Bear Awareness Online Training

Description

What’s in the Bear Awareness Course?

Our Bear Awareness Safety Training course is perfect for those who travel, live, or work in bear territory. This course covers bear identification and behavior, basic defensive measures, what to do in a bear encounter, bear safety practices, and more. This presentation includes intermittent practice quiz questions to prepare for a final written exam included with the course. In addition to the written exam, this course also includes a practical exam to review basic bear awareness knowledge.

Estimated Training Length: Because everyone learns and progresses at different speeds, the amount of time you spend taking this training will vary. However, the estimated time for this training is 60 – 90 min.

Intended Audience:

• Employees
• Supervisors

This course covers the following OSHA standards:

• OSH Act of 1970 Section 5(a)(1)

Why Take Our Bear Awareness Training and Certification Course?

Our online training course provides a substantial, thorough, and effective way to learn how to work safely. We’ve been providing industry-specific safety training solutions for individuals, safety managers, and business owners for over 15 years.

The online course meets the classroom requirement for occupational safety training. It also includes a proficiency checklist that employers can use to perform a practical evaluation, in accordance with standards and regulations.

We have fine-tuned this training to provide you with the best experience possible. Our robust training approach gives an interactive experience that helps learners retain information and apply it on the job site, preventing costly accidents and fines. Safety training is an investment. That is why hundreds of companies and individuals all over the world trust the Hard Hat Training Series for their online training needs.

Why Buy Our Bear Awareness Training?

• Complete Training: First and foremost our goal is to keep you safe and save you money. Don't risk getting expensive OSHA fines because you settled for a sub-par training program that didn't cover safety topics in depth. Train using a program that helps you retain what is learned so that it is put into practice on job sites.
• Cost-Effective: Hiring a trainer to come on-site can be expensive. In contrast, our online curriculum lowers costs while still providing a professional training experience.
• Records Tracking System: We offer an easy-to-use management system so that if you have multiple students who are receiving the training you can have access to all records, all-terrain certificates, observation guides and more! (contact us if you would like us to quickly create a company account for you)
• Train Your Way: You can use this online training program for new hire training, refresher training or train remotely. Access it from anywhere and work on your schedule.
• Interactive Learning: Special reminders and quiz questions throughout the course prep students for the final exam so that it is passed the first time.
• Corporate License: Do you want to host this course on your own server? Contact us about obtaining broadcasting rights for this and any of our other online courses.

Bear Awareness Training | Be Bear Aware

The majority of bear attacks are the result of bears protecting their young or food. Behaving appropriately is the first step in preventing a bear attack. When confronted with a bear, people should stay calm and remember that most bears just want to be left alone. Bear spray has been proven to be more effective than firearms in the event of a bear attack. 

Bear Awareness Training

There are close to 700,000 bears in North America. The number of bears is steadily increasing. Encounters between bears and people are more likely to happen since they are competing for the same space. Unfortunately, bear interactions can result in property damage and human injuries.

Despite the fact that many professionals work outside, they aren’t ready for a bear encounter. When a person startles or surprises a bear, attacks are frequently the result. You might operate as a wilderness outfitter or a rancher. Maybe you’re employed in the oil and gas, construction, or mining sectors. Anyone working, residing, hunting, or traveling in bear country runs the risk of being attacked.

When you go outside to walk, camp, hunt, or fish, you might also enter bear country. Whatever the situation, you must be prepared to defend yourself from bears.

Bear Awareness Training should cover the basics of bear behavior and habitats, as well as how to recognize the three varieties of North American bears. Over the course of the training, you should learn different strategies to protect yourself from a bear. At Hard Hat Training we will show you what to do in the event of a bear sighting and how to understand the bear’s intentions.

Three Bears Species of North America 

Knowing how to recognize bears will help keep both the bear and yourself safe. When faced with danger or hunger, various species respond in specific ways. You can gain some understanding of their goals by being aware of their distinct behaviors.

Black Bears

Of the three North American bear species, black bears are the most prevalent and widespread. Its habitat extends to the northernmost portions of Alaska, Canada, and even some areas of northern Mexico. 

Black bears can be jet black, cinnamon, or even white, however black is the most common color seen. The black bear is the species of bear that you are most likely to come across during your visit to the national forests. Although black bears can be found in a variety of habitats in North America, they prefer densely forested areas with lots of underbrush and vegetation. Black bears may, however, leave forested habitats in northern locations where there are fewer people in a quest for food.

