Running downhill from bears?

I remember running downhill as a kid. I got going faster than my legs could carry me. You can figure out the rest. Maybe bears can't run downhill but people can't run downhill worth a siht either....
 
GOUMFACH said:
I was having a discussion with some family over christmas dinner and the subject of running from bears came up.It was stated that it is common knowledge that you can beat a bear running down a steep grade,that they cant run worth crap downhill.As far as I'm concerned they can outrun me anywhere short of a straight cliff that I jump off that would leave me dead anyway.I know there is lots on the internet about the myth that bears cant run downhill but these people seem to ignore these statements.I want to know if anyone has any real world experience with seeing bears run downhill and how much,if at all,it slows them down and if there really is any hill too steep for a bear to easily catch up to a human.
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While its true that bears run faster uphill then down, its irrelevant because they run faster then you either direction.
 
Cranky Pants said:
A couple years ago I flubbed a bow shot on a black bear and it wacked him in the side of the head ( did not kill but probably a hell of a headache) he took off and ran down a 30% grade like the wind and nothing short of an 8" tree or better would have stopped him!
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Thats the kind of thing I want to hear!
 
kodiakjack said:
Grand Dad used to say:

"They'll out run ya. They'll out climb ya. They'll out swim ya. If you can't scare them off, you're gonna have to fight them off. So go prepared. "
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Sound advice right here,gotta respect them when your in their house I made a dumb mistake and let a very curious bear get between me and my gun. Once you've experienced a false charge you tend to look at bears alittle different,uphill or downhill they will catch you.
 
Couple years ago in the same spot a young black bear came down the hill towards me, I was sitting on the other side of a woods road from him. I had a bait pile 50 yards to my left so I figured he would hit the road and go to the pile.

No, he kept walking toward me... I was not overly concerned as I had heard him coming and had the KSG with a slug in the tube up and safety off. But he kept coming. At 10 feet I thought this is going to be messy and I will probably need a shower if I pull the trigger. At 6 feet it was enough and I said calmly "turn around!"

He froze mid step, turned his head to see if the way back was clear and then head and butt swapped ends in a heartbeat and he hoofed back up the hill like a flash all the while making noises you would expect an ape to make. I had never wanted a video camera so much and now I keep a shot track camera on it while hunting.
 
Maybe you could curl up in a ball and roll down the hill faster than the bear, but when you get to the bottom, then what? At least You'll already be in position to kiss your ass goodbye.
 
Milanczar said:
At least with a bear you have a better chance than against a big cat.

Bears generally just want to dominate you rather than eat you right then and there and don't particularily care if you are dead.

Cats generally make sure you are dead as the first order of business.
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Tiger or grizz. Neither sounds like fun to me.
 
kodiakjack said:
Grand Dad used to say:

"They'll out run ya. They'll out climb ya. They'll out swim ya. If you can't scare them off, you're gonna have to fight them off. So go prepared. "
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Sounds like good advice. I was walking my dog couple years ago and a 3 or 4 year old black bear came running full speed down the mountain so fast my dog didn't even have a chance to turn around and see him. About a 40-45 degree grade and far faster than I could've done it. Good thing too all I had was a big knife and it gave me a chance to snap a leash on Jasper before he went after him ( he smelled him and tried when we had gone a few feet more. I'd rather try a tree and hope I've got good boots on.
 
kawicrash said:
Maybe you could curl up in a ball and roll down the hill faster than the bear, but when you get to the bottom, then what? At least You'll already be in position to kiss your ass goodbye.
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Hilarious!

Milanczar said:
At least with a bear you have a better chance than against a big cat.

Bears generally just want to dominate you rather than eat you right then and there and don't particularily care if you are dead.

Cats generally make sure you are dead as the first order of business.
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Agree. Plus the cats are much more at home it the trees too. And also evil.
 
Milanczar said:
At least with a bear you have a better chance than against a big cat.

Bears generally just want to dominate you rather than eat you right then and there and don't particularily care if you are dead.

Cats generally make sure you are dead as the first order of business.
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I've seen a half a dozen wild cougars in 62 years and I'll bet I've been seen by a lot more. As far as I can tell none tried to eat me.

Well, there was this one cougar ... oh never mind.
 
My first question is what is with all these youtube videos of cyclists in the bush getting chased by bears and second what's the thrill of riding a bicycle on a goat trail?! Watching those two guys scramble from that bear and then stand their bear spray at the ready makes me want to say to them, you granola munchers ready to own a shotgun now? Some bears like a human snack spiced with a dose of cayenne pepper!! :p
 
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