With weeks of summer still ahead, and a recent and tragic incident only a few days behind, many Utahns are wondering if it's safe to go into Utah's backcountry.
"Bear attacks like the one that occurred this week are extremely rare," says Kevin Bunnell, mammals program coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "And, fortunately, there are many things you can do to reduce the chance that an attack like this happens."
The incident Bunnell is referring to is the sad and tragic death of 11-year-old Samuel Ives. Samuel was killed by a black bear while camping with his family in American Fork Canyon on June 17.
Are bears typically aggressive?
Bunnell says bears are shy by nature, and they usually try to avoid getting close to people. But they're also very curious.
"There are two main things that will cause a normally shy black bear to act aggressively towards people," Bunnell says.
The captive bear in this 2001 video was released into a staged area in Montana. A DWR videographer captured on tape the damage a bear can do in a dirty campground.
The first, and most common, is when a bear starts to associate the presence of people with the chance to find a quick and easy meal.
"This usually happens when a bear finds food in trash cans, or in and around campsites," Bunnell says. "Repeatedly finding food in these areas can habituate the bear to the presence of people. And that can cause it to become aggressive to protect or obtain what it considers to be a source of food."
The second situation involves a person getting between a mother bear and her cubs. "A mother bear will act aggressively to protect her cubs," Bunnell says.
"Bears have a keen sense of smell. Anything that produces a strong odor might be considered a potential source of food by a bear," Bunnell says. "Reducing the odors that come from your campsite is the key to staying safe. If you can reduce those odors, you'll greatly reduce the chance that a bear visits."
Campers and cabin owners are encouraged to do the following:
Don't leave food out. Instead, place food in an airtight container. Then store that container and your cooler in the trunk of your car, in your camping trailer, in a bear proof container (please remember: plastic garbage cans and plastic food storage containers are NOT bear proof), or suspended at least 12 feet high between two trees (so bears can't reach them).
Keep your campsite clean. Don't scatter garbage, food scraps and fat drippings around your campsite, and don't leave them in your fire pit. Place them in an airtight container. Then place the container in your trailer or the trunk of your car until you can take it home with you.
After you're finished washing dishes, dig a hole at least 100 yards away from your camp. Pour the gray water from your dish washing into the hole, and then cover the hole.
Keep the cooking grills and utensils in your camping area clean.
Separate your cooking area from your tent and sleeping area. And don't sleep in the clothes you cooked in or wore while cleaning fish. Leave those clothes, along with utensils, rags and anything else used in food preparation, cooking, eating and clean up, at your cooking area or sealed inside a vehicle.
Also, don't keep anything in your tent that has a strong smell. These items include personal hygiene items, such as soap, deodorant or perfume.
Never intentionally feed bears by leaving food out for them.
How can I learn where bears have been sighted?
The best way to learn about recent bear sightings is to call the U.S. Forest Service office that manages the forest you'll be visiting.
You can also call the nearest DWR regional office. The DWR offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Telephone numbers are as follows:
Ogden office (801) 476-2740
Springville office (801) 491-5678
Vernal office (435) 781-9453
Price office (435) 636-0260
Cedar City office (435) 865-6100
How many black bears live in Utah?
Bunnell says Utah's black bear population numbers between 2,000 to 4,000 bears. "While that may sound like a lot of bears, our bear population is actually small compared to many other states," he says.
Bunnell says bears can be found in almost any mountainous area in Utah.
