears to face him for a better photograph, one of the five yelled at the bears. The mother bear appeared startled. She turned and faced the yelling visitor, just as predicted. Immediately, she came to a standing position, which meant that she was going to attack the group. The five people ran back down the hillside. Running downhill, the bears would not be able to catch them.

A park ranger arrived at the scene just in time to witness the five visitors running from the bears, and he issued citations to each for violating safety regulations.

Story #3: Distinguishing Grizzly and Black Bears

Two friends are comparing notes as to how to distinguish grizzly and black bears.

Tom: Black bears are always black, and grizzly bears are silvery in color.

Sarah: Grizzlies have a sizable shoulder hump, but sometimes black bears do too!

Tom: Black bears have longer, more curved claws that are made for digging and excavating.

Sarah: Grizzly bears are larger and heavier when they are full grown, but sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between a mature black bear and a sub-adult grizzly in the areas of the country where the two species overlap.

Tom: Black bears have longer ears and noses, and have a dished-in face.

Sarah: If you can see the claws in a set of bear tracks, you are looking at the tracks of a grizzly bear.

Tom: Black bears do not have an extra ruff, or tuft of fur, on their necks like grizzly bears do.

Sarah: If a bear can climb a tree or swim, it has to be a black bear, because adult grizzlies cannot climb trees, and grizzly bears do not swim.


Story #4: Fall and Winter in the Life of a Black Bear

In late October, a pair of bears, one male and the other female, dug a den high up on the north-facing side of a mountain in Yellowstone National Park. With the onset of a major winter storm in November, the couple retreated to their den.

In late January, the female bear gave birth to two cubs. Each weighed about five pounds. Their eyes were open at birth, and upon seeing their mother, they became excited. The mother bear and her cubs played in their cozy den. On warm winter days, the male bear would emerge from the den to look for food to bring back to the cubs. The female bear never ventured out of the den. By the time spring had arrived, the cubs were larger and heavier. On the other hand, the two adult bears had lost body weight during their six-month residency. It was early May, and the cubs had already been weaned, for the male bear had been bringing solid food into the den. Although the cubs could eat solid food, they had much to learn from their parents before they could become fully independent.

Teacher's Key: What's wrong with these bears stories?

Story #1: Backcountry Bear Safety in Yellowstone

A vacationing family went on a two-night camping trip in Yellowstone’s backcountry. From the start, everyone was excited about having the opportunity to camp in the wilderness and experience bear country. They made it to their backcountry campsite with lots of remaining daylight hours. They set up their tents, established a cooking/cleaning/garbage area away from their tents, and sprayed pepper spray on their tents to keep bears from coming into their area.

Immediately after eating dinner, they changed into fresh clothing and hung their smelly clothes on the lower branches of trees about fifteen feet away from their tents. Then they cleaned the area, hanging all food items in a bag four feet out from two trees, and ten feet off the ground. The family felt good about their actions because black bears wouldn't be able to get into the bags at those distances and the grizzlies wouldn't be able to climb trees in the first place. Before going to sleep, they placed their cleaned dishes, toiletries, dishtowels, and dishwashing liquid by the extinguished campfire to dry. As they slept, a bear entered the campsite.

Comments: Pepper spray is only potentially useful if a bear is charging and if the wind is in your favor and not the bear’s! Generally, it must be sprayed when a bear is within 20 to 30 feet of a person. The person should aim and spray toward the bear’s face-- never on anything else, as it may attract bears! People should carry bear spray in a holster on their hip, and should practice using it in a safe place so that they may be ready to use it if needed in a bear encounter. Pepper spray is considered more effective in thwarting a grizzly attack than that of a black bear.

Any clothes that people have worn while cooking and cleaning, as well all toiletries (including insect repellent, sunscreen, medications, etc.) should be stored as described above in the bear story. Garbage should also be stored in this way. Thorough checks of backpacks, clothing, tents, daypacks, etc. are important to ensure that all potential bear attractants are removed and stowed in a safe place.

Story #2: Bear Jam in Yellowstone

Last July, a large crowd gathered in the Hayden Valley when a sow grizzly and her two five-year-old cubs were seen foraging about 200 yards from the road. Because dozens of people were nearby, the five visitors thought that the bears wouldn’t charge if they walked a little closer. So they approached the bears, stopping within 100 yards of them. The crowd grew bigger, and the five assumed that the situation must be really safe. After all, a park ranger would be present if it were dangerous situation. So, they drew closer and closer to the bears.

