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What do you do if you encounter a bear in the winter?  It's rare but encounters with bears in the winter can happen.  It's difficult to see a winter den, dens can vary and they're often buried in the snow.  Just be prepared and aware that it could happen.   Defensive Encounter May occur when a bear is defending something such as cubs, its food source or if the bear is surprised by your presence.  Do not run Ready your bear spray Try to appear non-threatening, avoiding eye contact Talk in a calm voice Slowly move away without turning your back to...

  From WildSmart on the Trail (click here to go to their website) Carry Bear Spray and Know How To Use It Below is one of our favorite videos on how to use bear spray. When recreating in bear country, your best strategy to avoid an encounter with a bear is to make lots of noise, stay in groupsand be alert for signs of bears in the area. Diggings, scat, visible tracks and overturned logs and rocks, are all early warning signs that bears are around. In most cases, bears will do their best to avoid people. Most encounters happen because bears are...

Bear Spray 101  Bear sprays are aerosol bear deterrent sprays loaded with highly concentrated Capsaicin and related Capsaicinoids (Capsaicin and Capsaicinoids is what gives red peppers the heat). Dog pepper spray in Canada typically contains around 0.5% Capsaicin plus 0.44% related Capsaicinoids. Bear spray in Canada has approximately 1.0% to 1.1% Capsaicin plus about 0.84% related Capsaicinoids for a total heat of about 1.84%. In other words, bear spray has approximately double the heat of dog spray.  The higher the concentration of Capsaicin and related Capsaicinoids, the more potent the spray.When deployed, most bear sprays release a cloud of the Capsaicin...

We hope you're enjoying the health benefits of the outdoors this season.   We're hearing so many stories from bear encounters this year.  One friend was biking, came over a hill and surprised a black bear.  Hitting their brakes, they flew over the handle bars and almost landed on the bear that thankfully scurried away.  There's so many reports of bears, Grizzly bears and cubs etc. this season as bears continue to frequent the valley bottoms and even neighborhoods. As you enjoy the outdoors this season, it's important to be prepared to encounter a bear in your adventures.  Even your most regular walk,...

Campsite Safety Checklist Before you head out this weekend, here are a few reminders on how to keep your wilderness living space safe.  Emergency Preparedness In case of emergency, have the following on hand:  First aid kit Matches/lighter  Flashlight and batteries  Pocket knife Whistle, flare and flare gun Extra water  Campfire Before you go, ensure you have reviewed campsite regulations and potential fire fans. Warm, dry weather can increase the risk of forest fires, but campfires can be risky all year round.  What a safe campfire looks like:  Use an approved fire-ring or pit, and make sure there's a four-foot...