Is Bear Spray needed in non-grizzly area?

[Midwest.Bushlore]

Effectively enough to keep a bear from killing and feeding off of you?
Too bad this bear didn’t know that.

Bear was 'hyper-aggressive' in ferocious attack on two women

This just happened two years ago, but it’s not an isolated case by any means.

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Guns have failed in many instances as well. I realize a lot of Alaskans have a dim view of bear spray but it seems like the ones I've talked to are largely speaking from ignorance. There are anecdotes circling the web of bear spray failures, and it seems like some are valid, but for instance of "failure" there seem to be five cases where it worked, and five cases where it wasn't used properly.

I live in Bozeman, MT. We have a lot of bears and a fair amount of attacks (although fewer bears of course than in AK). In one recent and well documented case a kid was actually attacked and knocked down but managed to retrieve his spray from his pack (!) and chase the bear off.

I dunno. I can claim no great expertise but I always carry bear spray. Then again, I always carry at least one firearm, too! If I can I'll try the spray first since it won't harm the bear and won't land me in jail. But I certainly can't fault anyone that goes right to guns. Bears are pretty scary!

 

[jmez]

A coworker swears by a sprinkle of Copenhagen snuff around hunting camp to keep bears away.

Seems crazy, but can’t argue that he hasn’t had a bear in camp since he started doing it 15 yrs ago...

Anyone else heard of this?

How many people on here besides me, haven't had a bear in camp in 15 years and didn't sprinkle Copenhagen around camp?

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[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

How many people on here besides me, haven't had a bear in camp in 15 years and didn't sprinkle Copenhagen around camp?

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I've used Grizzly chew to save a few bucks, it has the opposite effect. Brings a bear in every time.

 

[unclericco]

I don't think it's necessary at all in black bear country. Like another poster stated, all black bears I've come across have been terrified of me. I've hunted in black bear areas for 25 years and never felt like I've needed it. Now grizzly country makes me nervous, and although I haven't carried bear spray where grizzlies are found, I feel like it's something I should have carried.

 

[bmf0713]

I like this article from Buffalo Bore. I know what I’ll be carrying in black bear country this year.

"Stopping" bears with handgun or rifle cartridges

"Stopping" bears with handgun or rifle cartridges

www.buffalobore.com

 

[Florida Bow Hunter]

For every story where spray failed or succeeded theres a story where a handgun failed or succeeded.

Theres no guarantees either way when a hungry animal wants to eat you.

Fair enough I suppose.

However !!!!

If you had a CHOICE to pick your poison in the moment of truth, which would your preference be ?

Many a man died valiantly if not Patriotically, with gun in hand.

If you die with a can of pepper spray in your hand when you had choices such as a 454 Casaul, 44 Magnum, 10MM and so on,,, you die a fool.

Just saying. There is no such thing as being over prepared. You’ve got about 2 seconds to respond ? I’m going down with all I got and not with my finger in the dyke trying to stop a flood breech.

Make sense ? Extra weight be damned if my live is on the line.


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[jspradley]

Well if I'm about to get munched on by bear and get to choose I'd want a Benelli M4 loaded with slugs...

 

[Islandhunter43]

I personally carry it do too the amount of black bears we have on Vancouver Island. I've never had to use it but feel better carrying it incase one day momma comes knocking at my door!

 

[Cockeye]

I came across a group of crack heads in the middle of national forest during archery season last year. Had 10mm in my pack but pack was on my back and they gave me a uneasy feeling Especially since one of them keep try to get behind me as I’m talking to his friends. I mean what group of guys walk around national forest with 18” Bowie knives. I had my bear spray on my belt and knife on my shoulder strap on my pack I basically back out of there hoping to not see them anymore. But was glad to know the bear spray was there.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

The first time you find yourself 20 feet from two small cubs you will wish you carried a can...and a firearm.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Guns have failed in many instances as well. I realize a lot of Alaskans have a dim view of bear spray but it seems like the ones I've talked to are largely speaking from ignorance. There are anecdotes circling the web of bear spray failures, and it seems like some are valid, but for instance of "failure" there seem to be five cases where it worked, and five cases where it wasn't used properly.

I live in Bozeman, MT. We have a lot of bears and a fair amount of attacks (although fewer bears of course than in AK). In one recent and well documented case a kid was actually attacked and knocked down but managed to retrieve his spray from his pack (!) and chase the bear off.

I dunno. I can claim no great expertise but I always carry bear spray. Then again, I always carry at least one firearm, too! If I can I'll try the spray first since it won't harm the bear and won't land me in jail. But I certainly can't fault anyone that goes right to guns. Bears are pretty scary!

A lot of Alaskans have a dim view of bear spray, but it seems like the ones I’ve talked to are largely speaking from ignorance? Are you serious!! So you live in Montana and you have “a lot of bears, and a fair amount of bear attacks.” You sir don’t have a clue! Have you ever been stalked by a bear, have you ever been charged by a bear, have you ever had a brown bear walk through your front yard, right after your kids were playing there 15 minutes earlier, have you ever had to kill a bear in defense of life? So, you have a few brown bears in Montana, I have a few brown bears in my neighborhood, talk to me about using your bear spray when they’re walking past your child’s swing set! I guess I’m one of those ignorant Alaskans your speaking of. My only hope is that, if you are going to trust in your bear spray to protect you, you carry it, and never have to remove from it’s holster.


