Category Archives: Why We Fear Bears
I Grew Up Fearing Bears
I grew up reading many of the magazines shown in the articles below. When I began hunting in my teens, I believed bears would charge me in instant anger. I…
Why Do We Fear Bears?
Excessive Warnings About Attacks Attacks are rare and excessive warnings about them create unnecessary fear. Balanced and factual information about bears is hard to find. Providing that information is the…
Images vs Reality
Outdoor magazine artists typically depict bears as startled, angry, charging, or attacking. All typically are shown with their lips drawn back in some unnatural expression of supposed anger. The same…
Articles That Demonize Bears
In 1998, Outdoor Life ran a story entitled “Grrrr, Outdoor Life Commemorates 100 Years of Bear Attacks.” Author James Driscoll wrote: By the dawning of the ‘40s. Outdoor Life had…
Bears as Imaginary Dragons
There may be something within us that wants to imagine dangerous animals to prove our courage against them. People used to imagine dragons. Today, outdoor writers, artists, and others profit…
Fear of the Unknown
When it comes to bears, most people err on the side of caution. Many people accept media exaggerations of bear danger and develop deeply ingrained fears, making no differentiation between…
Do Bears Really Snarl?
Do bears really snarl like we see in taxidermy? No. Bears don’t snarl like cats and dogs do. Misleading, angry-looking images increase fear and cause unnecessary killing worldwide. People will…
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit that relies entirely on the support of visitors, merchandise sales and people like you. We do not receive any state or federal funding.
Help support our mission.
Donate Now