Is Bear Spray needed in non-grizzly area?

[Deere83]

I’m with brsnow above, people pack their insecurities, I don’t take spray or a pistol in black bear country, but if I have my girls with me I’ll have my pistol for two leggeds

 

[3227hunter]

Bear spray is a added security. If you feel better while carrying it, you are more likely to spend more time looking for game then watching your back worried about a bear.

 

[Marble]

I had a bear getting into our meat storage several years ago. We sprayed it bear spray, a fire extinguisher can size one, probably 5 times. Hit it with a bat, rocks, sticks etc. Had 10' of snot hanging off its snout when it was treed. It came back minutes after every encounter to try to get to our meat. A .22 bullet to the gut area sent it away.

To me it doesnt work worth a shit. The other bear we had getting into our meat in the late 90s had to be shot too.

I think an odd encounter in the woods, without meat involved, bear spray might work. Otherwise, death to the bear.

 

[RockinU]

I don’t but I have cracked one across the face with a trekking pole, so maybe it’s not a bad idea to bring it.

Janis?

 

[PNWGATOR]

Cheap and easy insurance. Recommend carrying it all of the time. You just never know when you’ll need it for a rogue beast of the two or four legged variety.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Just keep a handgun around and don’t sweat it.

 

[FLAK]

IT works on Human A%%holes too, not just Grizzlies.

 

[kiddogy]

no .it is not necessary. unless you need it!
I have never packed bear spray with me . NEVER !

that said ,better to have and not need then need and not have.


only you can decide , wether or not it's worth it to carry it.

 

[KHNC]

If you have rifles, maybe not as big of a deal.

I'm not exactly making a lot of noise when still hunting the bush, and I've bumped a few bears. A scared bear can be a dangerous bear, especially if they have cubs.

I'm usually one in the 'better have it and not need it...' camp.

Interesting situation, if you're hunting whatever and have a bear tag, get into an encounter and shoot a bear, might not be the best situation if you weren't planning on dressing and packing out a bear there and then. I don't think you'd get a pass for wanton waste for self defense when holding a tag. A $30 can of spray might have saved a big pain...just a random thought.

Do most states require bear meat to be packed out? Only bears i have killed have been in Canada.

 

[Northernpiker]

I never take bear spray but take a pistol, after I'm all packed for a week in the woods the pistol is the first thing I leave in the truck, I always take way too much crap. I always figure if I buy it I should use it. The only bears I've had trouble with were in my imagination at night in my tent...and they were mean and scary. If it gives you confidence and peace of mind...take it!

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

I had a bear getting into our meat storage several years ago. We sprayed it bear spray, a fire extinguisher can size one, probably 5 times. Hit it with a bat, rocks, sticks etc. Had 10' of snot hanging off its snout when it was treed. It came back minutes after every encounter to try to get to our meat. A .22 bullet to the gut area sent it away.

To me it doesnt work worth a shit. The other bear we had getting into our meat in the late 90s had to be shot too.

I think an odd encounter in the woods, without meat involved, bear spray might work. Otherwise, death to the bear.

You shot a problem bear in the guts with a .22 on purpose?

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

I carry a handgun in black bear country, even here in PA. If I'm in a NP I'll also carry spray because it makes my wife feel better.

Guns come in too handy too often to not have one. Spray doesn't weigh much but it would probably not be my go to anyway so if I'm alone I don't have it. As my kids get older I will probably make it available to them if they want to go out alone in bear country.

 

[PMcGee]

I carried it my first year and that was it. Seen plenty of bears never had a problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[adamantine]

No grizz, no need. I’ve surprised a few black bears from 20-40yds away and they always run like mad (that’s if you’re in an area they’re hunted, IMO black bears in Yosemite are more dangerous than grizzlies)

Carry a handgun instead. The vast majority of sketchy encounters I’ve had away from roads have been with two legged animals. A gun is far faster and easier to use in a single handed quick encounter. I’ve had one or two de-escalate simply because I turned far enough they could see the handle.

 

[Calcoyote]

I don’t but I have cracked one across the face with a trekking pole, so maybe it’s not a bad idea to bring it.

That was a dangerous life threatening situation so I am ashamed to confess that I laughed out loud when I read it. Over the years I have used a trekking pole for a lot of things but never to crack a bear across the nose. LOL. Still laughing as I type this...

I am not against pepper spray, and have carried it in the past. I now carry a 10mm Glock and no longer carry the pepper spray.

In my opinion most folks would be better off with the pepper spray due to the fact that most people are not accurate enough with a handgun to use it in a self defense situation. If you only go the shooting range 1-2 times per year and only fire 25-50 rounds through a handgun per year you probably are not prepared and would be better off with pepper spray. On the other hand, if you are willing to invest in the time and effort I think the handgun is the better option. Just my opinion.

 

[MtGomer]

Janis?

Honestly it was my fault. I was in elk sign and could smell them and hear them cow calling , and I could hear something moving below me.
It was thick
I very quietly slipped down there. Next thing I know a little cub of the year came out around a tree at a few feet. Like 4 feet.

Instead of not moving like I probably should have, I tried to back out. As a I stood up, I realized not 15 feet from me, secluded behind this little knoll was a sow and another cub eating on a dead moo cow. She saw me immediately and started the whole jaw popping, front feet pounding thing and when she came around the tree I hit her as hard as I could as I backed up. I had my gun on her at that point and just kept backing and she stood there mad putting herself between me and the cubs.

I yelled a lot and whatever elk were around weren’t anymore.

Could have been ugly. Would have been ugly if it was a grizzly.

 

[Buckshot1822]

I carry a pistol when I am bow hunting, not necessarily for black bears, bit you never know what kind of creep you might run into even in the middle of nowhere. But I suppose it would also work for bear protection if necessary.

I have never had a bad bear encounter, and they are generally wary and spook easy.

But, I do know people that have been kept up their tree well after dark in archery season by a sow with cubs.

 

[Ratbeetle]

No grizz, no need. I’ve surprised a few black bears from 20-40yds away and they always run like mad (that’s if you’re in an area they’re hunted, IMO black bears in Yosemite are more dangerous than grizzlies)

Carry a handgun instead. The vast majority of sketchy encounters I’ve had away from roads have been with two legged animals. A gun is far faster and easier to use in a single handed quick encounter. I’ve had one or two de-escalate simply because I turned far enough they could see the handle.

Yup. I'm much more inclined to want a sidearm for sketchy people. However, an added benefit for carrying the g29 is it works equally well for black bears or drunk hilljacks. Not interested in spray.

 

[jlaner0408]

Maximum effective range of bear spray: 10 yards
Maximum effective range of 10mm: 50? 75? 100? yards depending on what’s causing you issues

 

[BroodBuster]

Rule of thumb in bear attacks is to play dead in a grizzly attack and fight like hell in a black bear attack. Reason being is that grizzly bears just want you to go away but black bears attack to eat you. So yea I carry something for protection in black bear country even though I’ve mostly just seen their asses running away when I encounter them.

Reminds me of an old navy aviator saying, “A 1% chance of being 100% dead.”