Re: Bears, Bears, Bears

And God Bless the United States Geographical Survey:

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/attacks/bear-human_conflicts.htm

Honestly, Mr. K is right, because the brown bear basically s**kx, and I ought not even comment, because their habitat tended to be very sparse, in the limited parts of North Cascades and Canada where I've spent brief periods without regretting their abscence.

Also, in Canada, I've tended to stay in the cabins, which are reassuring. The rangers around Banff and Canmore are eagle-eyed and strict about hazards, but I didn't encounter much like that in Purcells or Selkirks. Are there less bears there?

My actual problem is, the truly deep and terrible grief that I've suffered in the wilderness, merely due to girlfriend's severe anguish regarding black bears. All bears, 'coons, porcupines, skunks, et cetera, are potential trouble, but blacks aren't too bad..I've even had my own, tiny share of troubles with the blacks.

My worst bear experience was at walk-in camp very near Jasper, Alberta, involving large group from Quebec on a very strong drug in 1974 and lots of fully habituated bears. I was quite sober at the time, and it wasn't worth freaking about.

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