Seen this over on BCUSA I thought a few might find it interesting;
https://peachpeak.wordpress.com/2016/05/24/first-blog-post/
https://peachpeak.wordpress.com/2016/05/24/first-blog-post/
First hand account of bear attack
- Thread starter SCOMAN
- Start date
You don't need to go camping.
Just be out on a forest trail and surprise a sow with cubs.
Right on the edge of the city, his dog probably saved the man's life.
Prince George Citizen newspaper front page for 19 May 2016. Prince George, BC.
Just be out on a forest trail and surprise a sow with cubs.
Right on the edge of the city, his dog probably saved the man's life.
Prince George Citizen newspaper front page for 19 May 2016. Prince George, BC.
That's a frightening situation!
I equip myself with bear spray and a knife when traveling in bear country. I keep them beside me in the tent. But I know that, being on the smallish side, there is a limit to how much physical force I can apply to defend myself.
In general, black bears I've encountered retreat from my approach. But it just takes one exception to ruin the rest of your life. I accept this as a low-probability risk whenever I plan a trip. I don't overthink it or let it ruin my fun.
- Woodsorrel
I equip myself with bear spray and a knife when traveling in bear country. I keep them beside me in the tent. But I know that, being on the smallish side, there is a limit to how much physical force I can apply to defend myself.
In general, black bears I've encountered retreat from my approach. But it just takes one exception to ruin the rest of your life. I accept this as a low-probability risk whenever I plan a trip. I don't overthink it or let it ruin my fun.
- Woodsorrel
The bears are habituated to the smell of Bear Spray. It means people and food.
Your food, right down to chewing gum, even deoderant, goes in a pack slung up over a tree branch 30' up and 50+ yards from your tent.
Two sure things can get you killed very quickly here:
1. Get between a sow and her cubs.
2. Stop out of curiosity to examine a dead animal (eg deer) partially covered with leaves and twigs.
In the Prince George case, the man's dog harassed the bear so much that she eventually left.
He admits that he didn't make very much noise so the sow was quite surprised.
You're supposed to really crash through the bush, break lots of twigs & branches.
In the summertime, the visibility is no more than 6' in the forest understorey.
In the wilderness or even on a good logging road, remember that you cannot ride a bicycle fast enough
to get away from a grizz or a black that can sprint at 30-35mph.
Your food, right down to chewing gum, even deoderant, goes in a pack slung up over a tree branch 30' up and 50+ yards from your tent.
Two sure things can get you killed very quickly here:
1. Get between a sow and her cubs.
2. Stop out of curiosity to examine a dead animal (eg deer) partially covered with leaves and twigs.
In the Prince George case, the man's dog harassed the bear so much that she eventually left.
He admits that he didn't make very much noise so the sow was quite surprised.
You're supposed to really crash through the bush, break lots of twigs & branches.
In the summertime, the visibility is no more than 6' in the forest understorey.
In the wilderness or even on a good logging road, remember that you cannot ride a bicycle fast enough
to get away from a grizz or a black that can sprint at 30-35mph.
It looks like he was going after the feet with the socks and the calf, boy they sure smell good, like a ripe old camembert ! Id think washing your feet and the danger zones and spraying yourself with deodrant and your tent with bear mace or ammonia may keep the bear away, it can obviously smell. And maybe a cheese on a rope with a bell on it some way away.
If your going 25 mph on a bike a bear isnt going to chase you they like to stalk things. if your surprised by a bear whilst stationary, getting on a bike and starting to pedal sounds like a good joke !
He? No, she. The sow with cubs. There is no debate, there is no discussion, no argument, she is intent upon killing you as a threat to her cubs.
Our bears can run down galloping horses. Don't try to fake this as they will kill you.
If you look like some silly dork on a bike, you should be an easy kill. Bears judge kill effort.
Come on over. I'll park you in the campsite of your dreams at 23km up the Holmes River valley.
There's space for 6-10 families beside a rushing mountain stream. Flat as water camping sites.
I live in the middle of this. There's stuff that you just don't need to do to stay alive.
Our bears can run down galloping horses. Don't try to fake this as they will kill you.
If you look like some silly dork on a bike, you should be an easy kill. Bears judge kill effort.
Come on over. I'll park you in the campsite of your dreams at 23km up the Holmes River valley.
There's space for 6-10 families beside a rushing mountain stream. Flat as water camping sites.
I live in the middle of this. There's stuff that you just don't need to do to stay alive.
Not sure if spraying your tent with bear spray (it's an industrial strength pepper spray; not mace) is a good idea. If it's strong enough to deter a bear, it's much stronger than the stuff we used at the prison and I wouldn't want to sleep in an enclosed area saturated with that.
Here's a cool video of a bear running through a buffalo herd; not sure exactly what I'd call this move. It's not really chasing or stalking either one. More like an unsuccessful shopping trip https://youtu.be/np9oOcfbXgc
Just to be clear, applying bear spray to anything is a terrible idea! Bear spray is intended to be sprayed directly into the face of the attacking animal. After it retreats, you get yourself clear of the area. This is because as the bear spray dissipates the "interesting" smell will attract other bears.
