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When I was a teen, I lived in the foothills of the northern California Sierras. For my brothers, friends and me, the beautiful wilderness of this mountain range was our backyard and our playground. We often hiked in the Desolation Wilderness (see photo) just west of Lake Tahoe or further south on the John Muir Trail.

Interestingly, we never bothered with purifying the water that we drank. We drank from the crystal clear brooks, rivers and lakes. We never once got sick.

It’s not that we didn’t think about the quality of the water and its drinkability. I remember looking down into an eddy of a brook to see what might be floating in the water before bending over to draw deeply from the delicious natural beverage.

We also joked with one another that there might be a dead animal in the water just upstream and around the corner. Our rule was that if there was no dead animal or other polluting object within 100 yards up stream, the water was safe to drink. Somewhere we got the notion that stream water that tumbled down a slope for at least a hundred yards had been purified through oxygenation. Having reported that, I don’t remember ever stepping off that distance and looking for deer or raccoon carcasses lying in the water.

Nowadays, we hikers and backpackers are admonished to carry our own pure water or purify what we might find along the way. Although, I did read recently an online study that showed that nearly all of the water in the deep wilderness was fit to drink. I’m sorry I can’t tell you exactly how to find that study. But here’s a link to a study discussed on the REI website.

So, what is my recommendation? Purify your water if you are at all squeamish about or uncertain about the water sources in the area where you will be hiking. Without a doubt, boil, filter or chemically purify any water you propose to drink where livestock is allowed to graze.

Well, there is much more to discuss concerning wilderness water purification. I’ve only touched briefly on the topic here. Hike well. Hike safely.~Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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Alpine lake in the Trinity Alps, Northern California

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The mountain lion, also know as the cougar or the puma, is a very elusive animal. You are likely to never encounter one in the wilderness. Nonetheless, knowledge about this magnificent cat, added to all your overall knowledge of the wilds, could be very useful some day. Here are sources presenting facts about the mountain lion. Learn and thrive.

Mountain Lions at Grand Canyon National Park: (Ranger Minute)

Mountain lions (Puma concolor, also called cougars or pumas) inhabit the canyons and forests of Grand Canyon National Park and are the region’s only remaining large predator. Surprisingly, very little is known about this secretive animals behavior, r…

The Mountain Lion

Just a cougar’s tribute, my favorite animal! Clips from Thought Equity, Getty Images, BBC Motion Gallery, National Geographic, AnimalPlanet and YouTube.

The Cougar and it’s physcial attributes. www.YouTubeBooster.net

►youtubebooster.net (it´s incredible!) – how to jumpstart your videos on youtube easily – The Cougar and it’s physcial attributes.leopard jaguar tiger lion vs Leopard Hyena anaconda fight cougar puma mountain badger wolverine wolf eagle hawk rhino el…

The Cougar

A vid with pictures and facts about the cougar/mountain lion

Mountain Lion Attacking a Deer in Divide, Colorado 8/8/08

A mountain lion killing a deer, filmed on the morning of Aug. 8, 2008 in Divide, Colorado.

Mountain Lion

Filmed by Glenn Street @ the Back Porch Ranch on 10/22/08.

Outdoor Nebraska: Dick Turpin Mountain Lion

Dick Turpin, legendary Nebraska outdoorsman and 40 year employee of Nebraska Game & Parks, happened upon a mountain lion kill in north central Nebraska. In this video, Dick narrates the video he shot of the lion coming in to it’s deer kill site.

Facts about the

Mountain Lion (Felis concolor)

Mountain Lion (Felis concolor) * Family: Felidae, * Genus: Puma, * Species:P. concolor, * Class: Mammalia * Type: Mammal, * Diet: Carnivore, * Average lifespan in the wild: 8 to 13 years, * Size: Head and body, 3.25 to 5.25 ft (1 to 1.6 m); Tail, 23….

Mountain Lion from Blog Posts

Facts About the Mountain Lion | Secrets of wild cats

They have different life spans which could range from 8 to 15 years while in captivity or up to 20 years when living in the wild. These mammals have a litter of 1 to 6 cubs with a gestation period of almost 9 months.

