Although, in most areas in Alaska continues to have sufficient snow coverage to provide some excellent cross country skiing enjoyment. I am starting to see a few more people jogging or walking for this time of the year. However, I would still recommend that you continue to use ice cleats on your jogging sneakers. The signs of spring are there for those that look carefully, when in fact you should look for signs, as it could mean a difference between life, mauling, or even death.
The primary reason is that listening to the local Alaska news on television this evening. The first bear sightings have occurred in the Los Anchorage area over the past several days. On typical years, the bears will come out of hibernation earlier in the Los Anchorage bowl area than other locations in Alaska. This is the area that contains the largest food source in Alaska during late winter. The salmon have yet to return to the rivers of their origin because they are frozen over. The Caribou have migrated further south and outside the range of the feeding bears as they come out of the dens. If you are a walker, jogger, or even cross country skier, this time of the year you should be fully prepared for an encounter with a bear at any moment. As standard gear, it is recommended that you carry some type of firearm, pepper spray, whistle, and adorn your jogging or skiing attire with tiny bells.
I have never been one to be "bear scared" except for this time of the season. These bears have been in hibernation for the past several months. They have lived off their body fat and are now hungry. Their typical spring food supply in the form of green grasses, mice, and ground hogs has not yet become exposed due to the snow levels. The other thing you need to consider is that the majority of these early spring bears are pregnant females. They can no longer sleep because of their bulging stomachs, they are hungry, tired of being pregnant, and they have an attitude.Until the natural food supply shows up in the food chain, from henceforth I will have a weapon within reach at all times. Although, we have never had a bear problem in the HITW. Until I have plowed my last snow of the season at the HITW, I will be prepared by having a .44 magnum laying on the seat beside me and one of my double barrel ten gauge shot guns in the gun rack behind my seat. Be prepared at all times ~ Don't become a news story.
Picture Taken At City Park In Los AnchoragePOSTING ADDITION
3/6/2009 11:59 am
From the comment section, JD Plumma reminded me about the Polar Bears that moved into the LA area a few months ago. Although no recent sightings have been made, with the amount of snowfall they may be blending in with their environment. Those in the LA area are now facing a double danger situation. If you are packing a automatic, may want to consider a second clip.
2 comments:
I read a week ago that a grizzly was sighted north by people breaking the Iditarod trail.
Leave us not forgetful of the fact that bears, really, do not officially hibernate. They also may come out of their den(s) more than once through any given winter for multiple reasons. The only problem this leaves in early March is they might run into polar bears who have not yet migrated back North. That, my friend, will be ugly. A .50 caliber weapon - or larger - will be the only thing to save a man at that point.
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