Bears and dogs

[Redd]

With all the talk about the impending regulations requiring the use of bear canisters in 'Dacks, I have a question of similar orientation.

Having had a food bag of mine taken some 6 years ago at Lake Colden (I'll admit stupidity on my part), that night there was a family camping across the damn with two dogs. The bear would make its rounds and every time it hit that side of the lake the dogs would bark and bark...inevitably sending the bear back out way - 3 visits that night to finish off its mess.

I know there must be some folks out there who backpack with the trusted 4 legged friends. Aside from properly hanging a bear bag, have you found a dog(s) companionship to lessen the chance of bear encounters, lessen the chance of fishers & small rodent encounters, or rather cause the bears and other animals to be in a more vicious mood?

Redd

 

[snowman]

I don't have first hand experience with bears but I'm sure a barking dog would scare them off. Hell if you make a loud noice yourself you'll scare them off.

We were camping over by Ethand pond a couple of weeks ago with our dog and in the middle of the nice he just started going nuts barking in the tent then I woke to hear something BIG running. Woke in the morning and went outside and sure enough - a nice big moose not too far away that my dog (the biggest chicken in the world mind you) ran after him and scared him off.

Most animals want no part of us and should not be feared unless babies are near by and even then black bears, unlike other bear species, routinely separate from their young when in danger.

 

[Maddy]

I have heard conflicting info on this subject.
I read that dogs are good bear deterrents and perhaps in certain cases they are. I have also been told that having a dog who is not under your control can cause you a very big problem with a bear. Dog chases or otherwise antagonizes bear, bear becomes angry and goes after the dog who in turn runs to you for protection. Dog is now hiding behind you and you are face to face with the angry bear.
I keep my dog restrained on her long retractable leash. I own an Akita and that breed was used to hunt 800lb bears in Japan. If I felt my life was in danger I would take my chances and turn her loose to do her thing. Hopefully it would have a happy ending.
We saw a beautiful black bear in the Cog parking lot this past week at dusk.
What a magnificent animal. Very handsome.
Maddy

 

[Mountainhound]

hey maddy great dogs you wouldn't have to worry about the akita comming back becuase its scared.

 

[KZKlimber]

I don't have a dog but....

I have never had bear problems when backpacking with a dog, even in Lake Colden. Man's best friend!!!!

 

[peak_bgr]

without a doubt.

 

[Redd]

Thanks for all the input

I kind of figured that a dog would be a more ‘natural’ deterrent for curious/hungry wildlife…not to say that this is by any means an excuse for not properly setting up a bear bag.

The points are well taken with a dog that is not well train…ie, runs after animals. My dog, although still young, has been through rather rigorous training in the past year. To back that up I have an electric leash that I plan to use in the backcountry.

 

[Barry Sr]

Karelian Bear Dogs used to deter bears

I own one and cannot wait to finish training and get hiking with my new buddy. Meet Loki

 

[dug]

I have only come across a bear with a dog once. I know we probably scared a few due to seeing very recent scat, tracks, etc.

The one time I did have a bear come into camp, it was a bear well-known to harass campers. He wanted our spilled food that was between a series of three tents one morning. My dog barked and protected us...but I was holding her back. The bear wasn't scared by the dog...only when six people were standing there. In that case, the dog really didn't do anything (but in her mind, she guarded us with her life like she always does!)

 

[afka_bob]

*sigh*

Maybe instead of bear canister requirements, everybody should hike with a pack of hounds and a .30-06?

I might be a little, uh, disappointed if, instead of maybe seeing a fisher cat or a moose, I just got to hear a dog at the next campsite scaring them away in the middle of the night.

If you don't want to see bears, moose, etc., I guess a good bear dog is the ticket. Or stay home. Since (as Grumpy informs me) I don't like dogs (news to me!), I guess I'll stay out of his back yard (in truth, I wasn't planning on going there, anyway).

 

[Maddy]

Barry....thanks for sharing Loki with us.
He is a beautiful dog. My bear mag had a terrific article about these dogs and the work they do deterring bears. Best of luck with him.
Maddy

 

[Rik]

My dog has slept through bears coming into my camp on at least two occasions!

 

[Oldsmores]

My dog has slept through bears coming into my camp on at least two occasions!

Rik-
Are you sure he wasn't pretending to be asleep to avoid having to defend the site?

 

[Rik]

On the first occasion he was sleeping in a tent with a friend while I was in a bivy. The bear tracks were right around the tent and bivy! My food was hung but taken by the bear ( this is the only time that happened). The bag was torn up and all of the food, including the dogs, was taken. Only coffee was left. In the morning we were fed, ironically, by a bear hunter that had tracked the bear to our site. This was many years ago on the Opalescent. A few years ago a couple of bears paid us a visit at the flowed lands. We went to bed after hearing screams from the next camp ( later found out they had their food taken). My girlfriend laid awake listening to them rummage around behind the lean-to while the dog and I slept through it all. My dog is 125lbs Rottweiler but obviously no protection from bears.