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Black bear safety tips in the Georgia mountains
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AP Photo Black Bears discover food at Alaskan Zoo
As the mountain air warms and you think about heading to the North Georgia mountains for weekends of hiking, backpacking, and camping the last thing that will probably be on your mind is bears. While statistically there is probably more reason to worry about spraining an ankle and falling off the side of a mountain, the reality is that approximately 2,200 black bears call Georgia home. While some of these bears take up there residences outside the North Georgia mountains, like Okefenokee Swamp in the south, nearly 1,500 bears can be found in the 12 counties of North Georgia or one bear per square mile.
Bear-human encounters along Georgia’s hiking trails aren’t unheard of, either. Just last month an entire section of the Appalachian Trail from Neels Gap to Tesnatee Gap was shut down to campers due to increased bear activity in the area.
While that ban was lifted today, it is a reminder that many parts of Georgia are still wild and when heading into the backcountry you need to be prepared and understand how to avoid dangerous situations.
Keep your camp scent free. Black bears are naturally timid animals and generally avoid people. To keep it this way it is important to be cognoscente of the scents you bring into your camp. When cooking and eating food do so 100 yds upwind of your campsite, and others. Never prepare or store food in your tent. Never sleep in the same clothes that you cooked in and always pack out any scraps and leftovers - do not bury or scatter any leftovers. When you’re ready to hit the hay be sure to properly store your food and any other heavily scented items like toothpaste and soap. Bears have a strong sense of smell and black bears are especially curious of new smells in their area.
Dessert Tip: If you have any leftover water used from cooking try drinking it for some extra nutrients. Doesn’t sound appetizing? Then make sure to strain any scraps before spreading the water in the woods away from camp.
Try to avoid hiking early in the morning or late in the evening, particularly alone. Bears, like other wildlife, are most active during these periods and hiking alone increases your chances of surprising a bear.
If you do have a run in with a black bear, stay calm. Make yourself as large as possible and make noise. Whatever you do, don't run. In most cases the bear will leave quickly without incident.
Lastly, if you are making a trip into the bear country stop by or call the ranger station of the area you plan to visit. Rangers can let you know of any reported sightings and activity in the area that you should be aware of.
For more info:
North Georgia Ranger Stations
Georgia Black Bears
Food storage techniques
Black bear safety tips
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