anyone knows if it's ok to carry sword knife in the wilderness in Canada AB ?

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Just wondering if anyone knows if it's ok to carry sword knife in the wilderness ?

I hike and camp by myself in the wilderness here in Canada. I don't like guns, but I've seen lots of bears, cougars, I'd feel more safer if i have a sword knife. but not so sure if it's legal!
 
There are places in Alberta where the wildlife will kill you. If you travel alone and don't carry bear spray and or/a firearm pick the South East side to do your trips.

Around the Rockies and up north it's not a walk in the park.
 
There are no blade length restrictions in Canada. The only thing you need to be able to do is justify the size of the tool you are carrying should you get questioned about it. Out in the bush or forest, I doubt you would run into anybody that would question you about it. My suggestion would be something like a 'Camp' or 'Bush' knife. Even call it your 'Survival' knife, if need be. Stay away from traditional or display swords. If questioned, you are using it to process firewood and food. Self defence of any kind with a blade is illegal (I'd rather be tried by 12 then carried by 6 personally). As Colorodo suggested, bear or dog spray is perfectly legal for keeping animals at bay.

Do yourself a favour and get a non-restricted firearms licence. Then take your hunters safety course. Rifles and Shotguns are you friends :)
 
Make sure whatever knife you get, that it does not have a large guard. So when the medics have to pull it out of your azz, where the bear stuffed it, it won't hurt so much ;) jk. Seriously though if you don't like guns then carry bear spray along with your knife. Also, having dogs is good. Bears tend to stay away from annoying barking dogs. I had a friend that traveled with two big dogs and he had a few runins with brown and black bears. The bears ran off every time the dogs came after them. One was an Akita and the other was a Kengal. The Kengal killed a wolf at one point so I am told. That one is a huge dog, I think he said it weighed about 160lbs lean while the Akita was 110 lean. Oh and this was Alaska not Canada.
 
You should discuss the laws with a lawyer and keep one on retainer if they are ever needed.
 
Bear spray, bear spray, BEAR SPRAY!!! Did anyone mention that you need to carry some bear spray?! Seriously, bear spray would be MUCH more effective than a knife, or even a sword. Bears have incredibly thick fur and skin, and bones like baseball bats. Even if you did get lucky enough to draw a sword fast enough and get it pointed in the direction of a bear, it would likely just get caught in its fur and break your wrist as it ripped it out of your hand. And lets say you get lottery-winning-lucky, and it pierces the skin. THEN, you have to make it through about TWO FEET of muscle, bone, and sinew to reach the vitals, especially in a head-on attack. Carry bear spray.

Even here in the US, where I can carry my Glock 29, I still carry bear spray (at least in brown bear country). If I'm in black bear country, I just carry my Glock. However, in black bear territory, I carry the Glock just because I ALWAYS carry (it's not 100% for the bears). Black bears are usually pretty easy to run off, unless they have cubs or food to defend, and even then, I've been able to run them off. Personally, for any species of bear, I think bear spray is the best option.

The best thing about bear spray, even here in the US where it's legal to carry a firearm, is that you can spray the bear spray to run off a curious but not yet aggressive bear without getting in trouble. If you discharge a firearm in a State/National Park, you better have been in real danger, or you're going to face some serious legal issues.
 
Biggest+Grizzly+Bears+4.jpg

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/894396-Knife-for-bears
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/689807-Knife-for-defence-against-wild-critters
 
That's a horror show😳.

Screw the sword and spray. Carry a shotgun or hike with someone fatter and slower. Same chance of survival either choice.

No joke, most people consider a shotgun with slugs to be the only real defense for brown bears. That reminds me of a thing we used to say SCUBA diving. If an aggressive shark comes around, grab your dive knife, cut your buddy and swim! I guess the other benefit of bear spray is that you could spray your buddy so he'd be disoriented and spicy for the bear.
 
Bear bell and bear spray.

Keep forefront in your mind ---- You don't have to be faster than the bear. You just have to be faster than your hiking partner.
 
Bear bell and bear spray.

Keep forefront in your mind ---- You don't have to be faster than the bear. You just have to be faster than your hiking partner.
Bear spray and make noise so they know you are coming. By make noise I mean clap, sing, talk real loud. Any NOISE that will carry.

DO NOT use a bear bell because they are known as dinner bells. Yellowstone and Glacier park rangers all said the same thing that they have been proven to not be heard in the forest. I don't know how many times I was surprised while hiking by someone coming around a bend in the trail wearing dinner bells. I couldn't hear them 10 feet in front of me or behind.

Bears are also quiet so don't expect to hear them coming. Been around grizzlies (from a distance), brown and black bears and can't remember ever having heard a foot step or the brush as they moved through it. Spooky how something so large can move so softly.

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In Canada, this is not exactly true. Carrying any object with the intent to use it for self-defence makes it a weapon and weapons are generally illegal to carry around. Using lethal force to protect yourself is not illegal; it's up to a judge to decide if you had no choice but to use it to protect yourself.

You validated my point :D if you used said sword knife (blade) for self defence, it would make it a weapon (which would make it illegal for him to carry). Yes, lethal force for self defence is not illegal in given circumstance. We all have the god given right to protect ourselves. The article you quoted has to do with instances where you have no options to retreat. Protecting your life in your home or inside a building (business), you can use 'as much force as necessary' to protect your life and the lives of others. But out while hiking this does not apply, an individual (may) have many options to escape or retreat. You are 100% correct that it comes down to the decision of the court in the end. I'm sure we'd all rather be alive to see that ruling, then the alternative.

In the OP's case, a knife/sword is still not a good option. If an animal gets within 5 feet of you with the intent to eat you, you're going to get hurt in some way, shape, or form. Another option would be a flair gun bear banger. No firearms licence required, and a great signal if you get lost :D

Anybody know if fireworks have been used successfully to repel an attack? package of black cats?
 
I'd rather carry a bear flare than a firework that may or may not fire.

Talking about self defense against humans just muddies the question and doesn't help the OP. If you want to carry a massive knife, then go for it. I'd recommend getting some bear spray instead, but you can carry what you want.

Carrying a firearm is probably out of the question anyway, unless you are on private land, outside of a hunting season. Can't go wandering around a national park with a gun, that's for sure. So liking them or not doesn't really come into it.

Your best defense against animals is situational awareness, and not putting yourself into overly hazardous places. make noise, keep your head on a swivel.
 
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Those are Sharpfingers, not sword knives.

I'll third bear spray. And checking bear activity with the wildlife authorities for the area you intend to roam. I'm torn as to whether dogs would repel or attract predators. My luck, the dog would go out and find a bear, pester it, and bring it back to me on the run.
 
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