Whenever you are exploring outdoors, you should always consider bear activity and how to keep yourself safe.

There are several bear defense tactics, and it is important to know which ones are most effective. 

- Talking : Speaking periodically

Effective: The vast majority of injuries from bear attacks occur from sudden encounters. Talking will alert the bear of your presence and will drastically reduce the chances of having an encounter at all.

- Bear Spray

Most Effective: Bear spray is often called a bear repellent or deterrent. However, bear spray should be looked at as a self-defense item. It is important to know how to use it: If a bear starts to charge and attack, you spray it in the bear’s face.

- Bear Bell

Somewhat Effective: The idea behind bear bells is that, like talking, the sound will alert the bear so it is not taken by surprise and thus less likely to attack.

- Music

Not Effective: It may be fun to jam out to tunes while adventuring, but is not recommended. You're better off hiking in a group and speaking periodically.

- Air Horn

Effective: Air horns are an effective bear repellent. They are certainly loud enough to alert bears to your presence. Some campers like to fire off the air horn before they leave their tent in the morning to scare away any bears which might be at the campsite.)

- Dogs
Fun, but not Effective: Hiking or camping with your dog will not keep bears away. On the contrary, your dog actually puts you at a higher risk of having a bear encounter or attack – especially if you let the dog off the leash. Dogs are known to do things like chase bear cubs or even threaten adult bears, which in turn can lead to attacks.

📷: Grizzly bear; Jim Peaco; June 5, 2016