Can you imagine if you were driving a car at 70 mph in traffic and surrounded by heavily loaded trucks when the bear spray lets go? The pucker factor would tend to rise a bit.

Such sprays should be transported with the safety taped or wired down, double-bagged in plastic garbage bags with the air pressed out, perhaps with something absorbent, like towels, in each bag. Cans of spray can also let go if they overheat so keep them as cool as possible.

Many years ago SOP with some military units that carried spray was to keep it in an ammo can bolted to the rear bumper. That way any leaks were down-wind while driving.

Just from curiosity is bear spray as strong as pepper spray or is less strong.

I always thought the only real difference was in how fast the can empties when you trigger it.
Bear spray puts out a big cloud of spray real fast.

IMHO that's a little academic. If you do happen to be attacked by a predator there's probably going to be very little time and checking the wind direction wouldn't be that high on my to-do list.

But I think it's largely a moot point. Even in a small pepper spray can the pressure is so high the stream can easily reach about 12 to 15ft. Bear spray has even better range. Unless there happens to be a tornado coming in your direction whatever attacker you spray within reasonable range is going to get a whole lot more of the nasty stuff in their face than you.

From what training I've done the person using pepper spray is likely to inhale a very little bit no matter what but it's not going to seriously affect you. Also remember, once you start spraying walk back slowly. it will help create some more distance between you and the threat, giving you more opportunity to hit him with everything you've got and it also reduces the chance of getting any of the spray in your face.

The problems I have seen with bear spray have all been from people with no experience using them.
Bear spray is like anything else. You need to practice with it before you need it.

(I might need some more volunteers to act like bears too)

Bear-spray works on any mammal & is stronger than the pepper spray for use against mere humans.

Interesting reading on the subject:
http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/pepperspray/pepperspray.htm

BC boy recovering after being attacked by cougar in Washington state
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090903/national/cougar_attack_7

* In California, from 1986 through 1998, exactly two people died from mountain lion attacks, whereas in one year alone, over 4,000 people died in traffic accidents, including 800 pedestrians. This means that your car or someone else's car is ~2,000 times more likely to kill you than is a mountain lion. (A Detailed Calculation gives the ratio as between 1,150 and 4,300.)

* Over 300 people have been killed by domestic dogs in the U.S. between 1979 and the late 1990s. This means that your family dog or your neighbor's dog is ten times more likely to kill you than is a mountain lion and hundreds of time more likely than is a coyote.

now if by "lightning" the meaning is "fast", then yes, a cougar attack is like lightning. they get you from behind, as previously described - you'll not see it coming.

imho bears are typically seen before an attack - if even for a few seconds.


that's what we carry - upwind / downwind doesn't matter. you're hoping to make a sound louder - and hopefully more intimidating - than they can. deer don't make that sound. you want them to think twice before they commit to trying you for lunch.

"Even in a small pepper spray can the pressure is so high the stream can easily reach about 12 to 15ft. Bear spray has even better range. Unless there happens to be a tornado coming in your direction whatever attacker you spray within reasonable range is going to get a whole lot more of the nasty stuff in their face than you."

A bear can move at speeds up to 35mph. Assuming that the bear will be/stay 12-15 ft away might be an error. If you use it when the bear is close to you, you might well be incapacitated by your own weapon.

I think I'll stick with the air horn. Being temporarily deafened probably won't hinder my speed in leaving the area as having my upper mucous membranes contaminated with pepper.

Another useful weapon would be one of those hand-held marine flares. Also useful as a signalling device and firestarter!

Don't take it as a personal attack, but what you're suggesting here is based on a totally flawed premise. One thing has nothing to do with the other. Virtually everyone is involved in traffic daily. Comparatively VERY few people venture out into mountain lion terrain however and those that do for the most part don't do it on a daily basis. So statistically your principle is unsound because there are naturally going to be far more people hurt in traffic accidents than out in the bush. But that does not necessarily mean your chances of getting mauled by a mountain lion are really that low statistically.

Now your logic would make more sense if you actually knew just how many people on average do enter mountain lion terrain annually, then calculating the percentages.

Nobody is assuming anything. If a bear does charge you at 35mph at short range you're probably toast anyway unless you're sitting in something armor plated weighing at least a few tons. I'm pretty sure most people could hit a moving target with bear spray a lot more consistently than with a firearm, though.

The same goes for incapacitating yourself. It seems to me a lot of people who have reservations about bear spray have never tested it before. I'm not saying it's a be all, end all solution but it does have a very good track effort considering the circumstances. With just a little bit of training I believe most people could use bear spray more effectively in an emergency than a firearm. Other than that, there aren't that many decent options left. Things like axes, knives or flares really belong into the last ditch category IMHO. YMMV.

I agree with you Tom_L, I have used bear spray a few times in training and managed to not contaminate myself. The time I was directly sprayed it was on purpose.

I did hear a story from a co-worker where bear spray was used to deter a bear on a campsite, the spray drifted downwind and the people on a distant campsite took an attack of coughing (not serious in this case).

Mike