Brown Bears

Grizzly bears and brown bears belong to the same species, despite the fact that they differ significantly from one another. The smaller grizzly bear can be found in Alaska’s interior and northwestern regions, as well as the northern Rocky Mountains and Cascades in the lower 48 states. Brown bears, on the other hand, primarily live in Alaska’s southern shore, where they can eat salmon in abundance during spawning season.

Due to their size, brown bears prefer to stay in more open places because they find it challenging to walk through dense trees. These bears can survive in a range of habitats, including arid tundra and coastal areas. Brown bears mainly consume certain flowers and grasses as well as berries, roots, bulbs, and acorns. Insects, fish, small animals, and carrion are also common meals for brown bears.

Polar Bears

There are no polar bears in any of our national forests because they are only found in the Arctic. Within the Arctic Circle, polar bears can be found from parts of Alaska in the west to Newfoundland and Labrador in the east. These bears may prowl the sea ice and coastline in search of prey depending on the season. Because they don’t have any natural predators, polar bears are apex predators. In other words, they are the dominant species in the Arctic food chain.

Bear Aware

All bears have the potential to be harmful. Most bear attacks are caused by bears defending their young or a food supply. The vast majority of bear interactions don’t result in violence. Here are some tips to become more bear aware:

• Conflict avoidance is easier than conflict resolution.
• A very powerful, non-lethal bear deterrent is bear spray. Carry bear repellent that has received EPA approval and understand how to use it.
• Never give food to animals, especially bears. When bears get food conditioned, they lose their instinct for hunting and become a danger to people. In most states, feeding bears is prohibited.
• Understand bears. When hunting or hiking, it’s critical to understand the distinction between brown bears and black bears.
• Animals should always be kept at a safe distance. Never purposefully approach a bear.
• An easy, efficient short-term method to deter a bear on private property is to make loud noise, such as slamming pots and pans, blasting an air horn or your car alarm, or shouting.
• A properly built electrified fence is safe for people, animals, and pets and has been shown to be successful in keeping bears away from human-related resources like beehives, trash, or small livestock.

Safety in Bear Country 

Visitors in a national park might consider it a special treat to see a bear in the wild. While exciting, it’s crucial to keep in mind that bears, even in national parks, are untamed and can be dangerous. They occasionally exhibit surprising behavior. Attacks against people do happen, however infrequently, and result in deaths and severe injuries. 

Every bear and every experience is different. There is no single tactic that will always be effective and ensure safety. The majority of bear encounters are non-fatal. People can further reduce the risk by adhering to some fundamental rules. 

Always remember to ask about the most recent bear safety advice at the closest visitor center or backcountry office when you first enter a park. If a bear unexpectedly appears, don’t panic. 

Keeping Out of Contact

The first step in preventing a bear encounter that could turn into an attack is to observe proper viewing behavior. One of the most crucial things you can do is to maintain your distance from bears and avoid surprising them. If they hear people coming, most bears will stay away. If you are in an area known for bear activity or where there is a reliable food source, such as berry bushes, pay close attention to your surroundings and make an extra effort to be conspicuous.

Bears Encounters 

Certain strategies can help to prevent the situation from worsening if a bear is aware of you.  Please check the suggestions for each park you visit though, as they can differ depending on the bear behavior in that particular park. The following paragraphs describe some general pointers to consider when encountering a bear.

Talk quietly to the bear to identify yourself as a human and not a prey animal. Hold your ground and remain motionless while slowly waving your arms. Help the bear in identifying you as a human. To get a better view or smell, it might come closer or stand on its hind legs. Typically, a standing bear is curious rather than dangerous.

Remain calm and keep in mind that most bears just want to be left alone. They rarely seek to attack. By charging and abruptly turning away, bears can bluff their way out of a situation. Bears have been known to woof, yawn, salivate, growl, snap their jaws, and lay their ears back in a defensive manner. Continue speaking softly to the bear; this will keep you calm and won’t come across as threatening to the animal. A scream or sudden movement can start an attack. Don’t make a high-pitched shriek or bear noises.

Pick up young children right away. Avoid screaming or making loud noises since the bear can mistake them for the sounds of a prey animal. Ask the bear to move aside by slowly waving your arms above your head. Don’t run or make erratic movements. 

Join a group to hike and travel. People in groups are typically noisier and more obnoxious than individuals. As a result, bears are often aware of groups of people from a wider distance, and groupings are especially threatening to bears due to their collective size.

Don’t allow the bear any access to your food. Getting your food will just encourage the bear and aggravate the situation for others. Don’t drop your pack since it can shield your back and keep a bear from getting to your food.

