Some visitors, who are personal acquaintances of locals, borrow starter pistols to create a noise to scare away threatening bears. The benefit these glorified cap guns offer is the noise. One of those super high-decibal sirens attached to keychains, to be used for muggers, might work as well.
On the very last day there, I lost my borrowed starter pistol somewhere among the rocks and ponds below the Centre. Charles had me climb onto the back of his 4ATV to take me back down to the area to search for it. We rolled over boulders and through marshland, looking for it on a ride that felt like a chiropractic adjustment to the kidneys. I felt vulnerable, as if the thing would tip over at any moment. Fortunately, Charles knew what he was doing. Even so, I would have felt more comfortable as the driver.
To protect against bear attack when out and about, alone or in a small group unarmed, the following options are recommended: pepper spray and anything that will make a horrendous, high-decible noise when activated. The noisier the better. A professional wildlife photographer I met up there in July suggested the pepper spray. Pepper spray aimed at the eyes of an attacking animal will not cause permanent harm to the animal but will allow you to escape.
 |
 |
|
Go to Bear Lore
Return to
Return to Churchill, in-town
Return to Introductory page