And Bears, Oh My

One of my friends keeps calling me, and every time she says “And please, don’t get eaten by bears!”

I’m trying, Chula.

 

 

But they are surprisingly difficult to avoid. The locals here say that there is one bear per every square mile on Baranof Island. I’m not sure where they got that number or how up to date it is, but I do know that would mean Sitka has the highest density bear population outside of the Kodiaks.

 

 

These photos were all taken from the relative safety of the Fortress of the Bear, a local sanctuary for orphaned bears found on the island and surrounding areas. These bears were rescued as cubs and raised by hand to maturity. They seem content enough. In fact, a few weeks ago the staff had issues with a bear trying to break IN to the sanctuary.

 

 

Two of the bears were rescued after their mother broke into a fishing lodge looking for food and was shot by the cook. I have to say, the fact that that was a possibility did give me shivers when I learned about it before coming up here. A 8 ft. brown bear was shot about 200 yards away from my lodge this week after it made off with a lady’s dog. Not terrifying. At all.

 

 

But I do appreciate the matter of fact attitude towards bears and self-defense that Alaskans have. On the Fortress’ website they talk about it in very passive terms –  the bear broke in to the lodge, the cook was forced to defend himself, we mitigated the damage. There’s no Cecile the Lion hysteria over doing what has to be done.

But I am still getting used to the fact that what has to be done includes carrying a gun anywhere outside of town. I went hiking with a friend on Father’s day and when her husband opened the front door to let me in he had an impressive firearm strapped to his side. Not afraid to admit, it gave me a start. I know that in the rest of the U.S. that’s not a big deal but in Seattle the only thing you shoot with a gun is another person, hence my aversion. But up here you actually NEED a gun to protect yourself and your family which is the only good reason I can see for allowing open carry.

So I’m trying not to be such a bleeding heart liberal about it, even if I do still jump every time I see a handgun. I mean, some survival instincts are hard to kick. Where I come from, it’s the man with the gun, not the bear, who is going to kill you.

 

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I am using Instagram as a mini-blog platform while I’m in Alaska. Follow me at @leeslens to get daily photos of the great white north and midnight sun.