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By Tanner Smith

Bear Safety

Alberta Fish & Wildlife promoting bear safety this fall

Sep 24, 2024 | 1:02 PM

As fall progresses and more people get outdoors, residents should be prepared for bears encounter if one occurs.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife has shared some information on bear safety, after an incident involving a Grande Prairie hunter took place last week, when local Samson Coward was rushed by a grizzly while elk hunting near Valleyview.

Coward managed to take down the bear with his bow before it got to him and shared his story with Tyler Wold on 98.9 Rewind Radio.

Fish and Wildlife Sergent, Michael Bagnell says since COVID-19 they have seen “a dramatic increase of people on the landscape, and whenever there are more people, there are more bear encounters.”

Bagnell says Fish and Wildlife do offer courses across the province to help residents deal with bears in the wild, and understand the situation there in.

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“If its a sow with two cubs, could be a bad situation. Is it a lone boar foraging for food Could this bear be defensive, protecting a food source or cubs? And just taking those cues from a bear to remove yourself from the area safely.”

According to Bagnell, black bears will usually den up come November, while grizzly’s will stay out as long as the weather’s nice scavenging for food. In some cases, they den up in January or the end of December.

That means the odds of coming across a bear are higher than most would expect, and when in those situations “bear spray is the number one deterrent.”

“You don’t have to aim, you can have it on your hip, on your chest, it’s very quick and you don’t have to be accurate with it. Better than having to point a firearm, load a round and be accurate in split seconds. The only thing I can say is better than carrying bear spray, is carrying two cans of bear spray.”

Bagnell added being prepared and having bear spray is especially important for people out hunting this fall.

“Some people utilize lures such as elk urine, things like that; you’re calling for elk, you’re making cow chirps, you’re making calf chirps, so you smell like an elk, you sound like an elk and bears are searching for food constantly this time of year before denning up. So there may be a situation when you call on a bear.”

He said the “old adage” of bears being more scared of people is very true, and they will typically run away when they realize you’re not an elk.

Bagnell also took the time to share some safety information for hunter’s going out this season.

He said “99.9 per cent of hunters out there, are doing things the right way, for the right reasons,” but the most common infractions he sees are alcohol or loaded firearm related.

Bagnell said hunters should also be cautious on lease roads, as “just cause you can hunt from them, doesn’t mean you should.”

Finally, he said public and firearm safety should always be a number one priority, he also suggested hunters in the bush wear orange, even though it’s not required in Alberta, saying “it’s certainly a good idea.”

Anyone wanting more information on bear safety, or safe hunting practices can visit Alberta Fish and Wildlife’s website.