How to Stay Safe in the Great Outdoors

If you encounter a bear at a distance while hiking:
Make as much noise as possible by yelling very loudly.
Slowly back away.
Run away as fast as you can.
Play dead.

If a bear charges toward you:
Directly confront the bear in a physical manner.
Stand your ground and use bear spray when the animal is 30 to 60 feet away.
Slowly back away.
Run away as fast as you can.
Play dead.

The following will help keep bears away from your campsite:
Properly storing all food and garbage.
Cooking food with a strong odor.
Nothing will keep a hungry bear away.
Mountain lions are generally found in 14 Western states, and attacks are extremely rare. National Park Service, via Associated Press

If you encounter a mountain lion:
Run away as fast as you can.
Wave your arms and make loud noises.
Stay still and silent.


The best way to remove a tick from your skin is to:
Use tweezers to squeeze the tick’s body, then pull straight up and away from the skin.
Use tweezers to grab the tick as close as you can to your skin, then pull straight up and away from the skin.
Apply Vaseline and then slide tweezers underneath the tick, grab and pull from skin.
Use a match to burn the tick, and then use tweezers to grab and pull from skin.

After removing the tick, you should go to the doctor:
Only if you develop a target or bull’s-eye shaped rash.
If you develop a red rash of any shape.
If you develop a fever or flulike symptoms.


If you encounter a snake:
Approach it while making loud noises to scare it away.
Use a long stick to push it away.
Stay calm and keep your distance.
Toss liquid at the snake.

If you are bitten by a snake:
Have somebody suck out the venom with their mouth, making sure they spit out the venom and do not swallow it.
Apply ice directly over the wound.
Keep your distance from the snake and obtain medical care as soon as possible.


There is more of a chance of dying from a shark attack than:
Being struck by lightning.
Being struck by an asteroid.
Catching a foul ball at a baseball game.
Living to be 100 years old.
None of the above.

If a shark attacks you:
Try swimming away as fast as possible.
Stay completely still.
Fight back by grabbing its eyes and gills.