Man or Bear

If you were alone in the woods, which would you prefer to encounter?

  • I am male and would prefer to encounter a man.

    Votes: 72 55.4%
  • I am male and would prefer to encounter a bear.

    Votes: 26 20.0%
  • I am female and would prefer to encounter a man.

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • I am female and would prefer to encounter a bear.

    Votes: 4 3.1%
  • Pig.

    Votes: 27 20.8%

  • Total voters
    130

Cy Hard

Well-Known Member
Jan 5, 2008
3,300
1,267
113
Polka City
As a man, I'd take the chance of running into a man....then I'm gonna make HIM squeal like a pig...eeeeee.....eeee.....eeee!
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Rabbuk

Well-Known Member
Mar 1, 2011
55,354
42,834
113
I think my real answer solely depends on how far off the beaten trail I am. If I am somewhere that only someone following me would find me I'm taking the bear. If I am on like a popular trail or near one I'm taking the other guy out there smoking a joint.
 

cowgirl836

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2009
47,482
35,252
113
I think my real answer solely depends on how far off the beaten trail I am. If I am somewhere that only someone following me would find me I'm taking the bear. If I am on like a popular trail or near one I'm taking the other guy out there smoking a joint.

That's typically my thought too. Popular trail where other people are not uncommon? That's fine. Randomly in the middle of my parents' timber? No thanks. Though we had a murder in broad daylight in the most popular state park a couple years ago. Still unsolved and no known links to drugs or crime.

 

WooBadger18

Well-Known Member
Sep 5, 2012
13,795
11,645
113
On Wisconsin
Also, what is with all the rape jokes? Does anyone else find this weird?

I get that it is a movie reference. But it’s been referenced several times in this thread alone and is a fairly common reference on here. What is the appeal?
 

HFCS

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
68,045
55,299
113
LA LA Land
It is a pretty fascinating question. I get that the main point is showing how clearly different the situation is for men and women...which in itself is fascinating and sad.

I've probably spent well over 100 nights backpacking in the backcountry now, mostly Sierras. My "in the weeds" experience with bears and the backcountry:
- Grizzly bear is a different situation than black bear, but only Alaska, Montana, Western Canada and a tiny pocket of Wyoming/Washington need to be concerned
- The biggest thing to stay safe from black bears is be safe with your food. If you bring food in your tent and fall asleep that way or leave food strung about your campsite/picnic you definitely could be asking for a violent encounter. Their sense of smell is far superior even to dogs. I saw a black bear totally trash the camp of a boyscout troop while they were away from their camp. If you are smart storing food a black bear encounter wouldn't need to be that different from most wildlife encounters if you stay calm and project confidence.
- I've seen more black bear and mountain lions on the edge of cities or parks/campsites near major towns/roads than I have in the actual backcountry. I've never seen a mountain lion in the backcountry but have seen two in Los Angeles city parks. I've only seen a black bear 2 times actually out in the back country far from civilization, I see them more frequently on the edge of populated areas and places people recreate.
- Nobody needs "bear spray" for black bears, they do recommend it for some activity in some areas with Grizzly populations. Food storage needs to be planned for anywhere near black bears, which is a good chunk of the USA.
- A dog will make a black bear (or most wildlife encounters) less likely. I haven't seen nearly as many large animals since I started going with my dogs and some long time PCT hikers I've met who practically live in the wilderness say a dog is a great way to make sure a black bear doesn't check out your camp at night.
 
Last edited:

coolerifyoudid

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2013
16,313
24,410
113
KC
Also, what is with all the rape jokes? Does anyone else find this weird?

I get that it is a movie reference. But it’s been referenced several times in this thread alone and is a fairly common reference on here. What is the appeal?
Serious take on this.

Pick anything terrible and there's going to be a joke about it. Cancer, murder, rape, alcoholism, the Holocaust, etc. The question in the OP is basically a statement about the differences between how men and women have to navigate life. This thread was either destined to be weird/funny or somber/serious. We all have women in our lives and I'd sadly say that most of us have talked to a victim (whether we know it or not).

I think joking about some of the horrible atrocities is just a way for some to cope with the fact that there is so much evil and depression surrounding many aspects in this world. Some obviously are tasteless with their delivery, but I hope everyone on CF is just trying to garner a laugh versus making light of the subject matter.
 
  • Agree
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CascadeClone

Well-Known Member
Oct 24, 2009
9,177
11,116
113
No other info given. Just a bear and just a man. Now to me, that is a lot of missing info to be able to make a sound judgment, but that is how the question is phrased.
The whole question is just a point scoring "men are bad and they are all rapists & murderers".

The VAST majority of both men and bears would not cause you any problems. Just a wag, but I would guess your odds of stumbling on a bear who you accidentally provoked and attacked you, are about the same as running into a man who means to do you harm. i.e. very low.

What it really does is expose the answerer's assumptions. If you assume bears are scary; if you assume men are all rapists; if you assume the bear is far away; if you assume you are on a hiking trail vs somewhere super remote; etc.

I will say a lot higher % of men you run into might be helpful if you needed help. Whereas the bears... they never carry a cell phone, bottled water or a compass and map.
 
  • Agree
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HFCS

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
68,045
55,299
113
LA LA Land
The whole question is just a point scoring "men are bad and they are all rapists & murderers".

The VAST majority of both men and bears would not cause you any problems. Just a wag, but I would guess your odds of stumbling on a bear who you accidentally provoked and attacked you, are about the same as running into a man who means to do you harm. i.e. very low.

What it really does is expose the answerer's assumptions. If you assume bears are scary; if you assume men are all rapists; if you assume the bear is far away; if you assume you are on a hiking trail vs somewhere super remote; etc.

I will say a lot higher % of men you run into might be helpful if you needed help. Whereas the bears... they never carry a cell phone, bottled water or a compass and map.

Sleeping in a tent with a bunch of food will increase your bear attack danger by gigantic magnitudes.

I wish women didn't have to take the same kind of common sense precautions to avoid sexual assault by men, but they do and probably should. It's not right, it's not fair, it's not "living in fear" but it's just sad reality. Certainly none of it is their fault regardless of the level of precaution or lack of precaution.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: CascadeClone