The rangers at Glacier National Park told me this mildly humorous story of a tourist unfamiliar with the outdoors...
You are not allowed to carry bear spray on airplanes. So many tourists purchase it at the General Store. One woman thought "bear repellent" was like "bug repellent." She maced her own kids! O.M.G.
- Woodsorrel
Yep. Also be advised that "mace" is/was a brand name for cs spray (largely obsoleted by pepper spray now)
Not even allowed to purchase it over here at all, it's a forbidden weapon!
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Having suffered such pain never before experienced, nor I hope ever ever again, from the faintest whiff of Bear Spray carried to me on a rogue faint breeze I strongly suggest that, once you've aimed your spray at the bad guy, you stop breathing and close your eyes for several seconds as you fire and after you've stopped firing. Otherwise you're likely to be in almost a bad state as the bear, particularly if the breeze is in an adverse direction.
FWIW I was wholly debilitated for several minutes afterwards, and was unable to see at all clearly due to the volume of liquid (tears) being produced by my eyes to wash out the spray. There was pain to my facial skin too. From minimal contact.
So, those poor poor kids.
When camping in bear country I take a fixed blade knife and my spray to bed with me. The knife is to create an alternative exit to my tent, and the combination thereof is a last resort. Not yet tested.
The best strategy is to avoid putting yourself in the right place at the right time to be attacked.
I think that the best armament is a good dog or two for their hearing and astounding sense of smell.
Even carrying a tin can and some pebbles as a rattle is better than sneaking around.
I have several(?) cans of bear spray, armband velcro holsters and all.
Everybody agrees that the bears are so fast that keeping the spray in your pack is no better than leaving it at home.
Most of my trips up the side valleys are September - November,
seems I never step out of the vehicle without a shotgun anyway.
I think that the best armament is a good dog or two for their hearing and astounding sense of smell.
Even carrying a tin can and some pebbles as a rattle is better than sneaking around.
I have several(?) cans of bear spray, armband velcro holsters and all.
Everybody agrees that the bears are so fast that keeping the spray in your pack is no better than leaving it at home.
Most of my trips up the side valleys are September - November,
seems I never step out of the vehicle without a shotgun anyway.
I've just started reading a book by Charlie Russell and Maureen Emms. It's about them going to Kamchatka to learn how to live alongside bears. Picked it up when I was in Canada last year.
It's funny how the conventional advice is to "make sure you're upwind of the bear before deploying your spray." It conjures the cartoon-like image of calling "timeout" on the charging bear so that you can walk around it to stand upwind.
I can't imagine what you went through, bearbait. It sounds horrible.
They make special "wipes" that can counter the effect of the spray. I never carry them with me. But now you've got me thinking...
What you say makes sense, Robson Valley. Avoiding the situation seems like the best thing to do.
I need some convincing about the dog, though. There have been several cases where the dog wandered off, found the bear, got it angry, and fled right back to you-know-who with an angry bear on its tail.
A local state park near me celebrates one such story every Halloween. An early settler perished while hunting when his dog antagonized a Grizzly. Grizzlies have been extirpated from my area, but there is actually some rumblings about reintroducing them. We'll see how far that goes...
- Woodsorrel
Like I said earlier, bear spray is just a concentrated form of pepper spray. The only thing that "counters" its effects is copious amounts of clean water (get to an eyewash or emergency shower in town or soak in the creek in the woods) Short of that, you just have to wait for it to wear off (facing upwind helps, but no much)
Just like you did when you went through chem warfare training (military) or chemical weapons training (cops & corrections) only the bear spray is waaaaay stronger.
santaman2000, thank you for saving me from making a mistake! I was thinking that the Sudecon wipes would help in this situation. But you are absolutely correct. Flushing the eyes is the only treatment. The wipes only work for exposed skin.
Thanks for the correction!
- Woodsorrel
Good dogs will let you know about the bears. Stupid dogs want a fight. Leave them at home.
I had one of each.
Any of you who want to test your theories are most welcome to come and try.
Write your Last Will and Testament.
I'll be happy to collect you and your kit at YXS. You're lost if you don't understand that.
I'll park you in the camp site of your dreams (and mine) at 23km, up the Holmes River Valley.
Lots of prime Grizz habitats which are defined as +/- 100m of an avalanche track, facine south.
While I'm not about to set you up as bear bait, you'd better think long and hard about survival.
I had one of each.
Any of you who want to test your theories are most welcome to come and try.
Write your Last Will and Testament.
I'll be happy to collect you and your kit at YXS. You're lost if you don't understand that.
I'll park you in the camp site of your dreams (and mine) at 23km, up the Holmes River Valley.
Lots of prime Grizz habitats which are defined as +/- 100m of an avalanche track, facine south.
While I'm not about to set you up as bear bait, you'd better think long and hard about survival.
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