Publish Date: 01/09/2011 3:57

http://secrets-of-cats.com/facts-about-the-mountain-lion

Cougar: What is a Cougar, Facts, and Animal Resources About …

National Geographic – Mountain Lion Pictures, Mountain Lion Facts Website. National Geographic – Cougars on the Rise in the Eastern US Website. Canadian Geographic Magazine – Cougar Facts …

Publish Date: 01/10/2011 18:17

http://www.thefreeresource.com/cougar-what-is-a-cougar-facts-and-animal-resources-about-cougars

Mountain Lion Facts

by The Library of Congress. Mountain Lion Facts. Legends & Lore NH’s Mountain Lions Mountain Lion Facts Scientific Name: Puma concolor. Life Span: 8-11 years and up to 15-18 years in the wild and 19-20 years in captivity …

Publish Date: 12/07/2010 17:58

http://travelling.cz.cc/2010/12/mountain-lion-facts/

01.MOUNTAIN LION ON

FAST FACTS Height: 2-2.3 feet at shoulders. Length: 3.5-5.5 feet (2-2.5-foot tail length). Weight: 110-180 lbs for males; females weigh slightly less. Lifespan: About 12 years in the wild; up to 25 years in captivity. …

Publish Date: 01/13/2011 8:44

http://organizationfornature.blogspot.com/2011/01/mountain-lion-on.html

Mountain Lions In The Night

Few ever witness Mountain Lions except for. mountain lion. Mountain Lions, Mountain Lion Pictures, Mountain Lion Facts. Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. …

Publish Date: 01/11/2011 0:27

http://semantiq.ipq.co/2011/01/mountain-lions-in-the-night/

Mind Blowing Facts

It would take quite a fence to keep a mountain lion out! 107. Their favorite food is deer, but they’ll eat other critters as well. They hunt alone, not in packs like wolves. They sneak up on their prey just like a house cat sneaks up on …

Publish Date: 01/03/2011 1:53

http://www.gprs-arena.co.cc/2011/01/mind-blowing-facts.html

Mountain Lion Attacks

Lg Dishwasher Reviews; Dalmatain Puppy For Sale In Kansas; Philadelphia Parking Authority Taxi Certification; Facts About Random Violence; Rape Free Clips; Real Tits; Mountain Lion Attacks; Modified Dirt Track Racecars …

Publish Date: 01/14/2011 2:15

http://silvershoesweddingbg.shakespearesplays668.net/1295000121/Mountain_Lion_Attacks.html

Mountain lion facts

Mountain lion facts • A capable ambush predator, this cat has the largest range on any wild land animal in the Americas. Read more on Ross Valley Reporter [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content …

Publish Date: 10/15/2010 14:37

http://www.chataboutcats.com/cat-and-kitten-stories/mountain-lion-facts/

Knowing facts about the mountain lion can be a life saver if you ever encounter on. I hope you never do.

Richard Davidian

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2010/09/15 at 9:44 am

Excellent post – that’s pretty much what my research on Black Bears turned up as well. Black Bears are statistically far less likely to hurt you than a Grizzly. They might scare the bejesus out of you in a mock charge trying to drive you away, knock you over to get at your picnic basket, or dig in your garbage late at night, but they’re very unlikely to go after you as food. But if they do actually attack then they mean to kill and eat you and you should never play dead as it will lead to the real thing (being dead). Fighting back is always the best strategy.

Grizzly Bears are a whole other story, though.

The two Black Bears I’ve encountered recently in the wild here in Northern AZ both did the same thing: Looked at me, determined I was not a threat to them, and went about their business. Bears are pretty rare here so both encounters were very unique and special – something I’ll always remember. I would imagine that my two encounters are pretty typical of most human-Black Bear interactions.
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Excellent post – that’s pretty much what my research on Black Bears turned up as well. Black Bears are statistically far less likely to hurt you than a Grizzly. They might scare the bejesus out of you in a mock charge trying to drive you away, knock you over to get at your picnic basket, or dig in your garbage late at night, but they’re very unlikely to go after you as food. But if they do actually attack then they mean to kill and eat you and you should never play dead as it will lead to the real thing (being dead). Fighting back is always the best strategy. Grizzly Bears are a whole other story, though. The two Black Bears I’ve encountered recently in the wild here in Northern AZ both did the same thing: Looked at me, determined I was not a threat to them, and went about their business. Bears are pretty rare here so both encounters were very unique and special – something I’ll always remember. I would imagine that my two encounters are pretty typical of most human-Black Bear interactions.
dlaplander@mac.com
del

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Planning a hike?

Here are some things to add to your hiking checklist before you ever set foot on the trail.

