• Never approach an animal directly and do not try to bring animals to you by offering them food. This is dangerous to not only the animal but to you as well.
• Hike as a group, make noise and watch for evidence of animals.
• Always keep children nearby and in sight.
• Stay clear of dead animals.
• When front country camping, food must be stored safely in your vehicle. Picnic tables and the surrounding areas must be free of food scraps and dishes are not to be left out.
• While in the backcountry, food lockers and pack racks are available for food storage. Remember to never store scented items such as chapstick, toothpaste or food wrappers in your tent and never sleep in the clothes that you cook.
• When driving through areas rich in wildlife, it is vital to obey appropriate speed limits and be observant to the ditches and forests along roadside  in order to prevent wildlife (not to mention your own) mortality.
• When observing wildlife from a vehicle, slow down to ensure the animal’s safety, but do not come to a complete stop. This is recommended to avoid the habituation of wildlife in high-traffic areas.
• A general rule of thumb is to allow predator species (bears, cougars, wolves) a distance of 100 metres and non-predator species (moose, elk, bighorn sheep) 30 metres when viewing from a car.

Bears

Being aware of your surroundings is the key to hiking or camping in bear country.  Generally bears will try to avoid humans, but have been known to attack if surprised, feel threatened, are with their cubs, or protecting their food. Here is what you can do to reduce your risk:

Awareness: look for signs of recent bear activity – fresh droppings, tracks, freshly clawed logs or overturned rocks. Leave the area immediately if you see fresh signs.

Make Noise: the worst thing you can do is sneak up on a bear. Let them know you are there by clapping your hands, singing, talking loudly, or ringing a bell. Be especially careful when hiking along rivers and streams, or dense vegetation and berry patches.

Food: you don’t have to be on a wilderness trail to encounter a bear. At your campsite, make sure all your food and garbage is stored in secured containers and place it in a vehicle or food cache. This includes your toiletries and pet’s food bowls.  Bears have an amazing sense of smell and will follow their nose. Never dispose fish remains close to your site along river or lake beds.

Encounters: if by chance you do meet a bear:

• Don’t panic – Immediately pick up small children. If a bear rears up on his hind legs sniffing the air it is trying to identify you. Remain still and talk calmly and firmly to let the bear know you are human and not a prey animal. Any sudden movement or scream may trigger an attack.

• Don’t run – bears can run extremely fast both uphill and downhill. You will not outrun a bear!! Running away only makes bears view you as prey. Back away slowly and always give the bear an escape route

Cougars

Cougars are Canada’s largest breed of cat; an adult male can weigh between 63 – 90 kg (140 – 200 lbs). They are a solitary animal, generally preferring to hunt at night under the cover of darkness but they will roam their territory and hunt anytime of the day or night and in any season. The cougar’s primary target is deer, but will feed on sheep, elk, rabbits, beavers, raccoons and if they are hungry enough penned in livestock. During the late spring and summer month’s adolescent cougars become independent from their mothers and will attempt to find a home range. These are the cougars to watch out for as they may roam widely in search of territory of their own. Because they are young and inexperienced they are the most unpredictable, and may attack without warning. Here are some simple guidelines to remember if you encounter a cougar:

• Hike in groups of two or more as there is safety in numbers.
• Carry a sturdy walking stick to be used as a weapon if necessary.
• Pick up small children, face the cougar and back away slowly – do NOT run or play dead as the cougar will view you as prey.
• Watch for signs of recent cougar activity. Cougars will cover uneaten food from their kills with dirt and leaves, exit the area immediately.
• Be aggressive. Try to appear as a threat by shouting and waving your arms, throwing rocks, or swinging your walking stick.

Elk

With bears and cougars getting all the attention people seem to forget about these massive herbivores.  Elk are dangerous no matter whether you are in the deep woods or Uncle Bob’s backyard. Elk will not see you as prey, but rather as a threat to them or their young and will charge unpredictably. Here are some precautions to take and signs to watch out for:

• Stay at least 30 metres (100 feet) away and always give the elk the right of way.
• Cow elk (females) are particularly dangerous during May to June as this is calving season.
• Bull elk (males) are extremely dangerous during mating season from September to October.
• Aggressive elk will grind their teeth, stare menacingly, and their front hooves may dig at the earth beneath them.
• If an elk aggressively approaches you, back away and get behind some sort of obstacle or climb a tree.