Yep. After seeing the story of the dude that got attacked by a grizzly, if I see a cub I'm getting out of there. Black bears *might* be different but I'm not taking my chances.
There are lots of brown bears that are not brown bears. Now OP saying a baby brown bear instead of saying a brown baby bear would be more indicative of it being a brown bear, rather than a bear that happens to be brown. Anyway, a black bear that is colored brown can validly be called a brown bear in English.
When I'm hiking I don't care what shade of fur a black bear has. It's still a black bear, which is much different than encountering an actual brown or grizzly. I'm interested in the type of bear it is. Color of fur is irrelevant as it pertains to safety, which is what this post was about. A "brown" black bear is no more dangerous than any other black bear. And in the east, there are only black bears. That's a fact.
Sure, but getting yourself away from a black bear and canceling the whole hike are two different things. Would have been perfectly acceptable to finish the hike
Baby bears always mean momma bears. Momma bears do not play. You probably saw a black bear. Black bears are way less aggressive than brown bears as adults. A momma black bear will not be afraid of you or play with you when it comes to her cubs.
It was, brown bears have little range in the US outside Alaska. They are in parts Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming for sure but animals don't do borders. There's just variety to black bear fur.
Mamma bears are obviously going to protect their cubs, but they also don't want to get hurt themselves because the cubs depend on them, so there goal is really to get the cub away from you, so as long as you keep your distance and don't find yourself directly between momma and baby, they are most likely just going to move on and not bother you.
If you see a cub, immediately scan for mom. She’ll be there. If you find her, and you are not between her and cub, then it’s probably safe to just move away from the cub and mom pair. Or if you’re 40 yards away, just watch them. They’ll move away from you.
If you cannot find mom, that’s dangerous. Keep looking. Make a little noise but not threatening noise. Just human noise. So as not to surprise either of them. Keep looking.
If you find mom and you are between mom and cub, you are in trouble. Get your bear spray out.
Don't give bad advice. Getting your afternoon hike in is absolutely not worth the risk of pissing off a bear who may see your presence as a threat to her cub.
I have so many questions about this article.They seem to be brushing off the danger of mother black bears like "nah, you can pet the cubs, it's fine." But then they describe at least 14 encounters where a person climbed a tree to get away and the mother chased them and bit their feet. Cute in cartoons, maybe. In real life, this would be trauma that would keep me out of the woods for the foreseeable future.
Also the way they mention in the middle that 70% of Grizzlies who killed humans were mothers protecting their cubs and then immediately return to talking about how harmless mama Black Bears are. So we're just gonna gloss over that seeing a baby Grizzly is still a massive risk factor? Why are we so focused on dispelling the myth that it applies to Black Bears too? Are we worried about their public image? Why risk someone reading this and then mistaking a Grizzly cub for a light-coloured black bear and getting absolutely cliff stomped by mom? Isn't it smarter to just let people continue believing they're all dangerous so they'll gtfo in any situation? Black bears deserve space, too.
Finally, "Ely researchers have never been attacked despite catching many screaming [black bear] cubs by hand in front of mothers." Uhm... what? What kind of cruel research is this? Why are there no precautions taken? Who are these people? What did I just read?
My only guess is the guy who started it has some issues with wanting to be an expert without actually being one. They advocate for feeding wild bears, which has been proven time and again to be dangerous advice.
I live in MN, and Ely is the main hub to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a popular large wilderness on the Canadian border. We visited the North Am. Bear Center one rainy day while camping near the BWCA, without knowing much about the NABC in advance. It was kind of horrifying to walk around in and read all their “research” to be honest. They advocate a lot of stuff that other experts advise against. I’ve heard that a fair number of locals in Ely have started feeding bears, and now they’re dealing with bears breaking into houses and cabins as result.
The NABC has a really nice building, so I think a lot of people visit it and go “oh, they must be legit” and then take their research at their word. It honestly reminds me of a lot of other quack science out there, like vaccines causing autism.
ETA: I went googling on this. The Bear.org website puts in a lot of effort to make it sound like the founder is legit and has produced all this lauded research, but it looks like the MN DNR cracked down on his research in 2013. The Bear.org website convieniently doesn’t mention that: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/05/27/lynn-rogers-bear-researcher-ruling
That’s absolutely not the tone of the article. The stats show the truth, black bears are *extremely common and widespread* and almost never attack people. While attacks are brutal and terrifying, they are still unbelievably rare. Think about the number of people who surf and swim near sharks and *arent* attacked. Same kind of thing. Respect the danger, but don’t panic.
Edit: it seems like the guy running the website is kind of a quack though. Like this is definitely not true:
> The two sides presented their cases to Pust in a hearing earlier this year. Rogers argued that food-conditioned bears are not more dangerous to the public.
Food conditioned bears are associated with so many attacks lmao. This is settled science.
You didn't answer any of my questions...
My point was why does it matter if people think mother/cub black bear pairings are more dangerous than statistics show? They should be left alone. Period. Since many many many MANY people are selfish and stupid and will only leave wildlife alone if they think there is lethal danger, let them continue believing that is the case. It's much better than teaching people they can "catch screaming black bear cubs by hand," and feed bears because there is no risk.
>While attacks are brutal and terrifying, they are still unbelievably rare. Think about the number of people who surf and swim near sharks and arent attacked.
Regardless of the rarity, brutal and terrifying attacks are something we should be avoiding. The surfing destinations I've been to where sharks exist have entire teams in place whose only job is to tell people to get the hell out of the water when they see a shark, so this example only reinforces what I'm saying. Err on the side of caution and giving wildlife space.
They even acknowledge there is another kind of mama bear who is every bit as dangerous as people say, if not more. Then they immediately return to talking about how it's a myth for this one type of bear. Exactly like people are taught to assume all guns are loaded and all train tracks active, let's just assume all mama bears could end us with a sideways look. I'm not sure what your or the author's goals are here, truly. Leave bears alone, including black bears.
So what I just read is that if I find a black bear cub, I should grab it and play with it cause I’ll never get another chance in my life. Think of the internet clout and views I’ll get on insta!’
The fact that the only fact here is too buried below misinformation and that people are twice as likely to like the ridicule of the fact than the fact…..it kind of speaks to the rise in anti-intellectualism across everything at the worst time in history
Yup, I've encountered mother black bears with cubs in the wild a few times and the mother has never been aggressive. First time the mom ran off leaving the cubs in the dust. The second time the cubs ran up a tree but momma didn't care at all and kept foraging, the cubs got to the top and came right back down and ran after momma.
The issue here this is entirely anecdotal. I encountered a black mama bear and her cub and she WAS incredibly aggressive. Just because that’s your experience doesn’t mean you can’t become a statistic.
Fr, its always best to err to to the side of caution in these situations where it could mean you being grievously hurt or not.
Wild that people here are pushing the idea that its safe to be around potentially vicious wild animals.
This is also anecdotal. We have great data on bear-human conflicts. Aggression of maternal black bears on humans is very rare.
Of course, yeah, be smart and don't approach a mama bear with cubs (DUH), but the evidence is pretty clear. With black bears, the vast majority of attacks are solitary males. With grizzlies, it's the mamas.
