Bear Safety in Katmai

 

How would you react in an encounter with a bear?

NPS Photo Courtesy of J. Bortscheller

Sustaining one of the highest densities of brown bears in the world, with an estimated 2,200 bears within the 4.2 million acres of the Park and Preserve, visitors should be prepared to encounter bears at anytime while here. The extraordinary annual migration of salmon, and the ecosystems they support, draws bears to the Park’s rivers, lakes and mountainsides.

Preparing for bear encounters before a visit to Katmai is a must. As a part of this, understanding bear behavior is critical to understanding if a bear is approaching you curiously, aggressively, or just passing by because you are in its way. For those who are not familiar with bear behavior and deterrents hiring a knowledgeable guide can help you stay safe while in bear country.

When visiting Katmai’s Wilderness and backcountry areas remain alert and aware of your surroundings, avoid surprising a bear, and carry an appropriate deterrent. For more on bear encounters check the link below. With any deterrents, ensure you know how to use them prior to arrival in the field, you don’t want to try to learn when a bear is approaching aggressivly.

In some areas of the park, bears are unaccustomed to seeing people and may flee or charge from far away, while in other areas, such as Brooks Camp, bears have become highly habituated to humans and are less likely to have a strong reaction to your presence. Despite this, bears may still exhibit strong fight or flight responses anywhere in the park at any time, so it is important to remain alert and practice good behavior at all times. Follow all park regulations regarding food storage and distance from wildlife, and if you are visiting Brooks Camp make sure you pay attention to and follow all rules or regulations learned in Bear School upon arrival.

 

What to do when you run into a bear

Bear Encounters

 

Food Safety

Katmai’s food storage regulations, outlined below, are intended to prevent bears and other wildlife from obtaining food and garbage and becoming conditioned to see people as a source of food. Preventing food conditioning has been shown to be one of the best things you can do to protect wildlife and park visitors alike.

In Brooks Camp, all food must be stored in designated food caches and food can only be consumed in designated picnic areas and hard-sided buildings. It is important to limit where food is stored and consumed to deter bears from gaining a food resource from humans. If you are unsure what needs to be stored or where you can store your food, check in with a ranger in the Brooks Camp Visitor Center.

In the backcountry of Katmai, food must be stored in a Bear Resistant Container (BRC). The lists of approved BRCs can be found on the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee or Alaska Department of Fish and Game sites. While hanging foods is authorized in Katmai, much of this land does not have adequate trees to appropriately keep food from bears and this method is not recommended in many areas of the Park and Preserve. BRC’s aren’t just for food either. Anything with a smell should be kept in a bear resistant container, including things like hand sanitizer, lip balm, or any other scented items.

If you are planning on camping in the Katmai backcountry, an electric fence is highly recommended. If you have an electric fence set up, keep your BRC and cooking area within the boundaries of the fence. Even within an electric fence, BRCs must remain closed and locked except when actively removing or returning an item. If you do not have an electric fence then storing your BRC at least 100-yards away from your tent is recommended, with a cooking area 100-yards away from both your tent and the food storage area. This creates a triangle, with tent, food storage, and cooking all occurring at least 100-yards from each other. An electric fence is a stronger deterrent than separation between your BRC, cooking area, and tent.

 

Gear Safety

Wherever you are in Katmai, it is important to keep your gear within arm’s reach at all times. Bears are curious animals. If you see a bear approaching and you leave your gear behind, the bear can become interested in the gear. This could lead to the bear gaining a food reward or a play-item. This can be dangerous for many reasons including the loss of gear for you, and potentially more dangerous situations for others if the bears begin to associate humans with food or play rewards.

In Brooks Camp, there is gear storage by the Visitor Center and in the campground to store anything you don't want to carry around all day. In the backcountry, if you are backpacking or trekking, your gear should remain on your person at all times when actively hiking or moving from location to location. If you stop to take breaks and take your gear off your person, don't leave anything out of arm’s reach in case of any bear encounters. If you are base camping and using an electric fence, it is okay to leave gear within the electric fence, but best to store inside of a tent within the electric fence. Remember: an electric fence is only a deterrent and bears may still get through the fencing to your food or gear. Be sure to follow any instructions for setting up the fence and establish a strong and stable electric current to aid in the security of your food and gear.

 

From the Superintendents Compendium and the Code of Federal Regulations

36 CFR 2.10(d) Food storage: designated areas and methods

The intent of these designations is to prevent the food conditioning of bears and other wildlife by not allowing bears to associate people with food; thus, protecting wildlife and park visitors alike. We strongly recommend that dishes and cooking equipment be securely stored, but clean and odor free items are not required to be stored in secure containers. Ice chests and coolers, tents, dry bags or stuff sacks, plastic packing boxes (Totes, Action Packers, etc.) and unmodified kayaks are not generally approved as BRC. The park offers bear resistant containers for temporary use to the public. The containers are free of charge and can be picked up at the park’s visitor centers in King Salmon and Brooks Camp. See also CFR 13.1228 for requirements in the Brooks Camp Developed Area.

(1) Definition: A bear resistant container (BRC) means an item constructed to prevent access by a bear. BRC’s include

• Items approved by the Department of Interior and the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee: Katmai, Aniakchak, Alagnak National Park Areas Compendium March 30, 2025

• Additional items listed by the State of Alaska, Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation with the concurrence of the Superintendent.

• Items or methods approved by the Superintendent. (2) Throughout the park, all food and beverages, food and beverage containers, garbage, harvested fish and equipment used to cook or store food must be stored in a bear resistant container (BRC) or secured

• Within a hard sided building;

• Within lockable and hard sided section of a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft

• By caching a minimum of 100 feet from camp and suspending at least 10 feet above the ground and 4 feet horizontally from a post, tree trunk or other object on a line or branch that will not support a bear’s weight; or

• The Superintendent may, upon request, waive or modify food storage requirements in circumstances where compliance with these requirements is not possible, overly burdensome, and is consistent with public safety and wildlife conservation interests.

Note: This provision does not apply to:

• Legally taken game.

• Food that is being transported, consumed, or prepared for consumption.

• The use of bait for trapping and hunting under the provisions of state and federal law.