by Gil Valo

Created on: December 16, 2011   Last Updated: December 18, 2011

In late March at Glacier National Park, Montana, bear tracks in the snow alert rangers that bears awaken from hibernation and hunt for food. Park Superintendent Chas Cartwright reminded park visitors “it is bear country.” Tourists should watch out for their personal safety, and pay attention to park regulations. There are several hiking trails and opportunities to view bears with binoculars. Tourists should read about

bear safety and study a map of the hiking trails they plan to visit. The avid hiker can enjoy a vicarious experience of bear viewing activities at www.utube.com.

Recreational visitors travel in groups and make loud vocal noise and clap their hands which often alerts bears into taking another path. Bears are frequently seen at streams, blind spots and curvy trails. Loud noise helps discourage a personal encounter with a bear. Wildlife viewing is safely done with binoculars, telescopes, or telephoto lenses.

Bear Pepper Spray

Park visitors are encouraged to know how to properly use bear spray. Bear Pepper Spray is an aerosol pepper derivative that is sold in the local area. The person pressing the spray must aim it correctly into the bear's face to temporarily halt it from dangerous aggressive behavior. Eventually the aggravating non-toxic sting wears off, and it is a non-lethal method of warding off bear attacks.

The pepper spray holder must consider how far away the spray is being aimed at the bear, understand how windy conditions affect the direction of the spray, rain quality strength, and the contents remaining in the canister, also check the product expiration date.The U.S./Canada border has strict rules about pepper spray. Canadian Customs make sure that all pepper spray canisters crossing the border are labeled only for protection against bears. Sprays specifically used to repel human attackers are not allowed.

In 1992, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) started studying the results of human and bear interactions. People protected themselves with firearms when they felt threatened by grizzlies, but they were injured nearly half the time. People using pepper spray had more successful results. They prevented grizzlies from inflicting severe injuries to themselves and minimized grizzly attack bouts. Fatalities were minor.

Glacier National Park is home to over 300 Grizzly Bears, and larger unreliable population numbers of Black Bears. On the hiking trail, people hear as good or as bad as the bears can. Certain trail

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