Bear defense in Yellowstone

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Bear Defense

There is a lot of good info offered that I just read in your folks response. What stands out the most is the accurate statements about the tourists. They are idiots. I have never seen a larger collection of morons in my life. They may well ruin your trip. We were in the back country in order to get away from them as well as enojoy the wild life....did see a Brown Bear run down an elk calf. They are extremely fast. I have a .357 and a Casull. I carry bear spray as a primary defense and the Casull as back up. My wife carries bear spray and the .357 for back up. We practice with both. One of my daughters worked for conservation in Alaska and has had extensive experience with Brown Bears and has had formal training for them....carry bear spray...carry bear spray....carry bear spray. The information about the spay being a stream and not a mist is very accurate and good advice. And the suggestion that you practice with the spray is even better advice. It is cheap insurance. You can buy dummy loads of bear spray that are water for practice.

Proper and suggested spray technique is a small circular motion while aiming in the general target area or spraying an X pattern at the face. Do not try to hit a bulls eye. Hold your arm extended when spraying it.

Also, the most dangerous animal in Yellowstone during August, besides the tourists, are the buffalo. August is their rut and the bulls are meaner than hell. I have seen them put road crews back into the bed of their trucks and seen tourist vehicles severely dented. If you go in August, give the buffalo a wider birth.
 
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This is a subject that many of us have thought about. My family and I just went through Yellowstone Park (last week). I can say with some validity that the vehicle traffic will be your biggest threat, then the IDIOTS that think Yellowstone is a petting zoo will walk out in front of you to take a picture. I always take bear spray AND a gun when going through the park. My advise is similar to others take bear spray and a gun. We didn't see any bears but the scenery is such that no matter how many times I visit Yellowstone I see something new. The southern part of the Park just packed with people and vehicles. The road construction wasn't bad or a real concern as it has been in years past. I also would have to say you must stop at Cody, Wyoming and if really bored go the Jackson, Wyoming (LOTS of tourists) but the Tetons are something to see. Take your time and try to enjoy the park. Just my thoughts from the Big Sky Country.
 
Carrying an AK-74 has the advantage of both running off the touristas and being reasonably effective bear medicine:

The bear turned and charged, the hiker later told rangers.

The man fired the AK-74 he was carrying, Crockett said. The bear stopped after the first volley of shots, and then charged again.

The man fired once more, Crockett said.

That time the bear folded into a ball, rolling and running downhill and thudding to a stop in a clump of birch trees about 100 yards from the trail.
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http://www.adn.com/2013/07/29/2997953/section-of-turnagain-arm-trail.html
 
natman said:
even though they call it tourist season, most jurisdictions frown on actually shooting tourists.
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Even though they call it tourist season, most jurisdictions frown on actually shooting tourists.
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You just made my day! :D

spray or any decent handgun but on the rare chance you get charged, the odds are the bear will win unless you are lucky.
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Darn right.
 
jack44 said:
A .357 is no gun to fight off a bear! its good at killing paper or thin skinned animals but you would just piss the bear off!.I would pick a .44 the 45lc would be better then the 357.
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That's not true, its an excellent defensive weapon for bear, especially stoked with BB 180 gr hardcast. Most of you will never shoot anything bigger then that well regardless.
 
When we went through there we just got back in the car when a bear came around.

Kind of the same thing as going to my sisters house, when the bears come around, just go inside.
 
"...in under 3-4 seconds..." Yogi can cover roughly 75 yards in that time. You'll never be fast enough if Yogi is within 100 yards and decides he wants a taste of your butt. He can cover 100 yards in under 6 seconds if he's PO'd. Yogi isn't interested in you though. Bothering you will get him shot.
Don't even think .357 for a big griz.
 
Do yourself a favor and use the bear spray. You will be dealing with a legal nightmare if you shoot a bear in Yellowstone.
 
From my experience their is some good advise here about the bear spray and hand guns.

I carry a scandium framed 44 mag with hard cast bullets while hunting in Island park which is the Idaho side of the Yellow Stone ecosystem. I can tell you from personal experience that while walking over grizzle prints a person can feel awfully exposed while packing that side arm.

The last year I hunted their (the year before last) a grizzly did take a bite out of a hunter and they both new each other was their for quite some time, before the tasting happened.

I agree that spray is your best first line of defense and that you should practice with it.

Also there are far to many other things to worry about other than bears.

Their are far more people killed/injured each year by bison,moose, and people than any thing else.

People are absolutely dumb when it comes to safety around the animals. If their are animals around and a large crown starts to gather I leave now. people don't want to here how the cute baby moose is going to get their guts stomped out.

I watched about a two year old grizzly come tearing through the under brush into a meadow of flowers one spring. there were about 20-30 people taking pictures of the flowers. I saw the bear come through and people actually tried to follow it, within 50 yards. I said very loudly that it would be wise to leave the area as who knows what was chasing the bear if any thing at all. No one listened, they continued to follow the bear and take pictures.

I did not hear or read about a bear mauling that weekend so I assume no one got hurt, but really how dumb can you be to chase an animal that can crush your skull in one bite. And at about two years old and in the spring who knows if that cub is still attached to its sow.
 
I thought we didn't allow fantasy threads?

Listen to the guys from Wyoming and try to ignore the bear/monster stories.
 
wasp spray

Seems like I read a report that the wasp spray (the kind that allows you to be 20-30 feet away and squirts a stream of very effective spray) is very effective on bears, dogs etc. seems like arming everyone with wasp spray would be reasonable?
 
Think someone said that misuse of the hornet spray was a federal offense.
 
Well have a great time, but do be aware this is not the wild west you are invisioning.

And be fully aware of the last few sentences in the links you provided via Yellowstone National park.
buildings. These facilities are posted with appropriate notices at public entrances.

Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy.

Park regulations require visitors to stay 25 yards away from most wildlife, and 100 yards away from bears and wolves at all times.

The best defense is to stay a safe distance from wildlife, and use your binoculars, spotting scope, or telephoto lens to get a closer look. Hikers, snowshoers, and cross-country skiers are encouraged to travel in groups of three or more, make noise on the trail, and keep an eye out for animals. Bear pepper spray has proven to be a good last line of defense if you keep it handy and use it according to directions when animals are within 30 fee
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