See a Missouri Bear? NPS Says Don’t Shove a Slower Friend Down

We live in a world where only the strong survive. That mantra is now a recommendation by the National Park Service. They say if you see a bear in Missouri, don't shove your slower friend to the ground while fleeing. Yes, this really happened.

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Don't say the National Park Service doesn't have a sense of humor. As we approach Spring, they gave some sage advice regarding bear safety. You can almost feel the sarcasm in their words.

While that's a tongue-in-cheek "recommendation", it'd be a good idea to see what the National Park Service really says about bear safety as we know that the black bear population in Missouri seems to be exploding upwards over the past couple years.

1. Don't ever run if you see a bear in the wild
2. Speak to the bear in a calm but loud voice to make sure the animal is aware that you're there
3. Slowly back away while keeping eye contact
4. Give the bear plenty of space to escape

It's also worth mentioning that if you see a bear sow with cubs in Missouri, be extra careful. A bear mom that feels her cubs are threatened is a bad situation. You also want to make noise if you're traveling in a wooded area where bears are known to be. A surprised bear is not a happy bear and that's when bad things can occur.

Kudos to the National Park Service for having a send of humor. Personally, we'd make sure all friends that come along on a camping trip are slower though if we're being honest with ourselves.