Bear Spray or Handgun

[JimmyHoffa]

Read an article awhile back that showed statistically you're better off with the spray.
But most have only a 30 foot range!!!!

I remember one of those kinds of articles, and someone had to break it down by cases.  Guess it had to be situational to actually determine if you were better off with spray.  Lots of the bear fatalities attributed to firearms were hunters/bear hunters.  It was stuff like guys wounding bears and then going into heavy brush to get it.  Or a guy getting shot by a hunting partner shooting at the attacking bear.  Finding a bear on your deer/elk.  The people with spray, generally weren't intentionally getting into close situations with bears in the first place.

[Dan-o]

Bear spray is full auto....

[Special T]

I vote gun because of 2 leggers. I have met the first usfs ranger to use bear spray and she said you had to be danger close for it to work. 20 ft. She said you could smell what it had for breakfast when it growled and it didnt smell good!

[Dan-o]

True, but you also have to be danger close to shoot a charging bear with a pistol......

[JoeE]

I'm more worried about a bear encounter while I'm sleeping. When I'm up during the day I probably have a rifle in my hand and if I need to suppress a bear it's going to be with that. If a bear encounter happens at night while I'm in my tent I absolutely do not want to be deploying bear spray in a tent and would opt for the pistol every time.

[Cougartail]

Read an article awhile back that showed statistically you're better off with the spray.
But most have only a 30 foot range!!!!

I remember one of those kinds of articles, and someone had to break it down by cases.  Guess it had to be situational to actually determine if you were better off with spray.  Lots of the bear fatalities attributed to firearms were hunters/bear hunters.  It was stuff like guys wounding bears and then going into heavy brush to get it.  Or a guy getting shot by a hunting partner shooting at the attacking bear.  Finding a bear on your deer/elk.  The people with spray, generally weren't intentionally getting into close situations with bears in the first place.

All those articles claiming spray is better don't want to talk about the 2000 plus "Defense of Life & Property" cases that have been reported to Alaska State Troopers or the even greater number of encounters that are not reported but a hunting  tag was slapped on. The problem is a firearm is used and the bear is dead. It throws their percentages right out the window.
As for wounded bears.. this is when you could  actually be attacked. (Not just an "encounter".) Show me one Alaskan guide that carries only bear spray to protect their client when pursuing bears in these dangerous situations. Doesn't happen for a reason..

 

[davk]

It was stuff like guys wounding bears and then going into heavy brush to get it.

I think that bow hunting bear and hunting for deer/elk/etc are basically 2 different situations.  If I was bear hunting I think I would want a gun over spray 100%.  Last year I shot a bear and it immediately went into some of the thickest crap.  That was with a rifle so I didnt have a handgun with.  I would have been much more hesitant to enter the brush with just a bow in hand.

[davk]

In Washington that is true but not so much in other parts of the country and world. There have been numerous attacks of hunters (mostly bowhunters) in Montana and Idaho in recent years by grizzlies.

Id prefer to keep this related to Washington/black bears. If I was heading into grizzly country I wouldnt be taking a 9oz can of bear spray that shoots 20ft and last 2 seconds.  If I did I think I would be walking funny due to my huge balls.

[NW-GSP]

In Washington that is true but not so much in other parts of the country and world. There have been numerous attacks of hunters (mostly bowhunters) in Montana and Idaho in recent years by grizzlies.

Id prefer to keep this related to Washington/black bears. If I was heading into grizzly country I wouldnt be taking a 9oz can of bear spray that shoots 20ft and last 2 seconds.  If I did I think I would be walking funny due to my huge balls.

I 100% agree. In grizz country I would want a short barrel 3 1/2 in mag shotgun.

[Bango skank]

Read an article awhile back that showed statistically you're better off with the spray.
But most have only a 30 foot range!!!!

I remember one of those kinds of articles, and someone had to break it down by cases.  Guess it had to be situational to actually determine if you were better off with spray.  Lots of the bear fatalities attributed to firearms were hunters/bear hunters.  It was stuff like guys wounding bears and then going into heavy brush to get it.  Or a guy getting shot by a hunting partner shooting at the attacking bear.  Finding a bear on your deer/elk.  The people with spray, generally weren't intentionally getting into close situations with bears in the first place.

or the even greater number of encounters that are not reported but a hunting  tag was slapped on.

Happened to me.  Was out hiking around checking trail cams and a young boar came at me, nailed him with my sidearm inside 3 yards.  It happened to be bear season and i had a tag in my pocket, so worked out pretty good.

[Dan-o]

 

[buglebrush]

Read an article awhile back that showed statistically you're better off with the spray.
But most have only a 30 foot range!!!!

I remember one of those kinds of articles, and someone had to break it down by cases.  Guess it had to be situational to actually determine if you were better off with spray.  Lots of the bear fatalities attributed to firearms were hunters/bear hunters.  It was stuff like guys wounding bears and then going into heavy brush to get it.  Or a guy getting shot by a hunting partner shooting at the attacking bear.  Finding a bear on your deer/elk.  The people with spray, generally weren't intentionally getting into close situations with bears in the first place.

or the even greater number of encounters that are not reported but a hunting  tag was slapped on.

Happened to me.  Was out hiking around checking trail cams and a young boar came at me, nailed him with my sidearm inside 3 yards.  It happened to be bear season and i had a tag in my pocket, so worked out pretty good.

Had the same deal.  Mine was shot at about 10 yards.  I seen him coming, and had my .44 mag on him before he saw me.  He stared at me for a moment and then headed straight for me.  Hard cast buffalo bore from a Ruger Redhawk does wonders!  Shot him in the chest and blew an enormous hole out his rear hip.  Pretty impressive really!

[brush hunter]

In Washington that is true but not so much in other parts of the country and world. There have been numerous attacks of hunters (mostly bowhunters) in Montana and Idaho in recent years by grizzlies.

Id prefer to keep this related to Washington/black bears. If I was heading into grizzly country I wouldnt be taking a 9oz can of bear spray that shoots 20ft and last 2 seconds.  If I did I think I would be walking funny due to my huge balls.

   Bear spray is great in theory, fact is that 80% of the time your going to get the spray in your eyes. I always carry a hand gun when hunting and hiking. I carry a .50AE Desert Eagle, or my .500 or .44 If I might ask where would you be hunting. 

[JimmyHoffa]

In Washington that is true but not so much in other parts of the country and world. There have been numerous attacks of hunters (mostly bowhunters) in Montana and Idaho in recent years by grizzlies.

Id prefer to keep this related to Washington/black bears. If I was heading into grizzly country I wouldnt be taking a 9oz can of bear spray that shoots 20ft and last 2 seconds.  If I did I think I would be walking funny due to my huge balls.

   Bear spray is great in theory, fact is that 80% of the time your going to get the spray in your eyes. I always carry a hand gun when hunting and hiking. I carry a .50AE Desert Eagle, or my .500 or .44 If I might ask where would you be hunting.

The size/type of firearm is another one of those things that messes with the bear spray vs gun statistic argument.  Bear spray is pretty much all the same--big can of compressed capsaicin.  Guns included in stats include everything from .22 pistol to elephant guns.  Probably not a stretch to say that a guy using a .380 with hollow points might have different odds than the guy with a .44 mag with fmj.

[dscubame]

Bear Spray all the way.  Handguns for bears is for television.