grizzly defence question

[Goose]

Probably a stupid question, but from reading these responses, if a gun shot would scare away a bear (attacking or otherwise) wouldnt an air horn then be more effective than a can of bear spray? (if for some reason you werent carrying a gun)
Cheers!

[caddisguy]

Probably a stupid question, but from reading these responses, if a gun shot would scare away a bear (attacking or otherwise) wouldnt an air horn then be more effective than a can of bear spray? (if for some reason you werent carrying a gun)
Cheers!

Air horns are useful and may startle a bear enough that it will leave. Probably won't fall for it twice though. Like yelling, banging pots and pans, using a bear banger, firing a shot into the dirt, it may also provoke the bear. Some bears even come running towards gun shots. There are cases where bears have been shot while mauling a person, only to retreat for a minute or two before they decide that a less than fatal shot doesn't bother them bad enough to give up a meal and return to continue mauling/eating.

Bears learn quickly though and it might realize after hearing one or two air horns that it means "vulnerable human"... could even happen seconds after hearing the first one. That said, an air horn might have an application in trying to scare off a bear (ie: bear is lounging around in your backyard and from the safety of your front door you might try a blast)

There's always room in my pack for an air horn whether I'm hiking, or out on the boat fishing. One time I was hiking with my brother in a heavily forested area with a river and a number of large creeks that had multiple viens and forked all over the place. He wanted to head off and look for another decent hole to fish, but I made the mistake of letting him go without a time/place to meet. Just had a general direction of travel but he could have crossed a number of streams and double backed. Long story short, after an hour and a half or so, I was uncomfortable with the situation... leaving the spot where he knew--or should know--where I was (to go and find him) or waiting for him to come back. I went out to see if I could track him. Hiking around and calling did nothing, especially with the sound of the water. It was blast of the air horn every couple minutes that helped him find his way back to me. Lesson learned though. Always communicate specifics.

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to the spray versus shoot debate. Scenarios and options will always vary... distance of bear, how it is acting, the persons ability. One might have a 90% chance of hitting the bear with spray, which might be 75% effective in stopping the attack... same scenario the person might have a 25% chance of a critical shot that would have 90% odds of stopping the bear before it was able to maul them. In another case, maybe a bear has been stalking someone at a distance for some time and clearly acting predatory... it's at 15 yards now and there's time for a perfect head shot. I think most guys would rather take the head shot before the bear gets closer and/or charges. Often predatory attacks don't begin or even consist of a charge, but rather indirect or round-about following, avoiding eye contact, etc. It could go on for several minutes... might not even charge at all (maybe if you try to run) but will just walk up, bear-handle you a bit and start eating you alive. Walking through thick brush or tall grass with low visibilty... maybe you start to smell a kill? Might want to have the spray in head. Bears are hard to shoot when their on top of you. Carry both and be ready with whatever is appropriate for the scenario.

Like others mention, out of all the things that can happen to you in the bush or on the highway, problems with bears is a low on the list. Not saying don't be ready, but pointing out there are other priorities. I haven't had a bear act aggressively towards me, but I've had a number of close calls with rock slides, falling trees and bad drivers.

[squamishhunter]

I work in the bush with a .44 mag revolver and feel plenty safe.

[olympia]

I work in the bush with a .44 mag revolver and feel plenty safe.

not all of us are allowed to carry a revolver in the bush my squampton brother

[Busterpayton54]

Here's a link to one of them funny bear spray studies... Personally I find it funny that in this 94% success rate they include using it as an area spray, spraying curious Bears and so on. If you actually read the study, only a handful of the incidences were actually aggressive Bears. Only 18 of the so called 85 incidents were agressive. Only 9 actually charged, and 3 cases resulted in the Bears contacting the human.

Personally i wouldnt call it 94% effective in 85 cases. I would call it 66% effective in 9 cases... Works 2 out of 3 times. http://www.ccrd-bc.ca/files/library/...29_Shelton.pdf

[.330 Dakota]

If it was a chance encounter and the bear acted aggressively I would spray it,,,seen it work,,it does,,,I do advocate the use of bear spray and I have seen it work several times,,,where I wouldnt use it is on a charging sow with cubs etc,,,,only a bullet will stop her