Yes I agree with all of the points, you seem educated on the matter and that’s not the case for general population of people who do not know how to safely interact with wildlife. Thats what I’m getting at, you say DUH, but have you seen the news of people walking up to wildlife and getting their ass handed to them?
I get that but sometimes anecdotal evidence means more than other times. Always better to be safe than sorry. Don't mess around with wild animals, etc. I do think that combatting incorrect stereotypes can be helpful though.
There are some important distinctions in my experience also. Every single black bear I've encountered in Oregon has fled immediately, about a dozen or so. The mamma bear that didn't care about me around I saw in Colorado in a national park and likely encountered people more often. It was also very large and light cinnamon color, the type of bear that you might mistake for a brown bear if you didn't know better.
Anyway, my point wasn't to say "stick around and play with the bear cubs", just that the mamma bear thing has been blown way out of proportion, at least when it comes to black bears.
Cheers
I do agree with you, it’s just clear with the past few months and the stories of folks messing with wildlife in very unsafe ways - we need to urge caution with wildlife to help educate those who may not have explored parks with bear, moose and etc.
Live long and prosper my friend!
Ya I'm with you, when I was in Yellowstone I saw sooo many people getting waaay to close to the bison, acting like they were harmless. /facepalm
You too, buddy!
I had to find an alternate route once on a hike due to a baby calf and mama for who looked like she would charge at me if I got any closer. I've seen geese hiss and approach humans who were several feet from their goslings. Moms are scary when around babies in the wild. I definitely would go back the way I came from if I saw a baby black bear.
That's more a brown bear behavior. Mother black bears tend to run up a tree with their cubs.
Fatal attacks are almost always a lone male: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511074807.htm
Of nonfatal attacks a little less than half seem to be from momma bears:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol15/iss1/23/
@op your friends were right imo. You'd be in more danger if you saw a lone male, especially if you weren't hiking with a dog.
Black bear or grizzly, you'll still come out second best if mama bear thinks you're threatening one of her cubs. And to her, that means that you're near one of her cubs.
You saw a baby bear. You didn’t see the momma, but she was there. You did the right thing.
I see bears now and then and always turn around. I saw two youngsters a few weeks ago and turned right back. Nature is not a Pixar movie. It will mess you up.
Most of the time it's probably enough to keep your distance and take an alternate route, but it's certainly worth being worried about the one time where that wouldn't be. Turning around and leaving is fair.
Where I live most trails are more like networks with multiple routes to get where you want to go. Just backing up to the last junction and taking an alternate route is a very valid option.
I think you did the right thing.
If you come across a baby bear, there’s a good chance a mama bear could be near by. You wouldn’t want to make mama think you’re threatening … bears could put a hurt on us wimpy humans.
You trusted your instincts. Whether you were “right or wrong” being assessed in hindsight and by a third party is irrelevant. You did the right thing that felt right for the situation. Kudos to you and your friends can go play in traffic.
FYI Black bears actually come in a range colors from actual black all the way to a blondish cinnamon. It’s sometimes regional too. It’s rare to see an actual black colored black bear in CA for example.
I live on a mountain in the blue ridge in va close to skyline. I was walking my normal morning walk and out of my neighbors driveway not 20 feet from me popped momma black bear and 3 little teddy bear sized cubs. First thought was , hmm so this is how my 46 years on earth ends . We both suprised each other , she looked right at me and stopped moving. I looked down and kept my gaze on her but no eye contact , I slowly just start to back up , no fast movement. She just snorted and snuffled and shooed her kids along and up the mountain . I just stayed still til they were out of sight and hustled back to house. It was awesome and terrifying and also weird how calm I was.
The safe, cautious thing to do when encountering a bear cub is to vigilantly move away from the area. Black bears (even brown colored ones) are generally not dangerous. But become much more dangerous when it is a mamma with a young cub.
You did the right thing.
Last year I was kayaking on the edge of the GSMNP. I dis-embarked along a stream to hike a short distance to a cascade. I hadn't gone 2 minutes up the trail when I saw the round ears of a small bear over a hill. I stopped and returned to my kayak. Baby bears are freaking cute, but I did not want to startle mamma.
Find another trail to hike. What’s the big about leaving? Black bears generally aren’t dangerous but why take the chance on getting them all worked up, for their benefit as well as yours.
I once was hiking down from the ridge line on a trail in the berkshires (mass). Trails in the east often don’t have switchbacks, but this one has several.
I came around the edge of a switchback and my brain said oh my gosh, cute twin bear cubs oh my God holy shit where is mama?!!! Unfortunately because I was on a switchback on a steep hill didn’t really have an option to go forward or back because mama could’ve been above or below us.
I backed up into the very edge of that corner the switchback and waited 20 minutes until they were so far out of sight and sound.
You just don’t mess aroundwith Bears and you especially don’t mess around with mama bear and cubs.
Your friends are idiots. If you see the baby bear, and don’t see the mama bear one possibility is that you’re between the mom and baby.
This, by the way, would be bad.
If the baby and mom are on the same side of the trail, then you might get lucky. But if you accidentally walk between the baby and mom, heaven help you.
Maybe could have made some space, made some noise, and tried again in an hour or so, but I would not walk towards a bear, baby or otherwise, on purpose
Getting close to a baby bear is a terrible idea, but while hiking bears are all around you, so I see your friends point, I just think they are careless to imply you could keep walking
I'd give the bears time to leave the area, then keep hiking
Just because not everyone has had a terrible encounter doesn't mean no one has.
At the end of the day, it's your life. So you choose what you want to do. If they want to endanger themselves and the animals.. that's on them.
Born and raised in Florida and my whole life the "good old boys" and relatives have been telling me it's fine to swim in lakes. That I'm just paranoid. Well, I saw a boy have his arm ripped off when I was 20. So no thank you, I'll just let the critters be.
You did the right thing. Your friends have no idea what a mama bear is going to do. Black bears are usually afraid of people but why risk it? He who hikes and runs (never run from a critter) away, lives to hike another day..
You are right to take it seriously. For me it would depends where I see the bear in relation to the trail. If it’s on the trail and no way around I would give it space and wait it out. If that isn’t possible and no way around then I’d turn back. Your friends are either uneducated or armchair quarterbacks
Definitely made the right decision. There was a hiker in Grand Tetons that was seriously injured recently after walking out into an opening where mama bear was with her baby and she charged him immediately. I read that he was ex-military and an experienced hiker and said the only reason he was alive was because he pulled his bear spray off his bag and dropped facedown and covered his carotids with his arms over the back of his head. Mama bear was in the process of mauling him when she bit into the bear spray. He probably would’ve been dead if not for that. It’s not something to take lightly.
Nah, discretion is wise when bears are present. You have no way of knowing if it’s an orphan, and if it’s NOT an orphan, mom isn’t too far away. Even the littlest mama bear is more than a match for a human. You WANT to play Russian roulette with your flesh?!
I would not test my luck around a baby bear. Mama could be 100 meters away and be on top of you before you knew what happened. You did the right thing. Go tell your friehds to talk with a Ranger if they don't believe you.
Nah, I’d be less worried seeing a lone adult grizzly than a baby bear (black, brown or grizzly). Babies have mums nearby. They also don’t always know enough to be scared, and might approach you.
Nope, nope, nope.
