This Man Put on a Bear Costume to Scare Off an Actual Bear

A man went to unorthodox lengths to spook a black bear. In video footage obtained by multiple outlets, a North Carolina resident attempted to scare off a black bear in its yard by donning a bear costume and approaching the ferocious animal.

In the clip, a man exited his front door wearing a brown bear suit and gingerly walked towards a black bear lounging nearby. At first, the man simply stared down the large animal. Eventually, though, he walked closer and waved his arms at it.

The real bear ran towards a fence in response, though it didn’t vacate the area completely. When the man hit a car with his hands to make a loud noise, the animal finally left the scene.

Man Successfully Scares Off Black Bear While Wearing Bear Costume

The animal’s exit didn’t last long, though. The clip eventually cut away to show the bear back in the man’s yard. Once again, the apparently fearless man put on his costume and approached the bear. He even ran towards the animal and growled at it, prompting it to run off.

Shockingly, the man’s methods aren’t the recommended course of action if someone encounters a bear. The National Park Service advises visitors to keep their distance and to not surprise bears, who can have “sometimes unpredictable” behaviors.

If noticed by the animal, the NPS says people should identify themselves, slowly wave their arms, and talk to it so it knows they’re not a prey animal.

The NPS doesn’t recommend growling at or approaching the animal. In fact, it advises quite the opposite, noting, “Never imitate bear sounds or make a high-pitched squeal… Do NOT run or make any sudden movements. Do not make any loud noises or screams—the bear may think it’s the sound of a prey animal.”