Bear Report - June 9, 2022

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The information below is based upon a compilation of bear information provided by government agencies and unconfirmed sightings reported by the public over the last week. It is not intended to be used as a real-time, complete record of where bears are in the valley.

BEAR ACTIVITY SUMMARY (June 3-9, 2022)

(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)

Wildlife activity is currently widespread throughout the Bow and Kananaskis Valleys. Bears are being seen daily in some neighbourhoods feeding on dandelions, as well as in the ditches along trails, roads and highways, and places like the Canmore Nordic Centre and MD of Bighorn hamlets. Make lots of noise (yell, shout) to let wildlife know you are coming down the trail to avoid surprise encounters and give them time to move off of the trail. Always be prepared to encounter bears throughout the Bow and Kananaskis Valleys. If you know of or have heard of bear activity in a given area, please consider recreating elsewhere!

Roadsides are where the dandelions are, and where the bears are for the next while, increasing the risk of roadside collisions everywhere. Remember to obey speed limits and slow down when passing wildlife roadside. Do not stop to view wildlife and always stay in your vehicle!

 

Grizzly bear seen down in K-Country on May 25, 2022.

 

It is elk calving season and there are aggressive female elk protecting their calves on the trails along the Bow River in Canmore. Be aware of your surroundings and stay at least 30 meters away from all elk. Calves are often hidden in dense vegetation along the trails so extra vigilance is required. Some elk calves are already mobile and moving around with less defensive mothers, however there continue to be other cow elk dropping their babies across town and showing aggression towards people who are getting too close! People need to stay well away from any elk to prevent a physical confrontation with them. Stay out of closed areas and it is best to avoid areas with elk warnings.

During May and June there is an increased risk of encountering predators such as bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes who are looking for an easy elk calf meal. This poses more public safety risks and often results on predators getting relocated or destroyed.

 

Some great reminders about giving wildlife space from ERS students from May 2019!

 

There continue to be reports of urban elk calves that have been placed near developed areas by their mothers. Please report urban elk calves to KES immediately by calling 403-591-7755. Do not get involved yourself or attempt to approach or move them as the mother elk is likely nearby and will aggressively protect her calf by kicking and charging at you if she feels threatened.

VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES

 
 

You can also submit your report using the Report-A-Poacher Online form or contact your local district Fish and Wildlife office.

SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND

With aggressive elk encounters and bear sightings in Canmore and the Bow Valley being frequent, the focus of this bear report will be on bear spray and we will be answering some common questions about it.

BEAR SPRAY

Does bear spray actually work? YES! Watch the video below and read this article on the the Efficacy of Bear Spray. Results showed that in 90% of close-range encounters with black and brown bears, bear spray stopped the bear’s undesirable behaviour. It is important to note that 98% of persons carrying it were uninjured after a close encounter with bears. Bear spray is a very effective way of deterring a bear at close range and bear spray has also been shown to be effective at deterring other wildlife such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk, and it should be carried while walking on well-traveled trails, including the trails in and around town.

Does bear spray hurt the bear? Bear spray is non-lethal and the effects on the bear may last anywhere from 10-45 minutes. The bear will be disoriented, confused and will likely run away as it will have difficulty seeing and breathing, giving you time to get out of a dangerous situation.

In fact, by spraying a bear that approaches or charges at you with bear spray you might actually be saving its life! When bears get too close to humans, it is the bear that pays the price by getting relocated (only about 30% successful) or destroyed. By spraying the bear, you are giving it a negative experience to teach it a lesson that it is not OK to approach humans. Hopefully this will teach it to stay away from people in the future.

What happens if we spray ourselves? It is not pleasant, and it will sting your eyes, nose, throat and skin and may make you cough and gag. This may last up to two days but the effects will eventually go away. People have so much exposed skin (not fur like a bear) so it affects us longer. Read the first aid instructions on your can of bear spray and wash your skin with cool, clean running water. Do not rub if it gets on your skin. PRO TIP: If you get bear spray in your eyes, rinse it out with baby shampoo and water (remember, do not rub)! A small bottle of baby shampoo is a great addition to your first aid kit.

How to carry it? Bear spray should be carried in an easily accessible location such as a chest or hip holster or a belt, not in your backpack! Whatever option works best for you (most efficient and quickest) is recommended and my personal preference is a belt. Here are several types of examples of holsters and belts that are available at Kodiak Wildlife Products and Scat Belt.

It is not enough to just carry it, you need to be mentally prepared to use it and physically able to pull it out and use it in time when necessary. Surprise encounters with bears can happen in under three seconds so you need to be confident, fast and efficient at pulling out your bear spray. PRACTICE removing your bear spray quickly, but stop short of spraying; conserve your supply for close encounters. See more practice suggestions below.

Does bear spray expire? YES! Be sure to check the expiry date on your can as bear spray normally expires after 2-3 years. In addition to checking the expiry date on the can, be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions on the back of the can for proper use of your spray.

 

Make sure your bear spray is not expired!

 

Why does bear spray expire? Bear spray is made with capsaicin, a chili pepper extract, and it's not the potency of the spray that diminishes over time. It is actually the propellant that may degrade over time and there may not be enough pressure in the can to effectively spray and distance, you might just get a dribble!

Should you use expired bear spray? NO! It is recommend that you replace your expired bear spray to avoid a situation like this. There is no guarantee that expired bear spray will work properly and you want to give yourself the greatest chance of successfully deterring a bear if/when the time comes.

