Bear Spray

[bigalcal]

Myself and a fw other fishing buddies are considering purchasing bearspray this year? Any advice?

What brand...Approx price....Where to purchase in the Calgary area?

[Lawrence]

I have a can of counter assault Bear spray although I can't really vouch for its effectiveness as I haveb't had to use it yet * knock knock*. Although I do know its some pretty powerful stuff as we sprayed a bit of it and it had about a 20ft spray. I think I payed around $30 or $40 bucks for the stuff, but remeber you need to provide identification with you when you buy the stuff. You can buy bear spray pretty much any store that has something to do with the outdoors. I picked up mine at Ribtor

[SilverDoctor]

Last can of spray I carried for 2 years (a xmas present from my wife). Decided to test it out and it was empty. I often think how silly I would have looked Holding a out as a bera charged waiting to get mauled with my arm out. Test it every year they don't last forever.

 

I don't bother now, I've had hundreds of bear encounters. Common sense and being alert has helped. I like the idea of making noise as I walk. MInd you, there was a salmon stream a trib of the Skeena where I was subject to charges so close I could smell the big buggers breath. If I hit that stream again it will be with a 12 gage shotgun and spare shorts.

 

Must tell you about a trip I was was on to a lake in the interior of BC with my brother in law. We where driving out of a lake in the evening and almost hit two people writhing on the ground in pain. It seems they saw a bear and let loose wiht some spray. The wind wasn't in their favor and punched the whole lot into their faces.It took all of our water supply to douse there eyes with and some eye wash so they could stand. I tracked back from where they where to see where the bear tracks where. It was a good 75 yards. more that effective for spray.

 

I think your best bet is to buy spray from a reputable outdoor shop. They have good volume in the stuff and it won't already have a shelf life to contend with. Get a holster, it's useless in your back pack. Most bear encounters come with only seconds or no warning.

[grannyknot]

I think a bell is more important than spray. One hole I fish on the Oldman, if I walk down quietly I will almost always run right into a juvenile black bear, if I'm singing or just making a ruckus I have never seen him. So if you can't carry a tune, get a bell. You'll feel very silly and alive.

[Brownstone]

I carry Frontiersman spray, I get mine at Wholesale Sports 29.99..It expires ever 2 years or so..I also carry a pen gun with whistle flares..never had a CLOSE call with a bear, though Ive seen lots of blacks fishing north of Hinton and had to scare one off one evening with a shell..yeah they dont like whistlers or bangers..but a bell is the best and cheapest insurance not to run into bears...

[bigalcal]

I carry an air horn when I am in bear country and let it belt every 5 mins or so. I have never encountered a bear (again..knock knock)

The worst is when you are crawling around in the back of the pick up and you accidently kneel on it!! Quite loud in an enclosed place!!

[birchy]

I carry an air horn when I am in bear country and let it belt every 5 mins or so. I have never encountered a bear (again..knock knock)

The worst is when you are crawling around in the back of the pick up and you accidently kneel on it!! Quite loud in an enclosed place!!

 

LOL!! Avert the danger by scaring the bear away but give yourself a heart attack in the process!!

[trailhead]

LOL!! Avert the danger by scaring the bear away but give yourself a heart attack in the process!!

I believe I have heard you out there, and I thought it was just some kids blasting the horn for kicks

[cdock]

I've got some bear beware from a local dealer. About $30. I also carry an air horn. I just read a book by Stephen Herrero and he mentioned this is one of the best ways to prevent an encounter at all. There's an interesting story, here's the jist of it. A class of students were doing some research collecting in an area know for grizzlies so they blasted these horns every 20 minutes while they were out in the forest. After a few days the students complained they didn't see even ONE bear so for one day they didn't blast the air horns. That day they say bears. They went back to air horns and no bears. A very rough study to go by but it certainly suggests they work. Of course talking and the bell help just as much.

 

An old joke for you.

 

What do you find in black bear poo?

Berries, grass, and some pine cones.

 

What do you find in grizzly bear poo?

Bear bells, bear spray, and a fishing reel.

 

I know it's bad.

