Fort Simpson (May 14/04) - Bears with big appetites are out foraging for food, so Fort Simpson's nuisance bear reporting line is back in service.

Renewable Resources officer Carl Lafferty says his office welcomes reports of any bear sightings around the community.

Safety tips: Make noise while hiking. Watch for tell-tale signs such as tracks, droppings or claw-marks on trees. Never feed a bear. Try not to walk alone at night or early in the morning when bears are most active. Photograph bears from a distance. For more tips, get a copy of Safety in Grizzly and Black Bear Country booklet from the Department of Wildlife

Lafferty says people should be mindful of bears and respect them.

"They could be dangerous," he says.

Because garbage attracts bears, Lafferty encourages residents to put their trash out on the morning it is collected. Smoking game birds in a yard is also very inviting smell to the beasts, he adds.

Used 'bear bangers'

A former Parks Canada employee for 12 years, Lafferty says he encountered grizzly bears on numerous occasions in Nahanni National Park. He had to resort to firing rubber bullets and noise-making "bear bangers" a few times but was never forced to use bear spray.

There have been few bear maulings in the Deh Cho, but Steven Vandell witnessed one and saved the victim.

About 10 years ago, Vandell and a Interprovincial Pipelines Limited colleague were working at 731 station along the pipeline right-of-way, 200 kms southeast of Fort Simpson. Upon emerging from the shop to walk back to their crew quarters, they noticed garbage strew all over the ground. As they rounded the corner, they found themselves standing face to face with a black bear, Vandell recalled. They both started to run, but Vandell's co-worker tripped. The bear was quickly on top of him. Vandell scurried to the trailer, grabbed a 30.06-calibre rifle and ran back.

"He had the bear by the throat with one hand," Vandell said of his colleague. "He was reaching for his pocket knife but he had coveralls on and he couldn't get it out."

By this time, the animal had the man's head in his mouth. Vandell raised the rifle and shot the bear three times before it dropped.

The victim had part of a scalp torn off and puncture wounds near his ribs. Vandell got him inside and applied first aid while awaiting a helicopter, which arrived about 90 minutes later. The man survived.

It turned out that the black bear had previously been shot in the stomach. Its canine teeth were broken and it was in poor health.

Carl Lafferty urges Fort Simpson residents to use the nuisance bear line at 695-7433.