One way to enjoy wandering the fantastic Alaska backcountry without fear and trembling is by realistic contemplation of safety statistics. (Al Hassal art)
June 12, 2025
By Jim Repine
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This article was originally titled Bearing Up in Alaska in the May 2007 Seasonable Angler column.
One way to enjoy wandering the fantastic Alaska backcountry without fear and trembling is by realistic contemplation of safety statistics. Assuming your backcountry adventure begins by driving to a float-plane base, boat dock, trailhead, or wherever, once you are out of the vehicle, the most dangerous part of your trip—by far—is over. There is nothing riskier than highway travel.
If your mission involves water—boating on it, swimming in it, crossing over it, walking beside it, or whatever—keep this in mind: Water sports are the most dangerous outdoor activities. More people drown in Alaska each year than are shot, burned, killed while bush flying, or from exposure or animal attacks.
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If the threat of a car accident or drowning prevents you from going where you want, remember, even in Alaska, bear attacks are far less likely than any of the above. Bears can sometimes be a serious problem, but there are simple ways to diminish the likelihood of a dangerous encounter.
Bear cubs are cute, appear cuddly, and are playful, but their mother is quick to protect her young ones and will harm you if she perceives you as a threat. (Shutterstock/Egor Vlasov photo) 1. Leave the Firearms at Home Unless you’re an expert shooter with experience under life-threatening pressure, do not bring a gun into the backcountry. A nervous, poor shot from any firearm can get you killed.
“What gun is best for bear protection in Alaska?” is a frequently asked question. My standard response is: “Close your eyes for a minute. Clear your mind. Now visualize a 600-pound bear heading toward you. Scared? Now imagine the same critter, wild with rage, charging you at the speed of a galloping quarter horse—because you just shot it in the foot.”
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Experienced outdoorsmen rely on pepper spray . It’s a last resort, used only when a charging bear is close and obviously angry. It is easy to carry and access when needed but still requires a deliberate, reasonably accurate application. Don’t fire it too soon or it won’t be effective. Yet you must fire it soon enough to turn the charging bear before its momentum makes a collision inevitable. Don’t fire it into the wind, or blowback might do to you what you want to do to the bear.
2. Don’t Smell Like Food In Alaska, the warm (eating) season is short. The cold (sleeping) season is long. The big hairy ones need to consume all they can to store up enough fat to get through the long winter. I met a tent camper who awakened just before dawn with a headache. A bear had his head in its mouth. When the man screamed, the bear let go and fled.
The camper had brought his food inside for the night “so bears wouldn’t get it.” Bruins have a keen sense of smell, prowl at night, and like you or me, love to raid the refrigerator. Good tents keep out rain, wind, and mosquitoes, but not bears. Never put food or things smelling like food—clothing, gloves, boots you wore while cleaning fish, or unwashed cooking utensils—in your tent at any time. Store these potential animal attractors inside bearproof containers (if available) or use a rope to hang them over a tree branch at least 12 feet above ground and 20 feet away from your sleeping area . As a last resort, store food items in your vehicle with the doors locked and windows rolled up or consider a Bear Shock Electric Fence .
3. Never Feed Bears or Any Other Wild Animals More people drown in Alaska each year than are shot, burned, killed while bush flying, or from exposure or animal attacks. (Al Hassal art) At best you’re likely to make beggars and pests of them, and a problem bear will eventually hurt someone or be destroyed. At worst, a hungry bear may not know where your handout ends and your hand begins.
I once flew with some clients to Dream Creek, near Lake Iliamna , to look for rainbows. As we circled the creek mouth, we saw three guys frantically waving and jumping up and down on top of a hill overlooking our landing site.
At the foot of the hill was the remains of their camp, with a large brown bear calmly looking up at us. Our pilot buzzed the bear to frighten it off, and we landed. The three Swedish fellows told a funny tale, but it could easily have been a serious disaster.
