On 30 Oct 2003 at 10:44, Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com wrote: > Can you take an experienced local with you, who has encountered polar > bears, learned to spot them, handle them, avoid them, killed them and > so forth? That may be better protection than a gun. That is very good advice. A paddling guide who spent a lot of time in the Arctic told me that for one trip, they contracted a local to accompany them on kayak trip and "ride shotgun". When they all arrived, the local was not there. They found him and he said he'd changed his mind! They went without him and only saw one bear without incident. I don't remember where they were, however. > If you are in bear > country, expect to encounter a bear and be prepared (and prepared > doesn't mean shoot it the minute you see it - that's an absolute last > resort). This is true for black and grizzly, but in polar bear country, you have to be a little more aggressive. Don't shoot at first sight, but remember that, unlike southern bears, the polar bear is not afraid of humans and is a carnivore. They don't see you as a threat - they see you as a meal. Also remember that the polar ice cap is shrinking (global warming) and a report in the news yesterday emphasized the fact that the feeding period for polar bears is getting shorter. As such, they are under a lot of pressure and are likely to be more hungry and aggressive. In the long run, they may become extinct. Nonetheless, there are many stories of unarmed explorers and adventurers seeing polar bears, some very close, who have had no trouble. So don't be trigger happy. > With that said, I'm not saying "take a gun", nor am I saying "don't > take a gun". I'm saying that it's a highly debatable topic, The fact that the Canadian outfitting company I mentioned would hire a hunter to accompany them means a lot - this company is well known for a minimal-impact and environmentally sensitive approach to outdoor adventure. BTW - there are no grizzlies in that area and I don't think you'll find many black bears either - don't quote me on the latter, however. Mike PS - I don't know if you've ever taken a gun into Canada before - make sure you do all the paper work well in advance of your trip. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Oct 30 2003 - 13:19:54 PST
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