Bear Spray Doesn’t Work!

 

That’s right, we’ve been lied to and propagandized… shocker! Recent information regarding the efficacy of bear spray to deter ursine attacks reveals that even when deployed correctly, bear spray is only effective one third of the time. Proof of that is the tragedy of the hiker in Glacier National Park earlier this summer who was killed by a grizzly bear despite reports claiming that his bear spray had been deployed. There are a lot of other word of mouth stories about how bears charge directly through bear spray and still attack, the case of Todd Orr of Ennis, Montana comes to mind. He sprayed sow grizzly and she attacked him not once but twice over the course of about an hour.

The information compiled in the original bear spray studies reveals that spray is highly effective at deterring “curious” grizzlies but not so much when the bears are in full charge. Interestingly, those studies also show that black bears are highly unaffected by bear spray. Hmmm. 

Both studies are discussed in this article and I’d recommend you read it and this linked Facebook post by the same author. Interesting information! 

So then, what is the best deterrent for saving your skin from an attacking bear? Firearms. Boasting numbers that show up to 98% efficacy against bears, a firearm, and more importantly, the skilled deployment of a firearm is your best bet. 

I’ve written before that simply carrying a firearm doesn’t mean you can use it to save yourself. You must be able to deploy it quickly and shoot it accurately under incredible duress. Most of us overestimate our skill levels in many areas of life but I’ve found that to be especially true when it comes to the proficient use of a firearm, handguns specifically. 

This has already been a bad year for bear attacks and it’s ramping up to be even worse with hunting seasons on the horizon. Most parts of the West are severely lacking in natural food sources for bears this year, forcing bruins to wander far and wide in search of calories and become more brazen with humans. 

Red Lodge, Montana in particular is experiencing a black bear problem right in town as just last week a person was stalked in broad daylight and likely only saved by folks who noticed what was happening and came to her aid to dissuade the bear. 

I’ve personally never seen black bears as bold as they are this summer and both grizzlies and black bears are being reported in places beyond what’s normal, including only a mile or two from my house in wide open farm country. There was a fatality from a black bear last week in New Mexico, normally very unusual, this is becoming more commonplace. 

So, what can be done? I’d recommend brushing up on your defensive pistol skills in the days and weeks before a hunt, hunt in groups when possible and avoid heavy cover when possible as bear encounters turn into attacks with the highest frequency when cover is thick and visibility is limited. Keep a clean camp at all times, hang your food at night and when away from camp during the day, or store it inside a locked vehicle or camper, and… buy a bear tag! 

Most tags for black bears in the West are OTC, there is zero excuse to not have a tag in your pocket. Of course grizzly bears cannot be hunted in the Lower 48 yet, but black bears seasons often run concurrently with other big game seasons. Be sure to check quotas before going afield but definitely buy that tag. 

I always carry all the tags I can for bears, cougars and wolves even though my hunts are almost exclusively focused on elk and deer in the fall. I’ve had a few opportunities at bears and lions that I couldn’t capitalize on because I didn’t buy a tag or didn’t have it with me. I vowed that would never happen again and next time I’d be prepared to make the most of the opportunity. 

Enjoy your hunts this fall but keep your head on a swivel, it’s likely to be wild out there this year.