Well ill be camping in Colorado for 2 and 1/2 months this summer, and was interested in getting some bear mace, or a high power, long range pepper spray that would detour most wild animals.(or really wild people). Didnt know if anyone had any suggestions or experience with pepper spray like this.:thumbup:
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Bear Mace!!
- Thread starter jarlaxle
- Start date
If you use modern methods and practices for bear safety you will be fine. Black bears can often be made to run away by simply yelling at them. But regardless you should use bear canisters and be careful with food near camp. It is often best in bear country to cook and eat in one spot and camp in another.
Traditionally good suggestion, but some recent research suggests that bear bells don't work. In fact, the opposite may be true: in some experiments, the sound seemed to actually attract the bears due to their curiosity about what they were hearing.
I personally carry Guard Alaska bear pepper spray with me when I'm out, but I've never had to use it. I think it's the only spray approved by the EPA for all species of bear if I'm not mistaken.
If you want to see a slightly cheesy video that shows bear pepper spray in action at the end, check out the one on the homepage of www.udap.com ("bear attack video")
Check with the Park Service regarding bear concerns.
I watched Bear Grylis in the Rockies last night. He was in a debris shelter with what he was certain was a bear, probably a grizzly walking around his camp. He hunkered down, then abandoned his site in the middle of the night. Bet he would have liked to have bear pepper spray.
I carry spray sometimes when I know there are potential concerns. If nothing else I feel better. Having said that I think the possibility of attack is generally remote in most areas.
One long Alaskan study I read found that the spray was generally more effective than firearms.
Following are a few sources.
http://www.counterassault.com/index.html
http://www.udap.com/product.htm
I watched Bear Grylis in the Rockies last night. He was in a debris shelter with what he was certain was a bear, probably a grizzly walking around his camp. He hunkered down, then abandoned his site in the middle of the night. Bet he would have liked to have bear pepper spray.
I carry spray sometimes when I know there are potential concerns. If nothing else I feel better. Having said that I think the possibility of attack is generally remote in most areas.
One long Alaskan study I read found that the spray was generally more effective than firearms.
Following are a few sources.
http://www.counterassault.com/index.html
http://www.udap.com/product.htm
There are probably no Grizzly bears in Colorado, although it's possible in the far north I suspect.
Black bears are curious animals, rarely agressive towards people, but can be pests if allowed to eat human food even once. I'd be especially cautious if a bear returns to your campsite repeatedly after being chased off or isn't easily chased off - I'd move to a new campsite if that happens.
I've never carried mace, but it's not a terrible idea if you find a product with good evidence for effectiveness.
Also, if you follow standard bear country precautions, any unnatural encounters will be very rare. Cook and eat away from where you sleep. Hang food and any other scented items in a tree away from where you sleep. Keep a clean camp. And don't use soap or deodorant before going to bed.
It's really the bears that are in danger, not people. "A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear." Once bears are no longer afraid of people or associate food with people, they have to be destroyed. Unfortunately it's sloppy car campers, RVers, and local homeowners that create the problems, putting both backpackers and bears in danger.
As far as wearing bells while hiking, that's completely unnecessary in black bear country, and rather silly. If you're hiking along and come across a bear, they'll be busy doing natural bear things, and the encounter will be a rare treat. Do you blow air horns while hiking in Illinois to avoid seeing deer or turkeys? If you don't want to see wildlife while visiting the wilderness, perhaps a trip to the theatre or city park would be more to your liking.
-Bob
Black bears are curious animals, rarely agressive towards people, but can be pests if allowed to eat human food even once. I'd be especially cautious if a bear returns to your campsite repeatedly after being chased off or isn't easily chased off - I'd move to a new campsite if that happens.
I've never carried mace, but it's not a terrible idea if you find a product with good evidence for effectiveness.
Also, if you follow standard bear country precautions, any unnatural encounters will be very rare. Cook and eat away from where you sleep. Hang food and any other scented items in a tree away from where you sleep. Keep a clean camp. And don't use soap or deodorant before going to bed.
