B&W vs. COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS
To keep this book affordable, all photos are in B&W. You can find a color version of many of these photos at
bear-viewing-in-alaska.info >> Books & Videos >> When Bears Whisper, Do You Listen? You can buy a high-
resolution color copy of some photos at gobeaviewing@hotmail.com. Photos not attributed to another
photographer were taken by the author.
FONTS AND HUMOR
This book includes occasional humorous quips like “If you’re going to die from an overdose of bear, you
might as well die laughing.” To make sure they’re not taken seriously, they are in italicized Arial font,
whereas rest of the text is in normal Times New Roman font.
METRIC MEASUREMENTS
Many of this book’s readers are likely to be citizens of the U.S.A., few of whom are comfortable with metric
measurements. So this book measures distances in yards. Even though 1 meter is about 10% longer than 1
yard, that 10% difference is insignificant for the rough distance estimates given here. A reference to 50 yards
(e.g., stay at least 50 yards from any bear), might just as well have been phrased as 50 meters. Bears don’t
carry measuring tapes. Neither did I for distances over 10 feet (3 meters). Each measurement is just a
convenient ballpark estimate -- made at intervals of 50 up to 300 yards (i.e., 50, 100, 150 .. 300), and at
intervals of 100 thereafter.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Among the many people who shared knowledge of dealing with frequently-viewed bears are Jim Faro, Brad
Josephs, Lynn Rogers, Buck Wilde, Will Troyer, John Rogers, and Gary Porter. Individuals who shared
knowledge of wild-rearing bears or of observing acclimated wild bruins include Lynn Rogers, Sue Mansfield,
Doug Seus, Charley Russell, Terry DeBryun Ben Kilham, and Charlie Vandergaw. The pioneering book in this
field was The Bears and I by Robert Leslie. Valuable insights have also been provided by the earlier
experiences of Enos Mills (in the 1920’s), Jim and Laurette Stanton and Stan Price. I am also deeply indebted
to John Rogers and his crews on the MV Waters and MV Kittiwake, who supported my research logistically.
Joseph & Terry Kashi provided invaluable help with photographic equipment and printing.
My thanks also to the thousands of bear viewers it has been my privilege to guide. It is amazing how much
you taught me, even as I was endeavoring I was endeavoring to teach you. I have also depended heavily on
the friendship and assistance of Jeff and Dalton Wells, Paul and Cecily Fritz, Gordon Burghardt, Neil
Greenberg, and Raul Valdez.
* Faro probably did more than any other person to promote bear viewing during its early days, in part by helping establish
the viewing program at McNeil Falls, and by hiring Larry Aumiller to manage the program.
 |  |  |  |
Published by
WildWatch Publications
A division of WildWatch, LLC
39200 Alma Ave. Soldotna, AK 99669
wildwatch.llc@gmail.com
© 2008 by Stephen Stringham
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication data is available on file
ISBN 978-0-9796782-0-4
Search terms
1. Bear attacks – North America – Prevention.
2. Outdoor recreation – North America – Safety measures.
3. Bear encounters
4. Bear viewing – North America – Safety measures
5. Wildlife viewing – North America – Safety measures
6. Black bear – Behavior.
7. Grizzly bear – Behavior.
8. Brown bear – Behavior.
9. Body language – Bears.
10. Aggression – Bears
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Prologue – The Phantom Grizzly
Preface
¨ Other sources of bear safety advice
¨ Book overview
Warning & Disclaimer
BASIC DIPLOMACY
1. Militant vs. Diplomatic Approaches to Safety
* Conventional wisdom, bearanoia, and the Militant Strategy
* Frontiers of bear-human coexistence
* Assessing risk
* Diplomacy and the Negotiation Strategy
* Living in harmony with other wildlife
* Appendices
2. Minimizing Viewer Impacts on Bears
* Common impacts
* Minimizing disturbance
* Neutralizing ursine interest in people
3. Aggression, Socialization & Familiarization Among Bears
* Enhancing respect by fellow bears
* Enhancing trust by fellow bears
* Species differences in socialization
* Familiarization with other animals
* Familiarization with people
* Neutralizing ursine interest in people
* Misconceptions
o Habituation
o Familiarization
o Wildness
o Naturalness
4. Ursine Trust for People
* Eroding trust - alienation
* Enhancing trust
o Repeated encounters with benign people
o Appeasement
o Bears encountering people at food concentrations.
5. Ursine Respect for People
* Defensive discipline
o Don’t let bears crowd you
* Offensive discipline: bullying bears
* Reinforcing threats
APPROACHING BEARS
6. No Crowding, No Trespassing
* Distance thresholds
* Probability of each response being triggered at each distance
* Look, but don’t touch or feed
* Defense of space vs. turf
7. Approaching Bears
* Low risk situations
* High risk situations
BEING APPROACHED BY A BEAR
8. Slow Approaches by a Bear
* Who approaches whom?
* Waiting for a bear to pass you
* If a bear chooses to approach you
9. Rapid Approaches by a Bear
* Bears playing
* Bears fleeing bears
* Bears chasing prey
* Bears seeking prey
* Bears fleeing people or machines
SOCIAL BONDS AND WHISPERING
10. Intensifying Mutual Trust
* Domestic species
* Captive wildlife
* Wild-reared orphaned cubs
* Fully-wild bears
11. Intensifying Mutual Respect
* Domestic animals
* Captive-reared orphans
* Wild-reared orphans
* Fully-wild bears
o Mutual respect
o Play
o Refereeing
* Risks of socializing
Recommended reading
Index
Book Ordering Info
Author Bio
WildWatch Publications
A division of WildWatch, LLC
39200 Alma Ave. Soldotna, AK 99669
wildwatch.llc@gmail.com
© 2008 by Stephen Stringham
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication data is available on file
ISBN 978-0-9796782-0-4
Search terms
1. Bear attacks – North America – Prevention.
2. Outdoor recreation – North America – Safety measures.
3. Bear encounters
4. Bear viewing – North America – Safety measures
5. Wildlife viewing – North America – Safety measures
6. Black bear – Behavior.
7. Grizzly bear – Behavior.
8. Brown bear – Behavior.
9. Body language – Bears.
10. Aggression – Bears
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Prologue – The Phantom Grizzly
Preface
¨ Other sources of bear safety advice
¨ Book overview
Warning & Disclaimer
BASIC DIPLOMACY
1. Militant vs. Diplomatic Approaches to Safety
* Conventional wisdom, bearanoia, and the Militant Strategy
* Frontiers of bear-human coexistence
* Assessing risk
* Diplomacy and the Negotiation Strategy
* Living in harmony with other wildlife
* Appendices
2. Minimizing Viewer Impacts on Bears
* Common impacts
* Minimizing disturbance
* Neutralizing ursine interest in people
3. Aggression, Socialization & Familiarization Among Bears
* Enhancing respect by fellow bears
* Enhancing trust by fellow bears
* Species differences in socialization
* Familiarization with other animals
* Familiarization with people
* Neutralizing ursine interest in people
* Misconceptions
o Habituation
o Familiarization
o Wildness
o Naturalness
4. Ursine Trust for People
* Eroding trust - alienation
* Enhancing trust
o Repeated encounters with benign people
o Appeasement
o Bears encountering people at food concentrations.
5. Ursine Respect for People
* Defensive discipline
o Don’t let bears crowd you
* Offensive discipline: bullying bears
* Reinforcing threats
APPROACHING BEARS
6. No Crowding, No Trespassing
* Distance thresholds
* Probability of each response being triggered at each distance
* Look, but don’t touch or feed
* Defense of space vs. turf
7. Approaching Bears
* Low risk situations
* High risk situations
BEING APPROACHED BY A BEAR
8. Slow Approaches by a Bear
* Who approaches whom?
* Waiting for a bear to pass you
* If a bear chooses to approach you
9. Rapid Approaches by a Bear
* Bears playing
* Bears fleeing bears
* Bears chasing prey
* Bears seeking prey
* Bears fleeing people or machines
SOCIAL BONDS AND WHISPERING
10. Intensifying Mutual Trust
* Domestic species
* Captive wildlife
* Wild-reared orphaned cubs
* Fully-wild bears
11. Intensifying Mutual Respect
* Domestic animals
* Captive-reared orphans
* Wild-reared orphans
* Fully-wild bears
o Mutual respect
o Play
o Refereeing
* Risks of socializing
Recommended reading
Index
Book Ordering Info
Author Bio