Okay, here's a good one for those of us who keep peanut butter in the car.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Bear+crashes+into+trees/3327149/story.html

Here's an article with a photo of the bear in the car. Look at all the debris around him!

I wonder if insurance covers that, or if it's considered 'an act of God's bears'?

Sue

On the bright side the bear did 'leave a present' on the driver's seat. That's probably bear etiquette version of a thank-you card. A little note that reads: 'Thank-you for the wonderful time, the meal was grand and the ride was fun. We should do this again some time'.

YOU HAVE STOLEN MY LUNCH FOR THE LAST TIME!

After reading about some of the bear encounters lately, I found this article. I've always seen the responses broken out between black vs brown bears, not a defensive vs agressive.

An interesting read: http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/downloads/BearAttack.pdf

Another article worth reading: http://www.nps.gov/glac/parknews/news10-05.htm

Best information I've read on Bear Spray vs. Firearms on bears:

"Between 2005 and 2009, park visitation totaled 9,835,188. During that timeframe, three visitors were injured by grizzly bears in Glacier. Bear spray was not used by any of those three individuals. Glacier managers agree with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks’ statement: "If you are armed, use a firearm only as a last resort. Wounding a bear, even with a large caliber gun, can put you in far greater danger."

"According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) investigations of human-bear encounters since 1992, persons encountering grizzlies and defending themselves with firearms suffered injury about 50% of the time. During the same period, persons defending themselves with pepper spray escaped injury most of the time and those that were injured experienced shorter duration attacks and less severe injuries.

"Other researchers have come to the same conclusions. According to the USFWS, Canadian bear biologist / bear conflict expert Dr. Stephen Herrero, a person’s chance of incurring serious injury from a charging grizzly doubles when bullets are fired versus when bear spray is used. Also, in a study published in the April 2008 Journal of Wildlife Management, Tom Smith examined "The Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska." The study showed that in 72 cases where people used bear pepper spray to defend themselves from bears, the spray stopped bears 92 percent of the time and 98 percent of the people involved were uninjured."

Herrero has authored a very useful book," Bear Attacks, Their Causes and Avoidance." Generally a poorly maintained and sloppy camp is a factor in bear encounters. He provides a very reasonable, non-emotional discussion of the value of firearms in bear defense. Written in 1985, the discussion of bear spray is rather dated, but the book is still a worthwhile read.

Wow, I didn't realize bear spray was so effective! And probably legal in places you couldn't carry a firearm.

I've hunted and ridden horses in areas where Brown, Black, and Grizzlies have been present. I've been too close for comfort, but no charges. I've almost always had a sufficient firearm with me: sufficient, but not an elephant gun. I'm sold on bear spray because I'm convinced I have a better chance of deploying it effectively when I'm scared spitless, than I do with a handgun or rifle.

On a close-in charging bear you will have a very small effective target area for a bullet (I recall a conversation with one guide when I told him "I don't know if I can hit a target that small with this pistol". His response- "Just wait a moment... that target will get a LOT bigger".) With pepper spray you have a much larger target area and you have survivable consequences if you "hit" your buddies (particularly is someone is already dancing with the bear). I favor a cross-chest harness for my bear spray. One thing I've read which is important is that a sprayed bear is quite apt to return, so clear out!

The biggest problem I find with bear spray is that I usually fly to where I'm going to hunt, and there really isn't any way that your bear spray is going to survive TSA if they detect it. They SHOULD leave it alone if it is in your checked luggage.. but don't count on it. The second problem is shelf life: temperature conditions are often harsh, and the unused spray doesn't last forever. What I do is purchase the spray when I get to the hunting area (never been unable to find some) and give it to the guide/cook/wrangler/etc. when I leave. That's money well spent.