Grizzly and black bears are unpredictable at the best of times. Whether you are seeking recreation in bear country (hiking, camping, fishing, hunting) or you’re involved in an industry that requires you to work in bear country (seismic, logging, forestry), you need to be aware of what to do in the event of a bear sighting or encounter.

Knowing the appropriate response to a bear sighting/encounter could save your life and the lives of those you are with. The Bear Awareness and Avoidance program was created to provide the most recent available information on bear avoidance for members of the public and industry
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While the best defense against a bear encounter is to avoid it altogether, this is not always possible.This program provides guidance for pre-planning before you enter bear country and on-site situations.

Learn how best to handle a bear encounter using the knowledge and experiences of experts from the field.

Key Elements

• Knowing how to recognize potentially dangerous situations and the understanding of the best methods to diffuse them
• Distinguishing between types of bears and their mobility as well as their diet, distribution and annual cycle
• An in-depth look at available deterrents (bear pistols, sprays and noisemakers) and applicable legislations
• Discussion times so that class participants can learn from the knowledge and experience of others

The student program is 4-6 hours in length. Students receive a participant workbook and a Bear Awareness and Avoidance Graduation Card upon successful completion of the program.

Course dates are subject to change. Courses will be cancelled if registration is below the minimum number of registrants.