1. Get in shape. If you are planning to do a long hike, do some daily walking and short hikes to condition your body. If you are planning a backpacking trip, wear whatever footwear you plan to use and don your pack with some weight in it – not too much at first. Add more weight gradually. If you are planning a hike that involves climbing to high elevations, do some shorter acclimatization hikes.

2. Make special medical preparations. For instance, if you are allergic to bees like my wife is, make sure you have epinephrine or whatever has been prescribed for you. Discuss your hiking plans with your healthcare provider and get approval or cautions.

3. Learn some survival skills. Learn how to make a lean to shelter. Learn some wild edible plants.

4. Brush up on your navigation knowledge and skills. Review the use of a map and compass. Test yourself on the use of your GPS. Get up to speed on what you might have forgotten.

5. Confer with your hiking buddies. Discuss destinations, routes, tasks etc.

6. Check your equipment. Especially go over your core items: shelter (tent or tarp), footwear, sleeping bag and backpack. Then, make sure you have all of the other items that you need like navigation equipment, food, a bear bag, a survival kit and a first aid kit.

7. Consult with authorities. Ask about the area where you will be hiking, whether it be a national park, a state park or private lands, for any permits, reservations, guidelines, regulations or restrictions pertinent to your hiking or backpacking plans.

8. Check the weather. Be sure to cover the full the time period of your hike if possible. Apply what you find out to your choice of clothing and other equipment.

9. Set up your itinerary. Inform your family or friends of your itinerary and route.

10. Plan for emergencies. Plan out what you will do in an emergency. Make sure you have the needed equipment for a medical or other emergency.

11. Prep the kids. If you plan to hike with children, make sure that they are prepared in every way.

That’s the end of the hiking checklist.

Remember, plan well – hike well.

By Richard Davidian Ph.D.

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In an online conversation, I said that the best strategy in a grizzly bear attack is to play dead. Someone responded by saying that they heard from someone else that playing dead only works with female grizzlies with cubs.

I had never heard that, so I decided to do some research to see what the online consensus was regarding how to survive a bear attack. Keep in mind that my research was not rigorously scientific. Nonetheless, I believe that the results can be instructive.

I went to Google and searched on “bear attack”. Here’s what I found.

In 21 pages of Google results, I found 13 websites that dealt with the topic of how to survive attacks from grizzly bears and/or black bears.

Based on my previous research, I have always advocated the following:

In a grizzly (brown bear) attack, play dead.
In a black bear attack, fight back.

Note that when I refer to an “attack”, I mean that there is actual physical contact between the bear and the person. I am not discussing bluff attacks unless I indicate so specifically.

Of the 13 websites that I mentioned above, five strongly supported what I have been advocating (see above). Now, I’ll be a bit more specific in my quasi-scientific analysis.

FINDINGS FOR GRIZZLY BEAR ATTACKS

For grizzly bear attacks, of the 13 sites, nine said simply to play dead. Three additional sites said to play dead unless the attack is predatory. One site was discussing exclusively black bears and didn’t mention grizzly bears.

Of these 12 sites that advocated playing dead in a grizzly attack, four of them really didn’t specify the bear species. They just talked about bear attacks in general.

In short, 12 of 13 sites advocated playing dead in a grizzly attack with some sites being a bit more specific.

FINDINGS FOR BLACK BEAR ATTACKS

Of the 13 sites analyzed, two did not mention black bears and four simply talked about bear attacks in general (the same sites that I mentioned above) including grizzly and black. That leaves seven sites that discussed black bear attacks specifically.

All of these seven sites said to fight back in a black bear attack. One specifically said to fight back if the attack was predatory and play dead if it was not.

We’ll talk more about the difference between predatory and provoked attacks below.

Another website said to fight back unless the attack is prolonged, and in that case, play dead.

NO EVIDENCE FOR PLAYING DEAD FOR ONLY MOTHER GRIZZLIES WITH CUBS

Note that none of these sites limited the strategy of playing dead to attacks from mama grizzlies protecting their cubs.

PROVOKED ATTACKS VS. PREDATORY ATTACKS

Now let’s look a bit more closely at how things work here. The real issue is whether a bear attack is provoked or predatory. And to say it straight out, play dead in a provoked attack and fight back in a predatory attack.

Let me attempt to define these two terms, provoked attacks and predatory attacks, with examples.

Provoked bear attacks. In these types of attacks, the main element is a threat of some kind. Let me give a couple of examples.

