Quote:
Originally Posted by winni83
While the comments about black bears being afraid of humans are generally true, I had an experience which was the exception to that. While deer hunting in northern NH several years ago I was, so I thought, well concealed just off an old logging road. I saw the small trees on the other side of the road moving and thought this might be a deer. But it was a very large black bear who entered the road about 150 yards beyond my spot. I did not move and assumed the bear would simply cross the logging road and continue on into the woods. Instead, in the middle of the road, it stood up and caught my scent and started moving down the road towards me. I did all of recommended tactics, standing up, making myself as large as possible and making a lot of noise. The bear simply quickened its pace towards me, popping its jaws. I yelled louder and the bear kept on coming. When the bear was about 100 feet from me, I took the safety off and put a round in the dirt just behind him, then put another round in the chamber with the sights on its vitals. Thankfully the one shot convinced the bear to continue on its journey, but for the rest of the day I perfected the task of taking a leak with the rifle in one hand. No harm to human or bear but it was disconcerting.
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I must agree that your encounter was disconcerting. It sounds like you have years of experience in the woods, like us. In my 70+ years hunting, hiking and just walking in the woods, from here to Alaska, I never had a direct encounter with a bear black or brown (lots of sightings). So, your encounter, while very real, was not the norm. You are in more danger driving to the grocery store. However, like wearing safety belts it is good to know how to react to a bear no matter how rare an encounter may be.
Alan