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[Florida Bow Hunter]

A lot of Alaskans have a dim view of bear spray, but it seems like the ones I’ve talked to are largely speaking from ignorance? Are you serious!! So you live in Montana and you have “a lot of bears, and a fair amount of bear attacks.” You sir don’t have a clue! Have you ever been stalked by a bear, have you ever been charged by a bear, have you ever had a brown bear walk through your front yard, right after your kids were playing there 15 minutes earlier, have you ever had to kill a bear in defense of life? So, you have a few brown bears in Montana, I have a few brown bears in my neighborhood, talk to me about using your bear spray when they’re walking past your child’s swing set! I guess I’m one of those ignorant Alaskans your speaking of. My only hope is that, if you are going to trust in your bear spray to protect you, you carry it, and never have to remove from it’s holster.


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Great post but brown bears in Montana are Grizzly Bears whole coast line bears eating salmon and such are brown bears.

Crazy I know. They’re all grizzlies to me.


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[AK Troutbum]

Great post but brown bears in Montana are Grizzly Bears whole coast line bears eating salmon and such are brown bears.

Crazy I know. They’re all grizzlies to me.


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Yeah, I know, and my rant was off the subject of the op as well, since the original question was regarding black bears and the use of a non-lethal force as a deterrent. I do however stand behind my conviction that if a bear is targeting you, with the intent of killing you, I hope you have something that’s a little more of a deterrent than a can of spray. I think black bears are much more likely to be intimidated and run off when they encounter a human, but I also believe that black bears are more inclined to attack for predatory reasons as well. Just a couple days before the the mauling and death of the biologist, there was a 16 year old kid in Anchorage that was competing in a mountain run, and was stalked, killed, and fed on by a black bear. The kid had nothing to defend himself, but this was a case of another predatory attack, and it’s my opinion that spray wouldn’t have helped him either.

16-year-old boy killed by a bear during Alaskan mountain race 'texted family to say it was chasing him'

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[Where's Bruce?]

Three people are killed by bears each year on average...lightning takes 90. I don't know how many die from gravity but my guess is a lot more than bears and lightning combined. Lightning scares the bejeesus outta me, especially the kind Arizona is renowned for. Bears not so much. They do make nice rugs though.

 

[Antarctica]

Can't do a thing about lightning really. With bears, you get a vote, and a fight. Might as well fight to win.

 

[jspradley]

You haven't tried my Patent Pending Lightning Repellent Spray.

Only 49.99!

 

[Midwest.Bushlore]

A lot of Alaskans have a dim view of bear spray, but it seems like the ones I’ve talked to are largely speaking from ignorance? Are you serious!! So you live in Montana and you have “a lot of bears, and a fair amount of bear attacks.” You sir don’t have a clue! Have you ever been stalked by a bear, have you ever been charged by a bear, have you ever had a brown bear walk through your front yard, right after your kids were playing there 15 minutes earlier, have you ever had to kill a bear in defense of life? So, you have a few brown bears in Montana, I have a few brown bears in my neighborhood, talk to me about using your bear spray when they’re walking past your child’s swing set! I guess I’m one of those ignorant Alaskans your speaking of. My only hope is that, if you are going to trust in your bear spray to protect you, you carry it, and never have to remove from it’s holster.


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Simmer down and R-E-A-D what I wrote, and the words of the OP. I never said they were ignorant of bears but ignorant of sprays. I've never been stalked by a bear but some of friends have been. One was was stalked by both bears and cougars (wound up having to shoot both). That particular buddy also 1) has never used bear spray and 2) has never even held a can of it. Are you the same guy, badmouthing bear spray without ever having used it?

The OP specifically asked about bear spray in non-grizzly areas but perhaps you missed that? A brown bear is not going to walk by anyone's swing set in FL unless that swing is at the zoo. You can pretty much ignore AK when discussing places with nothing but black bears. In my life I've been up close to dozens if not hundreds of black bears and here I am, still alive. I do know someone that had to kill a [possibly] predatory black bear but of course, he also had no bear spray to try. He'd have had all day to use, too, if he'd have had it.

I'm not gonna play the d**k measuring game of who's the most badazz bear slayer. In AK I would probably carry a gun all the time. But guess what? I already carry a gun all the time! If I'm wearing pants there's a knife and a light in one of the pockets and a gun on my hip. When out in the woods of MT and ID I often have two guns. In camp I generally keep a 12 gauge loaded with Brenneke slugs. So yeah, I get that a 900 lb grizzly is dangerous.

Out of curiosity have you seen a lot of failures of bear spray? That would be interesting. It seems that most people's positions are staked out in the absence of facts and remain immutable, unmoved by actual facts. I have read about failures of spray, and possible failures of spray, but then I've read about and seen failures of firearms as well.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Can't do a thing about lightning really. With bears, you get a vote, and a fight. Might as well fight to win.

Wrong...when I see lightning coming I run. You can't do that with bears.

I was hunting for Kaibab elk when a big thunderhead dropped on us and I told my hunting partner I was heading to Williams for lunch. He argued that we should stay cuz lightning gets the elk all riled up. I said, "Fine, you stay, I'm going. " We ran to the truck, drove to Williams arriving right when the skies opened up. It took two minutes for the water to flood the street and overflow onto the sidewalk.

After lunch we returned to our original location to find spot fires and blown up trees among massive areas of standing water. "Doncha wish we'd stayed?" I said to my buddy. He shook his head no...the area we were standing in looked apocalyptic.

 

[RockinU]

You haven't tried my Patent Pending Lightning Repellent Spray.

Only 49.99!

Just carry a 1 iron...

 

[Where's Bruce?]