When traveling through the woods, especially alone, there are many important safety tips to keep in mind. Adventures with Nature Norm is back to share advice on how to stay safe and navigate the wilderness with confidence.
Norm Gregiore, the Community Liaison for Species at Risk from Shared Legacy says his top recommendation is to make noise.
“Some folks have used bear bells in the past and if folks aren't familiar with what bear bells are, they're little jingle bells that jingle when you're walking around, and the idea is that I'll warn the bear of your presence, and it'll go away.”
He says that he doesn’t like using the jingle bells because when he is outdoors, he doesn’t enjoy hearing the sound the bells make. Norm also shares that he read an article that suggests some bears might actually be attracted to the bells.
“Bears are very, very curious animals. They're very opportunistic animals and if they hear this sound that they've never heard before, like a jingle from a bell, they actually might come in and investigate that.”
Instead, talk every once in a while, or yell out when you come to a bushy or treed area.
“It doesn't have to be, ‘Hey bear. How's it going bear?’ It can just be anything,” Norm shares. “You can sing a little bit to yourself. The other thing that I always carry with me is bear spray as well and knowing how to use and when to use bear spray is essential. But between those two things, I haven't had any issues with bears by myself in my entire life, and I've spent a lot of time in the woods with a lot of bears.”
Norm explains that bears will come out more often at certain times of the year like peak berry season. He says that it is a fun time for folks to get out and pick saskatoons or blueberries, but they should be more cautious.
“It seems like bears are going to be hanging around those same areas that you are. When you're just walking around making a little bit of noise. You do see the odd bear here and there, but at least 9 times out of 10, the bear kind of looks at you and will go the opposite direction.”
He tends to see a lot more bears while he’s driving along the road, and that’s when it’s a more comfortable time to see them.
As bears prepare for winter sleep, Norm says they are opportunistic and will make use of anything that is found in their area. In southeastern Manitoba, they eat lots of berries, grasses, and dead animals.
“The idea that they're meat eaters and will be hunting, they don't do a whole lot of hunting here, but they're eating just about anything that they can get their paws on.”
At this time of year, Norm says they go into something called hyperphagia which means they are eating close to 24/7.
“They're eating as much as they can, trying to put on a solid fat layer on before they go into their winter sleep. I call it a winter sleep, it's not a hibernation. Black bears around here, they do not hibernate.”
He adds, “That's something that a lot of people are surprised about. Any bear species, they are not true hibernators. They go into something called torpor. It's really similar to a hibernation, but all those metabolic rates and breathing, respiratory, heart rate, it doesn't drop enough to be considered a true hibernator.”
If you stumble into a bear den, it will wake the bear up fairly quickly, and it would be groggy. He says their den can look like a giant eagle nest.
“I know this because a few years ago, I actually accidentally fell into one. Don't worry, there were no bears in there. But I didn't stay for too long because there were tracks leading out of it and in the snow.”
Norm has spent thousands of miles hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, and gained lots of knowledge and safety tips. He says exploring with another person is always helpful.
Join Norm for a walk and learn more about bears and how to stay safe in the woods, starting at The Weston Family Grass Prairie Interpretive Centre on November 23 from 10 am – 12 pm.
To register or for more information, contact Norm at 204-408-6166 or info@sharedlegacymb.ca.
With files from Carly Koop
