# Got charged at by a black bear **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 3, 2025, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176 "2025-06-03T22:51:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/81 "2025-06-04T22:25:43Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Where are you going hiking? OK daughter’s not sure yet. Recommend any places. We’ve a mixed party of advanced hikers, moderate ones, and a few with limited capacity. We’re staying in Brentwood Bay area ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/82 "2025-06-04T22:39:48Z")
> [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](#): > > he bragged he was was handing out bear steaks to his friends and buddies for grilling all the rest of that summer During the famous Lewis and Clark expedition they were reduced to eating freshly shot bear at one point. Obviously all natural organic garbage-free bears there in the early 1800s human-free wilderness. These incredibly hardened rough-hewn semi-starving pioneer dudes could barely withstand eating bear. I’m not thinking that soft 21st Century me would be up to that task. Nor would your boss’s neighbors. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/83 "2025-06-04T22:46:20Z")
If you’re wanting to hike/walk all together with everybody the Galloping Goose would be a good option. Extremely easy for advanced hikers but accessible for everybody. [https://www.crd.ca/parks-recreation/find-park-or-trail/galloping-goose-regional-trail](https://www.crd.ca/parks-recreation/find-park-or-trail/galloping-goose-regional-trail) ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/84 "2025-06-04T23:37:59Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > These incredibly hardened rough-hewn semi-starving pioneer dudes could barely withstand eating bear. I’m not thinking that soft 21st Century me would be up to that task. > > Nor would your boss’s neighbors. He might have been lying his A-- off. He was the type and he had the personality for it. He didn’t sound like the kind of person to marinate meat and/or do some of the things that the ‘chefs’ do on those TV shows. They do all kind of odd things… like soaking meat in milk, cooking up sauces or glazes to put on it, knowing whether to serve it on rice or pasta… all the way to adding their special, house brand ‘magic beans’ spices. Whether he’s a liar (probably) or whether TV shows are full of liars (probably) likely strays beyond the scope of this thread though. I’d like to thank you very much for your input though! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/85 "2025-06-04T23:48:34Z")
Everyone is good for something. Me? I’m an irrelevant irreverent distraction. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/86 "2025-06-05T03:10:04Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > He was a big, lovely bear with a glossy black coat. You can describe him with adjectives. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/87 "2025-06-05T03:26:56Z")
> [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > Black bears can climb the tree to eat you, but grizzlies can’t climb trees. Actually, this is a widespread misconception. Grizzlies can and do climb trees. True, they’re not as good at it due to their lumbering size and long claws, but if a tree is strong enough and has a lot of branches, a grizzly can get up there. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/88 "2025-06-05T06:48:05Z")
I understand that on the rare occasions when a black bear attacks a person, their intention is often to eat you. Unlike grizzly attacks, which are usually because the the bear considers you to be a threat. So playing dead is a viable strategy for handling a grizzly attack; it may decide that you’re no longer a threat and leave. While playing dead when a black bear attacks is just giving it an easier meal. Thus it’s pretty important to be able to identify the species if a bear attacks you. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/89 "2025-06-05T11:48:12Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > You can describe him with adjectives. Boy! That was one big, ugly comment! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Stana\_Claus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stana_claus/32/13874_2.png) [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/90 "2025-06-05T12:26:52Z")
Hey, I was just relating the story (as I remember it) told to us by a park ranger almost 50 something years ago. Sorry, but I didn’t fact check him at the time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/91 "2025-06-05T12:54:27Z")
Hence: If it’s brown, lie down. If it’s black, fight back. (Though, as noted above, many so-called black bears are brown.) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/92 "2025-06-05T14:03:23Z")
If it’s an angry bear, Say a prayer and use your sprayer. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/93 "2025-06-05T14:40:56Z")
If it’s a bar Trip your friend then run real far. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/94 "2025-06-05T21:34:57Z")
I heard the same thing from a Glacier ranger when I lived in MT and was distressed when I learned otherwise. I can’t help imagining there was some poor schnook who sighed in relief after climbing a tree only to find a grizzly snapping at his sneakers. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/95 "2025-06-05T23:41:15Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > If it’s brown, lie down. > If it’s black, fight back. If it’s white, good night. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/96 "2025-06-06T00:35:47Z")
What if you climb quickly up a tree to escape a grizzly only to find yourself face to face with one of those dreaded drop bears? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/97 "2025-06-06T01:09:22Z")
If you’re lucky, the drop bear will land on the grizzly and you can escape while they’re fighting to the death. If you’re not lucky, well, it won’t hurt for long. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/98 "2025-06-06T03:46:08Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Boy! That was one big, ugly comment! I’m glad someone got it. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/99 "2025-06-06T11:55:21Z")
Indubitably. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176/100 "2025-06-06T11:57:55Z")
A neighbor came home one night and was hissed at by an animal in a tree. He thought for sure it must be a cougar. Nope, black bear. Black bears can/do hiss. Huh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-charged-at-by-a-black-bear/1019176.md?page=6)