Make yourself appear as big as possible. Spread your arms, or move to higher ground. If the bear is motionless, move away slowly and sideways to keep an eye on it and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears.

Do NOT run, but if the bear pursues you, stop and stand your ground. Bears can run as rapidly as a racehorse up and down hills. Because bears pursue fleeing animals, they will also pursue you if you run. Take a detour or leave the area. If this is not possible, simply wait for the bear to move away. Always leave an exit path for the bear.

It is a common misconception that you can climb a tree to escape a bear. This is untrue. Do not attempt to climb a tree. Grizzlies and black bears can both climb trees.

Be very cautious if you spot a female with cubs. Never get between a mother and her cub, and never approach them. If she sees you as a threat to her cubs, the chances of an attack increase dramatically.

Bear Attacks

Bear attacks are pretty uncommon. Most bears are mainly concerned with protecting their food, cubs, or territory. However, being prepared can help you react more effectively. Every case is unique, but below we’ll discuss how brown bear attacks differ from black bear attacks. Help others by immediately reporting any bear incidents to a park ranger. Most importantly, keep your distance from bears!

• Brown/Grizzly Bears: If a brown or grizzly bear attacks you, leave your pack on and PLAY DEAD. Place your hands behind your neck, and lie flat on your stomach. Spread your legs to make it more difficult for the bear to flip you over. Stay still until the bear has left the area. Fighting back usually makes such attacks worse. However, if the attack continues, fight back. Hit the bear in the face with anything you have available.

• Black Bears: If you are attacked by a black bear, DO NOT PLAY DEAD. Try to flee to a safe location, such as a car or a building. If escape is not possible, use any available object to fight back. Kicks and blows should be directed at the bear’s face and muzzle.

If a bear attacks you in your tent or chases you before attacking, DO NOT FIGHT BACK! This type of attack is quite rare, but it can be deadly because it often indicates that the bear is hungry and regards you as prey.

Safekeeping Food 

Bears are always looking for food. Bears are observant, curious animals with long memories. They have eyesight that is comparable to human vision and a sense of smell that is seven times stronger than a bloodhound’s, allowing them to detect food at great distances. The majority of bears avoid humans out of caution. Bears can, however, be persistent in their search for food and learn to identify people with food. 

Streams and rivers teeming with fish that give much-needed fat and protein, decaying logs with delicious insects, and favorite berry patches are just a few of the traditional food sources that bears know and recognize.

However, bears are also aware that human packs, campsites, and homes present enticing alternatives. Bears are drawn to any edible food, but they may also try to eat things that we might not think of as food, such as cooking utensils, toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, empty cans, wrappers, bird seed, pet food, and petroleum items (including fuel).

In bear country, it is everyone’s responsibility to always keep food and other attractants in bear-resistant containers and to discard waste in bear-resistant dumpsters. 

Bear Spray

When traveling in the backcountry, bear spray can be a useful item to have with you. You can use it to stop an aggressive, charging, or attacking bear. Bear spray and pepper spray are not the same, despite being applied to an attacker in the same way. Make sure the product you choose is EPA-approved and specifically made to deter bear aggression. Do not apply it to your body or any equipment. It is not a repellent. To find out if bear pepper spray is advised or permitted for the activities you have planned, contact your local national park.

According to research, bear spray is a much more effective deterrent than firearms. The following factors can account for this surprising result:

• Armed individuals are more likely to be quietly stalking other animals while hunting and unintentionally startle bears. Bear-spray users typically make noise and steer clear of confrontations.
• Unlike a bullet, bear spray ejects as a cone and requires less accuracy.

In the 72 occurrences documented in North America between 1985 and 2006, bear spray was 98% successful. There were 175 persons attacked throughout that time; however, there were no reported fatalities and only three major injuries.

Our Courses 

Hard Hat Training’s online bear awareness course teaches students how to protect themselves in the event of an encounter. Our in-depth course will go over everything you need to know in detail, highlight important ideas, and test your recollection of the information after each lesson. Once you have finished the course, you will receive a certificate of completion. 

 After finishing this course, you should be able to understand:

• What you should do if you see a bear
• Which bear species are dangerous
• Bear habitats and behaviors 
• Bear defense equipment and applications
• Keeping yourself safe in bear country

Anyone who spends time in bear territory, such as hikers, hunters, wildlife photographers, and forestry workers, needs to be aware of this information to keep both themselves and the bears safe. You will learn the skills and knowledge necessary to stay safe while visiting bear country in this training session.