Polar
Bear Alley FAQ
This
is a collection of questions that I have received about Churchill
and polar bears and life with polar bears. Hope it clears things
up for those of you thinking about investment property at Camp
Nanuq.
As
a fitness buff, could I go out jogging in Churchill or Camp Nanuq
right now with no worries of bear attack?
Yes,
you could jog from late November through early July with no fear
of polar bear attack in Churchill - maybe only the fear of imploding
your lungs with -40C air or being run down by a snowmobile but
that's about it.
The
bears are not a factor for most of the winter and spring. They
come off the ice around the third week of July and head back out
usually in mid-November. The only exception is late February and
March when females with young cubs or lone females (whose cubs
have not survived) return to the ice from their maternity dens.
There is usually one or two weeks where fresh polar bear tracks
can be seen passing through the Churchill area. Right now (winter
solstice), we do not think about polar bears at all - especially
since we are all still 'recovering' from 'polar bear season'.
Could
I take my snowshoes, skis, or just hiking boots and go for 1-3
miles?
You
could probably do it with hiking boots and cramp-ons or good snowshoes
(MSR brand are the best - they have a serrated edge along each
side). We do not get a lot of snow here but we do get a lot of
wind and that wind moves and shapes the snow into rock-hard, vee-shaped
drifts making skiing or traditional snowshoeing pretty much impossible.
Plus jogging in a Canada Goose Parka and snow pants is tough,
although we could possibly patent 'hot jogging'.
Is
it ALWAYS recommended one carries a gun while outside?
No,
we carry shotguns pretty much from late June through late November.
While polar bears might wander ashore briefly at any month of
the year, the chances are pretty slim in the winter. Of course,
if you are heading out on the sea ice or staying anywhere overnight,
a gun is a pretty good idea.
Is
the gun for scare tactics or for 'real'?
Both,
most people up here try their best to scare away polar bears first
but if your 'suggestions' are not working, then the gun is used
'for real'.
And,
let's say a bear was 'for real' and they were on the run toward
you. Wouldn't it, in reality, take numerous shots to the bear
before it even felt it and started bleeding internally enough
to slow it down and kill it? SO, by the time it gets to YOU, the
shooter and attackee, it has already mauled, decapitated, or something
to that effect BEFORE the internal bleeding has taken effect...right?
Hmmm,
I never thought about it that way. Thank you for pointing that
out, I will now be locking myself in the house for the remainder
of my life in Churchill.
Just
kidding, although your assessment of polar bear defence is pretty
close. Of course, there are a few things we can do prevent us
attackees from being mauled and decapitated. The first thing is
to aware of our surroundings. Don't walk in the rocks, take corners
widely, scan behind you, check out what is happening downwind,
that sort of thing. The most important thing, probably much like
living in a big city, is not to put yourself in a precarious situation,
don't be a victim.
Knowing
how polar bears stalk prey and what different body movement mean
what is kind of important too. My favourite is that polar bears
kind of do a stutter step, quickly shift their weight, tensing
up before lunging at something or someone - probably a good idea
to interrupt them when they are about to do that.
Another
important thing to know is that polar bears watch for patterns.
They will observe your behaviour and then just try to position
themselves in a way that they can intercept you and, of course,
eat you while using a minimal amount of energy. This is a good
thing to be aware of as well.
On
the bright side, polar bears think too much. Usually, if you are
in a serious situation and too much is going on (dogs barking,
guns shooting, people yelling, etc...) the bear will retreat instead
of resorting to brute force, as grizzlies are more apt to do.
That
being said, everyone trained in polar bear deterrence is taught
to aim for the polar bear's shoulder. If a bear is charging, its
head will be lowered and you want to aim just above its ears.
That way your bullet will either hit its head, spinal cord or
break its shoulder - preventing your own decapitation/mauling.
Of
course, in severe situations, I prefer shooting a polar bear in
the toe. It is not a life-threatening injury but enough sting
for the bear to beat a hasty retreat, not to mention if you miss,
you will simply kick up some gravel into the bear's face instead
of injuring it.
That
being said, considering how many people come to Churchill and
wander out without a gun or a clue, it is really to the polar
bear's credit that we have really had no attacks near the community
for many, many years.
What
about summertime? Are the bears all north of there, or are they
in the area as well?
The
polar bears are actually south of here in the summer. Most polar
bears come ashore near York Factory or near the border of Manitoba/Ontario.
Over the course of the summer, many head north towards the Cape
Churchill area, arriving in time for the first sea ice to form.
Still,
there are several polar bears that can be seen in the Churchill
area through the summer. Especially now that the Churchill garbage
dump has closed, there are a lot more polar bears hanging around
the coast doing not much of anything at all. Summer is actually
a really good time to be out and about in Churchill (with a gun
or a guide) - you can see a polar bear but it is too hot and they
are too fat to really be aggressive.
Is it fun to live there?
Depends
on the day.
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