Here's How to Safely Handle a Bear Charging at You

You Should Never Run From a Charging Bear But Here’s What You Should Do Instead

By Emma Taggart on August 28, 2024

When confronted with danger, we often face a choice between fight or flight. For many, the instinctive reaction to a charging bear is to run. However, this response can be more dangerous than you might think. A wildlife tour company, Scenic Bear Viewing in Homer, Alaska, recently shared a video revealing that it’s better to stand your ground when faced with a charging bear.

The short video shows a native grizzly bear charging quickly towards a group of photographers, who instinctively start warding off the animal with loud noises. One of the professional bear guides, known as Martin, took a bold step by pretending to chase the bear, which effectively caused it to retreat.

“Never run from a charging bear, even though your instinct is to run,” says the caption of the video. “This is a bluff charge. They are just trying to get you to run.” Bears have a natural instinct to chase, so running away can actually trigger their pursuit.

It’s just as important to avoid getting too close to the natural-born predators. “Don’t get close to bears in the wild. Make sure you have an experienced guide with you,” says Scenic Bear Viewing. “We do not get closer than 50 yards. This is not the first time we’ve been bluff charged. We are trained exactly for this situation.”

The Scenic Bear Viewing team explains that these bears have been accustomed to human visitors for over 30 years, making them a familiar part of their daily lives. They say, “These bears are not fed or hunted by humans. No harm is being done to these bears and we want to keep it that way. We take photos of the bears and leave no trace.”

Check out the viral video below, as well as other clips showing more peaceful interactions with bears. For more bear videos, you can follow Scenic Bear Viewing on Instagram.