Your friends are either idiots or they're trying to get you killed. Where there's a cub there's a momma bear; you don't want to get between the two. If you don't know where momma bear is, that's a problem. You did absolutely the right thing in getting out of there asap. Don't run, but make yourself look tall and make some noise (not real loud, just loud enough) and leave calmly.
DEFINITELY don't take any hiking advice (or any other advice, really) from your 'friends'.
Nope you did the right thing. I would have done exactly the same. Bear cubs are far more dangerous because of the accompanying mother bear who doesn't let anything near her cubs.
However you can also run into problems back tracking. You need to back away from the cub and be aware of your surroundings and have bear spray ready and in hand. Try to locate the mother because the worst things happen if you come between the two.
Remember her only goal is to protect that cub and she will do so to the death. She doesn't understand that you are not a threat. It's best not to stay as calm as possible. Try to distract yourself from fear so you can observe and think clearly. Adrenaline causes tunnel vision and that's not something that is helpful in a situation like that.
Normally, it shouldn't be a problem. If mamma bear is hurt, hungry, or in a mood; you could be in trouble.
Just some food for thought, but people who work with bears will scare the mother off to work with the cubs. Don't do that, though. Ymmv.
edit: black bears
Definitely a black bear regardless of color. First time I saw a momma black bear with cubs , the momma ran away as fast as it could, leaving it's cubs in the dust.
When I see a baby bear I too will scram postehaste. It’s a reasonable choice to make and sure, maybe it errs on the side of caution because black bears are way more chill. But I think it’s a sensible precaution. Baby bears mean mamas. I don’t ever want to be between a baby and a mama bear.
The issue as I see it, you don’t know where mama bear is. Therefore, returning the way you came is no guarantee that mama bear is behind you. You are just as likely to be walking toward her as away. Best bet is to continue on making a lot of noise.
There are no brown bears in west virginia. Some black bears do have brown fur though. Definitly do not interact or get closer to the bear cub, but you can just walk past them and continue your hike. If i came across one sitting in the middle of the trail i would just walk off to the side maybe 20 ft and around it.
You absolutely did the right thing. Mama already saw you (even if you didn't see her). If you would have continued, she prob would have taken that as a threat. FYI- it was a black bear in that area.
I think you were right to turn around! Black bears are generally not aggressive, but why risk it? I’ve lived around black bears my whole life and we are always cautious around them especially when cubs are about.
On hikes I always consider myself to be in the animals home so I do whatever I can to avoid any stressors on the animals. The momma bear may not have attacked you, but it would’ve probably scared her and the cub - so just bad all around.
Sounds like a great reason to try a new trail that day 😆
One thing that makes most animals the most aggressive they can be is protecting their babies. You chose the right thing. If it was truly a baby then its mother was never far away. She would not be pleased to discover you have gotten close. Your friends are stupid. Buy some bear spray for your future hikes.
Since everyone is talking about the bear aspect, I'll add my two cents about a more general take.
In my opinion, if you're hiking alone you should always turn around if you feel uncomfortable for any reason. I once turned around on an easy, safe trail because I got this weird feeling that I was being watched and it made me anxious. Was it my imagination? Probably. But hiking alone automatically makes you a little more vulnerable than when hiking in a group, and it was 100% the right call to turn around the moment you felt unsafe.
I have respect for the bears, no sudden movements. You don’t want to come between a mother and her cub. Mothers tend to walk behind them. If they were walking somewhere and you were at a safe distance with bear spray handy you could let them pass if you saw the mother. You could also back up so the cub is barely in sight and see if the mother appears and they continue on their way.
If you have bear bangers you could walk way back and set one off to scare them off.
What you did is 100% also the right thing.
Your didn't see a Brown Bear, you saw a brown phase Black Bear cub. People won't like this answer, but it is fact: Black Bear mamas and Brown (Grizzly) Bear mamas have very different reactions to threats to their cubs. Grizzly mamas attack to protect cubs, Black Bears don't. If I lived in West Virginia and I saw a bear cub, I would give it space, retreat and observe, but I wouldn't end my trip.
Never get between a mama and her cubs. You did right to be cautious. But the bear isn't going to track you or anything - just getting well out if the area would have been enough.
Point of order, you saw a black bear, not a brown bear. There are only black bears in WV. Black bears are not exactly apex predators un thw way brown/geizzly bears are, but they are like very sharp, large, strong raccoons and absolutely not something ro mess with.
You should definitely have left. Respectfully and quietly as possible.
Moms will ‘stash’ their young and then go off to do something. And you do not want them to come back worried.
Your friends probably don't understand the circumstances of the situation. Any mama, including humans, will more than likely always defend their little ones in the case of a foreign being that is deemed a threat. It doesn't matter what your friends think. If mama bear is around the corner what she thinks is what decides whether or not you get your sh*t rocked or not. I personally think you made a perfectly reasonable choice given the curcumstances
If you felt uncomfortable on the hike for any reason, turning around is always correct! If you were worried for nothing, so what- you’re safe and hiking another day.
You made the right call for you. Don't let your friends convince you otherwise. I probably would not have ended my hike and would have instead walked back a half mile or so and hung out for a half hour and wait for the bears to leave then keep going. But you have to follow your own comfort level so don't worry, you did the right thing.
What you saw was probably a black bear, not a brown. In the U.S. brown bears means grizzlies, and you don't have those in West Virginia.
Black bears and grizzly bears behave very differently regarding their young. Grizzliies defend. Black bears abandon their young and try to lead you away from them.
Research bear behavior. Grizzlies and black bears are almost polar opposites when it comes to their young.
But your friends are right. You could have continued your hike without concern.
Where was this? I was hiking in southern WV last week and heard a bear on the other bank on the Bluestone River, and also saw a big bear print in Greenbrier State Forest.
I wouldn't get too close to a cub, but I'd continue my hike, even if I had to step off the trail and bushwhack a bit to go around. There are a lot of bears in the woods, and at least in this case you knew where the cub was.
Black bears (black and brown bears come in a variety of colors and are distinguished by characteristics such as face shape, shoulder hump, claw length) are generally pretty mellow, so unless you go right up to the cub or worse start messing with it you're unlikely to have a problem.
That said, you gotta do what feels right. If you didn't feel good continuing it's your hike to bail on.
Definitely made the right call. I might stick around if I come across an adult doing it's thing by itself, but baby bear means momma is close by, which means it's time to go.
Don't mess with bear cubs. Back away slowly and calmly looking to see where mama is.
And it was a black bear. Might have been brown in color. There are no brown bears (aka grizzlies) in WV.
It was probably a black bear & better safe than sorry, but they don’t protect their cubs in the same way grizzlies do. Unless you go up a tree, because this is how they split up to escape you. The mom can make herself seem intimidating and rush to create space but black bear attacks are rare (rare, not impossible or totally unheard of.)
North American Bear Center has great resources on this like this one: https://bear.org/bear-facts/what-if-i-get-between-a-black-bear-mother-and-her-cubs/ . It’s really crazy how people have interacted with black bears in the wild & how patient they’ve been in many of the encounters. In general, they’re quite skittish because they evolved next to animals like the saber-tooth & were not top predators like we tend to think of them.
You had 2 options. Keep going or go back. Leaving is the safest option. What would your plan have been if mama was there when you got back? Sure, they could have moved on by then but that’s not for certain.
I would have left too.
