What's better, bear spray or high caliber

[riverdog]

Black bears may be scavengers but Idaho Rob is absolutely correct that if attacked by one it plans on eating you. So don't play dead. When I've encountered black bears out fishing most are running from me and if not they are quickly running from my dogs. Brown bears are another story. All the data I've seen suggest pepper spray is probable a bit more effective than guns overall. You might feel safer with the gun but if you don't kill that bear you were probable better off with the spray. Part of the problem is the injured bear might be more likely to attack when it was charging and not actually going to attack. Sort of like the illusion that big trucks are safer. Everyone imagines the head on accident and not the more common cause of fatal motor vehicle accident in the West- single vehicle rollovers. You were safer in that smaller lower center of gravity vehicle. It handles better and never rolled in the first place.
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