People of Reddit, what is a surprisingly unknown survival fact that everyone should know?

Brown bear - play dead, you can't outrun it, but you'll probably live

Yes but no. If any bear is attacking you, then you fight for your life. Gouge eyes, slam the nose, kick it in the balls, throw rocks, whatever you gotta do. The only time you should play dead with a brown bear is if its not showing aggression.

Theres many types of aggression including offensive - your in its territory and or its hungry and sees you as food (fight for your life - it wants to kill you), and defensive - you scared it or it thinks your a threat (back away slowly if possible or be ready to fight for your life - it wants to fuck you up).

If its not showing specific aggression, then you most likely stumbled into its territory and its figuring you out. Show you arent a threat, and if possible back away slowly yelling loudly at the bear. Lots of good resources online on how to spot these aggressions and what to do. Just playing dead is a good way to get tossed around by a curious bear when its possible you could have just walked away.

But yeah never run from a bear in any scenario even if its trying to kill you, you have to fight. They are faster than you by twice your speed most likely. You'll just tire yourself out and wont be able to fight it off once it catches you.

/r/AskReddit Thread Parent