Hi,

Does anyone know if 'Bear Blasters' are still available in the US. They're small devices that can launch a flare to discourage a bear attack. The only ones I could find on the web were restricted to Canada.

No, I'm not going camping in Grizzly country, but the fact is that more wildllife are entering my semi rural area. My neighbor had black bears on his deck. We've also seen wolves, and there are rumors of cougar.

I get out and about some remote areas of my property, and I wouldn't mind having something like that with me as a deterrent. Chances are probably nil that I'd ever use it, but it would seem to be cheap insurance.

Thanks,

 

do you feel lucky?

Maybe a 45 would be better insurance

 

If you can't or don't want to carry a firearm, consider some good pepper spray. Google 'bear pepper spray' and find:

UDAP Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray

& a host of others.

They have a video, and a letter from Fish & Wildlife saying pepper spray has a better track record than firearms. With all due respect to the .45 suggestion, I don't think a .45 ACP would make much of an impression on a grizzley, nor would a .45 LC. Now a .454 or .460 or .500 maybe. But what you really want to stop a grizzley would be what, a .338 Win mag?

Back to bears. You mention black bears. They never hurt anybody unless you mess with them or go for the cubs. The pepper would work fine on them I'd guess.

Wolves..... You never see one ask for pepper in a restaurant, right? They won't like it either. (you see any reports of wolf attacks on humans in your area?)

Cougar: Urban cougar, yes, forest/mountain no. The trouble with these guys is you won't see them and you'll be dead before you can pull a gun or pepper if they see you first and attack. They go for the back of your neck and puncture your skull and spine. Good luck shaking that off. But if you do see one, the 'make yourself big', get a stick, throw rocks and make noise think will work--they like an easy meal.

If it was me, I'd carry the pepper. On one side, my .454 on the other.

BTW when my daughter was about 18 months, I was in Yosemite with her in a backpack carrier. The wife was with me, and we were hiking back to camp, probably just a few miles. Anyway, I see a bear off to the side, just being a bear, nothing aggressive. I thought, great, he'll use the kid for an appetizer then make me the main course. Then I see two people old enough to know better get off the trail and go TOWARDS THE BEAR. OK, I said to myself, they'll take him to lunch while I kick up the pace a bit....

Nothing happened, so I think the bear must have just wandered off.

Good luck, and WATCH OUT!!!

BTW pepper spray doesn't cause forest fires like them flares might could.....

 

A freind of mine has something like that called a bird bomb. I shot it in my back yard and birds flew up from everywhere. dont think thats why he called it a bird bomb thou.

 

someone told my cayenne pepper would keep the dog out of the flower beds...

so I get a big container and sprinkle it all over the bed!
'
the dog loved it!! he rolled in the bed for hours! I gave up on flowers =/

 

Bird Control: Bird Bangers with Caps thy this, its pretty close to what he had. you will need the luancher also sold on same page

 

Just a FYI I sent my husband and son to Alaska in May. The first thing they learn was about bears. A brown and grissly bear lay down and play dead. But a black bear you better fight. As for pepper spray they just said that you are bring your own seasoning. As for a gun they say that you can only get 3-4 shots off, and probably will not hit it.

 

Rule one with the bears is, of course, stay the heck away from them.

As for cayenne pepper, I've been using it against the skunk that keeps digging in our flowers. He don't like it much.

Yea, I'd like to see a video of them fellers hitting a charging grizzley with the pepper spray. They'd need to be in a cage or something, but I'd like to see the test. We were watching a nature show about these fellers that tag 'em. One busted out of the trap and came at them. You'd be lucky to get 3 or 4 aimed shots with a handgun. Unfortunately for the bear in this case, they had a long gun and it did the job in one shot. (look at the ballistics charts for any handgun other than the new S&W .460 or .500, they are wimps compared to a rifle)

Anyway, no such worries here, the black bears stay up by my Sis-in-laws, the raccoons just walk through, the skunk visits at night, and the squirrels don't cause much trouble. Sure would like to blast that skunk, but those no-shooting laws are such a bother.

 

Know anybody that bow hunts?...... nobody would ever know.

 

Or, even better, LONG range pepper spray.

 

get a flare gun from a boat supply place. there only 25-30 bucks and can be carryed in your back pocket

 

Just carry a picnic basket with you everybody knows bears love picnic baskets so when a bear is charging you just hand it over and everything will be fine

 

You may want to consider Guard Alaska Bear Repellent. It has a range of 15 to 20 feet and sprays 9oz for 9 seconds, contains 1.34% Capsaicin and related Capsaicinoids.

A .44 Magnum should be considered absolute minimum for bears, IMHO. If you decide to carry a firearm make sure you practice shooting with the ammo you'll use in it.

 

Thanks for all of the input. BTW, that's a pic a nic basket Boo Boo!

No, I don't want to carry a firearm as such. The idea of the Bear Blasters, pepper, etc. is to give the bear a reason to go elsewhere. Actually incapacitating a bear with a firearm is supposed to be quite difficult -- even the 'mild' black bears.

From what I understand, you want to put a little distraction to encourage them to move away from you. ( And as one site mentioned -- don't fire anything behind them, or they will rush you!).

I may look into that heavy duty pepper spray and/or a marine flare gun. Probably never have to use either.

Thanks again,

 

20 feet for pepper spray means you are already lunch. A human with a knife 20 feet away can easily kill you even if you manage to pepper spray them. 20 feet is basically a bit more then the length of an E-350 extended.

If you are worrying about defending yourself, then a short barrel (18") shotgun or short barrel rifle. I carry pepper spray myself (buy it from SportsmansGuide.com) , but, I realize it's most effective use will be when I am in the tree and the bear is coming up.

I tested mine and I can't see me getting that good of a shot at a rushing bear with pepper spray to make me feel even 1/10 as safe as with even a .45 loaded with lead slugs.

You can take down a brown or black bear with a .45/9 mm. and FMJ, if you manage to hit him once he comes within 75 feet.

I try to look for scat and keep away from berry bushes and such and stay in open areas so I am not surprised by anything including humans.