Grizzly Bear Defense

[MickAK]

Bear spray worked, sort of....

Smith was hiking alone in steep, moderately heavy timber when the attack occurred. He was unaware of the bear until it made contact with him. During the encounter, the bear bit Smith’s bear spray holstered on his hip, rupturing the canister and presumably causing the bear to break off the attack.

https://buckrail.com/griz-bit-bear-s...n-shed-hunter/

Sounds like a great 'HEYYYYY BEARRRR' Opportunity. No idea why you would be doing something like shed hunting in that dense of cover and not be making some serious noise.

[GJM]

Sounds like a great 'HEYYYYY BEARRRR' Opportunity. No idea why you would be doing something like shed hunting in that dense of cover and not be making some serious noise.

And give away your secret shed spot — a guy would rather be mauled.

[fatdog]

That whole Sunlight Basin area is beautiful. I visited last fall during my adventures in the Absaroka's, went and found the Lee City ghost town. I cannot tell you how many ways the USFS warned me (signage), including one in person conversation with a ranger on my way in, that it was a grizzly dense area.

Being an "Easterner" I did not even know that looking for shed antlers was a thing...

[whomever]

"rupturing the canister and presumably causing the bear to break off the attack."

I've idly wondered about a last ditch defense - can of spray with a fog nozzle, activated by a pull cord. The idea would be you'd strap it on your pack and attach the pull cord to a shoulder strap. If you get knocked down, pull the cord and it empties itself, surrounding you in a cloud of spray. Not fun, but better than getting mauled.

[GJM]

Two handguns save the day in ferocious black bear encounter.

https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Ki...570187171.html

[Clusterfrack]

Two handguns save the day in ferocious black bear encounter.

https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Ki...570187171.html

Well, good job on their part in surviving the encounter and not having to shoot the bear. Here are a few thoughts:

-That bear was really fucking close. Is there a 21 foot rule equivalent for a bear? I would not have let the animal get that close--especially with a toddler and an infant involved.

-Gesturing with her gun: not good.

[Bigghoss]

This got a couple minutes on the local news.


https://www.outtherecolorado.com/wil...orado-springs/

A couple were camping near Colorado Springs and a curious black bear started rummaging through there stuff and tried to climb on their tent while they were in it. They set off their car alarm which scared the bear away.

On the news they interviewed someone from fish and wildlife or some depertment like that, I can't remember exactly, and they said if they locate the bear they'll relocate it in the hopes that something like this doesn't happen again and they're forced to put the bear down.

They also mentioned things like this are more common in the spring as bears come out of hibernation and are looking for food. Human/bear encounters aren't rare in Colorado Springs either.

[JHC]

Two handguns save the day in ferocious black bear encounter.

https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Ki...570187171.html

Some sage commentary in that article too.

[GJM]

Grizzly bears are awake in Montana!

https://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...c470d777f.html

[Clusterfrack]

Grizzly bears are awake in Montana!

https://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...c470d777f.html

Yikes. I once came within a couple feet of hitting a black bear on my mountain bike. I wouldn't want to repeat that experience--especially with a Grizzly.