Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 >
Topic Options
#115600 - 12/12/07 10:54 AM Tasers for wilderness survival
redflare Offline
Addict

Registered: 12/25/05
Posts: 647
Loc: SF Bay Area, CA
Many parts of the US prohibit carrying firearms in the wilderness. This is particularly true of National Parks.

On the off-chance of being attacked by a bear or some other large creature while camping/backpacking there, do you think its possible to incapacitate them with a Taser?

Anyone's thoughts on this?

Top
#115604 - 12/12/07 11:37 AM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: redflare]
Microage97 Offline
Pack Rat
Member

Registered: 04/21/07
Posts: 138
Loc: St. Paul MN
I am not sure on this one, but I would think that most animals have thick fur that kinda acts like a heavy coat and the barbs might just bounce or skip off of the body.

Dave
_________________________
Even paranoids have enemies.

Top
#115619 - 12/12/07 01:39 PM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: redflare]
norad45 Offline
Veteran

Registered: 07/01/04
Posts: 1506
I think I'd rather have a road flare. smile

Top
#115621 - 12/12/07 01:50 PM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: redflare]
ponder Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 367
Loc: American Redoubt
Originally Posted By: redflare
Many parts of the US prohibit carrying firearms in the wilderness. This is particularly true of National Parks.

On the off-chance of being attacked by a bear or some other large creature while camping/backpacking there, do you think its possible to incapacitate them with a Taser?

Anyone's thoughts on this?



1. Tasers are short range, single shot and require controlled activation. They work well if backed up with a shotgun.
2. I carry a 10" AOW pump shotgun in the pack.
2. Don't ask, don't tell - carry a big bore hand gun.
3. Pepper spray - at least 4 oz.
4. The 15 minute road flare mentioned is not above consideration. At least you will have 15 minutes to get your personal effects in order if the threat is human.
_________________________
Cliff Harrison
PonderosaSports.com
Horseshoe Bend, ID
American Redoubt
N43.9668 W116.1888

Top
#115628 - 12/12/07 02:41 PM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: ponder]
Hacksaw
Unregistered


I don't like tasers. A man died in Vancouver last week after being tasered in an airport. At least with pepper spray you spray and the threat has the option to turn away from the cloud...with a taser the victim just has to sit there and have muscle spasms until you're done or the battery runs out. I like to think the wildlife deserves a bit more respect than that...they were there first. I know some of you are going go into the kill or be killed way of thinking...but it's relatively easy to avoid an animal attack proactively.

Also, carrying pepper spray is legal...I'm not sure about in the US but in Canada a taser is classified as a prohibited weapon and all the same laws and rules apply.

Top
#115634 - 12/12/07 03:01 PM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: redflare]
Eugene Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/26/02
Posts: 2995
Originally Posted By: redflare
Many parts of the US prohibit carrying firearms in the wilderness. This is particularly true of National Parks.


Which is pretty silly, but I thought it was allowed in places, maybe its the national forests, I forget now. I remember seeing all the hunting rules on one of the national web sites.

Top
#115636 - 12/12/07 03:24 PM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: Eugene]
AROTC Offline
Addict

Registered: 05/06/04
Posts: 604
Loc: Manhattan
National Forests allow firearms, National Parks generally don't.

I personally don't see tasers as being particularly useful against wildlife. As ponder pointed out they're short range devices. I don't want to wait until a bear is 15 to 21 feet away. Not to mention they're also around $300 dollars. (Taser C2, 15 foot range, $300-$350 price tag, extra cartrige $25 http://www.taser.com/products/consumers/Pages/default.aspx) Pepper spray is highly effective against bears and doesn't cost nearly as much ($40-50). Pepper spray has about double the range of a taser. (http://www.udap.com/Bearspecifications.htm)

Given the choice between a gun, taser, and bear spray against a bear, I'd chose bear spray.
_________________________
A gentleman should always be able to break his fast in the manner of a gentleman where so ever he may find himself.--Good Omens

Top
#115637 - 12/12/07 03:26 PM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: redflare]
gatormba Offline
Member

Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 136
Loc: Alabama
Interesting question. I certainly would not want to be the test case for your idea but it would be interesting to read the results of the test case or the autopsy report. frown
_________________________
"It's a legal system, not a justice system!"

Top
#115638 - 12/12/07 03:36 PM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: gatormba]
Hacksaw
Unregistered


http://www.boingboing.net/2007/10/26/taser-death-at-vanco.html

Here's an article about it on the guy who died. It links to YouTube as somebody got it recorded...it's pretty disturbing if you ask me.


Top
#115641 - 12/12/07 04:08 PM Re: Tasers for wilderness survival [Re: AROTC]
Eugene Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/26/02
Posts: 2995
Originally Posted By: AROTC
National Forests allow firearms, National Parks generally don't.




I had to go hunt it down, forests if your hunting or have a permit, can't really find anything on the parks web site stating either way. They sure don't make it easy to find.

Top
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 >



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, cliff, Hikin_Jim 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 318 Guests and 5 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
What did you do today to prepare?
by dougwalkabout
03/27/24 11:21 PM
Zippo Butane Inserts
by dougwalkabout
03/27/24 11:11 PM
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Using a Compass Without a Map
by KenK
02/28/24 12:22 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.