OT: Bear safety--what's the REAL deal?

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This is somewhat related to my Grand Teton post as there are Grizzlys where I'm going.

Question: What is the real deal with respect to safety in Grizz country?

I don't want to know what's the best gun/spear/anti-aircraft gun I need, just what an unarmed hiker in a National Park can or should do.

Thanks in advance for any advice!!:)

I was planning on buying a big ol cannister of bear spray and maybe some rosary beads?;) :D
 
All bears should carry khukuris for safety.

After all, the second ammendment guarantees the right to bear arms!
 
Where you are going they have no fear of humans, or little practical concerns. Walk away. Don't meet their eyes. Don't run. Walk not directly away but at angles. If attacked, fight back. Authorities will tell you to lie down and play dead. I would not do that. There is a growing 'movement' among knowledgable persons that lying down and playing dead is a good precursor to being dead. Climb a tree. Grizzlies generally can't climb well. But smaller ones will have more success scraping their way up the trunk. Talk to the Rangers about where the Bears will be this time of year. There are known haunts.

Personally, I would carry as little food on me as possible. REad NOne, maybe a single meal just to get me in to where I wanted to go. If allowed, I would take a khukuri. It would beat swatting the thing with a forest service permission slip. They might allow pepper spray. Pepper spray has mixed reviews, evidence being it seasons the bearer for the determined bear who likes sechuan chinese food.

Try to keep a layer of tourists between yourself and the bear.

People who've had incidents with the great bears swear they will never hike or play in any place they cannot be legally armed. I listen to this, and make my own excursions into the "Parks' minimal. There are many majestic and wild places without such restrictions.

This topic makes me disgusted with my fellow americans. This America is becoming more theirs than of mine and those who share my ideals.

all this aside, you'll have a great time and probably no problems.

oh, one more thing; this time of year they may have exhausted the food supply higher up and be traveling to rivers and lower lands in search of berries and other foods. If this is the case, head for higher up.
munk
 
It'll be plenty cool enough for a jacket. Stick a .44 magnum under the jacket or in your photo equipment bag and to hell with the rules. When life and limb are at stake rules do not apply -- at least where I'm concerned. Chances of anybody seeing the gun are nil unless you have to use it and then nobody will really care.
 
I'm surprised that Bruise didn't advocate Hooflex - you could give the bear a manicure before dinner.

:rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
It'll be plenty cool enough for a jacket. Stick a .44 magnum under the jacket or in your photo equipment bag and to hell with the rules. When life and limb are at stake rules do not apply -- at least where I'm concerned. Chances of anybody seeing the gun are nil unless you have to use it and then nobody will really care.

:D :D :D

I'm with Uncle 100% on this one and always carry when I go out in the wild...a khuk is great to have too but I don't necessarily want to get "up close and pesonal" with an angry, aggressive, attacking Grizzly. Good Luck!
 
All bears should carry khukuris for safety. After all, the second ammendment guarantees the right to bear arms ...Howard Wallace


not "ARM BEARS"...."bear arms".... different...entirely different.:D






Kis
:rolleyes:
 
My wife and I went to Glasier. I had .44 in the tent. No one saw it. Twenty yards from the tent was a fortified trash can that looked like it could withstand a .308 armor piercing round.

If it was good enough for the trash can....(sure not to worry, bears won't hurt you if you leave them alone....)

very re-assuring. THere was something rotten about the whole deal.

wear bells indeed.

take a number and sit down, citizen.

it sure isn't my national forest. It must be someonelses.

munk
 
bear.jpg

"Pepper spray has mixed reviews, evidence being it seasons the bearer for the determined bear..."

Yes, thats right. Although a Burgandy teriyaki sauce would be nice too. ...My khukuri? Why an HI Ghopte, of course! Some of those hikers can be awfully gristly and chewy 'ya know.
 
Thanks for good tips Munk:) I'll definetely check in with the Rangers about bear sightings. The silly part of this whole thing is I really want to see bears(ie, photograph them) but I'd prefer doing from the "safety" of my rental car--the safety being the gas pedal:D


All bears should carry khukuris for safety.

