Overheard Conversation

[CapLock]

I suppose the bear spray works wonders against people right? Not a total waste.

[Skully]

We actually had a young man come into the Firing Line today and ask for "bear mace".

Did you hand him a .44 mag revolver or 45-70 lever and say this is "bear mace" works on 2 legged creatures too?

[Guylee]

I remember when sending someone out for bear spray was a joke. Ooohhhh well.

[tmckay2]

I don't get the problem with people getting bear spray. If you can sure carry a pistol. If you can sure carry a 12 gauge. But if you are visiting from out of town, especially from a place that doesn't allow guns or makes it difficult to get them, isn't some preparedness better than none? It may be unlikely and may not protect you super well but in the middle of the night or on a trail alone I'd rather have spray than nothing. Heck, if nothing else than for the moose in the national park. I did a three day backpacking trip on the west side of the park a few years back and stumbled on several females with calfs. It may be rare but shit happens, you'd feel like more of an idiot to get ripped up by a beat or moose because you didn't buy a $7 bottle of spray versus if you spent the $7 and isn't need it. I'd think if anyone would understand being a bit over prepared it would be this board.

[Skully]

I don't get the problem with people getting bear spray. If you can sure carry a pistol. If you can sure carry a 12 gauge. But if you are visiting from out of town, especially from a place that doesn't allow guns or makes it difficult to get them, isn't some preparedness better than none? It may be unlikely and may not protect you super well but in the middle of the night or on a trail alone I'd rather have spray than nothing. Heck, if nothing else than for the moose in the national park. I did a three day backpacking trip on the west side of the park a few years back and stumbled on several females with calfs. It may be rare but shit happens, you'd feel like more of an idiot to get ripped up by a beat or moose because you didn't buy a $7 bottle of spray versus if you spent the $7 and isn't need it. I'd think if anyone would understand being a bit over prepared it would be this board.

Nothing against being prepared I guess out of Towner's not bring a sidearm a last resort, but does it work? Never used it, granddad was an old wilderness man from Washington state and my cousin spent several years as a forest ranger living in steamboat, both said the same thing at two different times. " If a bear is charging you why do you want to make him madder?"

In fact grandpa mention using bear spray to disorientate so you can get a cleaner shot but don't rely on it to drive the bear away.

[Ronin13]

To each his own right? Or something like that... This just reminds me of watching Man, Woman, Wild this weekend and the hot British wife of the former SF guy who hosted that One Man Army show kept saying "bear bear bear" everywhere they went so that bears knew they were there. Pretty funny, but alerting a bear to your presence is a good idea so you don't come up and surprise them. I'd rather carry a big gun than a can of spray that may or may not work.

[rockhound]

I don't get the problem with people getting bear spray. If you can sure carry a pistol. If you can sure carry a 12 gauge. But if you are visiting from out of town, especially from a place that doesn't allow guns or makes it difficult to get them, isn't some preparedness better than none? It may be unlikely and may not protect you super well but in the middle of the night or on a trail alone I'd rather have spray than nothing. Heck, if nothing else than for the moose in the national park. I did a three day backpacking trip on the west side of the park a few years back and stumbled on several females with calfs. It may be rare but shit happens, you'd feel like more of an idiot to get ripped up by a beat or moose because you didn't buy a $7 bottle of spray versus if you spent the $7 and isn't need it. I'd think if anyone would understand being a bit over prepared it would be this board.

the funny part was in the OP where the tourist was not leaving town, he wanted the bear spray just to walk around in a mountain town, not on a trail or even in the woods

[MCarp71]

I love this sign!!!

I Love This!

[HoneyBadger]

When I know I'm going in to bear territory, I don't go alone. Safety in numbers is key. If you see a bear, make some noise (not enough to spook it, just let it know that you are there) and when it sees you, if it comes toward you, get as big as you can (lift your backpack over your head, etc) and make LOTS of noise. This has worked 2/2 times for me with [brown] black bears. Once the bear was about 30 yds away and still walking toward me so I threw my 20lb backpack at it (it only went about 5 yds ) and drew my pistol while shouting as loud as I could. When the pack hit the ground, it kicked up a cloud of dust and the bear just turned and walked away.... I guess he decided we weren't worth it.

The plan after that was to aim very very very carefully at his face and unload all 15 rds into his face... Who knows if it would have worked or not.

Size is key when encountering mountain lions as well. If you have a group of people, spread out a little and open up your jackets, get big and look like the toughest targets on the mountain.

The most important thing in either case is to show primal dominance over the animal you face. i.e.: Act animalistic like a caveman. DO NOT ACT SUBMISSIVE. Wild animals are very good at reading body language (just like your dog) and they know if you will submit to be their dinner, or if you will put up a fight. Don't be their dinner.

[Ronin13]

don't go alone

Best advice ever... that should be rule #1, not just animals but anytime away from civilization you should never go alone (see Aaron Ralston). I saw one of those episodes of "I Shouldn't Be Alive" and this young man was attacked by a grizzly and all alone dragged his open, gushing head wound self out of the woods to the nearest town- one of the game wardens said that NEVER happens and that is probably 1 in 1,000,000.