Bear spray for hiking in woods

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  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    edited January 2016
    PAtinCO wrote: »
    If you're just in black bear country, carrying spray is overkill IMO. Same with Coyotes and Wolves (neither of them will attack a full grown human and Wolves will most likely never even let you see them). Here in Colorado, black bears almost universally run the second they see a human.

    ^ This. You're far more likely to be attacked by a dog while walking in town than by a black bear or coyote.


    A scoutmaster here in NJ got attacked by a bear last week. He was in his cave for an hour and 20 minutes before the bear left.

    I looked up this story. To use the word "attacked" is quite a stretch. The guy enters a cave where a bear is hibernating, in a area known for bears, and the bear defends its turf. I'm on the bears side on this one, as are the local Conservation officers. They're not doing anything to try to remove the bear, as they would were it a true attack.
  • erimethia_fekre
    erimethia_fekre Posts: 317 Member
    edited January 2016
    Just keep an eye out for trees with a huge circumference. Backing away slowly only works if they aren't chasing you. At that point you'll want to dance around the biggest tree because I'll tell you right now bear mace only works if you have good aim and most don't in that situation
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Actually the best defense against bear attack is to go hiking with someone you can outrun.
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    edited January 2016
    Bears, coyotes, and cougar in the neighbourhood at my place. I carry bear spray but have never had to use it. Hubby sprayed himself by accident (a tiny burst) while climbing out of a creek-crossing single-person open cable car. Melted his GoreTex jacket and even after washing repeatedly he had to be the last person in our caving trio or we were all crying (days later). Black bears = stand next to your hiking partner and both of you yell fiercely at the top of your lungs while waving your arms above your head. Griz = back away slowly keeping the bear in the corner of your vision without looking straight at him, talk calmly. DO NOT RUN. Coyotes have only been recorded as killing someone (who didn't have a dog - that's what they are really after - owners are just in the way) once - in Cape Breton Highlands Park in 2009.
    "This was the first and, so far, only case of an adult human fatality as a result of a coyote attack. Genetic analysis confirmed that these were eastern coyotes, meaning that they were actually a type of coyote with a wolf-gene influence. Some lines of research suggest that eastern coyotes are more likely to hunt in packs and are therefore more likely to kill and consume larger prey, when compared to western coyotes."
    http://urbancoyoteresearch.com/coyotes-around-continent
    Even when hiking in the Arctic we never needed a gun and we had griz around our tent at night (fresh tracks in the AM) Guns are necessary if you are hiking where polar bears are present (as they are purely carnivorous).
    Bears in parks know that bells mean hikers with food in packs. Don't carry bells. Just be noisy as you hike so no bears get surprised.
    Cougars sneak attack usually but can be fended off by being very aggressive and hitting back with whatever you have - doesn't mean you won't be injured but you won't get eaten.
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    Even while working in town nights (security/policing) I regularly hear several packs of coyotes yelping and yipping to each other across the valley. No big deal.
  • KareninLux
    KareninLux Posts: 1,413 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Well at least if you hike in the woods and see a bear, your heart rate increases. ;)

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    Ha ha haha ha,
  • Julz868
    Julz868 Posts: 14 Member
    Never heard of it, we don't have bears here in Australia❤️
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