In an effort to get the bears to face him for a better photograph, one of the five yelled at the bears. The mother bear appeared startled. She turned and faced the yelling visitor, just as predicted. Immediately, she came to a standing position, which meant that she was going to attack the group. The five people ran back down the hillside. Running downhill, the bears would not be able to catch them.

A park ranger arrived at the scene just in time to witness the five visitors running from the bears, and he issued citations to each for violating safety regulations.

Comments: Grizzly bears may stay as long as four years with their mothers, but typically they are on their own the spring after their third winter. Larger numbers of people at a bear jam don’t make things any safer for visitors or for the bears! Park regulations mandate staying at least 100 yards away from bears (and bison). Rangers are not always present at bear jams. Remember, all wild animals are potentially dangerous, regardless of whether a ranger is present.

In this situation, yelling at a bear is not a good idea. It may be perceived as an aggressive action that may agitate the bear and escalate the situation. If a bear stands up, it is investigating its environment. Standing helps it see, hear, and smell things more effectively. Running from a bear is not a good idea either, as they can run at speeds of 35-40 mph over short distances. We cannot outrun them.

Story #3: Distinguishing Grizzly and Black Bears

Two friends are comparing notes as to how to distinguish grizzly and black bears.

Tom: Black bears are always black, and grizzly bears are silvery in color.

Comment: In Eastern North America, black bears are black. In Western North America colors may range in shades of black, brown, cinnamon, or blonde. Grizzly bears can have a wide variety of colors, as well. Consequently, color is not a good way to distinguish black versus grizzly bears.

Sarah: Grizzlies have a sizable shoulder hump, but sometimes black bears do too!

Comment: Black bears do not have a distinctive shoulder hump. When looking at a bear from a distance, remember the following adage: "If the hump is higher than the rump, you have a grizzly bear. If the rump is higher than the hump, you have a black bear."

Tom: Black bears have longer, more curved claws that are made for digging and excavating.

Comment: Grizzly bears have such claws. Their front claws can be from two to four inches long. Black bears’ front claws are straighter and are not longer than two inches. 

Sarah: Grizzly bears are larger and heavier when they are full grown, but sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between a mature black bear and a sub-adult grizzly in the areas of the country where the two species overlap.

Comment: True.

Tom: Black bears have longer ears and noses, and have a dished-in face.

Comment: Grizzly bears, not black bears, have dished-in faces.

Sarah: If you can see the claws in a set of bear tracks, you are looking at the tracks of a grizzly bear.

Comment: Claw marks may or may not be visible in the tracks of both bear species. It is better to be familiar with the size, arc, distance between footpads and toe impressions, and the differences in the footpad shapes of both bear species.

Tom: Black bears do not have an extra ruff, or tuft of fur, on their necks like grizzly bears do.

Comment: True.

Sarah: If a bear can climb a tree or swim, it has to be a black bear, because adult grizzlies cannot climb trees, and grizzly bears do not swim.

Both grizzly and black bears can swim and climb trees.

Story #4: Fall and Winter in the Life of a Black Bear

In late October, a pair of black bears, one male and the other female, dug a den high up on the north-facing side of a mountain in Yellowstone National Park. With the onset of a major winter storm in November, the couple retreated to their den.

In late January, the female bear gave birth to two cubs, each weight about five pounds. Their eyes were open at birth, and upon seeing their mother, they became excited. The mother bear and her cubs played in their cozy den. On warm winter days, the male bear would emerge from the den to look for food to bring back to the cubs. The female bear never ventured out of the den. By the time spring had arrived, the cubs were larger and heavier. On the other hand, the two adult bears had lost body weight during their six-month residency. It was early May, and the cubs had already been weaned, for the male bear had been bringing solid food into the den. Although the cubs could eat solid food, they had much to learn from their parents before they could become fully independent.

Comment: Male and female bears do not den or hibernate together. Male bears will try to kill and sometimes eat younger bears, and if they are successful, will try to breed with the cubs’ mother.

Black bear cubs generally weigh about half a pound at birth, and are born blind and deaf. Mother bears are only semiconscious during delivery. After delivery, she continues to sleep for another two months, during which time the cubs alternately nurse on their mother's milk and sleep. Male bears may emerge for brief periods on warm winter days to urinate, defecate and eat, but as stated before, they would be hibernating alone, and not with females and their cubs. Black bear cubs are still nursing when they emerge from their dens. Bear cubs of both bear species have much to learn from their mothers before they can become fully able to take care of themselves in the wild.

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