Should you practice with real bear spray? It is not recommended to practice using actual bear spray as once the seal is broken, small leaks can occur in the can, possibly reducing the performance of the bear spray.

That being said, if you have an expired can of bear spray that you are planning on disposing of properly anyway, it may be a good opportunity for you to practice using real (expired) bear spray. However, if you are going to do this, make sure that you go to an isolated location far away from other people and houses (I.E. NOT IN YOUR BACKYARD, AT YOUR CAMPSITE OR ALONG A TRAIL)! Also make sure you take wind direction into account so that you don’t spray yourself.

The safest way to practice using bear spray is to buy inert training bear spray, which is what we use for our bear spray training sessions as there are no harmful effects if you accidentally spray some on yourself.

How do I dispose of expired cans? In Canmore, you can take expired bear spray to the Household Hazardous Waste area (near paint and light bulbs waste) at the 115 Boulder Crescent Recycling Depot (open every day 8:00 - 16:45). Most cities and communities have Household Hazardous Waste drop-of areas. Never put cans of bear spray in your garbage bins at home! Some designated fire stations in certain communities may accept them (maybe call first and check).

Should I leave my bear spray in my car? NO! It is important to remember not to leave your bear spray in the car on a hot day as it may explode. If you must leave your bear spray in the car, store it in a bear spray safety travel container and out of direct sunlight. When not in use, bear spray should be stored indoors in a safe place out of reach of children.

 

An example of bear spray that exploded in a car on a hot day. It was messy!

 

How do I use bear spray? Watch this video on How to Properly Use Bear Spray which is available with subtitles in ten languages.

Factors influencing bear spray performance: In a 2020 publication in the Journal of Wildlife Management, scientists examined the effects of temperature, wind, canister age, and repeated use on bear spray performance. The main takeaway is that bear spray is an important and effective deterrence tool in all areas where bears occur, even if it is windy or cold. Based on the results of this paper, they recommend the following guidelines:

  • Do not test‐fire cans intended for use in the field

  • Keep canisters warm when in the cold, tucking them inside a parka or sleeping bag

  • Retire canisters of bear spray when they are expired

Bear spray could save your life, your friend’s life and also a bear’s life!

WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS

FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

Mother bears can be extremely protective of their cubs so make sure to give family groups of bears lots of space, at least 100 meters. Do not allow them to gain access to unnatural food sources such as garbage, bird-feeders, pet food and fruit bearing trees and shrubs as they can lose their natural fear of people, which increases the probability of human-wildlife conflict. These bears can cause injury to people and pets and destroy property, resulting in bears being relocated or destroyed.

A reminder not to disturb or “rescue” baby animals such as deer, elk, birds and ducks. Mothers may leave their young in search of food so you may find these babies all alone. Please leave the babies where they are as their mothers will eventually come back.

WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM

"BUSTING BEAR MYTHS" BY DEREK RYDER, WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR

Myth#3: Bears eat a lot of meat.

Fact: Bears really would love to eat more meat, but they’re just not very good hunters. Most animals they would like to eat are hard to catch because they run just as fast, or faster, than a bear. Many animals they would like to eat, like full grown moose or elk, are big and a bit difficult to kill. The males also have pointy antlers for defense; being injured is bad for a bear. All of this is why bears usually target:

  • Baby animals. They’re not as fast, and not as capable of avoiding attack or even knowing the threat is there.

  • Older or weaker animals. These, too, are slower, and don’t fight back that well.

  • Females. They don’t have antlers for defense, though a healthy female elk, moose or deer can still be a challenge for a bear.

  • Things other animals have killed. Larger bears can readily chase a cougar off a kill. Bears can usually chase away a single wolf from a kill, but know they can’t fight off a multi-member wolf pack.

The nice part about eating fruits and vegetables is that plants neither run away nor fight back. All a bear has to do is know how to find the right and best plants, and their nose is excellent for that.

 

Baby animals such as deer fawns (pictured here) and elk and moose calves are easy meals for bears and other carnivores!

 

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Biosphere Institute is seeking a full-time Environmental Educator. Closing date is Wednesday June 22, 2022 and you can click on the image below for more info.

 
 

AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS

We need your help! Please take a few minutes to complete our survey by June 13, to help us develop our new targeted climate education program. You’ll be entered to win a Biosphere goody bag!

 
 

Here is a fun video about a well-known bear and a queen…enjoy!

EVENTS

Trails Fest is this Sunday June 12 from 10:30am-3pm at Kovach Pond in K-Country. The theme is PLAN BETTER!

There has been an explosion of outdoor recreation in Kananaskis Country in the last several years. Many folks getting out to hike, mountain bike, scramble, trail run, bikepack or backpack are new to these activities, or new to doing them in our area. This event will enable folks of all experience levels to learn from outdoor recreation professionals and experts.

WildSmart and our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors will be there to chat with folks about wildlife safety and responsible use of the trails. We will also be offering bear spray demonstrations with inert bear spray throughout the day. Come try it out for yourself!

 

Click on the image for more event details!

 

The Eco Solar Home Tour on Sat. June 25, 2022 is an annual tour showcasing energy efficient homes. 2022 is Canmore’s inaugural year! The tour will give you an opportunity to talk with homeowners and hear about their experiences with the latest energy-efficient technologies.

To see the details and descriptions of all the homes, visit https://ecosolar.ca/

 
 

Please remember BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!

Report any sightings of a bear, cougar, wolf or any aggressive wildlife in Kananaskis Country or the Bow Valley to Kananaskis Emergency Services at 403.591.7755