Im a hiker, Would Pepper Spray fend off a Bear or just make him Bad?

Question

Just wanted to know, I would rather have a gun! But the Rangers would rather the Bear get you then let you Hike with a gun!

Answer 1

I've heard of too many hikers in Montana that went the Politically correct route, and then ended up in the hospital with life threatening wounds. I've also heard (from local outfitters and serious hunters in the Northern Yellowstone area) that to appease all applicable laws, they carried pepper spray and used it first, only to upset the critters. In the "non-injury" category, a firearm was used to dispatch the bear. I hunt/fish/hike/camp in the same areas frequently with my family of four. I NEVER leave the campsite or vehicle without my .44. It may upset rangers and/or game wardens but I'd rather deal with that than an angry bear with a face full of pepper spray.

Answer 2

In many cases the pepper spray is actually a better weapon against a bear than a gun is. Especially when used correctly. A gun may or may not drop the bear, depending on how effectively it's aimed (as a gun is essentially a remote-controlled drill-press which will drill, frankly, tiny holes wherever you're pointing it when you pull the trigger.) And, honestly, it's hard to draw, aim, and fire an effective bear gun effectively when the bear is charging you, and he broke cover from under twenty-five yards away.

The pepper spray requires slightly less precise aim, and since the typical can of pepper-spray is smaller and lighter than, say, a Ruger Super Redhawk, tends to be much quicker to draw and get on-target. though the bear has to get close enough for it to have effect (and if the bear is charging you, it'll pretty much be right on top of you before you have time to finish screaming 'Oh my God, a bear!') And while a bear may not initially notice a poorly placed hole drilled in him with a gun (unless you get him somewhere vital,) he will notice when his eyes, nose, and mouth are full of liquid pain.

EDIT:

The caveat here is to use the right pepper spray. A little tiny can for use against muggers simply isn't going to cut it. You need a big, bad can of pepper spray for use against bears, like the kind I'm linking to below.

Answer 3

I'm gonna guess that if your close enough to pepper spray a bear you had better have made your peace because that is gonna be one angry bear. Not to mention that you take a risk of spraying yourself if the wind is wrong.

As for shooting a bear, your wandering in it's world. It didn't invite you. You can leave your rocket launcher at home. From what I've read on this subject pepper spray should be enough deterrent. Provided you don't coat yourself with honey & roll in fruits & berrys first to turn yourself into a tasty bear treat. Mmmmm ..... hiker flavored!

One site recommends wearing a bell on your boot or pack so that all wildlife including bears will hear you coming & hopefully leave the area before you get there.

Answer 4

Make noise when you're in bear country,bears would rather go around you than confront you.If you're packing food,that is the most likely cause of bear confrontation,they can smell food for miles.IF you must carry food,be sure it's sealed in something airtight.Wash yourself off after eating-the bear can smell the chicken grease on your hands.If you encounter a bear,dont make eye contact.Don't try to outrun it-they're very fast.One other reader said carry a bell.Good idea,but don't carry one of those little tiny bells,carry a cowbell.You should know this-a mother bear with a cub is WAY more likely to confront you than a hungry bear is.BE LOUD -BE ODOR FREE AND PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS.

Answer 5

Don't go during mating season. Theirs or yours.

Regular brown or black bears in the wild will run from noise. Only a nuisance bear that has become accustomed to eating out of trash cans or fed from tourist tossed food wrappers have been known to attack.

Check with the Forest Service where you intend to hike before going into the wild and don't take junk food with you. Best to use packaged food packs when you are in the wild if you can't stand the local foliage, berries, and fish.

Times may have changed bear attitudes though.
Our camp guide had a bell for the lead and the follow of our group for causing a bear to dash if they saw one too close to our group while we were hiking to the campsites.
Times may have changed bear attitudes though.

Check with the local Forest Rangers before going into a wild area or park.

Answer 6

by the time a bear got close enough for you to use pepper spray, it would be too late, he would be on you and you would be just another bowl movement in his life! a gun would give you a little better chance but not much!!

Answer 7

Whenever I go into bear country I make sure to make a lot of noise (talking, singing, banging pots tied on the pack, etc.)

That said, I am never without my .357. It may not stop a charging bear, but at least I'll go down fighting.

As to the federal laws.....well, it's better to be defending yourself in a court of law than be dead or maimed or worse, watch a loved one killed.

Answer 8

i have read to wear little bells on your clothes to make noise and to carry pepper spray while in bear country. How to identify bear scat to recognize bears in the wild. Black bear. contains berrys and nuts smells very much like dog poo. Grizzly bear scat contains little bells and smells like pepper
good luck! dont go if you are afraid of a conflict there are hundreds of non bear hiking zones...LOL

Answer 9

YES!! Pepper Spray would make a bear go away. How? Bears don't like the smell of pepper because it makes them sneeze just like humans, so they back off. In my opinion, pepper spray is better than a gun. A gun is something to defend yourself by killing a living thing. Instead of a gun, pepper spray would solve your problems when a bear arrives and it will save your life and it's life.

Answer 10

I have zero experience with this scenario. While pepper spray works well for wolves and coyotes I think it would just tick off a bear.