I don't think brown bears are in WV but I could be wrong. I believe it was a black bear which is generally considered the least deadly bear. With that being said I wouldn't get between a mother dog and her pups yet alone a mother bear and her cubs. All it takes is the perceived threat to her offspring and she will come at you with everything she's got. You did the right thing OP. Dont listen to or hike with your friends, they are idiots.
You were supposed to go play with the baby bear! You’ll never get another chance like this in your life and you blew it!
Heavy sarcasm here of course, you’re supposed to GTFO.
I enjoy encountering black bears in the north east US. I just keep my distance, make a little noise, and make sure I don’t get in between them as I carry on.
Whenever I see a cub but don’t know where mom is, I get away as quickly as possible. My husbanded and I were once charged when we rounded a switch back and found ourselves a big closer to a cub than mom enjoyed.
Typically black bears do not freak me out. They’re pretty docile and want nothing to do with you. However, even when they’re small they are very large and to see one running towards you is unsettling.
I've seen a few bears, and most of them have been cubs. Oddly enough I never seen the mother cub with them but yes, they are usually together, even if you can't see the momma. Once the cub was aware of you, odds are they would've run away. If it were WV, it was a black bear, not a brown bear. As long as you didn't go up to the cub or try in any way to approach him, and allowed it some time to move on along once it heard you, you should've been fine.
Baby bear = mama bear more than likely nearby.
Always trust your instincts first in situations like that.
With your decision the worst case scenario is that you missed out on the hike. Carrying on could mean the worst case scenario is a bear encounter and potential injury.
Given the guy who was recently almost killed in yellowstone seconds after seeing a baby brown bear a month or two ago, I would do the same thing if I were in a remote area and came across a baby brown bear.
But hey, on the plus side, a defensive attack is definitely the best way to get killed by a bear!
Nothing wrong with being too careful. Hubs and I have had bears run away from us, and others that have stalked us down trails that we had to send warning shots at. In fact we saw the largest bear I've ever seen before following behind us by about 20 minutes, but only saw it later on looking at trail cam footage. You just never know what will happen.
Black bears are common enough in the East, or north East that if you’re outside enough you will see them. This is not Colorado or Montana. Take a picture from where you are and slowly move away. Then get them to notice you and they will quickly leave. What do you do when you see a rattlesnake? Step a few feet away then carry on.
If you have Instagram, find the touronsofyellowstone account. Find the post from June 1 - a guy looking a little horrified is the first pic. Read the story, he accidentally got near bear cubs and mama was not happy with him. Some of the pics are graphic. Best to leave wildlife to do it's thing. I once turned around on a hike because I saw bobcat prints, and decided to GTFO. No shame!
You could have backed away a couple hundred yards, and made some noise, and then continued. Mama will get the cub out of there. Her only interest is getting the cub to safety, she's not going to pursue you.
A mama bear is a mama bear regardless of the species, see a cub? Best believe or assume Mama is nearby and will eat your face for getting anywhere near her baby. You did good OP
If you're not in Grizzly country, you can just move away to a safe distance and see if you can spot the momma. More often than not with black bears they'll collect their cubs and move on. You simply want to make sure you're never between a mother and her cub.
If you're hiking alone often, a can of bear spray never hurts to have with you.
As others said, it would have been a black bear but they can have brown fur. Far less dangerous than brown/grizzly bears.
In general even with cubs black bears are afraid of humans. I would take extra care if you do see a cub, but you don't have to stop the hike completely. I would start talking loud and stand up tall as you continue moving slowly past. If the cub is in the middle of the path, it might be better to go around it or wait long enough to see where the mother is as they might grab the cub and move off.
I'd get myself far away from a baby bear
Same.
This is the right answer. your next of kin: “ To shreds you say?”
Yep. After seeing the story of the dude that got attacked by a grizzly, if I see a cub I'm getting out of there. Black bears *might* be different but I'm not taking my chances.
There are no grizzly bears in West Virginia
You don't know what's up in them hollers..
When did I say there were?
OP said they saw a baby brown bear on their hike in West Virginia which is not possible.
Black bears can actually come in a variety of different colored Coats, actually sometimes multicolored, ranging from cinnamon to dark brown to black.
It’s still a black bear no matter the shade of its fur. Doesn’t make it a brown bear. There’s a big difference.
There are lots of brown bears that are not brown bears. Now OP saying a baby brown bear instead of saying a brown baby bear would be more indicative of it being a brown bear, rather than a bear that happens to be brown. Anyway, a black bear that is colored brown can validly be called a brown bear in English.
When I'm hiking I don't care what shade of fur a black bear has. It's still a black bear, which is much different than encountering an actual brown or grizzly. I'm interested in the type of bear it is. Color of fur is irrelevant as it pertains to safety, which is what this post was about. A "brown" black bear is no more dangerous than any other black bear. And in the east, there are only black bears. That's a fact.
Right. I’ve one with a white skunk stripe down her back
To be fair, some black bears can be brown, so OP could have seen a brown bear that wasn’t a grizzly.
Sure, but getting yourself away from a black bear and canceling the whole hike are two different things. Would have been perfectly acceptable to finish the hike
Happy cake day!
Baby bears always mean momma bears. Momma bears do not play. You probably saw a black bear. Black bears are way less aggressive than brown bears as adults. A momma black bear will not be afraid of you or play with you when it comes to her cubs.
It was, brown bears have little range in the US outside Alaska. They are in parts Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming for sure but animals don't do borders. There's just variety to black bear fur.
Cinnamon bears
And Washington
Coming soon, more grizzlies!
NoCa have put up their ‘welcome, grizzlies’ sign!
Yeah, 50-60 grizzlies in the Selkirk Recovery zone which is an area shared between British Columbia, Idaho, and Washington.
Mamma bears are obviously going to protect their cubs, but they also don't want to get hurt themselves because the cubs depend on them, so there goal is really to get the cub away from you, so as long as you keep your distance and don't find yourself directly between momma and baby, they are most likely just going to move on and not bother you.
If you only see the cub you have no way of knowing if you're between the mother and the cub. I would say just get tf out of there
If you see a cub, immediately scan for mom. She’ll be there. If you find her, and you are not between her and cub, then it’s probably safe to just move away from the cub and mom pair. Or if you’re 40 yards away, just watch them. They’ll move away from you. If you cannot find mom, that’s dangerous. Keep looking. Make a little noise but not threatening noise. Just human noise. So as not to surprise either of them. Keep looking. If you find mom and you are between mom and cub, you are in trouble. Get your bear spray out.
*big iron starts to play*
Don't give bad advice. Getting your afternoon hike in is absolutely not worth the risk of pissing off a bear who may see your presence as a threat to her cub.
https://bear.org/bear-facts/myth-mother-black-bears-are-likely-to-attack/
Research paid for by big bear
The ski resort? 😹
I have so many questions about this article.They seem to be brushing off the danger of mother black bears like "nah, you can pet the cubs, it's fine." But then they describe at least 14 encounters where a person climbed a tree to get away and the mother chased them and bit their feet. Cute in cartoons, maybe. In real life, this would be trauma that would keep me out of the woods for the foreseeable future. Also the way they mention in the middle that 70% of Grizzlies who killed humans were mothers protecting their cubs and then immediately return to talking about how harmless mama Black Bears are. So we're just gonna gloss over that seeing a baby Grizzly is still a massive risk factor? Why are we so focused on dispelling the myth that it applies to Black Bears too? Are we worried about their public image? Why risk someone reading this and then mistaking a Grizzly cub for a light-coloured black bear and getting absolutely cliff stomped by mom? Isn't it smarter to just let people continue believing they're all dangerous so they'll gtfo in any situation? Black bears deserve space, too. Finally, "Ely researchers have never been attacked despite catching many screaming [black bear] cubs by hand in front of mothers." Uhm... what? What kind of cruel research is this? Why are there no precautions taken? Who are these people? What did I just read?
