Steve said(snip): >Bears are a relevant subject to kayaking, and firearms are a relevant subject when dealing with bears.< True enough Steve, but it became a "dead horse" issue on Paddlewise a few years ago, before you joined, as it went on and on and got rather heated. Anyway, I've been mountain biking, hiking, logging and paddling in bear/cougar/wolf country for three decades and I'd only ever consider a weapon in Northern Alaskan waters and/or Polar Bear territory. I do not value my life to such an infinite degree enough to carry weaponry (Canadians can carry legal-sized barrelled weapons). I figure I'm in the animal's territory, and I'd better practice proactive habits. I've paddled with kayakrs who have gone on to write books that include bear encounter stories. I was right there as they freaked out with there fists encounters (the other paddlers). Why so fearful? I usually make some noise, back away, or in most cases make my presence known and _carry on with my business_. I've peacefully co-existed with big mammals for years. In parks I tend to get a bit more concerned with habituated bears in particular, and so will avoid those areas. I use my 327 to drive further afield. :-) As for wilderness, I refuse to live in fear. Should the worst happen, I will be subsumed by nature and that will be the end of it. Fortunately when I'm with other paddlers, I've always been the fastest runner (have medals to prove if from school days). :-) In my original post I brought up the subject of wildlife encounters on Vancouver Island as a precautionary highlight, as I believe paddlers tend to be a bit unruly with gear, food, etc, and often do not hang food thinking the kayak hatches are good enough. Anyway, I'm finished on this subject, other than to say I did get some info on converting 12-gauge flare guns to shoot bear bangers, but apparently it is a very illegal modification. Also, if you are afraid of bears on a kayaking trip, bring along someone who's really into fishing. :-) And, you can always fire off a prayer or two! Doug Lloyd Victoria BC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ "Whatever can be said at all can be said clearly and whatever cannot be said clearly should not be said at all." Ludwig Wittgenstein ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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