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Bear spray is much more likely to be effective in this particular situation. Don't get me wrong I love my guns (I carry a .357 in bear country, there is a time and place for it) but in this particular situation the chances of fatally shooting a bear that large which is that close are slim. Bear spray is specifically made for these kinds of encounters and has statistically much higher success compared to firearms.
For detailed breakdowns of the mechanics of bear attacks, when to use which weapon, and why certain weapons fail in certain circumstances check out the work of Stephen Herrero, especially Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance. NOLS has also put out many resources on bear country safety, and of course the copious research by Dwight K. Schrute is also invaluable.
Nah. Buffalo and Bison are completely interchangeable in modern American English. Yes, the binomial nomenclature is bison bison, but buffalo is also accepted in casual conversation.
I know because I listened to this book on Audible, so I’m pretty much a buffalo expert:
https://www.amazon.com/American-Buffalo-Search-Lost-Icon/dp/0385521693/ref=nodl_
(Also - it’s a fantastic book. Highly recommended).
My partner wrote a very similar piece about how unscientifically most people (and many scientists) think about animal intelligence. I also recommend the book Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? to anyone interested in this topic.
This post inspired much discussion about taxonomic differences between "Grizzly Bears" and "Brown Bears." Both are currently classified as the same species as several comments noted. Beyond that significant detail, I'll leave it to taxonomists to distinguish subspecies, etc.. My interest is in differences between these animal in the field and how they respond to human encounters. Many authorities note important behavioral differences between "coastal brown bears" and "interior grizzlies." I have never been close enough to an interior grizzly to see anything but a small blob in the distance. I've had brown bear mothers with cubs walk right though my campsite in Katmai and not take notice of me. Tom Smith, bear expert, described in his 2012 NOLS Faculty talk that bears have a tolerance for close approach that is variable, but generally, coastal bears are more approachable -- not that you should approach them. On the other hand, interior grizzlies react at much greater distance and may be a much greater threat. Smith and Stephen Herrero both suggest that many grizz charges are bluffs. Bear spray, according to these experts, is a better counter-measure for several reasons, not least of which is that you are not wounding a bear that was just bluffing in the first place.
It is very hard to distinguish what separates humans from non human animals. Animals, like humans, poses emotions, they can communicate, use tools, build structures, solve complex problems (in some cases they solve math quicker than humans), do politics, have complex social structure, go to war, be self aware, make love for fun of it, be altruistic, do dumb stuff, get bored, learn and teach and so on...
What makes us unique are things that are not obvious at all. Like theory of mind (ability to understand that other beings also posses mind of their own), ability to throw things and mythology (literature).
I would like for someone in this field to correct me if I am wrong, but almost anything you can think of is at least partialy done by some animal form somewhere. This is a great book on the subject
There's an interesting book about them, simply called 'Rats'. Guy more or less lived in an alley in NYC for months to study Rats. It wasn't a bad book if you want to learn about Rats, I suppose.
https://www.amazon.com/Rats-Observations-History-Unwanted-Inhabitants/dp/1582344779
...I followed your link and two of them were in the lower 48. Colorado and Yellowstone are in the lower 48.
Among outdoorspeople the bear "bible" is Stephen Herrero's <em>Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance</em>. Herrero studied a large number of bear attacks over a long period of time, so he can make more accurate generalizations than if he'd only studied a few.
From my memory of the book:
He concluded that most bear attacks happen when a bear intending to take humans' food tries to scare the humans away, or when someone gets between a mother bear and her cubs.
Most bear attacks are not fatal. You're right that fatal attacks are more likely to be predatory in nature, because a bear whose goal is to kill you is more likely to kill you than one whose goal is to scare you away. However, bears intending to scare humans away attack the same way that they attack bears they're intending to scare away, and humans are fragile, so bear attacks often involve injury.
Predatory bear attacks are also more likely in "wilder" areas where the bears are less familiar with humans. Your idea not to go to these areas unless you're comfortable with the small risk of a predatory bear attack makes sense. However, in less remote areas in bear country, the typical bear danger involves a bear that follows its nose to humans' food and encounters humans in the process and attacks intending to scare them away. Sometimes this is fatal. Sometimes it causes injury. Sometimes all that happens is the tent is destroyed and the food is gone.
