Do you carry bear spray when hunting?

[Wild one]

Good to know. Yes of the ones I described that one was the most intense. She rushed out right at me then stopped, stood up and ran off cub in trail. I would have been pretty beat up had she kept comming as all I had was my bow and spray but in the moment I didn't think of either.

Like I said MOST choose flight so I would not worry much but learning to read there body language helps. More times than not slowing backing out talking is all that is needed to defuse things or standing your ground talking

All the black bear stories you mentioned minus the one in camp I experience similar encounters multiple times a year but mostly when I am hunting them or choose to mess around with them. For the most part unless the bear is wounded I have not felt the need to shoot out of self defence but there is the odd jerk bear and they don’t carry signs

Good habit is to have your rifle ready before you yell/talk at a close up bear because they can cover ground fast. Another good thing most should practice is close range instinct shooting. Try to hit a paper plate at 20yards without using scope/sights quickly. My mentor I learned to bear hunt from preached learning this skill.

[whitlers]

Like I said MOST choose flight so I would not worry much but learning to read there body language helps. More times than not slowing backing out talking is all that is needed to defuse things or standing your ground talking

All the black bear stories you mentioned minus the one in camp I experience similar encounters multiple times a year but mostly when I am hunting them or choose to mess around with them. For the most part unless the bear is wounded I have not felt the need to shoot out of self defence but there is the odd jerk bear and they don’t carry signs

Good habit is to have your rifle ready before you yell/talk at a close up bear because they can cover ground fast. Another good thing most should practice is close range instinct shooting. Try to hit a paper plate at 20yards without using scope/sights quickly. My mentor I learned to bear hunt from preached learning this skill.

Yeah I tried to slowly back down the trail with the griz before I yelled at him. I didn't want to scare him but he knew I was there and he did not give a shit Haha. He walked me down like 'this is my trail boy, better move'
I have never seen a bear care less about human interaction.

Good advice regarding having rifle ready before yelling or talking. I'll have to train myself to start doing that. I will also work on quick shooting. I have always told myself I need to work on that but after the last blackie so close. That really spooked me Haha.

Thanks for the advice. Appreciate it.

[Wild one]

Was not there to know for sure but I have a feeling that grizzly was just dead set on sticking to his path and figured you should move because he is the boss lol

As for bears that don’t care about humans they are out there. I have even had a black bear bluff charge my truck after I honked at it lol. They are just like people you can find all kinds of personalities

[whitlers]

Was not there to know for sure but I have a feeling that grizzly was just dead set on sticking to his path and figured you should move because he is the boss lol

As for bears that don’t care about humans they are out there. I have even had a black bear bluff charge my truck after I honked at it lol. They are just like people you can find all kinds of personalities

I think your right. He was on his path and knew I would move. I wasn't about to challenge that haha

[RiverOtter]

It's truly a shame the way things have gone. There was a time when daytime bold bears were snuffed out and the predator prey balance was on the side of humans. Sadly, things are gonna get a LOT worse I'm afraid as bold bears remain in the gene pool and pass on those traits.

[mpotzold]

Knew this was coming!

Wyoming wildlife officials plan to discuss possibly requiring hunters to carry bear spray in grizzly bear habitat-as petitioned by 7 environmental groups. “As grizzly-hunting encounters continue to increase in frequency and lethality, regulatory action is needed to reduce avoidable death and injury to bears and hunters” they say.

To the anti-hunting tree-huggers bears are more important than people it seems.
There are way,way too many examples where bear spray has failed resulting in deaths &/or maulings.

https://www.kulr8.com/news/wyoming/w...8b9c33a90.html

If the tree-huggers get their way expect the same coming soon to BC.

What to expect if you opt to shoot the charging bear instead of using that almost useless spray first. A heavy fine, losing one’s right to hunt & possible jail time for starters.
https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/wy...ooting-grizzly

[303savage]

Bear spray. Great stuff, just make sure the wind isn't blowing toward you.

[mpotzold]

Requiring Wyoming hunters to carry bear spray continues!

The seven groups that signed onto the petition are the Humane Society of the United States, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, Western Watersheds Project, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates and WildEarth Guardians.

See petition! Let’s hope Wyoming Game and Fish Commission doesn’t agree.
Tree huggers spewing absolute garbage as expected!

The title should be BEAR SPRAY SAVES BEARS
Firearms are unreliable.
Several studies confirm that bear spray is far more effective, safe and reliable than firearms. It is specifically formulated to stop an attack.
https://33ye2d3ufhpm2rls32dlamvg-wpe...ints-final.pdf

Wyoming hunting guide Mark Uptain last year opted to use bear spray instead of a gun resulting in his untimely demise. Another example of many bear spray failures.

Experts opinions
Gary Shelton
-a person who is proficient with a large calibre rifle or a pump 12-gauge shotgun can reduce the risk of injury or death during a bear attack to about nil.
-I (GS)personally would always choose firearm over spray.
-Pepper spray does not come close to firearms as a defense system
-should be considered as a temporary deterrent(if it works)-so leave immediately
-its delivery is a function of the prevailing wind
-in most cases you would be better off using a spray against a grizzly rather than playing dead

Dave Smith-guns vs grizz
http://riverjournal.com/vivvo/outdoo...th_112011.html

[Iron Sighted]

I pack a rifle when I'm hunting, typically with no bear spray. When I'm hiking/exploring/backpacking I save the weight and go with bear spray.

[mpotzold]

Requiring Wyoming hunters to carry bear spray continues!

The seven groups that signed onto the petition are the Humane Society of the United States, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, Western Watersheds Project, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates and WildEarth Guardians.

See petition! Let’s hope Wyoming Game and Fish Commission doesn’t agree.
Tree huggers spewing absolute garbage as expected!

The title should be BEAR SPRAY SAVES BEARS
Firearms are unreliable.
Several studies confirm that bear spray is far more effective, safe and reliable than firearms. It is specifically formulated to stop an attack.
https://33ye2d3ufhpm2rls32dlamvg-wpe...ints-final.pdf

Wyoming hunting guide Mark Uptain last year opted to use bear spray instead of a gun resulting in his untimely demise. Another example of many bear spray failures.

Experts opinions
Gary Shelton
-a person who is proficient with a large calibre rifle or a pump 12-gauge shotgun can reduce the risk of injury or death during a bear attack to about nil.
-I (GS)personally would always choose firearm over spray.
-Pepper spray does not come close to firearms as a defense system
-should be considered as a temporary deterrent(if it works)-so leave immediately
-its delivery is a function of the prevailing wind
-in most cases you would be better off using a spray against a grizzly rather than playing dead

Dave Smith-guns vs grizz
http://riverjournal.com/vivvo/outdoo...th_112011.html

Not caving in to the tree hugger's BS.
Wyoming wildlife officials decline bear spray requirement. Thank you!
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...ar-spray-requ/