The bear thread goes on and on and on, but very little interest in the navigation thread. What a difference. Want to know about navigation? Buy the book or check the web site. Its math based, its repeatable, it works the same everywhere, it's not debatable, and finally, it's "boring" to discuss. Navigation is science, but dealing with bears is far from it. It's not math based, not repeatable, changes depending on location, highly debatable, and very fun to argue about. I like (friendly) arguing so it continues to be great fun for me. I think there have literally been as many opinions as there have been different people. Here is some of what I have gleaned so far from the bear and related threads: * We should fear bears because they are big and strong and dangerous, but we should not fear them because you are safer in bear country than in a high crime neighborhood. * Bears both predictable and unpredictable * Black do not hunt people, but they intend to eat you if they attack * Women on their monthly discharge should not be in grizzly country, ok to be in grizzly country, should pack out sanitary napkins, should burn sanitary napkins * Look big and strong to avoid attack, shrink away to avoid attack * Murderous bears, like murderous humans, are really not responsible for their behavior and need counseling not punishment:-). * Scare bears away with load noises, but never try to scare a bear because it might become angry and attack * Bears should never be shot for self defense because it is their forest, but they should be shot for defense because we deserve to live * Bears should be shot if they attack, but they should not be shot because it will only make them angrier and they will kill you anyway * Hunting pressure favorably modifies large predator behavior toward humans, but hunting increases your chances of being killed by a bear * Prevention is the best defense against bear attack, but prevention has little impact on whether you are attacked because they are unpredictable (see above) My personal conclusions (I expect no one to agree and give this post only a 50% chance of getting out anyway): * I am afraid of bears, especially grizzly bears. Some of my fears are rational and some are irrational, but they are mine and have no intention of giving any of them up. * Dealing with bears is not science and is subject to opinion, debate, and ultimately personal choice * Bears are predictable to other bears, but not to humans, unless you are one of the very few (not me) that have mastered bear behavior, body language, etc. * The probability of being eaten by a black bear if it attacks seems high enough that I will work on that assumption * My wife has passed the monthly cycle years and my grown daughter was taught from a young age to fear bears and not enter grizzly country when menstruating. I'll transfer all of my rational and irrational fears to my granddaughters when they are born and old enough to learn. * If I see a grizzly I will shrink away (but not too small or too fast) while involuntarily emptying my bladder and if I see a black bear I'll make a lot of noise to scare it away but the bladder will stay full unless he won't run away * If a bear charges, and if I can get to my gun, I'll shoot it. If that stops it I live and he dies, if it doesn't then I die and he dies later. Only one of us is walking away from the fight. * I'll continue to favor and encourage (by vote and otherwise) responsible hunting of large predators with proper oversight & management * I'll arm myself with whatever knowledge I can and diligently try to avoid being attacked because: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, it's best to avoid unnecessary killing of bears, bear meat is tough and greasy, I might get in trouble, but most important, stopping a charging bear before he kills you is far from guaranteed (see above). Steve Brown *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On 27 Jun 2003 at 10:20, Steve Brown wrote: > Here is some of what I have gleaned so far from the bear and related > threads: [...] The list you posted is simply a mix of scientific analysis, superstition and heresay, and outright nonsense. If you don't discriminate between sources of information, then you'll get confused. There have been several posts that have disparaged the scientific research without providing any basis for the criticism. No references have been provided to anything that would demonstrate that the scientific information is incorrect. We have pointed to Herrero, who is widely considered to be an expert in bear behavior. He doesn't live thousands of kilometers from bears conducting his research in an armchair. He lives in Alberta (last I heard) and conducts his research in the field. If you or anyone else has information more useful that Herrero's, please post a reference. Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Just thought I'd let you know that I got plenty of help "out back" with my navigation problem THX GUYS! As for which I'd rather discuss, I like the bear thread better too; although, I have to admit, I've learned a hell of a lot more in the last couple of days on navigation then I did on bears over the last couple of months (Sorry guys :-) ). And Lastly, You're right, Bears are scary, navigation is boring :-). steve_at_brown-web.net wrote: >The bear thread goes on and on and on, but very little interest in the > > >navigation thread. What a difference. Want to know about navigation? Buy the > > >book or check the web site. Its math based, its repeatable, it works the > > >same everywhere, it's not debatable, and finally, it's "boring" to discuss. > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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