>>Many bears have learned to associate gunfire with an easy meal.

Went backpacking with the Scouts at Philmont in NM this summer. Almost all of the instruction given by staff centers on bear safety (Black bears not Grizzlys). Most of the attention focused on smellables and some of the boys seemed to doubt that trace amounts of smellables would put them in danger, even though they wisely complied with all of the rules and procedures. Of course their attitudes changed when we spied a bear across from us on the opposite canyon wall! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

However, one key factor in bear safety is not related to chance incounters. It's meant to prevent the bears from learning to accept and like human smells and foods, and then associate the two together. A normal wild Black bear is not likely to present much danger. But a bear that's learned to associate the smell of Boy Scouts with easy food is a serious risk. With nearly 30,000 scouts and leaders that trek through Philmont each year, even a miniscule amount of smellables from each crew adds up quickly. Hence the staff's extream caution in administering the rules.

BTW, that young Black Bear we saw was scaling up the steep canyon wall opposite of us. We were maybe 700 feet or so from the bottom and he was maybe a quarter mile across from us. But he knew we were there well before we knew he was around. He'd stop every 75 feet or so and look at us for a few seconds. Then he'd climb a bit further and stop again. The boys were amazed at the ease in which he climbed the canyon wall. Everyone clearly understood that he was much quicker than us and there would be no chnace to out run the bruin had we crossed paths! About 20 minutes later out trail reached the bottom of the canyon where we likely crossed the spot where our paths would have crossed had we been a bit earlier or he a bit later! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />