Bear spray? (1 Viewer)

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sentient schmoo

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Hello y'all - looking for recommendations for a stream (NOT fog) bear spray, for the home. Basically after my bear incident I've been instructed by biologist to spray the bears when they are into my things. My old spray was done, so I picked another can up from gear shop but it's fog style and even without a breeze it's sticking to clothes, choking the kid out when I come inside, the dogs even transferred it to each other just by walking nearby fifteen minutes after the spray. I'll keep the fogger for camping and hiking, but since I've got good aim I'd rather stick with stream style for the house.
 
I hear your concerns about not wanting a fog, with the larger contamination area and all that goes with that but in my small experience all the readily available bear sprays use a fog on purpose. I just bought another can from amazon for our RMNP back country camping next week. I bought the one with the longest reported range (35') for obvious reasons.

Do your own research here, but I've read of people using wasp spray as a bear deterrent and those have a much more concentrated stream if that's what you're going for.

Not that I want to revisit the ammosexual thread but there are several less lethal options for shotguns that might serve your purposes as well.
 
I hear your concerns about not wanting a fog, with the larger contamination area and all that goes with that but in my small experience all the readily available bear sprays use a fog on purpose. I just bought another can from amazon for our RMNP back country camping next week. I bought the one with the longest reported range (35') for obvious reasons.

Do your own research here, but I've read of people using wasp spray as a bear deterrent and those have a much more concentrated stream if that's what you're going for.

Not that I want to revisit the ammosexual thread but there are several less lethal options for shotguns that might serve your purposes as well.

I barely want to visit that thread and I made it myself! Thanks for advice. :)
 
Seems like this may be what you're looking for:

It's designed for humans and I don't see a capsicum concentration. 2% capsicum is the max approved for animal use and what you want to look for.
Good luck.
 
Cool. Story?
 
Cool. Story?
Nothing impressive. Bears were all When camping and they were hanging around a little too close so they got the negative reinforcement. Moose were both big bulls in the fall rut. On my bike, single track where I couldn’t go around and they wouldn’t move and started appearing aggressive. I also carry spray back up in the form of 10mm or 45/70.

also if you do ever use the spray be conscious of wind direction, don’t spray up wind...
 
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Nothing impressive. Bears were all When camping and they were hanging around a little too close so they got the negative reinforcement. Moose were both big bulls in the fall rut. On my bike, single track where I couldn’t go around and they wouldn’t move and started appearing aggressive. I also carry spray back up in the form of 10mm or 45/70.

also if you do ever use the spray be conscious of wind direction, don’t spray up wind...

I'm 100% asking about stream over fog due to wind. 😂
 
I’m not a bear kinda guy... and I have only ever had encounters with aggressive pit bulls thus far.

But, I‘ve carried this bear spray, as a precursor to using my .44 mag, for years, when camping and hiking with my dogs... mainly as a Mtn Lion deterrent.

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The label advises, “Do not seek out encounters with bears”, so I don’t. :doh:

It’s a fog, so, as you said, I have to be cognizant of the wind direction.

But, Mtn Lions typically hunt upwind, so I’ll spray a couple of bursts downwind, from our campsite, when the hair on the back of my neck stands up, or my dogs alert... I don’t know that I’ve driven cougars off... but we’ve never been attacked...

The past couple of years, I’ve been carrying the gel, below, whenever I’m out with my dogs... it has a max distance of 18’. But, since it’s a gel, I feel comfortable with it and my .44 mag, with 240gr bear loads... and, again, I’m carrying primarily for Mtn Lions, aggressive dogs and idiots... I have all three in Las Vegas and the surrounding area.

Amazon product ASIN B07GVSHG61
 
When I was in AK a few years ago some guys took a float plane into the Brooks range and anchored to the bank of a lake. They sprayed bear spray on the floats to keep bears off. The bears ate the floats. Nuff said.
 
The Ranger & camp host that met us at our last camp at Black Mtn/Briar Bottom, NC said bears hate ammonia too. Might leave some open jugs of ammonia near property edge. They told us they sprayed the site perimeter before we got there. One river crossing near our camp smelled like they spread mothballs around on the ground. I don't know the effectiveness of these passive measures in a camp known by the bear population for grill and camp stove smells. We had a couple sightings during the weekend. However, if your bear hasn't found much to forage on the property yet, then they may prove a useful deterrent.

As for spray, I've often heard that wasp spray is just as effective and most definitely utilizes a stream designed to hit the eaves of houses and nests up high. I'd certainly give it try.

Another idea just popped into my head...do you have access to a leaf blower? Keep it handy when you have to deploy the spray and keep it from coming back on you. 🤷‍♂️
 
Do you have a local bear education non-profit? Ours here will help folks set up electric fences to prevent bears from getting into things like bee farms and chicken coups.

I had a problem bear earlier this summer than has not returned after two rounds of rubber buck to his hind quarters. I think it just bothers other people now. I don’t need the bear spray fogging the yard either.
 
Regarding ammonia, I grew up close to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and have done a lot of camping there. When 4X4 camping and of course lots of cooking I always poured a full container of ammonia in a bowl and put it under my truck.
 
When I was in AK a few years ago some guys took a float plane into the Brooks range and anchored to the bank of a lake. They sprayed bear spray on the floats to keep bears off. The bears ate the floats. Nuff said.
Bears are actually attracted to spray residue, it is like our spicy food. It is the pain they feel when it is freshly sprayed in their face that deters them.
 
I talked to a ranger at Cougach about using bear spray his comment was “ Spray a bear? What would you want to do that for? Just piss him off.”
 
I talked to a ranger at Cougach about using bear spray his comment was “ Spray a bear? What would you want to do that for? Just piss him off.”
Again I’m in Alaska and bear spray works well even on our big Browns. Many of the Fish and Game and Land Management guys I know say spray works better then fire arms when bears are close. Makes sense, hunting I’ve taken out both lungs and they still run hundreds of yards. My daughter put an arrow all the way through a ~800lb brown last fall, entered in chest, heart, lung, liver, out the hind quarter. It still ran ~200 yards...
 
Yeah I'd never trust a gun against a bear. Bears have the most sensitive smell in the world. Doesn't matter how big and scary they are; if you spray chilli in their nose they will back down. Like spraying two fighting dogs with a garden hose. They don't know what happened and immediately change focus.
 
HI!

I have an MS in Animal Behavior and my MS Thesis was on "Urban Bears". Been charged; spent 3 years tracking radio-collared bears; worked 20 years in the Endangered Species Program for the Federal Government in the PNW dealing with all different species from bugs to grizzlies. Qualified with Federal training with guns and spray and authorized to teach bear defense.

All that being said, I am a firm believer in the use of spray; just not any spray. Use one of the gov't approved ones. Spraying articles or food just attracts bears. Studies indicate spray is effective, to some degree, on grizzlies, black bears, wolves, moose and mountain lions. (If interested, the primary studies show spray is effective on blacks, browns, and polar bears, as well as sun bears and sloth bears. Effectiveness is in the 90+% range and guns are in the~62% range).

BTW, I also carry a HOT loaded 45 Colt Blackhawk, a 454 Casull Super Blackhawk (By Gary Reeder) or a 10mm Glock 20.
 
Hi! Thanks for responding! Love hearing from an expert. All sounds very similiar to what the biologist I spoke with said.

You'll be happy to know there's a bottle of spray by my front door, and in both vehicles. Haha.
 

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