7 Ways to Avoid Bear Attacks in the Wild

1. Call out, clap or sing. The noise lets bears know you’re around. (Don’t bother buying a “bear bell” at a hiking store. They don’t make enough noise.)

2. Watch for tracks, fresh droppings, torn-up logs and turned-over rocks. All are clues that a bear has been nearby recently.

3. Keep dogs on a leash. Dogs can provoke defensive behaviors in bears.

4. Hike with at least three other people.

5. Stay on well-marked trails and paths.

6. Stay calm. If you do encounter a bear, move away slowly and quietly. Don’t run and scream, which can provoke an attack. Talk to the bear so that it knows you’re human and not a prey animal.

7. Bring bear spray. It can repel a bear, as long as conditions are right to use it.

—Joel Hagen is a longtime guide and naturalist