Today's training started with bear awareness. We learned that most bears will leave the area before people even know they are there. We also learned the major differences between black bears and grizzlies. Black bears evolved in the forest so they tend to flee into the trees when they feel threatened. Grizzlies evolved in open areas so they tend to aggressively defend their personal space - especially if it's a sow (mom) with cubs. We don't expect to see polar bears at our inland site.
Ines, a German archaeology student from Cologne, is practicing spraying a bear spray pepper can. I think this one was past its expiration date because it wasn't very strong pepper.
The instructor told us to make noise as we hike so bears aren't surprised by us. If we see a bear that hasn't seen us, we should slowly back away. If it sees us, we should look big and talk low as we slowly back away. If the bear is coming toward us, we should figure out if it is being defensive, in which case we should stand our ground but then if it makes contact, lay face down on the ground. If it is being predatory, we should fight back like crazy!
Just in case this paper bear target comes any closer or shows any signs of hostility such as charging, drooling, huffing or foliage swatting, I'm ready to spray it with pepper spray.
The best way to stay safe in bear country is to avoid a bear encounter in the first place. The best way to do that is to make noise while you hike and not cook where you sleep. Don't have any smelly things such as deodorant, toothpaste or any food in your tent. Cook far away from where you sleep and hang your food up in a tree.
In case you DO end up having trouble, we learned how to use bear spray. It's a pepper-based spray which shoots about 20 feet. It has apparently been successful in stopping a bear's approach about 90 percent of the time it's used.
Our instructor prepares to let us each try pepper spray behind the BLM headquarters in Fairbanks. In the red at right is Ian, who will be joining our expedition. He recently edited a book about the people who crossed the Bering Land Bridge. In the middle are the Germans, Ines and Stephan. They will also be on our expedition.
Here are some items from the bear class. Note the bear skulls and the red can of bear pepper spray. The big yellow can is a bear-proof plastic canister to store your food in so it doesn't attract bears- or at least to stop them from getting it.
The first thing we will do is try to avoid bears. The firearms trainer has been in Fairbanks for three years and has always been able to avoid bears which is great. But just in case, we were trained to safely operate a revolver and a shotgun. I'm going to have bruises on my shoulder!
If case that doesn't work, we were trained to use shotguns. According to our instructor, guns are only successful in stopping a bear attack about 40 percent of the time. We all hope we don't have to kill a bear, but it is important that we know how to safely use guns if they are in camp. My shoulder is sore after firing the shot gun! Now that we have completed all of our training, we can finally focus on some archaeology. I leave in the morning for Kotzebue on the northwest coast where I'll meet John Erlich. After a few days, we'll fly from there to the Red Dog Mine and then on to our dig site.