[pct-l] Bear Spray Info

[C. Hansen]

Gary -
I got a chuckle out of "spray it at bears, not on equipment".  In 2006 while in the midst of last minute prepping for our hike, the young lady that was with me walked up holding the spray and asked, "So we spray this on ourselves?"  In her mind Bear Deterrent equaled something like Mosquito repellent.  Makes you taste bad I guess.  I laugh about it now, but at the time I was incredibly happy that she asked first.

All -
Thanks for the links, opinions, and info.  I agree that the best deterrent when traveling in bear country is education on how to act/cook/clean.  I've routinely carried bear spray for about four years when hiking in the Bonner and Boundary counties of North Idaho, but I've never run into that crafty subspecies that is the national park black bear.  Just wondering what to expect.

C. Hansen



-----Original Message-----
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:59:56 -0500
From: GARY HEBERT <hikerfedex at gmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Bear Spray info
To: Pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID:
    <863038520901201759w204f8dd6s1bed7f59d1178041 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Here are some links to some excellent info on "Bear Spray"

Included are links to self training/education video on how to use Bear
Spray; Some cautionary statements based on evidence (e.g., spray it at
bears, not on equipment to try to deter bears from packs,etc - it actually
attracts them to the smell out of curiousity!  see video of bear sniffing,
licking and rolling on ground sprayed with bearspray)

This answers a lot of myths, misinformation, and incorrect assumptions about
bear spray.

Being an ultralight hiker I certainly wasn't eager to carry an additional
1/2 lb cannister, but I'll seriously consider it for the PCT now that I
understand the risk/benefit much better.

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/pepperspray/pepperspray.htm

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/pepperspray/news.htm

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/pepperspray/images/bears.mpg

http://www.IGBConline.org/bear_spray.pdf

http://www.centerforwildlifeinformation.org/BeBearAware/BearSpray/bearspray.html


http://www.outdooreyes.com/bearpepperspray.php3


http://www.nols.edu//resources/research/movies/bearfence_xl.shtml