Black bears

In the Georgian Bay area, and particularly in the town of Parry Sound area, the kind of Canadian wildlife we occasionally get are black bears - you don't find grizzly bears here. And while generally we don't get bears here in town, it is getting that time of year when bears come out of hibernation, and are looking for food. With our cool spring, there isn't a lot for them to eat yet...and here's a picture of one that visited 40 Bay Street Bed & Breakfast last fall!

I've had guests ask what they should do if they are out hiking and do encounter a bear - first off, bears do not like surprises. Try to avoid meeting up with a bear by being alert and making noise. Here's a few good tips from the Government of Canada's Self-Help Advice booklet called Prepared for the Woods:

• Make a noise when you walk in the bush to advertise your presence
• Stay calm. Most bears don't want to attack you; they usually want to avoid you and make sure you are not a threat
• Stay away from a mother bear and her cubs
• Don't drop your pack - it might help provide some protection
• Stay still and talk calmly, so the bear knows you are not a predator
• Always leave the bear an escape route - back away slowly - never run.