02-24-2010, 10:15 AM
I was with my dad and a friend and we were charged by a grizzly. I've never felt more vulnerable in my life. We didn't have either gun or spray. BYU did a study of bear attacks and statistically bear spray was more effective as far as extent of injuries or lack of it. The attacks that involved fire arms the person was worse off in the end. I carry bear spray pretty much all the time when I'm fishing because I see it as a multipurpose tool. I've seen rangers use it on bison and think it would work for moose as well. I also think it would slow down a human attacker because it hurts, I know. I fell on my bear spray once and punctured it. I was pretty lucky most of it got on my hands and they just felt warm but I managed to get it on my upper lip some how and holy crap did my lip throb for about 45 minutes.
Most likely though you wont see it coming and wont have much time to react so either one might not do you a bit of good. I don't worry a whole lot about it though. I choose to get in my car everyday and drive. I'm in much more danger there than I am in the woods.
I have emptied old cans of bear spray and it doesn't get on you but if you had to spray it in to the wind it probably would. When I sprayed it it goes out about thirty feet and about 6 feet wide so you wouldn't have to be as accurate as with a pistol.
Here is a video that shows how fast it can happen. This dude was like Wild Bill Hickok with how fast he drew his gun. I'm afraid I probably would have been bear bait that day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuYs8Dnef3s
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Most likely though you wont see it coming and wont have much time to react so either one might not do you a bit of good. I don't worry a whole lot about it though. I choose to get in my car everyday and drive. I'm in much more danger there than I am in the woods.
I have emptied old cans of bear spray and it doesn't get on you but if you had to spray it in to the wind it probably would. When I sprayed it it goes out about thirty feet and about 6 feet wide so you wouldn't have to be as accurate as with a pistol.
Here is a video that shows how fast it can happen. This dude was like Wild Bill Hickok with how fast he drew his gun. I'm afraid I probably would have been bear bait that day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuYs8Dnef3s
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