Black Bear Yellowstone

Let sleeping bears lie. Boy, oh boy, oh boy, there’s some advice you need to listen to and hold dear. Up in Yellowstone if you should be so lucky as to come across a sleeping bear the general rule is to leave it alone. I mean, don’t talk to it, don’t throw little stones at it to get its attention, and don’t under any circumstances poke it with a stick. The size of the stick doesn’t matter. The rule still holds. Let sleeping bears lie.

They make these rules for a reason. Let’s consider a moment. You got a bear, average weight maybe 300 – 350 lbs., he’s got muscles like Arnie only bigger, he doesn’t have the best temperament even when he’s reasonably happy, which is seldom, and he’s always hungry. He’s sleeping because he’s tired, probably from having to hunt for food, or fight other bears, and he’s sick of it and simply needs to take some time off. Then you’ve got this annoying little person, who for some reason or other, is no longer of sound mind that wants to interact with it, just because, well just because they want to, and you have a recipe for dire consequences.

Another reason they say leave sleeping bears lie, is they don’t always react like reasonable beings. After you have woken the bear there usually isn’t time to have a conversation explaining why you think it is important that you need to disturb it because the bear is busy biting holes in your dumb ass. And then things get serious. So pay attention, when you come across a sign, or some advice, or a posted rule saying, don’t do that, Don’t do that.

The moral of this story is pretty simple. When you notice a sleeping bear let it lie.

This has been another public service announcement from your friends at The Institute. Remember, we have your best interests at heart.