Can’t imagine this is the best way to handle an intrusive bear.
The National Park Service advises tourists to stay 25 yards away from animals that are deemed “non-violent.” That list includes bison, elk, and other creatures that tend to be relatively docile – though docile is a relative term. When it comes to bears, wolves, and other apex predators, the NPS warns park goers to keep 100-yards between them and the animals.
Nowhere in their instructions do they encourage putting on an animal costume to confront wildlife.
This Asheville, North Carolina man evidently came up with the idea to dress up as a bear to scare off a real bear on his own. Is it the best idea? Not by a long shot. But does it provide some entertainment value? You bet it does. I’m assuming he didn’t just have a full bear costume laying around, right? I’d guess that this plan – albeit a bad one – took some time to come together.
Any bear costume that I’ve seen online that matches the quality of the one that can be seen in the video below costs anywhere from $130 to $300 bucks. If the man pulled the trigger on that kind of purchase just so he could scare a bear away from his yard, I have no choice but to applaud 1) his commitment to the bit and 2) his ability not to think of the worst possible outcome.
To be clear, how this clip plays out is as good as the man (and whoever is filming) could have hoped for. Things could have gone south fast if this black bear was in the mood to fight, but instead, it appears that the wild animal got a tad freaked out and decided the best course of action was to retreat.
Check it out:
🐻Man in North Carolina dressed up as a bear… to scare off a real bear from his property
Modern problems require modern solutions. pic.twitter.com/oXfAAxFpwx
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 25, 2025
Bravery? Or stupidity?
Probably a healthy mixture of both if you ask me. I’m glad that everyone – including the black bear – came out of this unharmed. Now we can just point and laugh and say, “Can you believe this guy’s bear costume strategy actually worked?” Admittedly, it’s a funny video.
Though as I pointed out earlier, everyone online can’t help but wonder if this act could be filed underneath the “moron” category:
But if real bear decides to fight?
— GaumigsJoksRealOne (@Gaumigais_joks) March 25, 2025
I feel like the bear that left was trying to save him from embarrassment
— introvert (@Oftensad99) March 25, 2025
Tomorrow’s headline in North Carolina. “Man in bear suit eaten by bear”. pic.twitter.com/ydHkPBsKu5
— triggertwat (@trigg3rtwat) March 25, 2025
Another episode of “Why women outlive men”😅
— Watson💡 (@TechToFinance) March 25, 2025
Darwin Awards 2025
— FredParras🗿 (@FredParras) March 25, 2025
I so thought this would result in a bear fight. Unfair to put a fake brown bear against a real black bear. My money is on the bear.
— Brigham McCown 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BAMcCown) March 26, 2025
