I’ve wanted to fire a can of bear spray for some time. I spend enough time in grizzly bear country that I should at least test it before I have a real need to. For some reason, I never got around to it until this video. I had seen some videos on bear spray and decided to finally do it and blog about it. Below are some takeaway points.
- Always carry bear spray in bear country.
- Always have at least two cans in a group (if you’re alone, have one ready and one spare in your pack).
- Bear spray is a deterrent, not a repellant. Spray the bear if it comes at you, not each other before you hit the trail. Bear spray is effective when it’s airborne, not on the ground or on you.
- Bear spray is nasty to breathe in and a skin irritant. Practice caution around it and wash hands.
- Spray a test spray to make sure you won’t spray into the wind and disable yourself.
- Bear spray is a better choice than a gun with bears. It creates a fog barrier and can be fired on a bear that is on your buddy. It’s very effective against bears. It’s safe for bears and safe for people.
- Check for expired bear spray. Expired bear spray makes great practice canisters.
- Counter Assault is the bear spray of choice. Visit http://www.counterassault.com for more info on bear spray, bear encounters and how you can be safe in bear country.
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