Bear attacks.

[Leeanda]

Is there a set mechanic for bear attacks? I  thought they will always attack you  but noticed lately that some run away after you shoot them?   Sorry if this is a daft question but there's not much reason to notice it on pilgrim.

Edited May 3, 2022 by Leeanda

[Bearimpaler101]

If your on a cliff or somewhere they can't get to you they run away if your on a lot of the ground then they will immediately charge at you

[Leeanda]

I tried to kill one once from the PV to dam cave but it still tried to get me. Instead of it running up the side like we do it just ran towards me and kept running on the spot.  

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda
Please excuse if I mention things you may already know... it's not my intention:

At least in my experience, if our survivor lands a hit from outside their detection radius... they will flee as they don't know where the attack came from.  If our survivor is in the detection radius then they will initiate a charge upon being hit (sometimes standing up to intimidate first, but sometimes will just break into a charge immediately).  Naturally, taking longer distance shots is safer but then of course comes with the added drawback of having to try and keep track of the bear as it flees and continues bleeding out.

I've also had occasions when a long-shot sent the bear running, but it never stopped fleeing until it bleed out and died.  I imagine this was a fluke or possibly bugged out... but it made keeping track even more difficult (eventually ended dropping a ridiculous distance from where it was initially hit).  On the opposite end of that spectrum, I've also experienced cases where a charging bear would not stop its charge... even when it would normally switch to fleeing when it realizes it can't pathfind to our survivor.  This resulted in a situation similar to what you described... the bear just continuously and relentlessly tried to charge, even though I was up high on a tree trunk (half felled "tree bridge" in Mountain Town).  The bear never stopped trying to reach me until it eventually blead out and dropped.

Historically, bears ignored fire... though a while back there were some videos and reports of campfires warding them off, but honestly I always assumed that was a bug.  I don't know if that still works, but I've never had the desire to test it.

Lately, with all the reports of so many bugs over the last few months, I'd not be surprised if the bear's behavior patterns are getting more erratic/unpredictable.

Edited May 3, 2022 by ManicManiac
Fixing some typos...

[Leeanda]

2 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

@Leeanda
Please excuse if I mention things you may already know... it's not my intention:

At least in my experience, if our survivor lands a hit from outside their detection radius... they will flee as they don't know where the attack came from.  If our survivor is in the detection radius then they will initiate a charge upon being hit (sometimes standing up to intimidate first, but sometimes will just break into a charge immediately).  Naturally, taking longer distance shots is safer but then of course comes with the added drawback of having to try and keep track of the bear as it flees and continues bleeding out.

I've also had occasions when a long-shot sent the bear running, but it never stopped fleeing until it bleed out and died.  I imagine this was a fluke or possibly bugged out... but it made keeping track even more difficult (eventually ended dropping a ridiculous distance from where it was initially hit).  On the opposite end of that spectrum, I've also experienced cases where a charging bear would not stop its charge... even when it would normally switch to fleeing when it realizes it can't pathfind to our survivor.  This resulted in a situation similar to what you described... the bear just continuously and relentlessly tried to charge, even though I was up high on a tree trunk (half felled "tree bridge" in Mountain Town).  The bear never stopped trying to reach me until it eventually blead out and dropped.

Historically, bears ignored fire... though a while back there were some videos and reports of campfires warding them off, but honestly I always assumed that was a bug.  I don't know if that still works, but I've never had the desire to test it.

Lately, with all the reports of so many bugs over the last few months, I'd not be surprised if the bear's behavior patterns are getting more erratic/unpredictable.

Thank you.  I did wonder if it was because of the detection range ,. But being on pilgrim though I only ever get running away or rarely the running charge. I don't think I've ever had them rearing up.  

I did wonder about the bugs affecting them or if it's now more intentional tweaking . I've seen them in fishing huts ,on the roofs of cabins that have climbing access to them and on rocks that they never used to get on. I think the fires was a bug though!

[Pencil]

 

5 hours ago, Leeanda said:

Is there a set mechanic for bear attacks? I  thought they will always attack you  but noticed lately that some run away after you shoot them?   Sorry if this is a daft question but there's not much reason to notice it on pilgrim.

I think bears have "personalities" like wolves, where some are more skittish and others more bold. Some wolves will run away when spotting you, some will stalk you. Some bears will charge if shot and some will not. It also depends on your location and if they can reach you or not. I've been in reach of a bear before, shot a bear, and the bear fled. 

