Respect the Grizzly Bear!

A couple of days ago a group of survival trainees had a near death encounter with a grizzly sow and cub. I've had a near death encounter with a grizzly too while firefighting in interior Alaska. There's a couple of tips I'd like to share. First, I never like to be close enough to a grizzly to trust bear repellent. Next, when out in the woods, do not become separated, travel as a close group and make lots of noise. We weren't allowed to carry firearms, but we usually had a helicopter close at hand to scare bears away. Also, do not go camping out in the wilderness if you smell like you just took a shower. If you reek as bad as a bear, that may be plenty enough bear repellent. Finally, if a bear jumps on you, you might say a prayer to Jesus while playing dead. Do not try to fight a grizzly; an argument only enrages the bear. Usually a wild bear will keep its distance, it's the ones used to people and garbage or people food which will kill you. Generally, it's a good idea to have bear insurance like a 30.06 rifle.