Any of these will ruin the trip. So...OP's following accurate guidelines and I say NTA.
Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants - Robert Sullivan
https://www.amazon.com/Rats-Observations-History-Unwanted-Inhabitants/dp/1582344779
like i said, i have no intention of debating anyone, especially not in the comments. if you’re curious about these things i invite you to pm me. you could also do some research online, like google “why don’t vegans eat this or that” if you’re interested in animal ethics. :)
i can also share some resources if you want. if you’re a reader i can highly recommend “animal liberation” by peter singer. if you’re more into the “sitting down to watch an expository documentary” vibe, then i must recommend a powerful documentary called dominion (2018) which is totally free to watch! peace and love to ya, btw i just realized your username is awesome and hilarious lol, have a good night!
If you happen to not know, there's a great book exxactly about that called Are We Smart Enough To Know How Smart Animals are. It's great.
Utilitarians don't think ethics is subjective... And utilitarianism would also take into account the well being of animals. One of the most prominent modern utilitarian philosophers is also one of the most prominent vegans. You should check out Peter Singer's Animal Liberation.
Yes! Here's the Amazon link.
It's an incredible book, and really the classic when it comes to animal welfare ethics. I originally went veg for environmental reasons, but Singer's arguments made me realize that the ethical treatment of non-human animals is an equally important justification.
If you want to have a good idea of how animals are treated, consider reading Animal Liberation by Peter Singer. You'll soon realize that this is just one of many terrible practices we exploit animals on a daily basis to minimize the hassle to grow them.
I'm a huge fan of Animal Liberation by Peter Singer, but I believe this would fall under the ethical argument. I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for though as any environmental argument would still be based on a moral or ethical stance on what is "right" for the environment. And science isn't a stance at all it's a way of pursuing knowledge but doesn't tell us a "right" way to live.
I would suggested Animal Liberation By Peter Singer
I thought the same thing until I read this:
>From American Buffalo: “Makers of fine bone china began to purchase the best of the bones, those that weren’t too dried or weathered … Other big consumers of quality buffalo bones were the sugar, wine, and vinegar industries; they had been using wood ash to neutralize acids and clarify liquids, but in the early nineteenth century they found that bone ash did a better job of making sugar more shiny and wine less cloudy.”
https://www.amazon.com/American-Buffalo-Search-Lost-Icon/dp/0385521693
I read this before taking my scout troop into bear country for the first time. It contains a lot of really good info backed up by research. It helped me dispel my own fear of the unknown, and be prepared to answer questions and give direction authoritatively.
Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance, 3rd Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/149302941X/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_3KA9VKT7C7ZX9NPQMF48
One of my very favorite books- {Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation}
Back when I was a biology professor, I occasionally used this as a textbook. Really a fun and fascinating book! Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation: The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805063323/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_ZT93P1488NKJDVCNMZ1M
If any of you are interested this book is considered the authority on bear encounters in North America. . A lot of interesting information and a great read.
If anyone's interested in more Big Dick History - Animal Edition facts, I can highly recommend the book: "Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation" (Olivia Judson, 2002).
Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants https://www.amazon.com/dp/1582344779
Great book about rats! I highly recommend. They are bizarre and fascinating creatures.
Oh yep! I have the book about Alex- its one of the most amazing heartwarming and wrenching books- HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061673986/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_C2CXZKNX3HD2KN7J0EVP
I also love NYC history! I’ve read a ton of different books. I will check this one out!
One of my personal faves is Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants https://www.amazon.com/dp/1582344779/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_C5015PGSVAX6DTZRFCB4
Go read Dr. Tatiana's Sex advice for All Creation
There are lots of really adventurous and chaotic mating rituals out there.
Though the exploding privets of some species of bee really are my favorite. No more mating for you. My penis is in the way. Or the species that ejaculate glue at the end so the female can't mate again.
Still it is hard to beat exploding dicks.
There are specialists in New York City.
Personally, I extend non-aggression to animals but not because of the NAP. I avoid causing suffering to any other sentient being as a buddhist precept.
We have consistently underestimated the intelligence, sociability, and ethical capacity of non-human beings. If anyone would like to learn more about it I highly recommend Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Other Animals Are?