-Human sexual activity,” claims a Forest Service
brochure titled Backpacking, “attracts bears.” “I’ve never found
any studies on the topic,” counters Alaskan author Dave Smith in
his new paperback book, Backcountry Bear Basics: The Definitive
Guide to Avoiding Unpleasant Encounters. “If you think about it,
we’re often told to make noise to avoid surprising bears; during
sex, people make all kinds of noise. Maybe human sexual activity
deters bears. Maybe it attracts them. Maybe smelly socks attract
bears. Nobody knows.” From the myth that menstrual odors attract
bears to the misconception that bears have poor vision, Smith’s
book challenges the veracity of dozens of old saws about bears.
Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation Research Director Steven P. French
describes Backcountry Bear Basics as “practical and refreshing, not
full of scientific jargon. (It’s) the number-one book I’d recommend
to anyone going into bear country.” As for the question: What do
you do when a black bear or grizzly charges? Smith, a naturalist
who has worked in Yellowstone, says you should first stand your
ground, and hope the bear backs off. If not, “prepare to defend
yourself.”
The Mountaineers, 1001 SW Klickitat
Way, Seattle, WA 98134. $10.95, 109 pages,
illustrated.
*Donna L.
Harris
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Bear myths.
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