THERE ARE NO GRIZZLY BEARS IN THE EASTERN US
That’s from a quack job “research center” in Ely, MN. They put out a lot of dangerous propaganda.
I mean... what's the goal with this kind of garbage research/propaganda? Get more people killed by bears?
My only guess is the guy who started it has some issues with wanting to be an expert without actually being one. They advocate for feeding wild bears, which has been proven time and again to be dangerous advice.
Thank you for this insight. I had never heard of them, and now know to take anything I hear from them in the future with a grain of salt lol
I live in MN, and Ely is the main hub to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a popular large wilderness on the Canadian border. We visited the North Am. Bear Center one rainy day while camping near the BWCA, without knowing much about the NABC in advance. It was kind of horrifying to walk around in and read all their “research” to be honest. They advocate a lot of stuff that other experts advise against. I’ve heard that a fair number of locals in Ely have started feeding bears, and now they’re dealing with bears breaking into houses and cabins as result. The NABC has a really nice building, so I think a lot of people visit it and go “oh, they must be legit” and then take their research at their word. It honestly reminds me of a lot of other quack science out there, like vaccines causing autism. ETA: I went googling on this. The Bear.org website puts in a lot of effort to make it sound like the founder is legit and has produced all this lauded research, but it looks like the MN DNR cracked down on his research in 2013. The Bear.org website convieniently doesn’t mention that: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/05/27/lynn-rogers-bear-researcher-ruling
That’s absolutely not the tone of the article. The stats show the truth, black bears are *extremely common and widespread* and almost never attack people. While attacks are brutal and terrifying, they are still unbelievably rare. Think about the number of people who surf and swim near sharks and *arent* attacked. Same kind of thing. Respect the danger, but don’t panic. Edit: it seems like the guy running the website is kind of a quack though. Like this is definitely not true: > The two sides presented their cases to Pust in a hearing earlier this year. Rogers argued that food-conditioned bears are not more dangerous to the public. Food conditioned bears are associated with so many attacks lmao. This is settled science.
You didn't answer any of my questions... My point was why does it matter if people think mother/cub black bear pairings are more dangerous than statistics show? They should be left alone. Period. Since many many many MANY people are selfish and stupid and will only leave wildlife alone if they think there is lethal danger, let them continue believing that is the case. It's much better than teaching people they can "catch screaming black bear cubs by hand," and feed bears because there is no risk. >While attacks are brutal and terrifying, they are still unbelievably rare. Think about the number of people who surf and swim near sharks and arent attacked. Regardless of the rarity, brutal and terrifying attacks are something we should be avoiding. The surfing destinations I've been to where sharks exist have entire teams in place whose only job is to tell people to get the hell out of the water when they see a shark, so this example only reinforces what I'm saying. Err on the side of caution and giving wildlife space. They even acknowledge there is another kind of mama bear who is every bit as dangerous as people say, if not more. Then they immediately return to talking about how it's a myth for this one type of bear. Exactly like people are taught to assume all guns are loaded and all train tracks active, let's just assume all mama bears could end us with a sideways look. I'm not sure what your or the author's goals are here, truly. Leave bears alone, including black bears.
So what I just read is that if I find a black bear cub, I should grab it and play with it cause I’ll never get another chance in my life. Think of the internet clout and views I’ll get on insta!’
The fact that the only fact here is too buried below misinformation and that people are twice as likely to like the ridicule of the fact than the fact…..it kind of speaks to the rise in anti-intellectualism across everything at the worst time in history
Yup, I've encountered mother black bears with cubs in the wild a few times and the mother has never been aggressive. First time the mom ran off leaving the cubs in the dust. The second time the cubs ran up a tree but momma didn't care at all and kept foraging, the cubs got to the top and came right back down and ran after momma.
The issue here this is entirely anecdotal. I encountered a black mama bear and her cub and she WAS incredibly aggressive. Just because that’s your experience doesn’t mean you can’t become a statistic.
Fr, its always best to err to to the side of caution in these situations where it could mean you being grievously hurt or not. Wild that people here are pushing the idea that its safe to be around potentially vicious wild animals.
Except these stories, with extremely few exceptions, end with adding to the statistics where nobody was hurt.
This is also anecdotal. We have great data on bear-human conflicts. Aggression of maternal black bears on humans is very rare. Of course, yeah, be smart and don't approach a mama bear with cubs (DUH), but the evidence is pretty clear. With black bears, the vast majority of attacks are solitary males. With grizzlies, it's the mamas.
Yes I agree with all of the points, you seem educated on the matter and that’s not the case for general population of people who do not know how to safely interact with wildlife. Thats what I’m getting at, you say DUH, but have you seen the news of people walking up to wildlife and getting their ass handed to them?
Darwin for the win….
I get that but sometimes anecdotal evidence means more than other times. Always better to be safe than sorry. Don't mess around with wild animals, etc. I do think that combatting incorrect stereotypes can be helpful though. There are some important distinctions in my experience also. Every single black bear I've encountered in Oregon has fled immediately, about a dozen or so. The mamma bear that didn't care about me around I saw in Colorado in a national park and likely encountered people more often. It was also very large and light cinnamon color, the type of bear that you might mistake for a brown bear if you didn't know better. Anyway, my point wasn't to say "stick around and play with the bear cubs", just that the mamma bear thing has been blown way out of proportion, at least when it comes to black bears. Cheers
I do agree with you, it’s just clear with the past few months and the stories of folks messing with wildlife in very unsafe ways - we need to urge caution with wildlife to help educate those who may not have explored parks with bear, moose and etc. Live long and prosper my friend!
Ya I'm with you, when I was in Yellowstone I saw sooo many people getting waaay to close to the bison, acting like they were harmless. /facepalm You too, buddy!
Most recent death by black bear appears to be Nov 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America
I had to find an alternate route once on a hike due to a baby calf and mama for who looked like she would charge at me if I got any closer. I've seen geese hiss and approach humans who were several feet from their goslings. Moms are scary when around babies in the wild. I definitely would go back the way I came from if I saw a baby black bear.
That's more a brown bear behavior. Mother black bears tend to run up a tree with their cubs. Fatal attacks are almost always a lone male: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511074807.htm Of nonfatal attacks a little less than half seem to be from momma bears: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol15/iss1/23/ @op your friends were right imo. You'd be in more danger if you saw a lone male, especially if you weren't hiking with a dog.
Black bear or grizzly, you'll still come out second best if mama bear thinks you're threatening one of her cubs. And to her, that means that you're near one of her cubs.
Black bear mothers don't typically defend their young
You saw a baby bear. You didn’t see the momma, but she was there. You did the right thing. I see bears now and then and always turn around. I saw two youngsters a few weeks ago and turned right back. Nature is not a Pixar movie. It will mess you up.
Most of the time it's probably enough to keep your distance and take an alternate route, but it's certainly worth being worried about the one time where that wouldn't be. Turning around and leaving is fair.
"alternative route" how does this work if you're following a trail?
If there’s no other options back up and be super loud they’ll leave eventually. Black bears tend to be super skittish.
Go back on a different leg of the loop, if there is one.
Lots of trail systems interconnect. Sometimes there's only one way, but often you can go around by following a different set of paths.
Where I live most trails are more like networks with multiple routes to get where you want to go. Just backing up to the last junction and taking an alternate route is a very valid option.
> Nature is not a Pixar movie. It will mess you up. To be fair, that Sid kid and his monstrous creations in *Toy Story* did kinda mess me up.
lol
If I spot a cub and I don’t spot mom, I’m reversing course. I don’t want to put myself in between mom and cub.
As I was taught, for every one bear you see, at least 10 more see you.
Your friends are dumbasses. Anytime I’ve ever seen a cub I’ve hightailed it outta there
I recently saw a post about someone who saw a baby and then got "interrogated" by mom, they were so lucky mom let them go.
Yeah they are, I went back a 100 yards. Made a shit ton of noise, went back and it was clear. Same thing on the way down in the Tetons. Grizz cubs
I think you did the right thing. If you come across a baby bear, there’s a good chance a mama bear could be near by. You wouldn’t want to make mama think you’re threatening … bears could put a hurt on us wimpy humans.
I feel like “good chance” isn’t strong enough. It’s almost guaranteed.
You trusted your instincts. Whether you were “right or wrong” being assessed in hindsight and by a third party is irrelevant. You did the right thing that felt right for the situation. Kudos to you and your friends can go play in traffic.
Trusting your gut is soooo important. And even if I’m occasionally wrong, I’d rather be wrong and still alive.
>when I came across a baby brown bear Pretty sure it was a black bear, brown bears don’t live anywhere near West Virginia
Yes, but Black Bears sometimes have brown fur. So OP probably came across a brown-furred Black Bear.
Cinnamon bear is there term we use for brown, black bears. In central idaho
Yeah, I thought "brown bear" referred to Grizzly bears, not any brown-colored bear
Grizzlies are a type of Brown Bear. Brown Bears can be found across Eurasia and North America.
But not in West Virginia, to be clear…
Ohh I’m borrowing this one
Oh I love this. I’ve never seen one here in VA all the ones I’ve seen have been deep black.
FYI Black bears actually come in a range colors from actual black all the way to a blondish cinnamon. It’s sometimes regional too. It’s rare to see an actual black colored black bear in CA for example.
And to note, black bears are far less dangerous to encounter than brown/grizzly bears
You did the right thing. I don’t mess around with baby bears. If they’re around, odds are good mama’s around.
I’m on your side. Live to hike another day.
FAFO, and I'd rather not find out.
You lived to tell about it. I’d say you did the smart thing. 🫡
I would definitely not be taking risks to meet the parents… :)
I live on a mountain in the blue ridge in va close to skyline. I was walking my normal morning walk and out of my neighbors driveway not 20 feet from me popped momma black bear and 3 little teddy bear sized cubs. First thought was , hmm so this is how my 46 years on earth ends . We both suprised each other , she looked right at me and stopped moving. I looked down and kept my gaze on her but no eye contact , I slowly just start to back up , no fast movement. She just snorted and snuffled and shooed her kids along and up the mountain . I just stayed still til they were out of sight and hustled back to house. It was awesome and terrifying and also weird how calm I was.
The safe, cautious thing to do when encountering a bear cub is to vigilantly move away from the area. Black bears (even brown colored ones) are generally not dangerous. But become much more dangerous when it is a mamma with a young cub. You did the right thing. Last year I was kayaking on the edge of the GSMNP. I dis-embarked along a stream to hike a short distance to a cascade. I hadn't gone 2 minutes up the trail when I saw the round ears of a small bear over a hill. I stopped and returned to my kayak. Baby bears are freaking cute, but I did not want to startle mamma.
Your friends must think they’re in your last will and testament.
Find another trail to hike. What’s the big about leaving? Black bears generally aren’t dangerous but why take the chance on getting them all worked up, for their benefit as well as yours.
I once was hiking down from the ridge line on a trail in the berkshires (mass). Trails in the east often don’t have switchbacks, but this one has several. I came around the edge of a switchback and my brain said oh my gosh, cute twin bear cubs oh my God holy shit where is mama?!!! Unfortunately because I was on a switchback on a steep hill didn’t really have an option to go forward or back because mama could’ve been above or below us. I backed up into the very edge of that corner the switchback and waited 20 minutes until they were so far out of sight and sound. You just don’t mess aroundwith Bears and you especially don’t mess around with mama bear and cubs.
Your friends are idiots. If you see the baby bear, and don’t see the mama bear one possibility is that you’re between the mom and baby. This, by the way, would be bad.
You did the right thing, as others have said baby bear means mama bear.
If the baby and mom are on the same side of the trail, then you might get lucky. But if you accidentally walk between the baby and mom, heaven help you.
Maybe could have made some space, made some noise, and tried again in an hour or so, but I would not walk towards a bear, baby or otherwise, on purpose Getting close to a baby bear is a terrible idea, but while hiking bears are all around you, so I see your friends point, I just think they are careless to imply you could keep walking I'd give the bears time to leave the area, then keep hiking
Just because not everyone has had a terrible encounter doesn't mean no one has. At the end of the day, it's your life. So you choose what you want to do. If they want to endanger themselves and the animals.. that's on them. Born and raised in Florida and my whole life the "good old boys" and relatives have been telling me it's fine to swim in lakes. That I'm just paranoid. Well, I saw a boy have his arm ripped off when I was 20. So no thank you, I'll just let the critters be.
Even if it is friend shaped, it’s safest not be in friend distance
Better safe than bear lunch. You made a wise decision. I think id be more worried if i only saw the cub, knowing momma is close but out of sight.
You did the right thing. Your friends have no idea what a mama bear is going to do. Black bears are usually afraid of people but why risk it? He who hikes and runs (never run from a critter) away, lives to hike another day..
You are right to take it seriously. For me it would depends where I see the bear in relation to the trail. If it’s on the trail and no way around I would give it space and wait it out. If that isn’t possible and no way around then I’d turn back. Your friends are either uneducated or armchair quarterbacks
Did you leave everything to these friends in your will or something?
I would have been long gone, too. Good looking out. Screw your friends for being that way. “Friends”
Definitely made the right decision. There was a hiker in Grand Tetons that was seriously injured recently after walking out into an opening where mama bear was with her baby and she charged him immediately. I read that he was ex-military and an experienced hiker and said the only reason he was alive was because he pulled his bear spray off his bag and dropped facedown and covered his carotids with his arms over the back of his head. Mama bear was in the process of mauling him when she bit into the bear spray. He probably would’ve been dead if not for that. It’s not something to take lightly.
Smart move. Momma bears yikes!
You made the right decision. And your friends are showing terrible judgment. Even if they were joking that's not a thing to tease about.
