Sidearm or bear spray?

[Mdfowlman2]

Hunting this upcoming archery elk season in grizzly country, would you pack a canister of bear spray or bring the sidearm?

 

[LooknWalk]

I was curious what the popular opinion on this same topic was too! So I'm looking forward to hearing what the guys have to say!

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

Oh boy, here we go..... again.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

Oh boy, here we go..... again.

Haha I searched this topic knowing darn well
It’s probably been beaten to death but I couldn’t find it.

 

[bsnedeker]

Haha I searched this topic knowing darn well
It’s probably been beaten to death but I couldn’t find it.

It's been beaten to death, then brought back with CPR just so it could be beaten to death again....many times.

Carry what makes you most comfortable based on your situation and experience.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[mtnkid85]

If you are handy with a side iron carry that. If your more comfortable with spray carry that.
I consider myself a pretty stringent ounce counter and I carry both all the time.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

If you are handy with a side iron carry that. If your more comfortable with spray carry that.
I consider myself a pretty stringent ounce counter and I carry both all the time.

That’s more or less what I was looking to hear, is the canister worth the weight savings, or is it best to say the hell With the weight on this one item. I’m trying to stay very light weight and the 10mm is about 39oz loaded. It’ll be well worth the weight if I’m staring down an angry bear and not worth it at all if we don’t encounter any bears

 

[mtnkid85]

That’s more or less what I was looking to hear, is the canister worth the weight savings, or is it best to say the hell With the weight on this one item. I’m trying to stay very light weight and the 10mm is about 39oz loaded. It’ll be well worth the weight if I’m staring down an angry bear and not worth it at all if we don’t encounter any bears

Well stated. Ill generally only carry bear spray, while trail running.

 

[homers]

Bear spray

 

[Vandy321]

Isn't there a guy in MT who has a grizzly safety course and displays how fast they can close the distance with a live bear? He also demonstrates how bear spray can be extremely ineffective in the wind. I'd hate to bet my life on bear spray instantly stop a charging griz in its tracks. My money is on 10mm.

 

[Beckjhong]

Tacticmt.com is where to find the class. I suppose you could go to two days of hands on learning in the field with skill development, but you’re probably better off watching people fight about it on the internet

 

[D.Blake]

 

[Beendare]

I’ve been compiling the stats for you from the last 30 threads on this topic; (grin)

BTW, Only 2% of guys have ever seen a G Bear in the wild at close range…so most opionions are from what they have read.


60% carry a pistol for bear protection.... but only 15% of those guys have shot more than one box of ammo through it. Not good, practice is everything.

The remaining 40% carry bear spray.... but only two of those guys have ever actually tested a can.
Grin
—

 

[Mosby]

My son and I carry both in Montana. Bears, cougars, wolves and wind. Using bear spray inside a tent doesn't seem like a good idea either. Five good reasons to carry a pistol. YMMV.

 

[Datslab]

Both. Perfect practice makes perfect. I train with my weapons and always anticipate a bear over the next hill. Having both gives me a piece of mind but luckily haven’t ever had to deal with a bear charging me. My mind tells me I would like to deploy bear spray but my gut tells me I have a lot more firearms training. Everything I have read says bear attacks happen so fast that I am putting my bets on muscle memory taking over long before you even have time to think about what’s going on.

 

[archp625]

This spring I am hunting with my brother and he is carrying spray and I am carrying a pistol with buffalobore outdoorsman ammo.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I have seen a grizzly up close, I hunt black bears, elk and mulies in Grizzly country. I carry a glock 29 that I shoot regularly.

 

[bobr1]

Yeah this is probably one of the most asked questions and it is going to be personal preference. I mean weight is whatever but seriously if you have a grizzly charging in at you and the wind is in your face or blowing sideways then it isn't going to do anything until they are already on top of you and or you are going to spray yourself. I carry a gun as as a backup. Just like in the military if you have an issue with you're primary you at least have a secondary as a backup.

 

[Marbles]

I own both. In the backcountry I prefer a sidearm over spray. I have carried both at the same time, but specifically train only with the sidearm under stress. It is well documented that having more than one choice produces slower reaction times regardless of training. So, under stress I make the only choice be the pistol. The spray is for when the bear is not charging and to hopefully save the trouble of a DLP shooting, i.e. it is for when I have time to slow down and think.

In the end, carry what you know how to use and are comfortable with.

 

[TheGDog]

I'll just say this, if you're actually inside your tent, and the need arises to attempt blast the bear spray? I cringe at the thought of just a few micro droplets catching the edge of the tent door and circling back around at you.

I did a test fire on a new bear canister I purchased to replace one that slipped out of it's holster which didn't have a retention strap over the top, the spray was impressive!

I didn't notice any wind at all. Then leisurely begin to pick back up my TP and Wipees and such off the ground since I'd just finished nature's call before the hike-in that morning. While gathering these things... apparently a very light bit of air wafted some micro-droplets of the spray back over my way.

First I felt one touch the back of my hand... then a tiny one hit my eye... at which I blinked.. and immediately started to realize what had happened, which was right about when felt a few more, back of knee and inner elbow area.

Sprinted the 10yd back to the truck, rinsed like crazy... used scent-killer wipees hurriedly everywhere I'd felt it.

It was a summer scouting trip back in there. It was already 87 F by 7am. I had to put on liner gloves to protect the backs of my hands from the sun, the burning made it uncomfortable for the suns rays to fall upon the backs of my hands. The washed areas... the burning sensation throbbed...but while I was walking along... it was.. "tolerable" though uncomfortable... the moment I'd stop in the shade to take a drink of water... I'd feel the burning sensation rise up with each pump of my pulse! Becoming uncomfortable enough to egg me on into resuming walking again so that the airflow over my skin could cool it back down. This very uncomfortable feeling did not subside until about 1pm that day. That shit burns like the sun!

So... because of this experience, I make sure I have a pistol for while I'm in the tent.. just in case. (For bear areas G29, otherwise a lil Sig P238) I cannot imagine the unfathomable hell on Earth it would be to take a direct Face-full of that stuff!

Just to note I'm pretty sure I must be sensitive to capsacin. I once tried a muscle rub cream which had that in it... made the mistake of putting it on my trapezius muscles after this one hard day of including heavy military presses in the workout. Holy Fuckballs I do NOT know how it could be legal to sell such a heinously painful product over the counter for that purpose! Burned soo soo damn bad! And you can't exactly wash it off either for it penetrates into your skin and it's oils.

So anyhoo...spray for when you can see him before he sees you... pistol when it's the other way around.