New Research on Reducing Grizzly Conflicts Looks to Spread Word on Bear Spray

In and around Yellowstone National Park, the number of grizzly bears is on the rise — and so, coincidentally, is the number of human recreationists using the trails, picnic sites and campgrounds in the heart of the animals’ habitat. Encounters between humans and bears are increasingly likely, said Anna Miller from the Department of Environment and Society and the Ecology Center.

In recently published research, Miller, who studies human-wildlife encounters, and colleagues from the University of Utah and federal agencies, explored ways that the signs, brochures and other messaging mediums employed by managers in bear country might become more effective at reducing the risks of human-bear conflicts, particularly concerning the use of bear spray.

“You can’t ask bears to be smarter about people,” Miller said. “The only thing we can do is to ask people to be smarter around bears.”

Human-bear encounters in the Montana portion of the greater Yellowstone area have more than doubled in a decade, jumping from six recorded incidents in 2012 to 15 in 2021, with a peak of 18 in 2019, including fatalities.

Ideally, bear spray should be carried by all hikers, overnight backpackers and other recreationists, Miller said, but studies show that only a fraction of them actually do. A significant portion of visitors (1 in 4) said they never carry bear spray. Day-hikers and visitors on boardwalks were the least likely to have the deterrent on hand, while overnight visitors and backcountry users reported somewhat higher rates of compliance with the recommendation.

Bear spray has been shown to be an effective way to prevent injuries and fatalities from bear attacks, alongside preventative actions like proper food storage and avoiding encounters. But carrying the spray requires something that not all humans are especially good at — planning ahead.

The research produced some specific recommendations for managers looking for strategies to increase the likelihood of visitors having bear spray on hand.

• Make Access Easy and Cheap: Offering low-cost bear spray products for purchase or rent at convenient locations like park entrances or trailheads could significantly increase carry rates, she found. The high cost of bear spray had some visitors making economic tradeoffs about potential encounters.
• Early Messaging: Information should reach visitors well before they are on site, through park websites, visitor centers or other online sources. “If visitors are learning for the first time that they need bear spray at the trailhead, it’s probably too late,” Miller said.
• Targeted Talk: Overnight visitors in the front-country have a relatively high likelihood of encountering bears, particularly animals that are habituated to humans and campgrounds, making the encounter especially dangerous. Just half of these visitors reported carrying bear spray most of the time. Developing communication campaigns specifically targeted to this group could be especially effective at reducing conflict.
• Eyes on the Ranger: Uniformed park staff and volunteers enjoyed a high level of trust with visitors, especially the first-time visitors. Personal conversations and interpretive programs could be highly effective in educating new visitors about the importance of bear spray and giving them confidence that they know how to use it.

Carrying bear spray has potential to save both human and bear lives, Miller said, by deterring attacks and reducing the risk of bears being euthanized after conflicts.

A bear spray vending machine and options for spray rental have recently been made available in the Jenny Lake area. The options seem to be appreciated and successful, according to Jenn Newton, coauthor on the study, from the National Park Service at Grand Teton.

“It’s a small act, if we remember to do it, that could have major consequences on our own safety, on protecting bears, and for preserving the ecosystem they belong in,” Miller said.