- Banned
- #21
I had moose drama last year that made me wish I had spray with me. Those guys can get pretty stupidTen or eleven seasons under my belt here and I haven't needed it yet, but I carry it just in case. I did unholster it once on a dark moonless night but not because of a bear, but because of a rutty bull moose, still didn't need it but didn't want to change my egress route either. Never seen the moose but we could sure hear him!
I have hunted elk all over CO @ least one season each of the last 30 years. Never needed or considered bear spray until last Sept. Last year I was approached by 2 bears in an hour while sitting a pond. One was 20 yd away, headed toward me when I began talking to him. He kept walking so I stood up. He then saw me and made haste back into the oakbrush, the way he came. The (much) bigger one came in 40 min later from a different direction, veered around me 40 yds away, went up the same oak hillside as his little buddy Boo Boo had earlier. Walking out to the truck after sunset the next evening, another big dude was heading toward the trail I was walking, 200 yards behind me. I walked pretty fast back to the truck. Except for that spot I have never seen multiple bears while hunting, and have never been close enough to be concerned. I started off this post to say don't bother w bear spray in CO, but I'm rethinking.
Comparing Kodiak to the Colorado high country is a bit of a stretch.
[Real reason for spray; I don't want to get shot if I snap a stick and startle a newbie in the Co woods]
I have it but never felt the need in Colorado, now in Yellowstone/Northern Wy....different story.
In all the time I have spent in the central to southern CO mountains, have never even seen a bear on the hoof, although a friend hunting an OTC spot we hunt saw one last year. It is in my gear, but like I said, never felt the need.