Re: The joy of actual numbers, was Democracy

On Sun, 10 Nov 2024 22:17:58 +0100, D wrote:

Wow! The only thing I remember having heard or read is, if meet bear,
then try to appear huge and make some noise. Maybe it works on cats as
well?
 
I guess if you turn and run that might activate the hunting instinct in
cats?

It definitely works on cats. When one approached to about 50' I waved my
trekking poles and yelled. He wasn't impressed but didn't attack either.
Finally he retreated to a little stand of trees. Unfortunately I had to
pass the area to get down the trail. I gave it a wide berth and he
crouched down with waving tail like an upset house cat. I checked my back
trail frequently but he'd had enough of me. I was wondering to my self why
my firearms were at home leaving me with the poles and a KA-BAR Becker
Campanion. They're great for grooming a trail but not what you'd want to
bring to a cat fight.

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/safety.htm

The recommendation is to fight off black bears and play dead for
grizzlies. I don't think I could do the play dead act. Any black bears
I've encountered either ignored me or ran off. At one time I did have to
pass between a mother and her cubs that were up a tree. I talked to her,
"Cubs? What cubs? I haven't seen any cubs."  I would not have done so but
the trail was such neither the bears or I could detour.