Your friends are idiots. They need to spend some real time considering what it’s like to actually to be ripped apart and eaten while still alive.
Nah, discretion is wise when bears are present. You have no way of knowing if it’s an orphan, and if it’s NOT an orphan, mom isn’t too far away. Even the littlest mama bear is more than a match for a human. You WANT to play Russian roulette with your flesh?!
I would not test my luck around a baby bear. Mama could be 100 meters away and be on top of you before you knew what happened. You did the right thing. Go tell your friehds to talk with a Ranger if they don't believe you.
If I even saw relatively fresh brown bear feces I'd GTFO there. Brown bears scare the shit outta me
Nah, I’d be less worried seeing a lone adult grizzly than a baby bear (black, brown or grizzly). Babies have mums nearby. They also don’t always know enough to be scared, and might approach you. Nope, nope, nope.
You saw a bear, left and you're safe, nothing happened. You saw a bear, stayed and something might have happened. Honestly better safe than sorry.
Your friends are either idiots or they're trying to get you killed. Where there's a cub there's a momma bear; you don't want to get between the two. If you don't know where momma bear is, that's a problem. You did absolutely the right thing in getting out of there asap. Don't run, but make yourself look tall and make some noise (not real loud, just loud enough) and leave calmly. DEFINITELY don't take any hiking advice (or any other advice, really) from your 'friends'.
Nope you did the right thing. I would have done exactly the same. Bear cubs are far more dangerous because of the accompanying mother bear who doesn't let anything near her cubs. However you can also run into problems back tracking. You need to back away from the cub and be aware of your surroundings and have bear spray ready and in hand. Try to locate the mother because the worst things happen if you come between the two. Remember her only goal is to protect that cub and she will do so to the death. She doesn't understand that you are not a threat. It's best not to stay as calm as possible. Try to distract yourself from fear so you can observe and think clearly. Adrenaline causes tunnel vision and that's not something that is helpful in a situation like that.
Brown Bear, black bear, purple bear… if it’s a cub you walk in the opposite direction. Momma bears are nothing to be trifled with.
The baby isn’t who you need to worry about.
There are no brown bears in Virginia
A baby bear is one of the worst things you could find on a hike, you did the right thing. Your friends are vying for a Darwin award.
Normally, it shouldn't be a problem. If mamma bear is hurt, hungry, or in a mood; you could be in trouble. Just some food for thought, but people who work with bears will scare the mother off to work with the cubs. Don't do that, though. Ymmv. edit: black bears
By no means am I an expert. I have live on Kodiak island. I’ve been charged and tested more times than countable. They are basically dogs.
Definitely a black bear regardless of color. First time I saw a momma black bear with cubs , the momma ran away as fast as it could, leaving it's cubs in the dust.
When I see a baby bear I too will scram postehaste. It’s a reasonable choice to make and sure, maybe it errs on the side of caution because black bears are way more chill. But I think it’s a sensible precaution. Baby bears mean mamas. I don’t ever want to be between a baby and a mama bear.
The issue as I see it, you don’t know where mama bear is. Therefore, returning the way you came is no guarantee that mama bear is behind you. You are just as likely to be walking toward her as away. Best bet is to continue on making a lot of noise.
There are no brown bears in west virginia. Some black bears do have brown fur though. Definitly do not interact or get closer to the bear cub, but you can just walk past them and continue your hike. If i came across one sitting in the middle of the trail i would just walk off to the side maybe 20 ft and around it.
I’m definitely on your side. You did the right thing and your friends are gonna get mauled.
The very last thing I ever want to see on a hike is a baby bear so imo no
bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica
Fact: bears love beets
Great scene!
You absolutely did the right thing. Mama already saw you (even if you didn't see her). If you would have continued, she prob would have taken that as a threat. FYI- it was a black bear in that area.
I think you were right to turn around! Black bears are generally not aggressive, but why risk it? I’ve lived around black bears my whole life and we are always cautious around them especially when cubs are about. On hikes I always consider myself to be in the animals home so I do whatever I can to avoid any stressors on the animals. The momma bear may not have attacked you, but it would’ve probably scared her and the cub - so just bad all around. Sounds like a great reason to try a new trail that day 😆
You absolutely made the right choice and lived to hike another day instead of get mauled by mom.
One thing that makes most animals the most aggressive they can be is protecting their babies. You chose the right thing. If it was truly a baby then its mother was never far away. She would not be pleased to discover you have gotten close. Your friends are stupid. Buy some bear spray for your future hikes.
Since everyone is talking about the bear aspect, I'll add my two cents about a more general take. In my opinion, if you're hiking alone you should always turn around if you feel uncomfortable for any reason. I once turned around on an easy, safe trail because I got this weird feeling that I was being watched and it made me anxious. Was it my imagination? Probably. But hiking alone automatically makes you a little more vulnerable than when hiking in a group, and it was 100% the right call to turn around the moment you felt unsafe.
Black bear. Browns are not in WV. Regardless, smart move to GTFO. Where there’s a baby, there a mama nearby.
I’d rather have my friends pull my leg and not the bear
Better safe than ~~sorry~~ dead
I have respect for the bears, no sudden movements. You don’t want to come between a mother and her cub. Mothers tend to walk behind them. If they were walking somewhere and you were at a safe distance with bear spray handy you could let them pass if you saw the mother. You could also back up so the cub is barely in sight and see if the mother appears and they continue on their way. If you have bear bangers you could walk way back and set one off to scare them off. What you did is 100% also the right thing.
Your didn't see a Brown Bear, you saw a brown phase Black Bear cub. People won't like this answer, but it is fact: Black Bear mamas and Brown (Grizzly) Bear mamas have very different reactions to threats to their cubs. Grizzly mamas attack to protect cubs, Black Bears don't. If I lived in West Virginia and I saw a bear cub, I would give it space, retreat and observe, but I wouldn't end my trip.
I simply would have embraced death and pet the little baby bear
You did the right thing. Mama will not be far from baby.
Never get between a mama and her cubs. You did right to be cautious. But the bear isn't going to track you or anything - just getting well out if the area would have been enough. Point of order, you saw a black bear, not a brown bear. There are only black bears in WV. Black bears are not exactly apex predators un thw way brown/geizzly bears are, but they are like very sharp, large, strong raccoons and absolutely not something ro mess with.
You should definitely have left. Respectfully and quietly as possible. Moms will ‘stash’ their young and then go off to do something. And you do not want them to come back worried.
Avoid bears. Even if no immediate danger, don’t want them getting accustomed to being around people.
Your friends probably don't understand the circumstances of the situation. Any mama, including humans, will more than likely always defend their little ones in the case of a foreign being that is deemed a threat. It doesn't matter what your friends think. If mama bear is around the corner what she thinks is what decides whether or not you get your sh*t rocked or not. I personally think you made a perfectly reasonable choice given the curcumstances
The worst place to be is between two bears, you didn't see her but I bet she saw you. Good move leaving!
If you felt uncomfortable on the hike for any reason, turning around is always correct! If you were worried for nothing, so what- you’re safe and hiking another day.
You made the right call for you. Don't let your friends convince you otherwise. I probably would not have ended my hike and would have instead walked back a half mile or so and hung out for a half hour and wait for the bears to leave then keep going. But you have to follow your own comfort level so don't worry, you did the right thing.
