Wildlife encounters and food storage

Reduce surprise encounters, protect food and camp, and respond according to the animal and its behavior.

General field reference, not medical advice. Use it to support immediate decisions, then follow 911, rescue coordinators, medical professionals, current warnings, and local agency guidance.

Act now

1. Stop and create space without running.

2. Keep the group together, control children and dogs, and leave the animal an escape route.

3. Identify the species and behavior before choosing a response.

4. Use bear spray only as trained and within its intended range.

5. Report aggressive animals, food-conditioned animals, and unsafe carcass encounters to the responsible agency.

Prevent surprise encounters

Watch for fresh tracks, scat, digging, feeding sign, carcasses, cubs, and limited visibility. Make human noise where vegetation, wind, or terrain prevents animals from detecting the group. Avoid headphones that eliminate situational awareness.

Keep dogs under control according to local rules. Dogs can provoke or redirect wildlife aggression toward people.

Carry bear spray where it is immediately accessible, not buried in a pack. Learn its safety clip, effective range, wind considerations, and deployment before the trip. Check expiration and local transportation rules.

Bears

Follow current local agency guidance because bear species and behavior matter. In a noncontact encounter, stay calm, speak in a normal voice, group together, and back away slowly. Do not run or climb a tree as a general response. Give the bear room to leave.

If a bear approaches, prepare bear spray and follow species-specific guidance. A defensive grizzly or brown bear attack is generally handled differently from a black bear or a predatory attack. U.S. Forest Service guidance generally advises playing dead during a defensive grizzly or brown bear contact while protecting the neck and leaving the pack on, but fighting back if the attack persists. Fight back during a black bear attack or any clearly predatory attack.

These distinctions are difficult under stress. Learn the guidance for the exact destination before entering bear country.

Mountain lions

Do not run or crouch. Face the animal, maintain awareness, appear larger, speak firmly, and back away while giving it an escape route. Pick up small children without bending over when possible. If attacked, fight back and try to remain standing.

Moose, elk, and other hoofed animals

Give hoofed animals extensive space, especially during breeding seasons or when young are present. Pinned ears, raised hair, head lowering, stomping, or a direct approach can indicate agitation.

If charged, move behind a substantial tree, rock, vehicle, or other solid object. Do not approach a wounded animal. A downed game animal can still injure a hunter, and a carcass can attract predators.

Food, carcasses, and camp

Follow the land manager’s food-storage order. Store food, trash, toiletries, livestock feed, and other scented items in approved bear-resistant storage or according to the required hang method. Keep a clean camp and never feed wildlife.

Separate sleeping areas from cooking and food storage where local guidance recommends it. Treat a carcass and gut pile as an attraction site. Approach from a position with visibility, make noise, and leave if a bear has claimed the carcass. Contact wildlife authorities for local direction rather than attempting to displace the animal.

Wildlife behavior is never fully predictable. Distance and prevention remain the most reliable tools.