Gridley Trail closed to hikers while safety assessment continues
Signs warn that Gridley Trail will be closed temporarily because of a recent encounter between a hiker and a mother bear and her cub.
Oct. 30, 2012
By Tiobe Barron, OVN correspondent
Los Padres National Forest’s Ojai Ranger District officials have closed Gridley Trail after a local woman, who was walking her dogs Oct. 19, encountered a 250-pound mother brown bear on the trail. Terri Fernow received minor injuries, a laceration on her wrist and abrasions on her back, but did not seek medical attention after the encounter.
The trail will be closed to hikers until Nov. 2 while officials examine the trail conditions and determine the level of public safety in that area.
According to Andrew Hughan, of the California Department of Fish and Game, avocados are rich in fat and bears know where their local avocado orchards are. More than one avocado orchard adjoins the Gridley Trail.
This time of year the bears are stocking up on food before hibernating for the winter, and Hughan says that the very dry summer we had this year may account for less food in bears’ natural habitat, driving them into more residential areas as they search for food.
“It is the time of year when bears migrate downhill to find food sources during the fall and winter. Their food sources become limited by the end of the summer and they travel greater distances or to lower elevations to find food. In the area of the Gridley Trail, bears have been observed recently in the avocado orchards, but also in the upper sections of the trail,” states a recent press release from the Ojai Ranger District.
“It is imperative that hikers using the forest trails understand bear behaviors and take appropriate actions to provide for their safety,” said Charlie Robinson, recreation officer for the Ojai Ranger District. “Generally, bears are more active in the morning and evening hours, and hikers are encouraged to use another trail or hike at another time of day to avoid encountering bears.”
Janice Mackay, information officer with the CDFG, says the department has halted their search for the mother bear.
According to the CDFG website, there have been 15 confirmed bear attacks in California since 1980.
This was the second interaction between Ojai residents and bears in just as many weeks, after a ranch employee discovered an abandoned bear cub in an orchard off Fairview Road Oct. 12.
Visit www.bebearaware.org or www.dfg.ca.gov for more information on the animals and proper bear protocol.
Remember the little sentiment someone had wrote on top of that brown, information pamplet, flier box below the trail head sign? What was it again? “Return the fliers blankity blank”?
All you armchair bear experts make this page unbearable!
Yes, Larry, the dogs were off leash. Two ran away immediately when the bear and cub came down the bank onto the trail. But one dog started barking at them, and the mother bear briefly chased the dog, which ran away. Since the woman was screaming and trying to “look big” the bear interpreted that as a confrontation, so she acted accordingly to protect her cub and took a swipe at the woman, who fell down the embankment. Only then did the woman be quiet and “submit”, and when the bear saw that she left the woman alone. So I guess she could pass up the so-called “meat” referred to by OldieOjai in previous post.
Wouldn’t have to outrun the bear, only you. You should look up omnivore in the dictionary. If meat is available, they won’t pass it up….
When black bears in our vicinity “attack” someone it is largely a defensive mechanism. While they are omnivorous (meaning they’ll eat animal and vegetable matter) they aren’t big hunters, especially of large prey; it’s too difficult and they don’t see well. The meat they eat is usually in the form of carrion (dead animals) or termite or wasp grubs out of the earth or logs. They are actually kind of pig-like in their appetites (pigs are also omnivorous, but don’t hunt per se). This isn’t to say that a bear isn’t dangerous or couldn’t kill you when threatened, especially when a cub is involved, but attacking a human to eat (again we’re talking about local black bear–not grizzly bears) would most likely occur if the human was carrion.
And the fact that the bear sniffed at the woman and walked away even after being attacked by her dog and screamed at and threatened by her, just proves my point.
The only one to become bear food would be OldieOjai! You cannot out run a bear. But even if the bear caught you, I doubt you would taste too good. Especially to a bear who is about 98% vegetarian.
Don’t want to hike with Sufisue! Well, maybe if I can run faster than her while she is calmly becoming bear food…..
Is it possible since Sufisue writes that “bears are very afraid of dogs” that said bear felt threatened by the woman “walking” her three dogs? Is it possible said dogs were running off leash? Is it possible the bear was defending it’s cub from the dogs and also felt “its” food source (the avocados) were also being threatened? It seems that the bear, if the aforementioned applies was acting as it’s hardwired to do.
Bears are in constant search of food,treats and snacks sometimes A mate. I have been hiking / camping Ojai trails since the late 70′s… Brush up on your skills folks before you hike out and decide to become part of the food chain. James Laszlo
I can just picture the bear picking an avocado, lacerating it in half then with a delicate claw, scoop out the pit and then the tasty avacado, savoring every bit like anyone would.
The best course of action when you encounter a bear, is… to offer it some honey. This may be particularly effective if the bear has a rumbly in it’s tummy. Affectionately calling the bear a “silly bear” may help too.
The number for the Ojai Wildlife League is 640-0187.
Our website is currently being worked on.
The source for above bear encounter information is bear expert Ann Bryant. Her website is: http://www.savebears.org/
The appropriate behavior when you encounter a bear in bear territory is to be non aggressive, speak softly and leave the area in a very submissive, quiet, calm way. Don’t run, scream, wave your arms, curl up or any other behavior that will upset the bear(s). If you have dogs keep them quiet and away from the bears. Bears are very afraid of dogs, especially if they have their cubs nearby. They will defend their space, so get out of their space with great respect.
If you behave in this manner, there is a 99.9% chance you will not be harmed in any way. In fact dogs are far more dangerous to humans on the trails than are bears.
Its a different story if a bear comes onto your property. If that is the case call Ojai Wildlife League for more advice.