How to Avoid Grizzly Bears
While seeing a bear is a memorable experience, your safety and the survival of bears depends on you keeping your distance. Before you enter bear country, take time to learn about bears and how best to avoid them.
Before you go: Check with the local forest, park, or game and fish department office to get the most recent report on bear activity in the area. Be sure you know about any special food storage regulations.
Pack smart: Avoid bringing odorous foods, like bacon or tuna, or scented toiletries. Dry, sealed foods are lighter and less aromatic. Bring 100 feet of rope, storage bags, and carabiners for hanging food.
Use bear-resistant containers: A good method for storing food and other odorous items that attract bears, these containers can be purchased or rented from outdoor shops. Coolers, backpacks, wooden boxes, and tents are NOT bear resistant!
Websites with Grizzly Bear Safety Tips
There is a lot of valuable information on the internet about how to live peacefully with bears and be safe in bear country. While we do not officially maintain or endorse any of these websites, we have noted the addresses below for your information on ways of living safely with bears.
- Be Bear Aware, Center for Wildlife Information
- Your Safety in Bear Country, Yellowstone National Park
- Bear Safety, Glacier National Park
- Bear Safety in the North Cascades, North Cascades National Park
- Safety in Bear Country, Grand Tetons National Park
- Videos & Podcasts: Safety in Bear Country, Grand Tetons National Park
The websites listed above are only a sampling of available information on the internet. We urge you to further explore and educate yourself about grizzly bears and bear encounters.
Board of Review Recommendations Resulting from Human Fatalities
The following BOR reviews are listed in chronological order, starting with the most recent. For more information about BOR investigations, visit the USFWS Grizzly Bear Conservation page.
Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
- Board of Review Report: Fatality of Mr. Lance Crosby from a bear attack on Elephant Back Mountain in Yellowstone National Park (8-6-15)
- Recommendations of the Board of Review, based on the investigation of the fatality of Mr. Lance Crosby from a bear attack on Elephant Back Mountain, Yellowstone NP (8-6-15)
- Board of Review Report: Fatality of Mr. Adam Thomas Stewart from a bear attack on Cub Creek on the Bridger-Teton National Forest (9-4-14).
- Recommendations of the Board of Review, based on the investigation of the fatality of Mr. Adam Thomas Stewart from a bear attack on Cub Creek on the Bridger-Teton National Forest (9-4-14).
- Board of Review Report: Fatality of Mr. John L. Wallace from a bear attack on the Mary Mountain Trail in Yellowstone National Park (8-25-11).
- Investigation Team Report: Fatality of Mr. Brian Matayoshi from a bear attack on the Wapiti Lake Trail in Yellowstone National Park (7-6-11).
- Investigation Team Report: Attacks by a grizzly bear in Soda Butte Campground on the Gallatin National Forest (7-28-10).
- Investigation Team Report: Fatality of Erwin Evert from a bear attack in Kitty Creek on the Shoshone National Forest (6-17-10).
- Recommendations of the Investigation Team based on the investigation of the fatality of Erwin Evert from a bear attack (6-17-10).