[pct-l] Bear Cans

[scourtway at bpa-arch.com (Steve Courtway)]

while the mention of guns in these threads makes me CRINGE and want to throw
your glock in a lake, I will offer up this:  A friend was on a volunteer
trail maintenance crew out of vermillion a couple weeks ago.  He said once
the crewleaders fired their rifles into the air, the bears did not come
back.  And the PCT does run through the land of the free after all.

blanks not hollow points,
s.c.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Bankhead" <wandering_bob@comcast.net>
To: "Lars Nilsson" <Lars@standardarmament.com>;
<pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 10:00 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear Cans


> Let me take that one step further. In bear country, alter your ultra-light
> ideas; carry the bear can. Leave the Glock at home. It doesn't have the
> punch needed to stop a bear and will only serve to get you his undivided
> attention. The chippies, marmots, and camp robbers, while annoying, aren't
> that bad on the trail, and you can't possibly carry enough ammo for the
> mossies.
>
> Stopping a bear charge requires a heavy caliber weapon in the hands of
> someone who (1) knows when to shoot and when not to (2) knows where to hit
> the animal to effectively do the most damage, and (3) has the mental
> coolness to be able to put the bullet where he needs to while watching 400
+
> pounds of fang and claw close the distance between them at 30 miles per
> hour. Even a cannon is useless if you can't hit anything with it.
>
> If you want to go hunting, buy a license, carry the right weapon, and go
> where and when it's allowed. If you want to go hiking, leave the bang-bang
> at home. The loud noises scare away the hobbits.
>
> Wandering Bob
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lars Nilsson" <Lars@standardarmament.com>
> To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 9:36 AM
> Subject: [pct-l] Bear Cans
>
>
> "Carrying gun and ammo is heavier than bringing a bear can."  Actually,
> a Glock .40 w/ 7 rounds weighs several ounces LESS than a 'Bear Vault',
> and more than a full pound less than the Garcia bear can.  And while a
> Glock is less fun than a WWII US Sherman Tank or a German Panzer, it is
> certainly more sporting.  Also, I think stealth camping with a tank,
> with or without a bear can, is almost out of the question, especially in
> the Sierras.  Really, the point of bear cans or even guns is not just
> keeping humans safe, but keeping wild animals wild.  Carrying a bear can
> is quieter than carrying a gun, and in today's American West, it is more
> socially acceptable. I have no problem with responsible adults "packing
> heat" on the trail.  We thru hikers and ultra lighters think of
> ourselves as a breed apart, but we are still part of the food chain.
> And as we used to say in the '60s, "If you're not part of the solution,
> you're part of the problem".  Carry the can in bear country.
> Sincerely,
> Lars Nilsson
>
>
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