Traveling in bear country calls for a heightened sense of awareness and a basic understanding of how to defend yourself from an aggressive black bear or grizzly. Carrying and knowing how to use bear spray is one of the most important and effective safety measures you can take. Studies have shown that using bear spray can reduce both the likelihood and the severity of a bear attack, and more than a few near victims have seen its effectiveness firsthand.<\/p>\n
This includes Alan Townsend, the dean of the University of Montana\u2019s Forestry School, and Scott Ferrenberg, Associate Director of UM\u2019s Lubrecht Experimental Forest\u2014both of whom crossed paths with a grizzly bear years ago in northwest Montana. Ferrenberg tells Outdoor Life <\/em>that he and Townsend were surveying a patch of forest near Ovando when they unknowingly roused a large male grizzly from its nap. The boar announced its presence with a growl and charged the two men through the brush.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the things that stood out to me was just how large it was,\u201d Ferrenberg says. \u201cI\u2019m a tall man, about 6-foot-4, but that bear \u2026 if it stood next to me [on all fours], its snout would have leveled with my sternum.\u201d<\/p>\n The bear made a bluff charge at Ferrenberg and then wheeled away, turning toward Townsend instead. This gave Ferrenberg enough time to draw his own bear spray canister and spray the bear mid-charge as it closed in on Townsend. The charging grizzly spun around and retreated immediately.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite the fact that my spray was deployed at the side-shoulder-head area of the bear, it was immediately effective,\u201d Ferrenberg says. \u201cWhich impressed me.\u201d<\/p>\n With that close call in mind, here\u2019s everything you need to know about bear spray and how to use it.<\/p>\n Bear spray is a non-lethal deterrent designed to stop a charging bear in its tracks. The active ingredient is capsicum oleoresin<\/a>, which is derived from chili peppers.\u00a0<\/p>\n When triggered, a canister of bear spray releases a dense cloud of the pepper oil. This burning blast of pressurized spice temporarily reduces a bear\u2019s ability to breathe, see, and smell, often running it off or buying you valuable time to haul ass out of there.<\/p>\n Tom Smith is an associate professor at Brigham Young University and a prominent researcher who has studied thousands of incidents that involved the use of bear spray. In a study<\/a> that he published in The Journal of Wildlife Management<\/em> in 2010, Smith analyzed a number of incidents that took place in Alaska. This included 61 cases involving brown bears and 20 cases involving black bears.<\/p>\n The study concluded that bear spray was effective 92 percent of the time against brown bear attacks<\/a> and 90 percent of the time against black bears. Most importantly, it found that 98 percent of people who used bear spray during an encounter walked away uninjured. The remaining two percent of people only received minor injuries, which means the bear spray could have helped reduce the severity of these attacks.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have no business in bear country if you do not have a deterrent with you,\u201d Smith says. <\/p>\n No deterrent is 100 percent effective, however. And in roughly 20 percent of the incidents analyzed in the study, wind either interfered with the accuracy of the spray or caused it to blow back in the sprayer\u2019s face. This doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that bear spray can fail, as there were no mechanical failures reported in any of these cases. It simply proves that any deterrent must be used properly in order to be effective against a charging bear. <\/p>\n Bear spray should be used as a deterrent and not a bear repellent. Only use it when a bear shows aggressive behavior or gets too close. If that happens:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOur cans empty fast,\u201d says Tim Lynch, the general manager of UDAP Industries<\/a>, which is one of the leading manufacturers of bear spray in the U.S. \u201cWe have a high-volume, powerful spray, so with ours, you want to use short bursts.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n UDAP\u2019s Pepper Power canisters come in different sizes, all of which have a range of 30 feet or more and a continuous spray time of five to seven seconds. Wind and temperature can affect the spray distance, and Lynch says their spray is most effective when the bear is about 15 feet away. <\/p>\n \u201cIf you have time and you see a bear charging in, you want to get a burst in when the bear is around 50 to 60 feet from you,\u201d Lynch says. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have that time, or if the bear keeps charging in, you want to spray again when the bear is quite close and just let the bear have it.\u201d<\/p>\n Lynch likens the bear spray\u2019s dispersal to a shotgun blast, and he says it\u2019s better to aim the can in one spot rather than waving it side to side.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been trying to correct misinformation someone put out that is recommending people do this zigzag pattern. That just destroys the push on the bear spray and then you create this huge fog cloud in front of you that would be hard to get away from if the wind changed.\u201d<\/p>\n Other reputable manufacturers include Counter Assault<\/a>, Mace<\/a>, and SABRE<\/a>. These companies make some of the best bear spray<\/a> on the market, and many of their canisters come with holsters so you can keep them close at hand. <\/p>\n Using bear spray is fairly straightforward, but an adrenaline-filled grizzly encounter is not the time to familiarize yourself with it. Practice reaching for your bear spray canister, removing it from your holster or side pocket, and quickly removing the safety clip until it becomes second nature.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest problem people have with bear spray is getting it out and getting safety off so that they can use it,\u201d Smith says. \u201cThey fumble around or they\u2019re looking at the bear so they can\u2019t figure out how the safety comes off.\u201d<\/p>\n Ferrenberg agrees, pointing out that he was quick to react when he sprayed the massive grizzly because he had plenty of practice.<\/p>\n \u201cTake it seriously and get your practice in like any other part of getting ready for the outdoors,\u201d says Ferrenberg. \u201cPeople will practice setting up a tent many times before they go backpacking, but it\u2019s somehow a joke to practice pulling your bear spray. It needs to be something people take as part of the routine.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith strongly advises against testing the same can of spray that you plan to carry in bear country to avoid weakening the spray\u2019s propellant. Instead, one of the best ways to practice is by using inert cans of bear spray. These are harmless, water-filled canisters that are readily available from manufacturers, and they let you test your aim in various conditions. Many bear safety classes also incorporate these inert cans into their training sessions.<\/p>\n We spoke with several experts to learn more about bear spray. Here are some tips on how to use it in bear country:<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest mistake that people can make with bear spray is to put it somewhere where they can\u2019t get to it, like putting it in your pack,\u201d says Chris Servheen, a bear biologist who spent three and half decades as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife\u2019s grizzly recovery coordinator.\u00a0<\/p>\n In denser brush, where visibility is limited, you should carry your bear spray in hand, ready to deploy.\u00a0<\/p>\n The bear spray vs. gun debate is a divisive one. More than a few hunters have credited their firearm for saving their skin, and plenty of folks would opt for a gun over a can of bear spray every time. (Whether that\u2019s a rifle chambered in a reliable bear cartridge, a 12-gauge loaded with slugs, or a bear defense handgun<\/a> depends on the shooter and the setting.) But while guns can certainly kill a bear, their effectiveness as a defensive tool boils down to the shooter\u2019s ability to maintain accuracy in a high-adrenaline situation.<\/p>\n Smith and other researchers took a closer look at this in another study that was published in 2012. After examining 269 encounters between 357 bears (brown, black, and polar) and 444 humans, the study concluded<\/a> that people who used firearms for self-defense against bears \u201csuffered the same injury rates in close encounters with bears whether they used their firearms or not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\nWhat Is Bear Spray?<\/h2>\n
Is Bear Spray Effective?<\/h2>\n
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How Do You Properly Use Bear Spray?<\/h2>\n
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Practice Before You Visit Bear Country<\/h2>\n
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Tips for Using Bear Spray<\/h2>\n
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\u201cNormally, the expiration date is three to four years out from when they\u2019re sold,\u201d Servheen says. \u201cIt\u2019s worth it to just save up and buy a new can.\u201d<\/li>\nBear Spray vs. Firearms<\/h2>\n
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