Comments on: Bear spray canister copy/pasta

By: Slowpoke

Slowpoke — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 19:09:32 +0000

I’ve never seen a black bear in the backcountry, despite frequent trips, and living in a state (Vermont) with a high density of black bears.

On the other hand, I saw one a couple of years ago on a hill above the major highway on which I was driving, and I’ve heard multiple local reports of black bears getting into garbage cans from people living a mile or two from our edge-of-small-town/rural home.

I use an Ursack when backpacking and keep an eye and ear open when hiking, but I would never carry bear spray anywhere in the Northeast.

Grizzly country is a different story. We accept the expense, weight, and hassle of bear spray on our rare backcountry trips in the West.

TL;DR – I agree completely with pmags.

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 15:52:23 +0000

In reply to Bill in Roswell GA. The handy thing about airhorns - You don't need (much) training to use them effectively either. What gets me about bear spray is that so many people purchase this tool and then do not invest the time to use it effectively and potentially cause damage to themselves or others.

By: Bill in Roswell GA

Bill in Roswell GA — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 15:00:14 +0000

I totally agree with you Paul. After Covid, so many new to mountain hiking invaded the north Georgia mountains. Stores (REI) couldnt keep bear spray or food canisters in stock. I don’t understand why the outdoor industry doesn’t promote the very tool that NFS and NPS rangers use on bears in campgrouds – an air horn. Ive been in several area campgrounds w bear issues where the ranger drove up, blasted the 110 db horn and scared off the bear. They say it works for bears not habituated to human food. I carry a mini air horn. On the AT this year several areas were closed due to bear activity. Some of these bears would climb trees, crawl out the limb w bear bag, then jump, grabbing the bag on the way down. A friend witnessed this tactic with both regular hangs and PCT hangs. Ursaks fared somewhat better resulting in crushed food bags covered in bear slobber (my friend’s food). Skurka may sleep with his food in bear country, but I’m not going that route!

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 23:12:34 +0000

In reply to Chris Randall. Even here in the States, many of the youth camps follow a similar pattern. Mining camps make sense as I suspect the ones there are more isolated than the lower 48.

By: Chris Randall

Chris Randall — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:19:52 +0000

One problem we have in our part of Canada is that it’s often difficult to know where the interface is. Fly in fishing camps and hunting lodges as well as mining camps are not well known for their bear friendly garbage disposal, often providing opportunities for bears to associate human activities and food. Unfortunately many of our wild areas are not as wild as many of us would like.

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 00:06:07 +0000

In reply to Walter Underwood.

You may find this article of interest:
https://pmags.com/more-thoughts-on-be-prepared

By: Walter Underwood

Walter Underwood — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 22:36:16 +0000

In reply to John Goering. I love the word “bearanoia”. I’m gonna use that.

By: Walter Underwood

Walter Underwood — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 22:35:00 +0000

When teaching outdoor skills to new Scoutmasters, I tell them “just in case” is another way to say “I didn’t plan”. Or as Doug Prosser put it, “fear is heavy”. But planning and skills don’t weigh anything.

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:15:13 +0000

In reply to GroundHog. Yep. That's why I think in the the "better to have it and not need it" trope is wrong on many levels

By: GroundHog

GroundHog — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 11:40:27 +0000

In reply to Paul Mags.

My own observation is that on the AT there’s been 16 murders, something like 50 heart attacks and just one day hiker eaten by a bear only after tripping, hitting his head on a rock, and passing out after his hiking group scattered. That particular bear was then killed a few days later.
Bear spray whether used correctly or incorrectly would not likely have saved the nine or ten murder victims who were attacked while sound asleep, nor would it have helped the young man who hit his head and was knocked out.
So by my count carrying less weight and paying attention to one’s own body could have saved half the 50 heart attacks, Dispersed stealth sleeping could have saved 9-10 murder victims, and staying in a group could have prevented the only bear fatality.
So as of this writing the score is:
BEAR SPRAY—0 lives saved.
COMMON SENSE—36 lives that could could have been saved.
But, of course, these thoughts only apply to the AT not Grizzly habitats
GroundHog