"A Bear Doesn’t Care" Campaign

Yellowstone National Park wants to increase the number of people carrying bear spray through an engaging, celebrity-filled campaign called “A Bear Doesn’t Care.” Whether you are a hiker, backpacker, angler, photographer, wolf watcher or geyser gazer, the campaign encourages you to carry bear spray – no excuses!

A bear doesn’t care how far you’re hiking, if you’re just fishing, or even if you work here. No matter who you are or what you are doing, you should always carry bear spray and know how to use it.

Recent data collected by park scientists revealed that only 28 percent of visitors who enter the park’s backcountry carry bear spray. Studies show that bear spray is more than 90 percent effective in stopping an aggressive bear, in fact, it is the most effective deterrent when used in combination with our regular safety recommendations—be alert, make noise, hike in groups of three or more, and do not run if you encounter a bear.

“Yellowstone visitors care deeply about preserving bears and observing them in the wild,” says Kerry Gunther, the park’s Bear Management Specialist. “Carrying bear spray is the best way for visitors to participate in bear conservation because reducing potential conflicts protects both people and bears.”

Local celebrities who appear in the campaign share the message that bear spray is essential for safety in bear country. Poster designs include actor Jeff Bridges, alpinist Conrad Anker, artist Jennifer Lowe-Anker, National Geographic photographer Ronan Donovan, and fly fisherman Craig Mathews.

Help us spread the word about the importance of carrying bear spray. Download posters using the links below or from our Flickr Site, and be sure to share your favorites.

Downloads

All posters are available as full-size JPEGs:

• "A bear doesn't care if you're a movie star."
  Featuring actor & part-time Montana resident Jeff Bridges
• "A bear doesn’t care if you’re just fishing."
  Featuring fly fisherman and Craig Matthews
• "A bear doesn't care if you climbed to the top of the world."
  Featuring alpinist Conrad Anker
• "A bear doesn't care if you took its picture."
  Featuring National Geographic photographer Ronan Donovan
• "A bear doesn't care how long you've worked here."
  Featuring Yellowstone winter keeper Steve Fuller
• "A bear doesn't care if you painted its picture."
  Featuring artist Jennifer Lowe-Anker
• "A bear doesn't care how far you're hiking."
• "A bear doesn't care if you're just fishing."
• "A bear doesn't care how old you are."
• "A bear doesn’t care if you've been attacked before."
  Featuring bear attack survivor Jeff Brown
• "A bear doesn't care if you're stocking fish eggs."
• "A bear doesn't care which species you study."