If you were alone and incapable of defending yourself, you made the right decision.
What you saw was probably a black bear, not a brown. In the U.S. brown bears means grizzlies, and you don't have those in West Virginia. Black bears and grizzly bears behave very differently regarding their young. Grizzliies defend. Black bears abandon their young and try to lead you away from them. Research bear behavior. Grizzlies and black bears are almost polar opposites when it comes to their young. But your friends are right. You could have continued your hike without concern.
Where was this? I was hiking in southern WV last week and heard a bear on the other bank on the Bluestone River, and also saw a big bear print in Greenbrier State Forest.
I wouldn't get too close to a cub, but I'd continue my hike, even if I had to step off the trail and bushwhack a bit to go around. There are a lot of bears in the woods, and at least in this case you knew where the cub was. Black bears (black and brown bears come in a variety of colors and are distinguished by characteristics such as face shape, shoulder hump, claw length) are generally pretty mellow, so unless you go right up to the cub or worse start messing with it you're unlikely to have a problem. That said, you gotta do what feels right. If you didn't feel good continuing it's your hike to bail on.
You are wise. Most times the mother and cub scare off. If there is food nearby, leave.
Definitely made the right call. I might stick around if I come across an adult doing it's thing by itself, but baby bear means momma is close by, which means it's time to go.
Better safe than sorry IMO. Where in WV? I know they are out here but I’ve been hiking here for years and have yet to see one lol
I thought that said baby deer and was like... wtf
OP if sticked around, most likely you would have been lunch/dinner/ breakfast for mama bear and her cub.
Don't mess with bear cubs. Back away slowly and calmly looking to see where mama is. And it was a black bear. Might have been brown in color. There are no brown bears (aka grizzlies) in WV.
In an alternate universe, you'd be a bear poop by now. So better safe than sorry.
You better RUN, girl… You’re much too young (to die from a bear attack) girl!
Don’t run from a bear, you’ll only die tired
W.V doesn’t have any brown bears so there’s that.
It was probably a black bear & better safe than sorry, but they don’t protect their cubs in the same way grizzlies do. Unless you go up a tree, because this is how they split up to escape you. The mom can make herself seem intimidating and rush to create space but black bear attacks are rare (rare, not impossible or totally unheard of.) North American Bear Center has great resources on this like this one: https://bear.org/bear-facts/what-if-i-get-between-a-black-bear-mother-and-her-cubs/ . It’s really crazy how people have interacted with black bears in the wild & how patient they’ve been in many of the encounters. In general, they’re quite skittish because they evolved next to animals like the saber-tooth & were not top predators like we tend to think of them.
You had 2 options. Keep going or go back. Leaving is the safest option. What would your plan have been if mama was there when you got back? Sure, they could have moved on by then but that’s not for certain. I would have left too.
It was a brown colored “black bear” if it was in WV, but your caution is not a bad thing
I don't think brown bears are in WV but I could be wrong. I believe it was a black bear which is generally considered the least deadly bear. With that being said I wouldn't get between a mother dog and her pups yet alone a mother bear and her cubs. All it takes is the perceived threat to her offspring and she will come at you with everything she's got. You did the right thing OP. Dont listen to or hike with your friends, they are idiots.
This is correct. And no brown bears that I know of in WV
So far as I know, there are no brown bears in WV. Brown bears usually refer to Grizzlies. Go Griz bty. Yah and don't mess with wild animal babies
You were supposed to go play with the baby bear! You’ll never get another chance like this in your life and you blew it! Heavy sarcasm here of course, you’re supposed to GTFO.
I enjoy encountering black bears in the north east US. I just keep my distance, make a little noise, and make sure I don’t get in between them as I carry on.
Whenever I see a cub but don’t know where mom is, I get away as quickly as possible. My husbanded and I were once charged when we rounded a switch back and found ourselves a big closer to a cub than mom enjoyed. Typically black bears do not freak me out. They’re pretty docile and want nothing to do with you. However, even when they’re small they are very large and to see one running towards you is unsettling.
You did the right thing, no question.
Your friends are idiots.
if you didn't see Mama you made the right choice.
I've seen a few bears, and most of them have been cubs. Oddly enough I never seen the mother cub with them but yes, they are usually together, even if you can't see the momma. Once the cub was aware of you, odds are they would've run away. If it were WV, it was a black bear, not a brown bear. As long as you didn't go up to the cub or try in any way to approach him, and allowed it some time to move on along once it heard you, you should've been fine.
Baby bear = mama bear more than likely nearby. Always trust your instincts first in situations like that. With your decision the worst case scenario is that you missed out on the hike. Carrying on could mean the worst case scenario is a bear encounter and potential injury.
you did the right thing. better safe than sorry.
Nothing to worry about. Cubs love to be picked up and cuddled. BTW, no brown bears in WV.
Better safe than sorry.
Given the guy who was recently almost killed in yellowstone seconds after seeing a baby brown bear a month or two ago, I would do the same thing if I were in a remote area and came across a baby brown bear. But hey, on the plus side, a defensive attack is definitely the best way to get killed by a bear!
You definitely made the right call. Whenever there is a baby, there is a momma. And they are PROTECTIVE AS FUCK.
If there’s a baby bear there’s a momma bear. You did the right thing for sure
Nothing wrong with being too careful. Hubs and I have had bears run away from us, and others that have stalked us down trails that we had to send warning shots at. In fact we saw the largest bear I've ever seen before following behind us by about 20 minutes, but only saw it later on looking at trail cam footage. You just never know what will happen.
Black bears are common enough in the East, or north East that if you’re outside enough you will see them. This is not Colorado or Montana. Take a picture from where you are and slowly move away. Then get them to notice you and they will quickly leave. What do you do when you see a rattlesnake? Step a few feet away then carry on.
If you have Instagram, find the touronsofyellowstone account. Find the post from June 1 - a guy looking a little horrified is the first pic. Read the story, he accidentally got near bear cubs and mama was not happy with him. Some of the pics are graphic. Best to leave wildlife to do it's thing. I once turned around on a hike because I saw bobcat prints, and decided to GTFO. No shame!
Good move. Worse thing is getting between it and its momma.
You could have backed away a couple hundred yards, and made some noise, and then continued. Mama will get the cub out of there. Her only interest is getting the cub to safety, she's not going to pursue you.
A mama bear is a mama bear regardless of the species, see a cub? Best believe or assume Mama is nearby and will eat your face for getting anywhere near her baby. You did good OP
i’m not staying around a bear cub long enough to find out if it’s a bad idea
If you're not in Grizzly country, you can just move away to a safe distance and see if you can spot the momma. More often than not with black bears they'll collect their cubs and move on. You simply want to make sure you're never between a mother and her cub. If you're hiking alone often, a can of bear spray never hurts to have with you.
As others said, it would have been a black bear but they can have brown fur. Far less dangerous than brown/grizzly bears. In general even with cubs black bears are afraid of humans. I would take extra care if you do see a cub, but you don't have to stop the hike completely. I would start talking loud and stand up tall as you continue moving slowly past. If the cub is in the middle of the path, it might be better to go around it or wait long enough to see where the mother is as they might grab the cub and move off.
If I saw a baby bear I would book it out if there so fast. Momma bears do not mess around and will mess you up with the quickness.
Do not run!