It's really the bears that are in danger, not people. "A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear." Once bears are no longer afraid of people or associate food with people, they have to be destroyed. Unfortunately it's sloppy car campers, RVers, and local homeowners that create the problems, putting both backpackers and bears in danger.
As far as wearing bells while hiking, that's completely unnecessary in black bear country, and rather silly. If you're hiking along and come across a bear, they'll be busy doing natural bear things, and the encounter will be a rare treat. Do you blow air horns while hiking in Illinois to avoid seeing deer or turkeys? If you don't want to see wildlife while visiting the wilderness, perhaps a trip to the theatre or city park would be more to your liking.
-Bob
The last confirmed sighting of a Grizzly Bear in Colorado was 1979.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/SpeciesOfConcern/Mammals/GrizzlyBear.htm
I'm not calling Mr. Grylis a purposeful liar, but identifying a bear's species in the dark in the middle of the night with no lights... I call bullshit on that.
-Bob
http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/SpeciesOfConcern/Mammals/GrizzlyBear.htm
I'm not calling Mr. Grylis a purposeful liar, but identifying a bear's species in the dark in the middle of the night with no lights... I call bullshit on that.
And by creating unnecessary noise, you won't gain the best wishes of your fellow backpackers.
-Bob
Thanks for the link that's exactly the type of spray i was lookin for:thumbup:
Ill be a white water guide in Buena Vista. 17 out of 18 :thumbup: :thumbup: thats awsome. I plan on taking on Mt. Princeton, and Mt. Elbert. hopefully a few more. If you're Buean Vista check out American Adventure Expedition they are a great raft company with excellent guides
and a great deal.Just to clarify: The Bear Grylis program was him in the Rockies. It did not specify Colorado. I do not recall it ever stating where he was. He did not see a bear but later found some huge tracks. Anyways, it is a TV show.
Sounds great. You're going to have a blast, if you didn't already know that.
I've stayed in Selida before while motorcycle touring. I really liked it - like a small college town, but no college.
If you get down to New Mexico, the highest point here is Wheeler Peak, at 13-something.
-Bob
I've stayed in Selida before while motorcycle touring. I really liked it - like a small college town, but no college.
She's done 17 or 18; there are actually over 50 of them. I know she's done some peaks in that area you're headed - Yale perhaps.
If you get down to New Mexico, the highest point here is Wheeler Peak, at 13-something.
-Bob
Hi, Bear Grylls here again, and I have a terrific new product for you. The Bear Distracter. That's right, the Bear Distracter. If you ever meet up with a bear, just take out the Bear Distracter open the top and throw. The bear will be distracted and you can run to a 60-foot cliff and jump. Sure it looks like an ordinary pen, but here is the brilliant part. It is filled with honey, and we all know how much bears like honey.
I wish I had this when I was in a debris shelter in the Rockies. I heard a noise in the camp and it wasn’t any of the dozen members of the nearby film crew. I was really scared. It could have been anything, including a bear. That’s when it hit me to develop this product. Now you too can be prepared to distract a bear, but you must call TODAY!
I wish I had this when I was in a debris shelter in the Rockies. I heard a noise in the camp and it wasn’t any of the dozen members of the nearby film crew. I was really scared. It could have been anything, including a bear. That’s when it hit me to develop this product. Now you too can be prepared to distract a bear, but you must call TODAY!
Bear spray isn't a bad idea as a last resort. Just one word of warning: don't use it as a repellant ie don't spray it on a perimeter on a food pack etc to keep the bears. It actually attracts them (I've seen this more than once) If you don't get them in the eyes or nose, it's worse than useless.
There are few reasons to worry about bears here (in Colo.); the only times when they have come into our camp (in the last 20 years or so) was when people, that were with, did not practice good bear awareness techniques and either left food scented trash/grease/leftovers about or left food scented coolers where the bear could get to them. I have seen bears hurrying to get by camp (about 50 yards away).
By all means get the bear spray, it may come in handy for idiots and their aggressive dogs.
Enjoy!
By all means get the bear spray, it may come in handy for idiots and their aggressive dogs.
Enjoy!