Man vs. Bear
There is currently a viral debate on social media in which women are considering whether they would rather come across a bear or a man if they were walking alone in the woods. For the most part, women are saying that they would rather bump into a bear than a man. I’m intrigued by this debate because this is something that I have considered many times before over the years.
Women would rather come across a bear than a man because a bear is more predictable than a man.
We know that a bear will attack out of instinct if they’re feeling territorial or protecting their young. A bear is very rarely hunting a human and they certainly are never hiding in the woods waiting for us to walk by to rape us. A man could attack for any reason whatsoever even after smiling at us and nodding hello. We know if confronted with a bear that we can act big to try to fool them and we have the possibility of scaring the bear off. There’s no way to scare an attacking man off by fooling him into believing we’re bigger than we are. If a bear does attack us, we either fight back or play dead, depending on what kind of bear it is. But with a man there’s no way to know how to react or what his intention is. I know this is a scary picture to paint but this is genuinely what women consider.
Men are significantly more violent than bears.
But women are also more violent than bears.
Because the reality is that humans are more violent than bears. Also, we encounter other humans much more frequently than we encounter bears, which greatly increases the probability of human on human violence.
I believe that most men are good and are more likely to try to save us from an attack than to attack us. And I do trust that most men hiking in the woods are there for the same reasons that I am, to enjoy nature, to be outside, and to have a pleasant experience.
The patriarchy thrives on our fear. As long as we fear men, we will continue to be oppressed by them. Should we be wary? Of course. Trusting our intuition, being vigilant of red flags and staying out of vulnerable situations is important, whether we are encountering a man in a dark alley or a mama bear and her cubs in the forest. Broadly fearing men will cause us to live in fear. Fearing bears is healthy to an extent, but assuming bears are violent attackers only serves to perpetuate our separation from Nature and hence, the oppression of Nature. The oppression of women and Nature is closely linked.
Of note, bear attacks are very rare. There are an average of only 40 attacks on humans by the most commonly encountered bear, brown bears, each year. Only about 11 of those attacks occur in North America.
I most importantly want to advocate for all women to feel comfortable walking alone in the woods.
The best self-defense is knowledge. It’s most important to be aware of what predators exist in the area that you are hiking in and research what to do when you encounter one. Each predator has its own set of rules. For the most part, never run, act big, and scare them away. Depending on the predator, if they pursue an attack, then you either fight back or play dead. Always keep your eyes and ears open in the wilderness. If you encounter an animal, any animal, be respectful, give them a wide berth and stay out of their way.
The second-best self-defense is protection. My titanium-tipped hiking sticks help support me when I’m walking down rocky terrain or across log bridges and can be used to scare away predators by banging them together overhead. I also imagine I could get a few good stabs in. I also carry bear spray if I’m alone where bears may be. Bear spray can be used against men, too. Weapons of self-defense make you feel more secure in the wild. Other ways to feel more secure include cell service, bringing a friend, walking on trails that are more populated or bringing a dog. Dogs are great if your dog’s not an off-leash idiot who’s going to send a grizzly bear chasing back towards you and your camp.
Sometimes it is nice to see a man in the woods or even better another woman in the woods. Passing a man or woman on the trail can be comforting when I feel insecure about being alone out in the wild. It’s nice to know that there are other humans around. If more women walk in the woods, we can help each other to feel more secure.
I love to go exploring in the forest on my own. In all my time hiking alone in the wilderness, I rarely encountered wildlife. In fact, I would welcome an innocent encounter in which I catch a glimpse of an animal through the trees, and they gaze back at me as they walk off into the mountains, ignoring me. Of course, if it’s a bear or cougar my heart rate is going to blast uncomfortably through my chest, and I’ll probably turn around and start heading back to my car briskly. A wildlife sighting can be a fortuitous omen.
So as far as the bear versus man debate goes, I choose the forest.
Don’t be afraid to encounter a bear or a man in the forest. Go prepared. Be knowledgeable. Call me and I’ll join you.
Which would you choose, man or bear?