Bear Pepper Spray Repellent?

Anyone ever have to use it? Does it actually work?
Seems to me that would really ****-off a bear.
http://www.tbotech.com/bearspray.htm
-tom

Tom Nakashima wrote:
Anyone ever have to use it? Does it actually work?
Seems to me that would really ****-off a bear.

I sprayed a big black bear with a whole can I smuggled
into Canada. She shook her head, glanced at me, then
went right on to the food pack where she plucked Kipper's
dog food off the top and proceeded to chow down.

This was at a campsite in the Quetico near an entry point
so it's likely she'd been sprayed more than once before
and just considered it part of the pre-meal routine.

The Park Service recommends you carry bear spray in
Yellowstone grizzly country but I don't bother. Vigilance
and common sense are better than bear spray in my opinion.

--
Ken Fortenberry

use bear spray because that is the way they like their meat flavored






On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:28:41 GMT, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

Tom Nakashima wrote:
Anyone ever have to use it? Does it actually work?
Seems to me that would really ****-off a bear.

I sprayed a big black bear with a whole can I smuggled
into Canada. She shook her head, glanced at me, then
went right on to the food pack where she plucked Kipper's
dog food off the top and proceeded to chow down.

This was at a campsite in the Quetico near an entry point
so it's likely she'd been sprayed more than once before
and just considered it part of the pre-meal routine.

The Park Service recommends you carry bear spray in
Yellowstone grizzly country but I don't bother. Vigilance
and common sense are better than bear spray in my opinion.

"Tom Nakashima" wrote...
Anyone ever have to use it? Does it actually work?
Seems to me that would really ****-off a bear.
http://www.tbotech.com/bearspray.htm
-tom


There is an awful lot of discussion bear spray on the backpacker.com
forums. Some conversations more useful than others:

http://tinyurl.com/gfxjv

Less anecdotal, perhaps more accurate info:

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/br...epperspray.htm

The general consensus seems to be that it works (*). Dunno. Never owned any,
let alone used any.

Dan

(*) In perfect conditions, anyway. Wind is a major factor.

Tom Nakashima wrote:
Anyone ever have to use it? Does it actually work?
Seems to me that would really ****-off a bear.
http://www.tbotech.com/bearspray.htm
-tom

Our Alaska outfitter (Papa Bear out of Bethel) supplies bear spray. If
you don't use it you don't pay for it. You are not allowed to carry it
on an airplane, even in checked baggage. (You are allowed to carry up to
4oz. of pepper spray in checked baggage, but bear spray products are
larger than that.)

Last year I took a hand gun. This year I'm not going to bother. Check on
whether bears are hunted in the area you're visiting. If they are
they'll probably be afraid of people.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"rw" wrote in message
ink.net...
Tom Nakashima wrote:
Anyone ever have to use it? Does it actually work?
Seems to me that would really ****-off a bear.
http://www.tbotech.com/bearspray.htm
-tom

Our Alaska outfitter (Papa Bear out of Bethel) supplies bear spray. If you
don't use it you don't pay for it. You are not allowed to carry it on an
airplane, even in checked baggage. (You are allowed to carry up to 4oz. of
pepper spray in checked baggage, but bear spray products are larger than
that.)

Last year I took a hand gun. This year I'm not going to bother. Check on
whether bears are hunted in the area you're visiting. If they are they'll
probably be afraid of people.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

I'll be using the same outfitter, (Papa Bear Adventures out of
Bethel)...I'll talk to Steve about it.
thanks,
-tom

On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:05:27 -0700, "Tom Nakashima"
wrote:


"rw" wrote in message
link.net...
Tom Nakashima wrote:
Anyone ever have to use it? Does it actually work?
Seems to me that would really ****-off a bear.
http://www.tbotech.com/bearspray.htm
-tom

Our Alaska outfitter (Papa Bear out of Bethel) supplies bear spray. If you
don't use it you don't pay for it. You are not allowed to carry it on an
airplane, even in checked baggage. (You are allowed to carry up to 4oz. of
pepper spray in checked baggage, but bear spray products are larger than
that.)

Last year I took a hand gun. This year I'm not going to bother. Check on
whether bears are hunted in the area you're visiting. If they are they'll
probably be afraid of people.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

I'll be using the same outfitter, (Papa Bear Adventures out of
Bethel)...I'll talk to Steve about it.
thanks,
-tom

If this one particular trip is your sole reason for asking, and you
trust the outfitter, I'd say save yourself the time and do/get what they
advise. And based on Steve's info, it seems your question is answered.

TC,
R

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:05:27 -0700, "Tom Nakashima"
wrote:


"rw" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Tom Nakashima wrote:
Anyone ever have to use it? Does it actually work?
Seems to me that would really ****-off a bear.
http://www.tbotech.com/bearspray.htm
-tom

Our Alaska outfitter (Papa Bear out of Bethel) supplies bear spray. If
you
don't use it you don't pay for it. You are not allowed to carry it on an
airplane, even in checked baggage. (You are allowed to carry up to 4oz.
of
pepper spray in checked baggage, but bear spray products are larger than
that.)

Last year I took a hand gun. This year I'm not going to bother. Check on
whether bears are hunted in the area you're visiting. If they are
they'll
probably be afraid of people.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

I'll be using the same outfitter, (Papa Bear Adventures out of
Bethel)...I'll talk to Steve about it.
thanks,
-tom

If this one particular trip is your sole reason for asking, and you
trust the outfitter, I'd say save yourself the time and do/get what they
advise. And based on Steve's info, it seems your question is answered.

TC,
R

Agree, I didn't know Papa Bear Adventures supplied Bear Pepper Spray, at
least
it didn't say in the conformation info pack we got.

I've called Steve twice already, didn't want to wear out my allocated phone
calls, so
I'll speak with him when I arrive there. The last time I called him I
wanted to give him
my flight status so there would be someone to pick me up at the Bethel
Airport.
In conversation, he told me I had to walk to the lodge. Stunned, I got
quiet, then I asked how far is
the lodge? Steve replied: "It's only 3 miles." Then I started to think, I
have luggage with
rollers, but 3-miles??? Then Steve started laughing, it was a joke, but he
sure got me on that one.
-tom

Tom Nakashima wrote:

I'll be using the same outfitter, (Papa Bear Adventures out of
Bethel)...I'll talk to Steve about it.
thanks,
-tom

Good choice. Steve did an excellent job last year, in the face of some
very difficult weather. His Dehavilland Beaver is a very cool airplane.

BTW, Steve carries a .50 caliber handgun when he's in the bush, and he
has some scary bear stories, so don't believe anything that LaCourse
says (like using a camera for closeup bear photos). You'll be on your
own -- not being baby-sat by guides.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"rw" wrote in message
ink.net...
Tom Nakashima wrote:

I'll be using the same outfitter, (Papa Bear Adventures out of
Bethel)...I'll talk to Steve about it.
thanks,
-tom

Good choice. Steve did an excellent job last year, in the face of some
very difficult weather. His Dehavilland Beaver is a very cool airplane.

BTW, Steve carries a .50 caliber handgun when he's in the bush, and he has
some scary bear stories, so don't believe anything that LaCourse says
(like using a camera for closeup bear photos). You'll be on your own --
not being baby-sat by guides.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Well in all, everyone has been a lot of help. I really do enjoy this
newsgroup, loaded with lots of experience.
Can't ask for a better advice,
-tom