The trio had been dropped off at the creek mouth for three days of camping and sockeye salmon fishing. The salmon were schooled up at the creek mouth, and fishing was good. On the first evening the delicious aroma of fresh-grilled sockeye drifted on the evening breeze, and the anglers, with several fish each, were happy campers until they saw a huge brown bear standing erect about ten yards away. Its ears were up as it moved its head slowly from side to side, trying to figure out who or what these aliens were, and why they smelled so good.
One of the anglers decided to make friends with their huge shaggy neighbor and tossed the bear a salmon. At the man’s approach, the bruin backed up a step or two, watched the fish fall to the ground, and then ate the fish. Mmmm! He moved a step or two closer and politely belched. From the smell of things, it was obvious there were a lot more snacks where that one came from.
The campers soon felt pressured to offer a second fish. This time their new friend moved even closer. As the bear ate, the men backed out slowly and moved up the hill as far as they could without losing sight of their camp. Now the bear was the camper, and they were terrified wildlife observers hugging each other through the longest night of their lives to avoid freezing. We didn’t rescue them until the next morning.
4. Don’t Approach Bear Cubs They are cute, appear cuddly, and are playful, but their mother is quick to protect her young ones and will harm you if she perceives you as a threat. If you find bear cubs, assume the mother is nearby and cautiously leave the area.
5. If You Come Upon a Kill—A Dead Animal or Pile of Salmon—Be Alert, Calm, and Leave the Area Assuming your backcountry adventure begins by driving to a float-plane base, boat dock, trailhead, or wherever, once you are out of the vehicle, the most dangerous part of your trip—by far—is over. (Shutterstock/bobby20 photo) 6. Do Not Bring a Dog into Bear Country Unless your dog is a well-trained, hardy, and fiercely protective breed, don’t take it into bear country. Your pet can get you killed. Rhodesian ridgebacks and akitas are the only breeds I’ve had enough personal experience with to strongly recommend. A protective nature isn’t enough though—the pooch must have the courage to stand its ground. Otherwise, if things get bad, the dog will run to you for protection with an upset bear close behind.
Of the many amazing and remarkable things Alaska is full of, nothing is more thrilling than seeing a wild bear. Binoculars might be the safest way to see a bear, but the more time you spend fishing Alaska rivers, the more likely you are to encounter one close-up. Try to stay cool and don’t shriek or run.
If you find yourself face to face with a bear, speak calmly and slowly. “Hey bear!” is one time-tested greeting. Then back deliberately away. A sudden move can be taken as an aggressive challenge, while running is likely to spark a predatory instinct to chase fleeing prey. If you have a fish, moose shoulder, or backpack that smells of food, put it down and back away. Basic common sense is always the right way.
And what about firing a handgun in the air to scare away a nuisance bear?
A lady friend and I went on a photography tour of the highway system near the Canadian border in late September one year. The day had been marvelous with lots of sunshine, blue skies, and brilliant yellow fall foliage. We arrived at an empty campground, put up a tent, and had supper. Lazy after a busy day of photography, we left food, dirty dishes, and cooking utensils out on the camp table. Shame on us! We did pitch the tent a good distance from our mess, though, and soon settled into warm down sleeping bags for the night.
Early the next morning, Edie woke up to go to the bathroom. She started out of the tent and immediately changed her mind.
The more time you spend fishing Alaska rivers, the more likely you are to encounter a bear close-up. (Shutterstock/Warren Metcalf photo) “Jim!” she whispered. “Jim, get up!”
“What? Why? What’s the matter?”
“There’s a bear. It’s on the table.”
“Really?” The bag was warm and cozy.
“Do something.”
“What?”
“Make it go away!”
I found my .44 Magnum and crawled halfway out of the tent. A large brown bear was leisurely enjoying a providential breakfast. I fired the gun into the air twice. The bruin didn’t flinch, look my way, or show any sign of knowing or caring about our presence. It just kept on eating. I got back into the tent, returned to my still-warm sleeping bag, and handed the revolver to Edie.
“You make it go away,” I said with a grin.
Jim Repine was a guide and the author of several books on fishing in Alaska.