Let’s say you come over a rise and surprise a mother bear on one side of the trail and her two cubs on the other side. You happen to be between the mom and her babies. If mom attacks, the attack is considered provoked because she feels that her cubs are being threatened. Play dead if this type of provoked attack is real and not just a bluff attack.

In another scenario, you come upon a bear eating a deer carcass. If the bear attacks, it is considered a provoked attack because he feels that you are threatening his right to have his food all to himself. Again, play dead in this provoked type of attack.

The reason that that playing dead in a provoked bear attack is considered the best strategy is this: By playing dead, you no longer appear to the bear to be a threat, and the bear will in most cases lose interest and move on.

Predatory bear attacks. A predator is an animal the preys on other animals for food. For instance, a hawk is a predator and a rabbit is his prey.

In a predatory bear attack, the bear considers you food. In such an attack, it is best to fight back with anything you can get your hands on: sticks, stones, your boots, your fingers, your fists. Go for the eyes and the nose. Yell, scream, flail, kick. Fight as if your life depended on it, which it does.

The reason that it is not recommended to play dead in a predatory attack seems to me to be quite obvious. If the bear thinks you are food, lying down and playing dead will only make it easier for her to eat you. Sorry for the bluntness of this statement, but I want this to be clear and unequivocal.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Play dead in a provoked attack and fight back vehemently in a predatory attack.

Now, why do most websites simply say to play dead in a grizzly attack and fight back in a black bear attack?

It’s because a grizzly almost never considers humans food. They are very aloof towards us. Only in extremely rare cases have grizzlies preyed on humans.

On the other hand, a black bear will almost never carry through an attack on a human due to provocation. They will simply carry out a bluff attack and then retreat. Only in the very rare case where a black bear looks at a human and says, “Yum, food”, does it carry out a full attack.

How can you tell a predatory attack? If a bear (almost always black) comes slowly towards you, continues following you and then attacks, it’s because he wants you for food.

Alright, final words. We have only discussed here what to do in an actual serious bear attack. There is much more to be said about avoiding bear attacks, a subject of other posts.

Bear attacks on humans are very rare, so don’t stay away from the wilderness for fear of bears.

Never run from a bear, if you want to survive the attack.

Play dead in a provoked attack and fight back in a predatory attack. Nearly all black bear attacks, rare as they are, are predatory. Nearly all grizzly attacks are provoked. Grizzlies think that as far as food goes, we humans stink.

by Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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As autumn approaches, more and more people will take to hiking in the desert.

Some of the best hiking in the United States is in the desert. The Grand Canyon and stretches of the Pacific Crest Trail come to mind. The desert has its unique features, and one of these is the weather. In the summer, of course, it can be beastly hot. Temperatures can be in the hundreds, and dehydration is a constant threat.

But, in late fall, winter and early spring, desert hiking can be delightful. I have listed some things below that are important to know about weather and climate in the desert.

Heat. Any time of the year, heat, even extreme heat, can be an issue in the desert. So, dress appropriately. Wear light-colored fabrics that have good wicking properties and a broad-brimmed hat. You might also try a Cooling Bandanna.

And take plenty of water and/or electrolyte-replacement drinks. Stay hydrated by drinking small amounts often.

Glaring sunshine and little shade. The desert sun can be brutal, so make sure you have sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm with a decent SPF.

Monsoon season. Believe it or not, torrential rain can be a problem in the desert. Monsoon season in Arizona, for instance, is likely to be experienced from July through September. Rising heated air over the desert draws moisture laden air from the Gulf of Mexico. This humid air develops into afternoon thunderstorms. A good way to avoid these thunderstorms is to hike early.

If you are climbing a ridge, and you see dark thunder clouds forming, get off the ridge as quickly as you can.

Flash floods. Popular hiking venues in the desert are slot canyons. These narrow canyons with vertical walls rising up hundreds of feet are beautiful and enticing. But, they can also be dangerous. Make sure you get a good weather report before hiking a slot canyon.

A flash flood in the canyon that you may be exploring could be the last event of your life. The flood of debris-laden water that might be about to roar down  the canyon could have its source in rains miles upstream. Signs of impending doom in a slot canyon are rapidly increasing silt in the stream and a rumbling reminiscent of a freight train. If you witness either of these, get to higher ground as soon as you can and as high as you can.

Desert hiking can be fun and safe. Just be aware of its unique features and take appropriate precautions.

By Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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