The Free Radical

As winter has slapped us upside the head like a cold dead fish, it’s more difficult to get out there every day, especially with a young puppy tagging along. This gives me an opportunity to occasionally answer reader questions instead of conveying the usual messages from Nature.

Over the past decade and a half the most common question I periodically face about my forest adventures is “Aren’t you scared of wild animals?” Interestingly, it is most often people who are of the generations older than me who seem to be the most fearful on my behalf. They have been well programmed and conditioned to believe that the wilderness is a raging monster seeking the merest opportunity to devour us all. Is it? That depends…

This is a screenshot from a GoPro video I shot in my front yard two summers ago– so that momma bear who appears to be charging right at me (she is) is actually closer than she appears! This is the ONLY instance I’ve ever experienced aggression from one of my thousands of encounters over the years. As you can discern from the picture, I kind of had this family of bears cornered, and her reaction was totally appropriate. My bad. And yes, I turned and ran!

I’m always unarmed; just a camera in hand. I don’t even carry pepper spray or bear bangers… and I’m never scared in the forest. I’ve learned through experience that animals are especially keen at reading body language and mood. I never take an aggressive stance, and I never allow myself to fall into fear. “The only thing to fear is fear itself” is perfectly true.

A fearful animal is an unpredictable animal– and that includes me. As long as I present the picture of peace and calm, I’m about as threatening to the forest creatures as an old growth tree. They will simply acknowledge my presence and continue about their business. If, on the other hand, I was to start freaking out and displaying my agitation with the situation, it would force any large predator to make a hasty decision as to fight or flee. Some would choose the fight I’m sure, but my whole strategy is to avoid that particular moment of choosing.

I don’t recommend that others do as I do… unless they are able to keep themselves composed in moments of extreme potential stress. I have built up my fearlessness over decades of experience, learning bit by bit how to remain calm in almost any situation. Those who carry genuine fear on my behalf imagine that all of the forest creatures are continually treading on eggshells, are in a perpetual state of fear, and are roaming the wilds on a hair-trigger for aggression. It’s simply not true… but it can become a forced “truth” if ridiculous humans insist on being ridiculous humans.

Assuredly, moments of genuine fear exist in the Forest Life, but a world made primarily of fear is purely a human invention.