[black bear]

This summer I will hike a little in places where firearms are not allowed.

Which is the best pepper spray with the longest reach.

Thanks in advance for the replies.
black bear

[hso]

No personal experience to lend, but the reports on Bear Guard are very positive.

[12GA00buck]

I carry "Counter Assault Grizzly Tough Pepper Spray, Kalispell MT"
I dont really consider bear spray an alternative to a firearm, but rather another option. If used correctly it can save you allot of time and trouble. If you do shoot a bear in self defense you have to skin it, bring the cape to the ADFG and fill out some sort of paper work. If you can use bear spray, you save yourself the trouble.

I've never had to use mine, but based on reports by wildlife biologist's, it seems to work very well.

There are also portable electric bear fences for backpackers, but their expensive, and a bit on the heavy side for backpacking.

If your backpacking, be sure to keep your food away from your sleeping area, and secured from bears. There are three basic solutions,
1) Bear bagging, reguires 50ft of rope, atleast ten feet high and ten feet away from the tree trunk.
2) ABS plastic food containers- these work well, but there heavy and have limited space
3) Ursack- Kevlar "bear proof bags"- A little spendy, but much lighter than food containers, and less hassle than bear bagging.

Good Luck and enjoy your Hike

[carebear]

Counter-Assault is pretty popular up here. Not sure on range differences. I pretty much just take the packaging at its word. You do want to do a downwind test fire once you are out from around other folks, to check function and get an idea of what kind of spread and accuracy you have to work with.

As far as a "best brand"? Put briefly, and solely my opinion, it's one of those things where either any middle market product will work adequately; or no product, of any "superiority", will work at all.

Just remember it only works when sprayed on the bear, it is not a persistant area-denial weapon. I think it was the Canadians who did a test by spraying it on gear (with some chow inside) and walking away. The bears went right in after the lure and showed no sign of being bothered by the pepper saturating the fabric.

Bears are as much individuals as people are, and we know how variable human response is to irritants. Much of the effect on bears, to my mind, is the shock of suddenly being hit with a cloud of "stuff", as opposed to the pepper really kicking their butt in any meaningful way.

[Long Knife]

If you are going to Canada, and it sounds like you are, you are not allowed to take bear spray into the country. That doesn't mean that you can't buy it once you are up there. If you are not going to Canada, never mind.

Don't ask, don't tell. That's my motto.

Rex

[ronrod71]

I am certified to carry OC pepper spray on duty though FLETC. I don't have any personal experience with bears but the training seminar and video before the actual certification stated that most animals to include dogs,bears and rodents do not have tear duct/glands similar to humans and the reaction that happens when OC pepper spray hits humans eyes will not happen with animals eyes. The video and seminar stated that animal attacke in fact can intensify if OC spray is deployed.

A firearm, blunt force weapon or retreat is considered the best course of action. At least that's my .02 worth.

[carebear]

The reaction for OC you want on a bear is the same as for people, the involuntary swelling of the mucus membranes in the nose and throat and eye area with accompanying burning effect on those membranes and the skin. Not just the tearing up part. Testing has shown it does objectively work on most bears just as it will objectively work on most humans.

They may have changed the rules but Canada didn't use to have an OC ban, they had a ban on OC marked on the label "for self-defense".

You couldn't bring in "anti-people spray" but Counter-Assault, with it's label talking only about bears and dangerous animals, was kosher. The big bottles were sort of prima facia evidence it was for outdoor use and not to slip in your pocket in downtown Toronto.

Again, that may have changed, best to check, say, packing and get the most recent update.

[Optical Serenity]

I would use Sabre Red. That is what I have used on duty and I have been sprayed with it...Pictures to prove it (http://www.theblackhole.us/forum/showthread.php?t=136)

The other OC sprays out there just don't hit me like Sabre Red does...

[ronrod71]

You are correct about the swelling, but members of the Canine family of which the bear is part of LACK tear glands around the eyes like humans have.

You will not get the blinding effect you expect. In addition the bears cranium is covered with fur and like a dog their noses can shut close.

[carebear]

That's interesting. I'd never thought about how it worked on bears or animals as opposed to people. I have seen it work, so maybe the greater nasal sensitivity compensates or something.:confused:

When I got hit with it I swear my eyeballs themselves expanded, I don't recall anything "more" from my tear ducts. But I was definitely not "thinking" about it in the moment. :what:

:D