Watch A Fisherman Somehow Keep His Nerves When A Massive Bear Comes Straight At Him

Key Points

• The bear is walking at a steady pace and almost looks agitated.
• As it approaches the man, the massive bear chooses to run away rather than fight.
• Once it determined the man wasn’t a threat, it put as much distance between itself and the angler as possible.

Do you know how to survive a bear encounter? This video takes place at Mammoth Lakes, California, a breathtaking location with amazing views. The video starts with a massive bear entering the scene. The bear seems fixated on the fisherman and begins lumbering his way.

Standing his ground, the fisherman helps de-escalate the situation by speaking, showing the bear he is human. The clip is the perfect example of how to stay calm in the face of wildlife encounters. This angler didn’t seem scared at all! Follow along as we learn more about these amazing mammals and how to live safely around them.

Types Of Massive Bears In Mammoth Lakes, California

One of the best things about Mammoth Lakes, California, is that visitors are fully immersed in nature. Along with the crystal-clear lakes and cascading mountains, there are all sorts of wildlife, including American black bears. As you can see in the video clip below, sometimes these black bears are actually brown.

Are Black Bears Dangerous?

The video shows a large black bear lumbering toward a fisherman. The bear is walking at a steady pace and almost looks agitated. Yet as it approaches the man, the massive bear chooses to run away rather than fight.

This behavior is common for their species. Unlike grizzlies, black bears are rarely aggressive. These mammals prefer to flee rather than fight.

The fisherman filming the video comments on how scared the bear was, and he’s right. The bear wanted to investigate what was going on. Once it determined the man wasn’t a threat, it put as much distance between itself and the angler as possible.

How Common Are Bear Attacks?

Bears rarely attack people. There are over 7 billion people worldwide and roughly 1.3 million bears. And yet less than 50 people are attacked by bears every year. One of the reasons the numbers are so low is that bears generally shy away from people. Usually, when an attack does occur, it’s a grizzly bear attack. These attacks occur because someone accidentally startles the grizzly or encounters a momma bear protecting her young. The good news is that how you respond to a bear encounter can greatly increase your odds of staying safe.

How To Survive A Bear Attack

It’s clear the fisherman knew how to respond to a massive bear encounter. He probably has experience dealing with California’s wildlife. Instead of running, he stood his ground and asserted his dominance. One of the best ways to assert dominance during wildlife encounters is with your voice. Speaking in loud, firm tones communicates that you’re not prey.

Finally, standing your ground is always wise since you can’t outrun a bear. Black bears can run at bursts of 30 mph, and once you start running, you’ll trigger their prey drive. Instead, stand in place, wave your arms, and make noise. During most encounters, the bear will probably run away, just like the one in the video below.

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