Bears, Part 2: Preventative Backcountry Bear Safety
This is Part 2 of our 3-part series on bears in the backcountry, inspired by Kevin Grange’s book, Grizzly Confidential. In Part 1, we covered bear basics and encounters, and in this post, we’ll dive into how you can prevent bear encounters in the first place. Stay tuned for Part 3: Grizzly Bears are Amazing.
If you’re hiking in the United States or Canada, especially along the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, or Pacific Crest Trail, being prepared for bear encounters is crucial. Whether it’s the grizzlies of the West or black bears throughout much of North America, a few preventative measures can significantly reduce the risk of a dangerous encounter and help you enjoy your time on the trail.
In this blog series, I am sharing with you some things I learned from Grizzly Confidential, especially as it pertains to adventuring in bear country. I had the great fortune to work directly with the author on this blog series, and his bear knowledge was a tremendous help.

Photo by Peter Mangolds
Part 1: Bear Basics and Bear Attacks
Part 2 (this post): Preventative Backcountry Bear Safety
Part 3: Grizzly Bears are Amazing
Understanding Bears: A Bear’s World
Bears are driven by one primary instinct—survival. In preparation for hibernation, they must consume as many calories as possible. This instinct is what brings bears into contact with hikers: they are constantly seeking the easiest source of food. If a hiking trail provides easier travel than dense forest, they’ll take it. If a campsite has unsecured food or trash, they’ll take advantage of it.

Left to right: hard-sided bear cannister (by BearVault), Spectra material bear sak (by Ursack), odor proof resealable bag (by OPSAK)
You must secure anything with a scent—food, garbage, toothpaste, deodorant—in a bear box, hard-sided canister, or a bear sack made of durable Spectra fabric. For extra smelly items consider double containment with a resealable bag that is designed to be odor proof. Placing these items 100 yards downwind from your tent and hidden in the brush is essential. The traditional method of hanging food in a bear bag can be unreliable. It’s time-consuming, hard to do properly, and not always effective against a determined bear.
Campsite Etiquette and Food Storage
When setting up camp, it’s best to cook your meals 100 yards away from where you plan to sleep. Never sleep in clothes that you cooked in, as the smell could attract bears. These steps reduce the chances of a curious bear approaching your tent in the night.
Always leave your campsite or shelter clean. Even a single mistake by you can attract bears and put you and those behind you at risk.
Redundancy in Safety Measures
In bear safety, redundancy is critical. Chris Forrest, who runs a non-lethal grizzly bear defense course, emphasizes the principle of “two is one, and one is none”—meaning you should always have at least two means of protection. This could mean carrying two cans of bear spray, or pairing bear spray with an air horn. The key is to have a backup in case one fails or you need multiple tools to manage the situation.
Walking with at least one other person is a good idea in grizzly country as well. The bigger the group the better, simply because you make more noise that way, which warns the bear of your presence.

Left to right: an air horn and bear spray. This bear spray kit comes with a canister of practice spray.

Safety in numbers: walking in a group helps alert bears to your presence.
Avoid Human-Habituated Bears
The most dangerous bears are those that have become used to being around humans and associate people with food. If you come across a human-habituated bear hanging around your campsite, it’s best to leave immediately. These bears can be unpredictable and may behave aggressively.
Satellite Communication + First Aid Preparedness
If you’re planning a remote adventure, it’s a good idea to carry an emergency satellite communication device such as an inReach.
And of course you should carry a a basic first aid kit. But going one step further and and taking a basic first aid, wilderness first aid or wilderness first responder class is a smart move. You can find basic first aid classes online or in person through the Red Cross. For more specialized wilderness first aid, you can often find an in-person classes through your local sports shop. NOLS offers a more comprehensive first responder certification.
In the rare event of a bear attack, being prepared to respond to lacerations, puncture wounds, and broken bones is vital. Your priority should be to control any major bleeding before attending to other injuries.
Consult the Experts: BearWise.org
For comprehensive information on bear safety, BearWise has an enormous set of resources at bearwise.org. BearWise is a program of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, and run by state, provincial and territorial bear biologists. Its goal is to provide consistent bear education throughout North America. Although its focus is on black bears, it it also provides basic safety information about grizzly bears. BearWise has a specific page on bear safety tips for hiking, camping, and fishing that describes how to avoid bear encounters in the first place.
Respect the Bear, and the Bear with Respect You
A repeated line throughout Grizzly Confidential is “Respect the bear, and the bear will respect you.” What does that mean? It means that if you take the time to learn about bear behavior and how to adapt your behavior in bear territory, you shouldn’t have any problems with bears. Hiking in bear country can be a beautiful experience. Bears are the embodiment of the wild, and seeing one in its natural habitat can be awe-inspiring. Remember, the goal is to coexist safely and respect these magnificent animals. By taking preventative measures, you can reduce the risk of conflict and ensure your journey is memorable for all the right reasons.
Check back soon for Part 3 of our series, where we celebrate the amazing qualities of grizzly bears and the role they play in the wilderness.
*FarOut was provided with an advance copy of Grizzly Confidential, which was not available for purchase at the time. Since FarOut does not accept free goods that we write about, we made a contribution to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition in the amount of the cover price of Grizzly Confidential. FarOut receives no commission for the sale of Grizzly Confidential. We just really liked this book and want to help spread the word about it. Any other products shown in this post are for informational purposes only. We do not endorse certain brands or receive any commission for the sale of any items referred to in this post.