SEAL Survival Guide (22 page)

• Scared, startled, or cornered.

• Very hungry or disturbed while eating.

• Injured or sick.

• Protecting their cubs.

If you go out into the woods or live near bear country, it’s important to know the characteristics of each of the three different species of bear you may come across.

BLACK BEARS

These are the smallest bears, but the males can still weigh nearly 400 pounds, while the females average about 300 pounds. They are swift, reaching speeds of 35 mph, and they are good climbers. Many black bears are identifiable by a light patch on their chests and light-colored snouts.

1. Despite their size and strength, bears would rather not have a conflict. If you are in black bear country and suspect they are close by, make noise. Bang pots, blow a whistle, or shout out. This will usually get them to clear out before you approach. You don’t want to surprise a bear by walking stealthily through the forest. If you spot a bear that doesn’t see you, especially if it’s rummaging through a park garbage can or eating, give it a wide berth.

2. If camping, make sure your foodstuffs are well away from where your tents are set up. Or suspend food supplies in a
satchel tied to a thin branch that bears cannot reach. Dogs and pets also attract bears to your camp, so most pets should be left home.

3. You should always carry bear-repellent spray. This is basically a concentrated pepper spray but is supersized and highly compressed to reach greater distances. The active ingredient is a chemical called oleoresin capsicum. Bear sprays are designed to wear in a holster and should not be buried deep in your backpack.

There are some drawbacks to bear spray: If you shoot it at the bear from too far a range, you’ll only make it angrier. Some recommend spraying the bear when it’s about forty feet away, but that is too risky, since the repellent could disperse and not affect the bear. Wait, wait, wait, and then spray the bear when you know that the full force of the repellent will be most effective. You have to stand firm and get the spray fully in its face. Also, many people spray it prematurely and are downwind, causing them to blind themselves with the bear spray. Despite varying opinions, if used properly, bear sprays do work and should be an essential survival tool when entering bear country.

4. If you come face-to-face with a black bear, don’t run or try to climb a tree. As mentioned earlier, black bears will out-climb you, and you’ll be trapped. Instead, keep a calm demeanor. Stand as tall and squared off as possible to show your size. Be loud and forceful in your voice. Give the bear an escape route, a way out of the encounter. Wave your arms and show that the bear may lose if it decides to attack. A bear will test you and make a false start to see if you will run. Here is where your mental preparedness comes into use. You have rehearsed and know what to do in a bear encounter. However, while standing still during the initial bluff or charge, you must have your bear spray readied and pointed like a gun, firmly in your grip.

BROWN BEARS

Brown bears, including the subspecies of grizzly and Kodiak bears, average 500 to 800 pounds, but can weigh up to 1,700 pounds, thus making them among the largest land predators on the planet. Commonly they are medium to dark brown, with distinct shoulder humps. If you are attacked by a brown bear, you may need to use different survival techniques than you would with a black bear.

1. Use the previously discussed tactics of avoiding the bear and attempting to use a bear-repellent spray. However, these animals are larger and much more unpredictable than black bears.

2. If the bear continues to come at you, immediately fall to the ground and cover your head and your neck with your hands. You also want to get into a fetal position to protect your stomach. Tuck your knees into your chin and don’t move a muscle.

3. Then, even as nervous as you’ll likely be, play dead. For grizzlies, most attacks on humans are for the purpose of neutralizing a potential threat. If you seem as if you just died of fright, then chances are they will leave you alone. The bear may push at you or see if you move, but if you can remain dead calm during this assault, you may very well live to talk about it. When it comes to outrunning or wrestling a grizzly, your chances of winning are remote. It’s not fun, but the bear will often linger nearby for as much as twenty minutes. At this time, attempt to conceal your hyperventilation and control your body so you’re in a state of complete stillness.

4. In the event that you must try to ward off an attacking brown bear, go for its nose or eyes. It will be difficult to avoid its powerful paws and sharp claws, but this is your only option. The bear’s nose and eyes are its most vulnerable points, and if you can inflict a blow to these areas, you could get a chance to flee.

POLAR BEARS

If you are in regions where polar bears roam, there is a limited chance of surviving a face-to-face encounter if you are unarmed. The best advice is to stay clear and avoid polar bears at all costs. If you play dead with a polar bear, it will eat you. Bear spray might work, and if it comes down to hand-to-hand combat, again go for the nose and eyes. However, if you try to outrun a polar bear on the ice, it will catch you quickly. A polar bear has sandpaper-like paws that make it proficient in running and not slipping on frozen surfaces.

Mountain Lion Attacks

The mountain lion, also known as puma or cougar, is the only long-tailed wildcat in North America. They live for upwards of twelve years and can weigh as much as 160 pounds. They are primarily nocturnal and secretive, and their diet is composed mostly of deer and elk. Your chances of seeing a mountain lion in the wild are slim, but you should always be aware of an animal that can leap upwards of eighteen vertical feet and feeds on meat. Do the following things to avoid a mountain lion attack:

1. Travel in groups and make a lot of noise. Lions will go out of their way to avoid confrontation.

2. If you do come upon a lion, face it and appear as large as possible by raising your arms or holding objects like an open coat.

3. Give the lion an escape route. If necessary, throw rocks or tree limbs at it to move it along.

4. Back away slowly but continue to face the lion. Don’t run, as this will only stimulate its chase response.

5. If you are attacked, stay on your feet and fight. Lions have been known to retreat when their prey fights back.

6. If a lion manages to attack and has you in its grip, strike and jam a stick or rock at its eyes and nose, which might loosen its hold and give you an opportunity to escape.

AUTO ACCIDENT

There are more than 200 million vehicles in the United States, many heading in any number of directions at this given moment, and all operated by individuals with varying degrees of alertness and skill. The chances of getting into a car accident at least once in your life are estimated to be more than 95 percent—essentially it’s not a matter of
if
but
when
you’ll be in an accident. Approximately 43,000 Americans are killed on our nation’s roadways every year, and another 100,000 become permanently disabled due to car accidents. So what is the single best thing you can do to increase your chances of walking away from an automobile accident?

Wear Your Seat Belt

Even if the death rate due to automobile accidents is so high, cars are actually much safer than ever before. For example, in the 1950s, when there were a third as many cars on the road, more than 32,000 car-related fatalities occurred each year. The retractable seat belt was invented in the 1940s and offered as an option on cars only during the 1950s. In the United States, auto manufacturers were not required to put them in all cars until 1968. It wasn’t until the nineties that most states passed laws requiring drivers to wear one.

Most deaths from auto accidents result from injuries sustained when the body is slammed against the steering wheel, for example, or dashboard. Seat belts prevent death from internal injuries that happen when the car is stopped suddenly during an accident, and when the driver or passengers are subjected to impact.