With a half-ton of claws, teeth, and growling meanness coming at you, do you want bear spray or a gun? Persistent doubts about the effectiveness of bear spray have led Thomas Smith, a bear researcher with Brigham Young University to get the low-down on big bear run-ins.
An associated professor of wildlife science, Smith and his team examined 71bear-human encounter reports involving bear spray in Alaska, spanning two-decades. Of the 175 people involved, only three were injured, and none of those had to be hospitalized. Bottom line statistic on bear spray: Effective in use 92 percent of the time.
On the other hand, people who used guns against bear attacks were found to be effective only 67 percent of the time. Smith says the problem with using fire arms against bears is that accuracy gets difficult, especially when a grizzly is ploughing at you at top speed. Research indicates that it typically takes about four hits to stop a grizzly.
Smith says even professionals have doubts about bear spray effectiveness. But the research yielded some interesting results. First, it debunks the thought that bear spray doesn’t work when it’s windy. Only 5 times out of 71 bear incidents did wind cause any inteference, although Smith points out that even in those five cases the bear spray reached the target. He also points out that “surprise” encounters with bears usually occur in the woods where wind is not a factor.
People who worry they might be disabled by the bear spray can rest easier: Only in 12 incidents were users affected by the spray, 10 of them suffering minor irritation. Never was there a report of a can of bear spray malfunctioning.
Why does bear spray work? Aside from the spray’s contents, there’s a bear psychological factor involved. Smith says to use bear spray, a user must stand his ground–and that in itself often causes the bear to stop an attack; Smith says the worst thing to do in case of a bear attack is to run. He adds it’s a rare day when a bear will attack, it happens in Alaska only about three times a year.
What about using bear spray as a repellent? Smith found 11 cases where folks had applied bear spray to items like tents to ‘ward off’ a bear. In those cases, the bears were actually attracted. Smith says if you want to “test” your bear spray, do it before you get to bear country.
This entry was posted on Friday, March 28th, 2008 at 12:02 pm and is filed under bears, hiking, safety. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
[…] So you’re going camping with your RV in bear country and you’re a little concerned about a possible encounter. You want to protect your family, but the dangers and restrictions of firearms turn you off. Well, a gun’s not the best defense against bears anyway, according to this report. Details. […]
Want pepper on that?
Should you carry a firearm in bear country is a foolish question usually ask by those living in ivory towers studying zoo reports and poorly written bear encounter incidents. Having spent the last 40 years in Alaska and having hunted both black and brown of the species—interviewed the still living subjects of several bear engagements and still upright and breathing regular in spite of it, I’ll here to tell you right here and now the answer is not only yes but hell yes, by all means carry at least a 12 gage shotgun loaded the Alaskan way, first and second round slug, the rest double ought buck shot, unless peppered bear scat is your future,
The weapon of choice is the slide action shotgun and the weapon issued by the Alaska Department of fish and game to every fish counter hired each spring.
I carry a double action scoped 44 magnum pistol with hand loaded very hot 240 grain bullets backed by a 1911 Colt 45 ACP auto loader also carrying hand loaded maximum bullets. Either one will kill with a well placed shot any bear in Alaska at close range. The 44 has taken one Kodiak brown bear and two black interior bears. Only the Kodiak was considered a threat the other bears were considered freezer fodder.
Do not carry a pistol as bear protection unless you are very good with it, say being able to place the first three rounds inside a one inch circle at fifty feet with a half ton bear running right at you at 25 miles per hour. With a shotgun you can break the off shoulder of the bear, turning him/her and follow with head shots of double ought buck to decommission the animal. Very dangerous animals at any rate and there are many well written books on the subject at your local library.
Jim Ellison, living free full time.