Friday, July 11, 2025

A Canadian's Guide To Not Becoming Bear Dinner

You're setting up camp, the sun's getting low, you've got the perfect spot picked out, and you're wrestling with your tent poles when you hear it.

You're setting up camp, the sun's getting low, you've got the perfect spot picked out, and you're wrestling with your tent poles when you hear it. That unmistakable sound of something large moving through the bush.

You look up, and there it is. A bear, maybe 30 meters away, looking right at you.

Let's take a minute to figure out what we're dealing with.

Where Are You?

Unless the bear is big and white, it might not be clear what kind of bear you're dealing with - and unfortunately, the best way to respond is very different depending on if its a Grizzly or a Black bear.

Your location can narrow it down a lot.

Bear Distribution in Canada

Bear Distribution Across Canada

Black bear and grizzly bear populations by province/territory

CabinLiving.ca

Click on any province or territory for details. Zoom in to see boundaries more clearly.

Distribution Source: Nature Conservancy Canada

Black bears are the most common bear species in Canada, and are found in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island, which has been bear-free since 1927.

a black bear walking across a river next to rocks
Black Bear | Credit: Greg Johnson

Brown bears, also known as Grizzlies, are found only in British Columbia, Alberta and the Territories.

brown bear on brown wooden log during daytime
Grizzly Bear | Credit: Janko Ferlič

If you're in a region with both Black bears and Grizzlies, lighter colour, rounded ears and presence of a shoulder hump means suggest you're likely facing a Grizzly.

Step 1: Size Up the Situation

  • Back away slowly while facing the bear
  • Make yourself big – raise your arms, open your jacket
  • Talk calmly but firmly: "Hey bear, just leaving, no problem here"
  • Look for cubs – if you see babies, mama bear is in full protection mode

Step 2: Species-Specific Response

Black Bear

These guys are basically big raccoons with anger management issues. They bluff a lot but usually don't want a fight.

  • Stand your ground
  • Make noise – yell, bang your pot, channel your inner hockey fan
  • Throw something (not food!) – your camp chair, a rock, whatever
  • If it charges: Fight back with everything you've got

Grizzly/Brown Bear

These are the tanks of the bear world. Massive, powerful, and surprisingly fast for something that looks like a furry bulldozer.

  • Avoid eye contact (they see it as a challenge)
  • Keep backing away slowly
  • If it charges and makes contact: Play dead – face down, hands over neck, don't move until it's long gone

Polar Bear

polar bear on snow covered ground during daytime
Polar Bear | Credit Hans-Jurgen Mager

The apex predator - there's no "just passing through" with these guys.

  • This is a hunting situation
  • Fight immediately – bear spray, noise, whatever you have
  • Never play dead – they'll just start eating

Bear Spray

a brown bear sitting on top of a lush green field
Credit: Juan Carlos Pavón

If you've got bear spray, you should use it:

  • Wait until the bear is 6-8 meters away – closer than you think
  • Aim slightly down – the spray rises
  • Empty the whole can
  • Have a backup plan - bear spray isn't a magic solution, and will run out

Prevention Beats Confrontation

The best bear encounter is the one that never happens:

  • Make noise while hiking – bears hate surprises
  • Keep a clean camp – no food smells, no problems
  • Store food properly – bear canisters or hang it high
  • Cook away from where you sleep

After the Encounter

Once the bear moves on, report it to local authorities. Other hikers deserve a heads up, and wildlife officers need to track problem bears.

hammock in forst
Credit: Ben Turnbull

Golden Rules

It can be hard to remember much in a high stress scenario. This little rhyme helps distill potentially lifesaving advice into a manageable amount:

Black? Attack!
Brown? Lay on the ground.
Polar bear? Say your prayers
(and fight like hell anyway).

Most bears want nothing to do with you. They're busy being bears – eating berries, catching fish, and avoiding awkward encounters with humans.

And hey, if all else fails, just remember you don't have to outrun the bear – you just have to outrun your camping buddy.

Martin P.

Martin P.

I've been spending weekends at the family cabin in Northern Saskatchewan since I was a kid. While up at the lake I enjoy fishing, picking Saskatoon berries, and ending off every night with a campfire.

Saskatchewan, Canada

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