I watched a You tube video of a bear being sprayed with the stuff and it's pretty convincing that the stuff works. It didn't come after you so I guess it did it's job. In most places I travel I can't carry a gun so the spray goes with me. What size can were you using, I did a test spray from a large can and it travels far and fast, at least I thought. By the way, a large male bear is a BOAR.
Bear spray experiences, had an interesting one last night.
- Thread starter Ardent
- Start date
thepolinator
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Sudbury, ON
Where do you buy bear spray? I have some dog spray that I found at crappy tire, but couldn't find any bear spray. Are they the same or is the dog spray weaker?
arcticcathonda
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
You can buy it at most good outdoor sporting goods stores. MEC, Sail, Atmosphere etc. Much stronger than dog spray.
There's a guy on the coast here with a large can of bear spay with many tooth marks in it,in an attempt to use it it was dropped ,the Grizz picked it up and bit down.full out explosion right in its mouth,bear spit it out and then got mad and bit it many more times.Not a black but it till tells me everything I need to know about bear spray.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
YouTube videos unfortunately don't equate to real life all the time- I've seen the videos and been impressed by spray, but my two recent experiences with it have not been convincing. I've also seen it work once quite well. I'm the resident bear "liaison" at my job (work remote in a bush camp), and deal with my share of problematic bears every year, and it doesn't stop at black bears where we are. I'm now extremely unimpressed by spray, I'd rather have it than not, but it is a wishy washy thing in effect. On a charging bear I'd have zero faith in it.
This is the spray this fellow received an entire can of from spitting distance, he became nothing but pissed off.
Had both, didn't want to shoot him and didn't. No charges, no huffing or jaw popping until after the spray, just a brazen boar that approached steadily and wouldn't leave. Didn't warrant a death sentance in my eyes, and spray seemed the perfect deterent- till I hosed him with it.
Springtime is the worst time to meet up with Yogi! He just woke up after a long winter in a hole and he's darn hungry! If he has his head down & huffing at you, he's getting ready to charge you. Forget the spray and just back off slowly. We live in the bush in Northwest Ontario and I'm always telling the kids never ever trust a bear! We get 2 or 3 in the yard every year. Yesterday we had a wolf come into the yard to check out our dog. I caught that before there was trouble, and it ran off.
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migrant hunter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
The problem with trying to use both is by the time a bear has got close enough to spray, if it does'nt work you're done. On a flat out charge you'll hit him with the spray about a second before he hits you. With a curious/hungry/bluff charge, the spray should make him think you're a really big skunk. I tried to chase off a bear, prob about 2yr old, in Waterton with an air horn. It was like he did'nt hear me. Totally unafraid. The guys who were fishing on the lakeshore got out of his way, so I saw no reason to mess with him further.
It's better than nothing, unless the wind is in your face. I'd like to have someone back me up with a gun if I had to use it.
I accidentally sprayed myself in the side with a tiny bit of it once(don't ask). It did'nt start to burn for about 1/2 hr, then it felt like I was on fire.
It's better than nothing, unless the wind is in your face. I'd like to have someone back me up with a gun if I had to use it.
I accidentally sprayed myself in the side with a tiny bit of it once(don't ask). It did'nt start to burn for about 1/2 hr, then it felt like I was on fire.
As I've posted on here before, I used almost half a large can in 3 seprate bursts at 15-24inches directly into my own 50lb Pitt/whippets face as he was tearing the scalp off another dog. All he did was step back each time, snort, shake his head and lunge for the dog again.
The fight ended when I sprayed him, then grabbed him and threw him on my shoulder.
His first fight ever at 5 years old, protecting me from a large aggressive chow.
Rip booger ..
It didn't stop one of the friendliest loving 50lb animals on the planet in a heated state. I believe it may work on a curious bear but I have no faith at all that it will have much effect on a determined animal
The fight ended when I sprayed him, then grabbed him and threw him on my shoulder.
His first fight ever at 5 years old, protecting me from a large aggressive chow.
Rip booger ..
It didn't stop one of the friendliest loving 50lb animals on the planet in a heated state. I believe it may work on a curious bear but I have no faith at all that it will have much effect on a determined animal
For u guys wondering, at least for humans; 2% are immune to OC, ~13% are resistant will show little effect, ~85% will show debilitating results, I would presume for bears numbers might be similar alas I've not heard of a study regarding the effectiveness of bear spray
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
IF!
Bear spray can be effective if . . .
if you can leave the area immediately after using it,
if the bear is not committed to an attack,
if the wind is favorable,
if you are not in a tent,
if you are not in a cabin,
if you are not in heavy cover,
if you are not near a food source,
if you allow the bear to come close enough before using it,
if its not cold out,
if you have more than one canister,
if you are not alone,
if you carry a gun anyway.
All that is required of the firearm, is competence, confidence, and suitable ammunition. Killing the bear should be the last resort; but without a gun, that option is off the table.
Bear spray can be effective if . . .
if you can leave the area immediately after using it,
if the bear is not committed to an attack,
if the wind is favorable,
if you are not in a tent,
if you are not in a cabin,
if you are not in heavy cover,
if you are not near a food source,
if you allow the bear to come close enough before using it,
if its not cold out,
if you have more than one canister,
if you are not alone,
if you carry a gun anyway.
