Bears

i've been on the web a few times where people have discussed coming across
bears while in the woods... a number of guys suggested bear spray (pepper
spray, but stronger)... but others have said that they heard the scent
actually attracted them to it. ... i don't know if that is true or not, but
one thing came to mind that no one has ever mentioned that i've seen... and
that is an air horn... if yer suppose to bang pots and pans to scare them
off, then why not use an air horn that you could fit in a fanny pack that
would be easy to get if you needed to? makes sense to me... any comments?
(without blasting me lol)

> Your odds with pepper spray would be better than with an air horn.
> Besides, pepper spray is only good at close range. It has a limited range,
> and you have to get it into the bear's eyes. I don't want to get that
> close to a bear who is checking out my food.

some of the so-called experts that i've read say that the bear spray doesn't
really work.. if that's the case, i'd hate to further the bears anger. lol

We do everything we can on the trail and in camp to discourage bears. I
carry a bear spray canister but when my children are with me I also take
along a .40 cal pistol. No, I'm not interested in hunting them and would
hate to have to kill a bear but if it's the bear or my kids...easy choice.
Fortunately, almost all bear encounters can be prevented by making noise on
the trail, cooking a distance from the tent, and getting the food and other
smellies hung up away from the tent too. It's important also to understand
that black and brown (grizzly) bears have different temperaments to
consider.

On 12/22/06 12:12 AM, in article
6bGdnf0WN6jtGBbYnZ2dnUVZ_q-vnZ2d@, "FH" <nowaydude@m>
wrote:

>
>> Your odds with pepper spray would be better than with an air horn.
>> Besides, pepper spray is only good at close range. It has a limited range,
>> and you have to get it into the bear's eyes. I don't want to get that
>> close to a bear who is checking out my food.
>
> some of the so-called experts that i've read say that the bear spray doesn't
> really work.. if that's the case, i'd hate to further the bears anger. lol
>
>

If you're talking about black bears, there's very little to worry
about. They are not aggresive at all.

I've encountered black bears about 50-70 times in my life while hiking
in the Sierras and they are very shy, docile creatures. Every single
one I've seen has either run away or stood stationary and then mosied
along. They show no aggresion at all. I admit I've never seen a mama
bear with cubs on the trail, and they are said to be more aggresive.
But black bears as a rule as shy and resist any contact with human
beings. Sometimes in the Yosemite backcountry I'll see people with
bells on their backpacks. Bells aren't necessary with black bears!

Now grizzlies are another matter. I don't often hike in Grizzly
country, so someone else will have to chime in on these critters.

"Bob" <frodo@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:C1B122CC.8CB47%frodo@cableone.net...
> We do everything we can on the trail and in camp to discourage bears. I
> carry a bear spray canister but when my children are with me I also take
> along a .40 cal pistol. No, I'm not interested in hunting them and would
> hate to have to kill a bear but if it's the bear or my kids...easy choice.
> Fortunately, almost all bear encounters can be prevented by making noise
on
> the trail, cooking a distance from the tent, and getting the food and
other
> smellies hung up away from the tent too. It's important also to
understand
> that black and brown (grizzly) bears have different temperaments to
> consider.
>

Will a 40 cal. pistol stop a bear? For that matter, will a 45 cal. pistol
stop a bear?

Tom