So it just depends. Sometimes they flee, sometimes they don't. 

Also, they might still charge even if you shoot them from really far away, as I have experienced: 
 

[Leeanda]

9 minutes ago, Pencil said:

 

I think bears have "personalities" like wolves, where some are more skittish and others more bold. Some wolves will run away when spotting you, some will stalk you. Some bears will charge if shot and some will not. It also depends on your location and if they can reach you or not. I've been in reach of a bear before, shot a bear, and the bear fled. 

So it just depends. Sometimes they flee, sometimes they don't. 

Also, they might still charge even if you shoot them from really far away, as I have experienced: 
 

That makes sense,also makes them more unpredictable .  Has it always been like that though? I'm sure when I started playing three + years ago that it was pretty much guaranteed  to attack?  

Nice shot by the way. With the rifle and the flare🙂 not sure I've seen a bear live after a flare shot before.

[Blizzard Walker]

I commonly hunt the bear from the inaccessible cliff overlooking the CH Fishing cabins.  If the bear has detected me before I shoot it invariably attempts to attack me but ends up thrashing about at the base of the cliff until it bleeds out.  If the bear had not recognized my presence before I shoot they run off seemingly in fear and confusion.  More rarely a bear that has not detected me will not react at all when shot (I usually hunt with the bow) but will just continue walking its route.  In those instances I use rocks to pull it back in my direction till it bleeds out.

[Leeanda]

I've noticed bears just carrying on walking when it's been shot. It seems to be happening more lately. Either that or it just turns and stares at me?  

[hozz1235]

On 5/3/2022 at 12:47 PM, Pencil said:

I think bears have "personalities" like wolves, where some are more skittish and others more bold. Some wolves will run away when spotting you, some will stalk you.

Wolves have a "fear" setting slider whereas bears do not.  In my experience, if a bear "detects" you, they will attack, otherwise not.  As others have pointed out, pathing plays a role as well - this is why I try to shoot them from an inaccessible area such as a fallen tree or a rock face.

[turtle777]

On 5/3/2022 at 10:49 AM, ManicManiac said:

 

Historically, bears ignored fire... though a while back there were some videos and reports of campfires warding them off, but honestly I always assumed that was a bug.  I don't know if that still works, but I've never had the desire to test it.

Lately, with all the reports of so many bugs over the last few months, I'd not be surprised if the bear's behavior patterns are getting more erratic/unpredictable.

I recently had a bear in Broken Railroad charge at me after I took a pot shot at it right outside one of the caves. After I landed the shot, I retreated I to the cave where I had a fire lit. The bear charged me, but stopped in front of the campfire, and I was able to head-shot it, and it dropped right there. 
 

My theory is that it wasn’t necessarily the fire itself, but that the bear AI couldn’t find a path around the fire due to the space restrictions of the cave. 
 

-t

[Leeanda]

It definitely seems to be different on pilgrim compared to a few years ago. I shot one today from the PV farm porch and it only ran a very short distance,after the second shot it turned and just stared at me again.  I waited a while but it didn't move until I took a third shot.  

There were no prints or blood anywhere either but it died early next morning.

[turtle777]

On 5/9/2022 at 3:25 PM, turtle777 said:

I recently had a bear in Broken Railroad charge at me after I took a pot shot at it right outside one of the caves. After I landed the shot, I retreated I to the cave where I had a fire lit. The bear charged me, but stopped in front of the campfire, and I was able to head-shot it, and it dropped right there. 

-t

After 50 days, the bear re-spawned, and I was able to replicate the whole situation.

Bear is outside of cave, I come from inside the cave, shoot it in the head. I run back into the cave, "hide" behind a lit campfire. Bear chases after me, but stops at the cave entrance and just growls. Another headshot, boom, down he goes.

Only snag: he's blocking the entrance. I was able to squeeze by to get out of the cave, but can't get back in because the entrance is blocked. LOL. I have to wait for the body to de-spawn.

-t

 

[Leeanda]

36 minutes ago, turtle777 said:

After 50 days, the bear re-spawned, and I was able to replicate the whole situation.

