“You can bet your life on bear-spray” ~ So say any number of “outdoor experts” seen on TV.
Yet, that proved a fatal fantasy one week ago for a couple hiking in Banff National Park in Canada’s Alberta Provence.
The couple and their dog were attacked and killed by a female grizzly bear. Their partially eaten bodies were found near their campsite by Park Rangers.
The (likely) offending bear was subsequently “euthanized” (ie: “shot”) a short time later by the same team of (heavily-armed) Park Rangers.
A fully-discharged bottle of bear spray was discovered at the scene. The bear was apparently unimpressed!
Lesson 1): The “bear-spray will protect you” fantasy has been sold to naive hikers for years. It may work some time, yet this couple bet their lives on it, and it didn’t.
For one, I don’t like betting my life on things that “usually work,” particularly when they’re gleefully promoted by people who themselves personally never enter the woods unless heavily armed.
Of course, in Canada, legally going armed is all but impossible. After all, bears are protected.
As we see, people aren’t.
When in “bear country,” my advice is always to carry (on your person) a 44-mag revolver loaded with heavy, solid bullets that are going to have sufficient penetration to reach a bear’s vital organs. Even that is on the minimum edge of adequacy when it comes to big, aggressive grizzly bears.
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I’ve never hunted bears, but I did shoot and kill a charging (at me!) Cape Buffalo in Africa, and I used a bolt gun, chambered for a .458 Winchester Magnum Cartridge and loaded with solid copper bullets, made for me by friends at Cor-Bon.
That combination proved decisively adequate. I would not have been comfortable using anything less.
Lesson 2): Be selective with regard to whom you take advice from!
You must ask yourself, “Is this talking head just promoting the ‘party line,’ an agenda-driven fantasy designed only to ‘protect’ bureaucratic careers? Or, is he really interested in the preservation of my, personal good health?”
In most cases, you get what you pay for!
“Free advice is usually overpriced” ~ Charles McKenzie
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor, John Farnam will urge you, based on your beliefs, to make up your mind about what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to ensure that its students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
Excellent article, and I had the same thoughts when the man in Arizona was recently killed by a black bear. The carrying of a gun is scorned and denigrated. But what did Parks Canada do the moment they learned of the attack? They sent people in with guns. They didn’t send their rangers in with cans of spray. They sent them with guns. When the attack is upon you, it is a gun that is needed. Parks Canada knows that, yet they deny the right and miseducate people, and this couple has died.
Again, all “bear spray” does is PlSS 0FF bears.
“When in “bear country,” my advice is always to carry (on your person) a 44-mag revolver loaded with heavy, solid bullets that are going to have sufficient penetration to reach a bear’s vital organs. Even that is on the minimum edge of adequacy when it comes to big, aggressive grizzly bears.”
You should probably read ammoland. Just sayin’.
Some guy over there has been compiling statistics on bear defense and ANY CALIBER handgun is about 98% effective.
My favorite bear spray: H&K MP5 in 10 mm, full auto. If this were a free country and I could actually get one.
Bears are always armed.
Bears almost always have the physical advantage.
It is never recommended that one use spray against an armed attacker unless one backs it up with lethal force.
Interestingly, the more settled campsites in Banff are incredibly protected. When we camped there the whole camp ground was surrounded by heavy 6+ foot fencing (electrified?) with wide cattle type guards at the entrance gate. I see grizzly bears almost every year but the problem, as I see it, is that if you shoot a bear in a national park, even to save your life, the bear huggers will make you wish you’d lost to the grizzly by the time they are done with you. That being said, I carry bear spray backed up by a Redhawk loaded with 325gr… Read more »
If I carried bear spray, it would just be for panhandlers.
I don’t live in grizzley country. Black bears are moving in, still make the news when sighted. So, I would carry my .357 and most likely spray. After the .357, switch to spray. It might make me taste bad enough to discourage the bear.
My bear spray comes in .44 or .45 caliber and if the cans empty most likely the bear will be dead or seriously FUBAR .
Bear spray has many issues! 1. How far away will it spray in good conditions? 2. Is the wind taking it away from the gear? 3. Is the wind making it go back to the user? 4. Is the gear so close that the used will also be impacted? 1. A bullet can reach ou further. 2. A bullet will not normally intact the user. 3. A bullet can still be used when the bear is very close 4. While not ideal, gears have been scared off by gunfire.