Bears Aren't Usually the Problem

I was once hiking alone up a small creek in Montana’s Beartooth Mountains when a black bear fell out of the tree about two rod lengths in front of me. I jumped back so far and fast that I’m still surprised it didn’t snap my fly rod. Fortunately the bear was just as badly spooked. But encounters like this — especially if you like “blue-lining” mountain streams — are not that unusual for fly fishers. Ron Dungan offers a few ground rules for tramping around and camping in bear country for those headed that way this summer. In The Arizona Republic.