NOLS Bear Essentials

by John Gookin, Tom Reed

NOLS Bear Essentials draws on NOLS' 40 years of experience leading trips in bear country, as well as the input of noted scientists who have studied bears. Learn ways to set up camp so as to not attract bears, the safest options for storing food when car camping and backpacking, and how to protect yourself while fishing and hunting. Learn how to survive seven common bear encounters, the best ways to identify grizzlies and black bears, and essential info on bear behavior at different times of year and in different habitats.

Genres: Outdoors

112 pages, Paperback

First published June 14, 2009

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, Concise, and Helpful

Great little book on the basics of hiking/camping/recreating in bear country. My sister and I are planning a longer backpacking trip in the Adirondacks (black bear territory) next summer and the information in this book is very helpful for our planning and will be very helpful for when we get there. This is a book that I would recommend to other outdoorspeople who are thinking about going into bear territory or even just people that are interested in or afraid of bears.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and concise

Great book with the most important knowledge NOLS classes teach about behavior in bear country. I would recommend for anyone who wants to brush up on their bear awareness skills or regularly spends time out in the backcountry!

[Nicolas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this a great book because it tells people how to deal with bears and the trials and errors you will face when camping in bear country. It teaches you what to do when faced with a charging bear, how to deal with food that will definitely attract hungry bears, and the correct process for storing the most important thing for dealing with bears, bear spray. Bear spray is like pepper spray on steroids that is strong enough to repel more than ninety percent of angry charging bears. Another important part of the book is about the errors that people make when dealing with a bear, for instance using a fire arm in a charging bear is 25% less efficient on a charging bear than bear spray. This is a trusty book that you should definitely read if you are going into bear country with little or no experience.