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Old June 22nd, 2006, 08:52 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly
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Default Bear Pepper Spray Repellent?

On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 18:32:28 GMT, rw
wrote:

You were staying in a lodge, right? You weren't camping out on gravel
bars, pitching your tent and storing and cooking your food virtually
right on top of bear sign, right?


Yep. Sportsmens Lodge on the Kvichak. However, we did lots of
bushwacking, going through brush and tundra to the rivers. Trips to
Moraine Creek, Margot Creek, and the Kamashak required walking, some
of it through the bush. In fact ALL of the fishing on Margot Creek
required going through woods/brush. I did not go on the Little Ku
trip because the walk was 3 miles from the aircraft landing. Those
that did go encountered lots of bears without any troubles. They made
noise, especially when they got near the river and there was woods and
bushes they had to walk through.

We did have several meals within sight of bears, and, in fact, kicked
a sow and her three cubs off of a small island so that we could have a
hot lunch cooked over a smal wood fire. Ref my pix already posted.

On my last trip, the guides were warned by a park ranger about not
having a bear proof food container when we fished the Kamashak which
empties into Cook Inlet and has lots of bear. That same trip we
cooked a delicious 16 pound silver salmon that I caught, pan fried
with potatoes and onions over hot coals on a gravel bar within sight
of a couple of immature bears, washed down, I might add, with lots off
Budweiser.

If Tom and his party know the rules, act accordingly, I doubt they
will have any problems. I would be surprised if they do. I would
worry more about my equipment getting to Bethel.