Don’t end up like Mr Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant – here’s what to do if you go down to the woods today and encounter a grizzly. A teddy bears’ picnic it ain’t.

When you happen upon a bear in the forest, you've stumbled into a test reminiscent of that found in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber (if you don’t know this short story by Mr Ernest Hemingway, acquaint yourself; it's manly as hell). Set in Africa, it tells the tale of Francis Macomber who, while on safari, runs from a charging lion, an act his wife perceives as cowardly. In fact she loses so much respect for him she sleeps with the professional hunter guiding them. Over the years, I've been false-charged by black bears twice and have had quite a few grizzlies growl and snap their jaws at me. The key to staying manly in such primal moments is knowing what to do and, of course, what not to do. Here are a few pointers.

For more high octane experiences, read the Danger issue of The Journal.

Turning your back and running from a bear – especially if you scream like a little girl – may trigger a bear’s predatory instincts. Hold your ground and back away slowly.

Bear spray, which you can get from UDAP (udap.com), is your friend. But it’s important to make sure you holster it on your belt. I was on the Aniak River in Alaska fishing for salmon in the vicinity of brown bears. I ran into a few hikers who smelled of pepper because they had sprayed bear spray on their backpacks – meaning they had essentially seasoned themselves. Bear spray (sometimes called pepper spray) contains capsicum and is made to spray into a charging bear’s face. It works. But not like bug spray.

I’ve worked with a 30-year veteran grizzly specialist called Mr Mike Madel who uses a Karelian bear dog to ward off grizzlies, and deters bold bears with rubber bullets. Yet he also swears by bear spray, and a can is always on his hip. His advice: “Aim low and then bring it up into their face. Keep spraying until the bear turns. And carry a spare.” You have to practise. If you think you can read directions on the side of a can as a bear charges, good luck.

Unless you want to have a bear coming into your tent, hang food or dirty dishes in a tree 50m or more from your camp. Select a pair of branches that are 4m to 5m apart and 4m to 5m high. Attach one end of a rope to a fist-sized rock and tie the other end to a tree trunk. Toss the rock over both branches in succession. Tie a knotted loop in the cord midway between the branches. Attach the food bag (a sealed, waterproof sack) with a slipknot. Pull on the unsecured end of the cord to lift the bag approximately 3m up. Tie it off.

If you see a bear, pull out your bear spray and stay calm. Black bears are mainly docile and just a few attacks occur each year. But they are predatory, so don’t play dead – that’s just saying, “Eat me.” The time to play dead is when you’re dealing with a sow protecting her cubs and your bear spray hasn’t worked. Black bears are great climbers – you won’t get away by climbing a tree – while mature grizzlies are poor climbers. Loud noises can dissuade a bear from attacking. Banging pots together has worked for a lot of people.

**Mr Frank Miniter is the author of **The New York Times** bestseller **The Ultimate Man’s Survival Guide