Bear spray 33% effective according to report

[sdeeter19555]

I was told by an Alaskan native I worked with for a stint that they figured out the bears liked pepper spray (taste) and would track down someone carrying it (because you know, you are supposed to test it for functionality and that leaves an odor).

No idea if that is true, we used to carry it at one point. I only stumble around the lower 48, I'm never in the woods without a 45acp or 44mag. I'd be more worried about two-legged critters and bear spray might be effective there.

 

[searcher]

I forgot to thank you for posting this great article. So thank you, it brings knowledgeable point of views to the table. It's a testament to how rare bear attacks are that so few people actually have first or second hand experience. All of us can sit around conjecturing, banging on our keyboards about how we feel about bear spray or guns for defending ourselves.

Yes - it is something many people think about how they would handle such a situation. I'd not want to be in any situation where a grizzly was truly charging me and while I'm quite practiced shooting large revolvers - just looking at the math of how quickly one would have to get a kill shot into the moving bear is worth thinking hard about, regardless of skill level. Yikes!

 

[Tommie]

I’ll never be mauled by a grizzly or eaten by a shark.

I know where they live.

 

[lawman29]

A couple of good articles on the efficacy of bear spray/firearms.

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wsb.1403

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.342

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.21958

 

[Park ranger]

Have I posted on this old thread yet? Bear spray sucks. Handguns suck less.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

 

[afret]

I carry it when jogging up here in N ID. Lots of wild critters here in the forest but the spray is mainly for some of the vicious neighbor's dogs that get loose. Worked well on a pack of dogs that came after me. Could have just gave them a case of acute lead poisoning but best not to give pets dirt naps if possible.

 

[akajun]

Bear spray/pepper spray/ASR only works on animals like bears and dogs if it gets in their mouth, eyes, or they inhale it and then only for a short time, unlike humans were it burns for an hour because we have sweat glands on our faces and skin, they dont
Ive sprayed many an angry dog at work over the years, other than the initial burn and pain, they are not affected by it long term, however they know its something that hurts them and will keep their distance usually after. IDK if that will ring true on a big bear.