Bear is outside of cave, I come from inside the cave, shoot it in the head. I run back into the cave, "hide" behind a lit campfire. Bear chases after me, but stops at the cave entrance and just growls. Another headshot, boom, down he goes.

Only snag: he's blocking the entrance. I was able to squeeze by to get out of the cave, but can't get back in because the entrance is blocked. LOL. I have to wait for the body to de-spawn.

-t

 

That sounds more like a cave issue than a fire issue though.  

Lol! Why don't you harvest the big lump?🙂

[turtle777]

4 hours ago, Leeanda said:

That sounds more like a cave issue than a fire issue though.  

Lol! Why don't you harvest the big lump?🙂

Oh, I did harvest it, from he inside, before I left the cave. So now I have 40kg of bear meat that I can't access. Not a big deal though, got plenty of other meat.

So, just to be precise: the bear can absolutely get into the cave. I got mauled by it inside that cave.

So, it surely is the combination of fire and the cave that makes the bear stop at the entrance.

-t

[James Hickok]

IMO the best way to kill a bear that u stumble upon is with the flare gun (easy to get from ravine , 2nd @ summit). Its the most powerfull weapon in the game. 

 

 

Bears are the easiest animals to kill in The long dark. The way to do it safe is to take good position - the bear should be heading your way in straight line. Dont shoot the bear from the side. If its hard to circle around use a rock to get its attention. Crouch always.    

The shot should be blasted from a good distance and aiming eye or head. This way even if you dont one shot the bear you will have enough time to shoot one more time as he comes at you and in 95% of cases it will die (there is one bear that wont die sometimes even with 2 head shots. Boris the bear, Ash canyon, miners foley - that bear is insane).

Here are some examples from my current run Interloper day 120+ archery lvl 3 and 4.

 

 

[Leeanda]

I shot one in the face not so long ago,after I'd shot it with the rifle three times first. Still didn't go down.  I was too exhausted to chase it round forlorn so left it to bleed out.  

[Semple Fi]

I have to agree with the access mechanics commented on by the others.  If you are a close enough distance the bear will keep running circles near you until it bleeds out.  If you are on an inaccessible grade it will run off.  If you’re in the PV farm house it will run/stop/reset.  
 

I’ve noticed if you just shoot the bear and don’t chase it, wait for the next day, it will make a circle back around close to your original location.  
I just make a mental note of the direction it ran off in then track that direction the next morning and look for the murder of crows.  

Works more often than not

[Blizzard Walker]

21 hours ago, Semple Fi said:

I have to agree with the access mechanics commented on by the others.  If you are a close enough distance the bear will keep running circles near you until it bleeds out.  If you are on an inaccessible grade it will run off.  If you’re in the PV farm house it will run/stop/reset.  
 

I’ve noticed if you just shoot the bear and don’t chase it, wait for the next day, it will make a circle back around close to your original location.  
I just make a mental note of the direction it ran off in then track that direction the next morning and look for the murder of crows.  

Works more often than not

I have found that if I hit a bear with a bow shot while my character is on an inaccessible grade the bear will thrash around at the foot of the grade until it bleeds out.  I have used this method innumerable times at the cliff across the road from the CH Fishing cabins.

[James Hickok]

On 5/28/2022 at 2:32 AM, Semple Fi said:

I have to agree with the access mechanics commented on by the others.  If you are a close enough distance the bear will keep running circles near you until it bleeds out.  If you are on an inaccessible grade it will run off.  If you’re in the PV farm house it will run/stop/reset.  
 

I’ve noticed if you just shoot the bear and don’t chase it, wait for the next day, it will make a circle back around close to your original location.  
I just make a mental note of the direction it ran off in then track that direction the next morning and look for the murder of crows.  

Works more often than not

Seems that wont always happen.

I noticed if you shoot a bear and the arrows sticks to it, if ur out of range or on a cliff or sth the bear will run and keep on running. That does not always happen tho. Maybe its pure rng or they changed sth with the last update. Y-day 3 bears respawned in CH where im living currently (doing a 100 day on each region loper challenge and just finished Coastal highway - moving to HRV today i think , havent decided yet) so i went to kill them all. One of them i one shot and the other two i was trying to scare. In both scenarios the bear started running and after 5 secs its stopped/resseted. I was not on an inaccessible terrain in both situations. Here is the video of one of them. Note that the arrow hit the bear (blood splat on hit) but didnt stick to it.