# Do you really think you'd be able to stop, and freeze when confronted by a Grizzly? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726 "2005-08-05T16:06:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/1 "2005-08-05T16:06:47Z")
From the [Bear Pepper Spray](http://www.udap.com/safety.htm) website. This is what to do when encountering a bear in the wild: > [@](#): > > Stand your ground - do not turn your back on the bear - sometimes a bear will bluff charge several times. Have your UDAP Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray ready, but do not spray unless you are sure the bear is close enough to spray in the face. > • Look for signs of agitation and aggression - When a bear is standing on its hind legs, it is usually just trying to get a better look and smell of you. When a bear is upset it may have it’s ears back- it may lower it’s head and swing it from side to side- it may paw at the ground- it may make huffing or woofing noises- it may snap it’s teeth- or not show any signs at all, and just drop and charge with no warning. > • Back away slowly, speaking in a calming, monotone voice - you want to show the bear that you are being submissive and want to get out of “It’s” territory. Do not turn your back and always have your Pepper Power ready. > • If the bear comes at you - spray the UDAP Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray aiming for the bear’s face or spray a fog out that the bear has to run through to get to you. Granted this is the bear spray side of what to do when encountering a bear. Other sites such as [this](http://www.direct.ca/cabc/) British Columbia Website are extremely informative. They say yelling is the last thing you should do and manytimes a yell will provoke an attack. My question is about courage. What do you think you would actually do if confronted suddenly by a large bear? Climb the nearest tree? Curl up and put your hands behind your neck? Run like hell? What do you actually think you’d do? Personally, I own a large pepper spray bottle with holster, and I carry my Glok 40 at all times when hiking. I know it sounds like overkill, but I know I’d be your best friend if we were hiking and ran into a bear or mountain lion or the like. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/2 "2005-08-05T16:11:53Z")
You know you could hit that bear a couple of times with that Glock and just piss him off, right? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/3 "2005-08-05T16:18:10Z")
A guide in Alaska told me that bear pepper spray will slow a grizzly down for a minute, after which the bear’s curiousity leads to the bear wanting to check out the spray and the sprayer. He told me that he and his coworkers thought bear mace was a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Can_Handle_the_Truth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/4 "2005-08-05T16:24:59Z")
**Do you really think you’d be able to stop, and freeze when confronted by a Grizzly?** That would be the only option for me – I can’t run. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/5 "2005-08-05T16:28:07Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > You know you could hit that bear a couple of times with that Glock and just piss him off, right? Yeah, I know, but it keeps my wife and I a little at ease when camping in the north woods. Both of us carry the same side arm, and if the spray didn’t work we’d probably get mauled whilst unloading 30 rounds into the beast. > [@vetbridge](#): > > A guide in Alaska told me that bear pepper spray will slow a grizzly down for a minute, after which the bear’s curiousity leads to the bear wanting to check out the spray and the sprayer. He told me that he and his coworkers thought bear mace was a joke. I’ve actually heard some very promising info on the bear pepper spray. Mainly the info centers around wild bears being more sensitive to the spray than the habituated bear sitting on your porch. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/6 "2005-08-05T16:46:21Z")
Bear spray sounds pretty last resort to me (I would much rather have the glock.) If it’s close enough for the spray to actually come into contact with it’s eyes and flesh, you’re already in swiping distance. And even if the bear immediately puts on the brakes, you’re still going to have a half a ton of pissed off mammal crashing into you. The sound, pain, and the “non-budgingness” of the shooter may very well be enough to get the bear to do a turn about before he gets to you. (But keep firing.) Personally, I would stand up to the bear. But I grew up in the woods and so believe that facing up to the animal is the only way to survive to a sufficient extent that it would indeed be my emergency response. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/7 "2005-08-05T16:56:22Z")
