Re: [Paddlewise] Bear Bags

Mike wrote:

>A magnum rifle will work against a bear, but the handgun doesn't have the
>stopping power -

Let me take a moment to expand my orginal comments

First I learned from the Tlingits that the best way to handle a bear is to
talk to it.This lets the bear know you are there and that you are human.
With one exception in the many bears I have encountered this does work. The
one exception was a polar bear, but that is a bear of a different color.
(ha-ha) Most bears really don't want anything to do with humans and will
seek to escape.
    If a bear is hostile I much prefer the spray which does work on
grizzlies. I talked once to a 70 year old woman at Tenekee Springs Alaska
whose dog had chased a bear cub, which ran to momma bear, who then chased
the dog back to the woman. The woman fired the spray and said the bear went
down like it had hit a wall.
    However on a windy day the spray is useless except that is might flavor
you up for the bear!

The primary porpose for the pistol is to be used as a noise maker. The
sudden loud noise will often change a bear's behavior causing it to stop for
a second thinking about hunger and instead thinking about escape.

I have never in 15 years of paddling in Alaska had to use a gun because of a
bear and I pray I never have too because I love bears and thrill at seeing
them!
    However each year in Alaska we have someone killed by bears. Suprizingly
more are killed by black bear than by Griz. The Griz sees you as a rival and
attacks to dominate you. Once you are down usually the bear will leave you
alone so play dead, very dead. The black bear though sees you as food and
attacks to have lunch! Most of the attacks in Alaska have been by starving
black bears. The new way of think uphere is that if you are attacked by a
griz play dead , if you are attacked by a black bear then fight for you
life. If you don't know the difference, stay home.

Having said that Will is certainly right in saying...
"We cannot specifically predict ursine behavior, nor can we suggest with any
certainty that
our response to a bear encounter will or won't influence a bear's response
to our presence."
It is the unpredictable bear that I want to be ready for....

Push come to shove I would use a gun if i had too. Whether the .357 would be
enough depends on a lot of factors including luck.
I have carried shotguns before loaded with slugs but they weight a lot and
take up a lot of room so i prefer the pistol.
Oh, I am also a gun control advocate.

By the way I fully agree with Mike...
>The best defence against a bear is to avoid contact - clean campsites are
>the way to go.


Bob
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