Bear spray? What ya think?

[Glockster]

Your chances of a bad bear encounter in WA are very slim....ak bowman is right....you have much more to worry about from cats and the two legged predators.
 

[Johnb317]

I was able to find three recent black bear attacks in WA.
One was the Bellevue city council member.... old bear, and I think he was first going for the dogs.
The other a jogger in 2011, and then a hunter back in 06... no fatalities.
From what I can see we're safer in the woods than taking a walk at night in downtown Seattle.

[MikeWalking]

In the entire history of this state how many bear mailings have actually been recorded? You have a much better chance at winning the powerball jackpot than ever being attacked by a bear.

That being said, I do carry a .45 b/c cougars freak me out...sneaky little *censored*s

Aside from what Johnb317 mentioned there was a kid in Eastern WA summer of 2000 (?) that got "played" with by a black bear..    My only real problem, the reason I started packing in the woods back in the 90's were dogs.  Twice, way up on the middle fork of the Snoqualmie, way up on the old CCC road I had dirty mangy dogs of a few different breeds come after me.   

[Fishstiq]

Your chances of a bad bear encounter in WA are very slim....ak bowman is right....you have much more to worry about from cats and the two legged predators.
 

 

I carry partially because of a bad run-in with a tweeker while hiking Wallace Falls a long time ago, I won't be caught unprepared like that again.  The other part is because I often have my dogs and/or the little woman with me (she also carries), and I worry about them being snatched up by a yote or cougar or whatever. 

[coachcw]

the one time I had an issue with a grizz all i had was my bow . I really felt tiny when he decided to have elk for lunch . I guess I'd be ok with bear spray but a well placed shot into my buddies knee with a .45  otta keep me safe ! the thing is when do you shoot and do you waste one in the air or just lock in and hold your ground till point blank then empty the clip .

[Mudman]

It seems from the statistics that many bear charges are bluffs, now i wonder how many people shoot during bluffs?  Then  they have a pissed off bear that doesnt know its dead yet attacking.

[Glockster]

In my experience bluff charges by AK brown bears, nothing changes with the warning shot.  It might even startle them enough to go all the way and you've just reduced your chances by one shot.  Not a good idea IMHO.

Bluffs are usually by yearlings, single smaller males.  Sows with children and big boars usually come to draw a blood sample. 

[Mudman]

Just a little comment on black bears, I had one stand up 25ft in front of me.  He was surprised, confused, and not very scared of me.  It huffed chattered teeth, licked air and looked at me and behind it many times. My voice had no effect on it.  We were elk hunting and this bear was surrounded and trying to sneak away from two hunters abd elk herd that surrounded it.  I was coming up to intercept elk.  About 30 seconds or more passes before bear was shot.  It ran thru elk herd and ruined a sure elk hunt.  I dont trust black bear anymore as they are not as scared of us as we may think, they just try to avoid us.

[dawei]

Im curious if anyone uses the stuff or have used it on bear/cat?  Is it effective or is a sidearm still the preferred method.

I use bear Spray! (And a 41 Remington® Handgun).

[MikeWalking]

Im curious if anyone uses the stuff or have used it on bear/cat?  Is it effective or is a sidearm still the preferred method.

I use bear Spray! (And a 41 Remington® Handgun).

I've seen caged Bears sprayed with it, not pretty.   Bet it would work great on cat.

One thing to consider.  Backpacker Magazine ran a story years back.  Folks at the U. of Fairbanks got curious and did an experiment.   The hosed a bush with a full can of Bear Spray and set up a video camera on it.   Within two hours there was a Griz rolling in that bush like a cat in catnip, just going nuts for it...

[sidehil]

S&W Governer for me with CT lazer grip. Home loaded 45LC I'n all the holes for bow season and #6,s I'n all the holes for grouse during modern fire. Have seen lots of bear and cat. The last episode forced me to carry before it was legit. I quietly walked up on a large cat on a dead elk at 25 yards and our eyes met at the same time. The hair on it's back raised and it started howling. No arrow nocked thinking I guess my bow is now a baseball bat if it charges. It didn't move and I nocked one up, just as I laid the pin on him he split the shakes followed. My son got between sow and three cubs deer hunting modern on a steep hillside. He didn't hear a peep out of the cubs behind him and mom was below him she started zig zagging coming up right at him on his scent. He didn't even use the scope and dropped her at 40 feet. He felt bad about it but it was not sure what was gonna happen. I don't listen to peeps that say encounters are rare. I have seen six cats now that i could not get a good shot on.

[sidehil]

I just tried to download a pic of a dead calf 100 yards from my camp snooping around buried I'n sticks and dirt. Elk don't just fall over dead with some critter eating them. Keep your bear spray which I carried form many years, good Luck and my bear spray is on my hip!

[Mudman]

READ BUGLE MAGAZINE!  Great article on this!  BEARSPRAY IS AWESOME!!!!

[724wd]

"But by all means, arm yourselves! We're all gonna die!!!! It's a bear invasion!!!! Aaaaaaahhggggghhhhh!!!!"   

[Mudman]

  66 of 72 cases since 1985 involving bear spray stopped bear.  only 3 people recieved very minor injuries.  No deaths. Alaska.  With firearms being used 56% of cases person was injured still, 151 of 269 since 1883 Alaska.  This is the same as incidents without firearms of injury.  17 deaths.  Read Bugle mag. article it is very informative.