All that is required of the firearm, is competence, confidence, and suitable ammunition. Killing the bear should be the last resort; but without a gun, that option is off the table.
- Location
- West Quebec
Avoidance if at all possible is my SOP but will take the appropriate firearm when in the area, don't plan on taking chances with my life or others.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Some folks around here carry bear spray, but I won't. The reason I won't carry it is mostly due to the wind, we gets lots of it, and I don't want to be incapacitated by spray that I'm forced to use in a dangerous bear encounter. In my opinion the confidence which is inspired by the presence of a firearm can enable the individual to think his way out of the problem, without having to kill the bear; but if things go south, the lethal option is immediately available.
We are just in the process of getting some property around Bancroft. My wife brought up the topic of bears and what we will do till we get a fenced area set up for the dogs. She figures we will both carry spray and I will carry the defender or the 30-30. She will use the spray and if that were to fail I would have the gun at the ready just in case.
This viewpoint might be entirely without merit but I still consider it and it rambles around in the back of my mind whenever I read bear spray discussions.
I sometimes wonder if the bear spray proponents are the "well established throughout our system" anti-gun people who use massaged research to support the bear spray theory to attempt to negate people walking around with those terrible man killing machines on their shoulders or hips????
It would be interesting to see what people carry in the state of Alaska where they are allowed to carry everything up to and including a 50 caliber Barret...lol...and thay have plenty of bears to bump into by accident up there.
I have read Dr Herrerro's books and statements and it has been stated that he supports bear spray but I would like to hear that come right from his own mouth and his reasons why.
One thing I do feel strongly is that it doesn't matter what you use....if you can't deploy it in less than 10 seconds you may as well not have anything.
Regards,
Dave.
I sometimes wonder if the bear spray proponents are the "well established throughout our system" anti-gun people who use massaged research to support the bear spray theory to attempt to negate people walking around with those terrible man killing machines on their shoulders or hips????
It would be interesting to see what people carry in the state of Alaska where they are allowed to carry everything up to and including a 50 caliber Barret...lol...and thay have plenty of bears to bump into by accident up there.
I have read Dr Herrerro's books and statements and it has been stated that he supports bear spray but I would like to hear that come right from his own mouth and his reasons why.
One thing I do feel strongly is that it doesn't matter what you use....if you can't deploy it in less than 10 seconds you may as well not have anything.
Regards,
Dave.
We are just in the process of getting some property around Bancroft. My wife brought up the topic of bears and what we will do till we get a fenced area set up for the dogs. She figures we will both carry spray and I will carry the defender or the 30-30. She will use the spray and if that were to fail I would have the gun at the ready just in case.
Having any dog in the yard is the best first alert alarm that you can have when you are outside working around the house..
Having any dog in the yard is the best first alert alarm that you can have when you are outside working around the house..
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I own bear spray for two reasons; 1) It's the only legal option, in parks/urban areas. 2) I don't want to shoot a sow with cubs, so I've got the 'seasoning spray' with me...
I never go into the bush without a firearm, cuz I'm scared of bears...
I never go into the bush without a firearm, cuz I'm scared of bears...
Few years back doing our annual fall baited bear hunt, I found out when back at the dock some of the guides besides 12 bore back up's also had pepper spray on self...I lost it...Here it ends up we had been flying around for a few seasons already with potential pepper bombs in the confines of the Otter...One guide said "I keep it in a ziplock"...I lost it again!
These are great guys and all but come on, armed with 45-70's, 12 bores and bear spray when we are outfitting in an Otter...Give your head a shake!
What made it even more ironic was that two of the guides are military veterans.
Far as I see it people are losing perspective on reality...Gravity, wild animals and bad guys are still what they were since the beginning of time, maybe worse...Beware and repectful of your environment and realize this, if you are out in bear country armed only with pepper spray, you are not predator but spicy hot prey you be...Don't pussyfoot around when the situation calls for deadly force...Keep the pepper in sauce form and use it on your bear steak and eggs!
These are great guys and all but come on, armed with 45-70's, 12 bores and bear spray when we are outfitting in an Otter...Give your head a shake!
What made it even more ironic was that two of the guides are military veterans.
Far as I see it people are losing perspective on reality...Gravity, wild animals and bad guys are still what they were since the beginning of time, maybe worse...Beware and repectful of your environment and realize this, if you are out in bear country armed only with pepper spray, you are not predator but spicy hot prey you be...Don't pussyfoot around when the situation calls for deadly force...Keep the pepper in sauce form and use it on your bear steak and eggs!
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I'm a pilot and fly for a living myself, and spray cannot be inside the machine. We do have external storage we can carry it in, but in general at work it's guns only for bears. And no bangers.
Use both, it does not take much to pack a spray bomb. I have mentioned this before but it seems to fall on deaf ears. If you are surprised by an attack you will not often have time to bring your gun to bear (pun intended). The spray, which you can deploy at close quarters (as in rolling around on the ground), will hopefully give you some room and time to get a decent shot off. I understand where Boomer is coming from but polar bears are not something most of us have to deal with. That is a different set of circumstance from wandering around in the dense bush of BC and spooking a black bear. Packing bear spray does not make you less of a man.
