The Grizzly Survival Quiz
Strap on your backpack, grab your camera and get ready for an excursion into grizzly country. Do you know how to stay safe?
Your first stop is the general store, where you can find all the supplies you need to stay safe in grizzly country. You only have room in your pack for the essentials. What can be left behind?
Dry food
Airtight food containers
Change of clothes
Slab of bacon
You chose:
You chose:
Obviously, the slab of bacon. Grizzlies have an uncanny sense of smell and can detect meat from miles away. It's best to bring food that isn't so pungent, so try sticking with dry food and keeping it in airtight containers. You should also bring a change of clothes if you plan to cook so that you're not a walking dinner bell for grizzlies.
You decide to take a few cans of bear spray with you in case you're charged by a grizzly. The general store has several types to select from. Which do you choose?
The one that says "net weight 225 grams, 0.5 percent capsaicin and 10 percent OC."
The one that says "net weight 225 grams, 1.5 percent capsaicin and 10 percent OC."
The one that says "net weight 100 grams, active ingredient VC."
The one that says "net weight 225 grams, active ingredient VC."
You chose:
You chose:
You should only consider bear sprays with a net weight of at least 225 grams (7.9 ounces) and 1.4 to 1.8 percent capsaicin. If the spray has 10 percent Oleoresin of Capsicum (OC) it's definitely worth considering. Avoid vanillyl pelargonamide, or VC, as this is not a proven grizzly deterrent.
Your journey begins. You set out across open fields and eventually reach a meadow with fresh signs of grizzly activity. To avoid an unwelcome encounter, which way do you go?
Left, toward signs of digging.
Right, toward the overturned boulder.
Straight ahead, toward the gnawed tree trunk.
You chose:
You chose:
Grizzlies leave scratch marks on trees, but a gnawed trunk is a sure sign that a beaver lies ahead. Grizzlies dig for roots, tubers and burrowing rodents, so it's best to avoid signs of digging. Also, an overturned boulder may be a sign that a grizzly was there recently searching for insects and grubs.
Your path leads to a gently rising hill sprinkled with fresh wildflowers. At the summit, a panorama of the countryside unfolds around you. With so many options, which way do you go?
To avoid grizzlies, head toward the open meadow to your right.
To avoid grizzlies, head toward the burned-over area right of center.
To avoid grizzlies, head toward the shallow stream left of center.
To avoid grizzlies, head toward the avalanche chute to your left.
You chose:
You chose:
It must be spring since there are fresh wildflowers about. At this time of year, grizzlies search for sprouting plants in burned-over areas; salmon in streams; and forage for fresh vegetation in avalanche chutes. It would be safest to head toward the open meadow; grizzlies may also be there, but you have a better chance of spotting them from a distance.
Spotting grizzlies is easy in an open meadow, but difficult in the forest. Regardless, a forest lies ahead and you must enter. Inside you spot tracks leading in different directions. To be safe, which do you avoid?
The ones that look like concave Hershey's Kisses with four eggs in an arc on one side.
The ones shaped like a rounded axe blade sprouting five long, finger-like projections.
The ones that look like a round jigsaw puzzle with five ovals in an arc on one side.
The ones shaped like a rounded axe blade with five circles in a row on one side.
You chose:
You chose:
You may be in for an unpleasant surprise no matter which tracks you follow, but it's safest to avoid the rounded axe and row of circular toes — they belong to a grizzly! The others are fox (concave Hershey's Kisses with four eggs in an arc on one side), beaver (rounded axe blade sprouting five long, finger-like projections) and skunk (round jigsaw puzzle with five ovals in an arc on one side).
After a long day you decide to make a camp. Night falls and you retire to your sleeping bag. A few hours later you're awoken by claws ripping at your bag. It's a grizzly! What do you do?
Lie perfectly still and don't make a sound.
Scream bloody murder, but don't make any sudden movements.
Yell, shout, throw things and generally make a big ruckus.
Attempt to slide silently out of the bag and run for your life.
You chose:
You chose:
If disturbed by a grizzly while sleeping, use any means necessary to startle the bear, then pack up and move on. You really should be sleeping in a tent in grizzly country, and hopefully you remembered to change your clothes after eating.
After a night of uneasy sleep you're eager to head back to civilization. You hastily pack your things. Turning to leave you realize that garbage has been left behind. What do you do with it?
Bury it.
Throw it in your backpack.
Burn it and pack the ashes out in containers.
Leave it for the grizzlies.
You chose:
You chose:
Leaving trash behind, even burying it, puts other lives in danger. When grizzlies get used to eating trash, they start invading campsites. Pack it out, but burn it first so that you're not a walking food market.
For your return trip you take a shortcut through the foothills. While winding through a dense crop of evergreens you chance upon a grizzly. She's less than 20 yards away, facing you. What now?
Make a lot of noise to frighten her away.
Stand your ground, keeping your eyes on her.
Retreat slowly, avoiding eye contact.
Run!
You chose:
You chose:
Making noise doesn't work in this situation, and running is an invitation to attack. The best course of action is to retreat slowly, avoiding eye contact. Even if you're paralyzed and can't move, it's crucial to avoid eye contact. If you stare, the bear will see you as a threat.
As you retreat a pair of cubs scamper out of the brush to see what's going on. They're between you and their mom. Not good. She lowers her head, flattens her ears and charges. What now?
Wait until she's within 25 feet, then spray her with bear spray.
Turn to face her and roar like a grizzly.
Continue to retreat slowly, avoiding eye contact.
OK, NOW run!
You chose:
You chose:
It may be tough to resist running, but if you want to survive, stand your ground until she's within 25 feet, then give her a 6-second shot of bear spray. Hopefully you bought the right kind at the general store!
The bear spray didn't work. It usually does, but sometimes a bear is too enraged to care. Bear spray doesn't make you invincible. The grizzly is almost on top of you. What now?
Punch her in the nose as hard as you can.
Punch her in the throat as hard as you can.
Knee her in the belly as hard as you can.
Drop to the ground, cover your head and stomach, and lie still.
You chose:
You chose:
When a grizzly is upon you, shield your vital organs by lying down or curling into a ball, protect your head with your arms, and lie still. An enraged grizzly will attack until you stop moving, one way or the other.
Calm nerves and quick thinking carried you through two grizzly encounters. You don't want a third. Let them know you're coming by making noise — but without a bell or horn, what works best?
Yodeling
High-pitched whistling
A single loud shout
Alligator noises
You chose:
You chose:
Always bring a large bell or bullhorn with you in grizzly country; this gives them plenty of notice that you're coming. If you forget, yodel frequently. A whistle can sound like a marmot (yummy) and single shouts are ineffective. As for alligator noises, they're too low to be effective.
Correct
You're very lucky to have escaped grizzly country in one piece. It would be a good idea to retake the quiz so you can brush up on your safety skills.
Correct
You came close to getting seriously injured by a grizzly, but made it through unscathed. You may want to retake the quiz so you can brush up on your safety skills.
Correct
You made several bad decisions, but avoided getting into any major trouble with grizzlies. Still, a mediocre score may not be good enough when your life's at stake.
Correct
You stayed safe from grizzlies, for the most part, but you made a few errors in judgment. These can be costly in grizzly country.
Correct
You planned a perfect trip, made all the right decisions and succeeded in staying safe around grizzlies. Great job!
