OLYMPIA -- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reminds campers and hikers that they can take a few simple precautions this holiday weekend to peacefully co-exist with wildlife.

Black bear, cougar and human populations all are growing rapidly in Washington state. Along with the population growth, more people are taking to the woods in their free time. Those trends can mean potential trouble, especially for unwary summertime hikers and campers.

"Bears are out actively feeding on salmonberries this time of year and are tearing apart logs looking for insects," said WDFW carnivore expert Steve Pozzanghera. "Also, as their cubs are growing bigger and stronger, females are able to roam further afield with their young."

People sharing the outdoors with wildlife should never try to approach wild animals, and should be particularly cautious if they happen to encounter an animal with offspring. Young animals which appear to be "orphaned" should be left alone.

Feeding wildlife also is dangerous for both people and animals. Careful handling of food and garbage will discourage animals from getting too close or becoming too comfortable around people. Car campers should double-wrap their food and store it inside their cars, never inside tents. Backcountry campers should use wildlife-resistant food lockers when possible, or should double-wrap and hang food from tree limbs.

In most cases, animals will go out of their way to avoid humans. People can do their part by making noise to alert an animal to their presence and giving the animal room to leave the area.

If an encounter threatens to turn into something more serious, here is the advice of WDFW experts:

• Don't run running mimics the behavior of prey animals and can prompt an attack. If small children are present, pick them up.