Hey guys, finished my 2 day camping trip in manistee national forest. I recently posted a question regarding bears and was told not to worry. As you guys said I didn't see any, but we did end up using a bear trail that had bear feces scattered about, and there were a few sites along the trail that had animal bones.
We had bear mace and and both carried pistols, plus we made noise hoping anything would hear and run.

A question I had while lying in the tent watching the fire fade out several times was, what if a bear came now?   I k ow it would be looking for food, but if we were lying in a tent silently at night and heard a bear within our camping area what would be the best course of action? I'm guessing it's not like a small animal where you can suddenly make loud noise and startle it away. But I have a bad feeling about just sitting there silently with a 500 lbs bear 10 feet away going through our pack,etc.    Have you guys dealt with this RARE situation?

I have a buddy who had a black bear sow with cubs charge his tent several times while he was in it.  (From her perspective, it was just something that looked, smelled and maybe sounded out of place.)  My buddy could see her through the bug netting, but she probably couldn't see him.  He was armed with a Ruger SP101, but he decided he wasn't going to shoot unless/until she got to the tent.  He knew .357 out of a short barrel probably wouldn't do the job anyway.  After a few bluffs (he remembers exactly how many), she lost interest and led her cubs away.  He now carries a Smith & Wesson 629 in the back country.

I've never experienced anything like that, and still don't sweat it.  However, I own a bear can and use it and cook, eat, do dishes and store food and mess gear away from my tent.  Better safe than sorry.

For a black bear you absolutely want to make noise and look like anything but a prey animal.



 

Even in the situation where I'm laying silently in a tent?  Make noise for a black bear ? Or hope it just leaves ?

I moose hunt in an area with an overabundance of black and brown bears.  I haven't had an issue yet and don't let it bother me if you keep a clean camp and spread your scent around chances are you will be fine.  I have heard of wolves trying to get into tents and a polar bear rip a man out of a tent by his head but those are extreme cases.I have had bear tracks turn up within 10-20 yards of my tent before over night or while away.  I have a SW Mountain gun in .44mag that lies next to me at night but don't let it keep me awake.  I think I am more worried about beavers cutting a tree down and it falling on me in my sleep than bears.

on a side not the NRA instructor in Fairbanks fhas the skull of a bear that tried to force its way into his cabin while he was there.  He shot it through the scrreen door it drilled a nice .357" hole through it.  He also had a student that was a field biologist that stopped a griz charging with the lowly .357.

Out moose and caribou hunting we have our rifle in the tent with us.



Almost every-time we have black/brown bears come sniffing the tents/camp.

Never had to shoot one at night yet.

Have shot some during the day when we caught them raiding the meat racks.



We cook in our tents and keep food in/around them.



Elders say if you worry about them they will bother you.

I am no grizzly expert, but for a black bear, yes you can still scare them off at night.  They have the temperament of a stray dog.  You can't really trust them, but they also are looking for a free meal more than anything.