:D Good lord what a scary thought:eek:



It'll be plenty cool enough for a jacket. Stick a .44 magnum under the jacket or in your photo equipment bag and to hell with the rules. When life and limb are at stake rules do not apply -- at least where I'm concerned. Chances of anybody seeing the gun are nil unless you have to use it and then nobody will really care

:D Tempting...I own a S+W .44 with 6"barrel. Not exactly my carry gun of choice but... I'd prefer the new titanium guide gun S+W puts out: 4" bbl raised fiber optic front sight. I probably won't pack a gun into the park though.
 
Rob, I think you will be fine in the Tetons, in fact I would be amazed if you even see a bear. If you head into Yellowstone you might see a black bear or two. I would recommend you get a few cans of Counter Assault- in Glacier my dad had to mace a grizzley...I came pretty close. As long as you make some noise: shout or clap your hands, the bears should leave you alone. The day when we had close encounters was a very windy day- the bears couldn't smell us or hear us. I love the Tetons and Yellowstone, if you fish take a trip to the Firehole river. Have a good trip :).

Matt
 
You couldn't sell me a 4" .44 Smith, especially a guide gun! I'm not particularly recoil conscious, having owned and enjoyed various large numbers, but the .44 loses a lot of energy without at least a 6" tube, and the guide gun is for gluttons. Maybe in .41 or .45 Colt...

Rob, viewing bears is not hard. The Rangers know where they are and you can stand a ways off with your super lens stuff and watch.


munk
 
When the bear has overcome you and you are lieing on your back with him over you, try to punch or kick him on the nose.

A Norwegian farmer I heard of was guarding his flock of sheep since a "slagbjørn" (= battle bear = blood crazy bear) had been killing several of his sheep lately. The bear came, it charged against the farmer, the farmer fired a shot with his shotgun and hit the bear, the bear didn't seem to notice that he was hit. The man was badly bitten and in the struggle he ended up on his back with the bear's head coming up between his legs, the man managed in desperation to kick his snout. The bear ran away. The man ended up in hospital doing 1000+/- stitches and looking like he was hit by a truck.

The farmer said the bear had a breath from hell and eyes glowing of mad killing lust. It was a sight of death.

When I hear about cases like this I wonder if the good old recipie of carrying a purely wooden bear spear would be an idea.

Take care. Fight back.
 
Good post, Eik.

What is it about noses with Bears and Sharks?

No one I know wants to shoot a bear. They are tremendous, and I like having them around. I just wish we had an alternative to the endangered species shell game being played. Call it gossip, call it superstition, call it savvy for Bureacratic deception; but most folks in the West believe the Bear's numbers are enough to be off the list and they are kept on it due to a political agenda of the Government people making policy. I've listned and read about arguments pro and con and decide I agree with the folks.

Rob, my young brother-in-law went to Yellostone a couple years ago and the campgrounds and areas with Bears were well known.
Maybe Teton is not as predictable.

I know one guy in the forest who wanted to see black bears so fried a skillet of steaks up every evening at sunset...

munk

remember what Bert said in Tremors ll, (paraphrase) "This trip required better preparation and full auto, preferrably belt fed."
 
:eek: No women??? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

That's an old hunters tale to preserve the "guys only" hunting camp tradition.
 
Originally posted by MauiRob
Question: What is the real deal with respect to safety in Grizz country?

I don't want to know what's the best gun/spear/anti-aircraft gun I need, just what an unarmed hiker in a National Park can or should do.

I was planning on buying a big ol cannister of bear spray........

Uwinv go over to the Community Forum and find one of Vampire Gerbils post's.
The Great Vamp handles the world's best pepper spray according to the Great Himself. There's a link at the bottom of his posts taking you to the place you want to visit.
Vamp wrote quite an article on being sprayed with different pepper sprays and says this stuff is straight from the furnaces of hell.:)
 
We carry 10% oleoresin capsicum (spelling?) here. As part of our training we have to get sprayed with it before we can carry it. I'm a firm believer in the stuff.

Note that most of the sprays you can buy in catalogs are in the 2-3% range. Check the label before you buy.
 
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