[bigalcal]

I was camping at McLean creek a few years ago and we had a visiting skunk. I sounded the horn at him thinking he would go away. He didn't. He then became our friend and sat with us at the fire. pretty Cool. We didn't feed him tho' well not directly!!

[esleech]

I've talked to the reps about this one when I worked at Ribtor. Counter assault was the strongest spray, strongest meaning the most concetrated capsacin (sp?) content. The bear should be no more than five meters away in order for the spray to be "effective". Unfortunately, I think that no matter what the direction of the wind is, you will get some on you. So cover your eyes while you spray the bear! Just kidding. The stuff works though, if you actually have the guts to hold your ground and give him a full on blast to the face. I personally know people who have used it and had the bear rolling around, rubbing it's face in the dirt and thumping into trees. I hope I never have to use my spray though, I recommend you just make some noise...karaoke in the woods anyone! Oh yeah, keep it in a holster, or somewhere accessible. You can't dig through your backpack, do some hail marys, poo yourself, and spray the furball at the same time!

[MMAX]

I've never had an encounter, but I wonder really how effective bear spray would be. Just imagine a charging grizzly, reaching into your pack for your spray and IF you get it out on time waiting until the bear is in range to aim and hit him in the eyes. I guess the closest I've been would have been about 2 years ago. We were planning on fishing upstream of the Waldron bridge on the Oldman when 3 other guys beat us to the spot. It was fairly hot so we decided to stay and not go out. About a half hour later they returned and told us they came over a hill and just missed running into a female grizzly with 2 cubs. We've seen small blacks in this area but a grizzly this far out of the forest reserve? Glad it was them instead of us...that's a little too close.

[RonD]

I've never had an encounter, but I wonder really how effective bear spray would be. Just imagine a charging grizzly, reaching into your pack for your spray and IF you get it out on time waiting until the bear is in range to aim and hit him in the eyes. I guess the closest I've been would have been about 2 years ago. We were planning on fishing upstream of the Waldron bridge on the Oldman when 3 other guys beat us to the spot. It was fairly hot so we decided to stay and not go out. About a half hour later they returned and told us they came over a hill and just missed running into a female grizzly with 2 cubs. We've seen small blacks in this area but a grizzly this far out of the forest reserve? Glad it was them instead of us...that's a little too close.

 

Hey guys ... I live on a ranch just off the Maycroft Road a few km south of the southern entrance to the Bob Creek Wildland, and everywhere I go these days (bear season) I carry a big fresh can of Counter Assault AND a nickel-plated Remington Marine Magnum loaded with 00 and a couple of 600 grain Brenneke slugs ... and I sing a lot ... I like that guy's "Karaoke in the Woods" comment

 

Hitting the Oldman below the dam this afternoon ... hooked-up and lost something very nice (on a zonker) there on Sunday.

 

Ron

[Lawrence]

I like that guy's "Karaoke in the Woods

 

yeah I belt out some Slayer when hiking through the bush,

[Grizz]

Must tell you about a trip I was was on to a lake in the interior of BC with my brother in law. We where driving out of a lake in the evening and almost hit two people writhing on the ground in pain. It seems they saw a bear and let loose wiht some spray. The wind wasn't in their favor and punched the whole lot into their faces.It took all of our water supply to douse there eyes with and some eye wash so they could stand. I tracked back from where they where to see where the bear tracks where. It was a good 75 yards. more that effective for spray.

 

Could you hear the bear laughing?

 

 

I carry an air horn when I am in bear country and let it belt every 5 mins or so. I have never encountered a bear

 

Nor any other wildlife either...

[Hawgstoppah]

Just as an add on to this.... it's fine and dandy to have bear spray, but TOTALLY USELESS if it's in a pack, in a bag, or otherwise not readily accessible... get a clip for your vest for it, or put it in the front pocket of your waders where your pop/water normally goes. I'd trade the time it takes to dig for my water each time I'm thirsty, over having to dig for my spray when it's too late....

 

Also, if you have NEVER fired a can of bear spray... spend the 20 bucks expelling the can you have now somewhere safe and away from people... so you KNOW the effective area it covers in case you ever have to use it...

 

And... as stated above... you might want to check the wind direction before you do this

 

Just my 2 cents...