Well, having encountered a few bears, sadly I can report that every time I turned and ran away screaming like a scared little girl. Good for me they were brown bears, which are considerably more docile. The only grizzly I’ve been within spitting distance of was on a lower switch back of a hiking trail I was on - we just waited until we saw which way she was headed, and headed in the opposite direction, which worked fine. While waiting, we were as quiet as church mice. I think if I walked around a corner and there was a grizzly standing right there, I would probably pee my pants, to be totally honest. And then perhaps climb a tree if that was an option. Standing and freezing probably wouldn’t happen tho… ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/8 "2005-08-05T17:08:43Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > You know you could hit that bear a couple of times with that Glock and just piss him off, right? That was my thought too, **Bricker**. Heck, even my .44 mag isn’t going to do much to stop an angry bear. [Hijack-angry bear story] A friend of mine was out hunting in upstate PA one day and spotted some cubs rolling and playing. Bud stopped and watched them with amusement until he heard the sow start growling and making racket. He had the unfortunate luck of being in between her and the cubs. :eek: Adrenaline convinced his 60+ year old body that he was back in high school on the track team, and he ran. Past the cabin. Down the road. Halfway to town. Thankfully for him, Ma Bear gave up the pursuit, and he was able to relate the event at the firehouse. 😉 [/hijack-abs] ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/9 "2005-08-05T17:09:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Do you really think you’d be able to stop, and freeze **when** confronted by a Grizzly? Don’t you mean IF? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/10 "2005-08-05T17:15:49Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Don’t you mean IF? I thought _when_ would be a little mor poignant. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/11 "2005-08-05T17:31:10Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > You know you could hit that bear a couple of times with that Glock and just piss him off, right? The people who recovered Timothy Treadwell’s body killed a bear with a [handgun](http://sleepless.blogs.com/george/2003/10/bear_killed_wit.html) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/12 "2005-08-05T18:21:49Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > The people who recovered Timothy Treadwell’s body killed a bear with a handgun. A Glock, no less. Why won’t a handgun stop a bear? Too small a caliber? Not enough power to penetrate the skin? Takes too long for a bear to bleed to death? Is there a difference between types of bear? Grizzly versus brown versus black? Surely, a .454 Casull would do the trick. Too big to be handy while hiking? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/13 "2005-08-05T18:30:13Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > I thought _when_ would be a little mor poignant. It’s just that I have done a fair bit of hiking in areas where grizzlies are known to live. The closest I have ever come to a bear, and I don’t know if it was a grizz or not, was paw prints in fresh snow. I could live happily live without coming across one in the wild. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/14 "2005-08-05T18:34:19Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > A Glock, no less. > > Why won’t a handgun stop a bear? Too small a caliber? Not enough power to penetrate the skin? Takes too long for a bear to bleed to death? > > Is there a difference between types of bear? Grizzly versus brown versus black? > > Surely, a .454 Casull would do the trick. Too big to be handy while hiking? Yes. 😃 Bears are big, mean, big, fast, big and smelly. The average Joe with a handgun isn’t going to be able to 1) place his shots where they will do the most good, 2) penetrate the bears carcass to hit something that will shut it down immediately, and 3) get 1 & 2 done before said bear mauls him. Grizzlies are freaking huge! I’ve lived in Alaska. I always wore bells when hiking, and ate kimchee. My bear-gun was a Marlin .45-70 rifle. A Casull with a scope can be used when hunting bear. But what do you use when the bear is hunting **you**? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/15 "2005-08-05T18:35:28Z")
All the times I’ve encountered bears except once I’ve done the right thing. The exception was when a yearling grizz appeared around the corner of a tent 10’ away from me. I know this because the tent was 10’ long, and I was at one corner and the bear was at the other. Apparently that’s inside my “fight or flight” radius, because when I next had a coherent thought I was 100’ away on top of a trailer. Wrong response, though fortunately the bear didn’t take after me. Pure instinctual hard-wired response, it was. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/16 "2005-08-05T18:36:00Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Is there a difference between types of bear? Grizzly versus brown versus black? A Grizzly is a subspecies of brown bear. A Kodiak is another subspecies of brown. Browns tend to be bigger than blacks, with longer claws and the shoulder hump with all the muscles for digging. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/17 "2005-08-05T18:37:42Z")
What, and not wet my pants? Well, I know for sure I couldn’t outrun him. Not even if he’s just playing. Backing away slowly and not being confrontational seems like a sensible thing to do. Using a gun, pepper spray a pointy stick… anything really in a pinch is better than nothing. Having a friend with you who’s a slower runner is probably the best defense strategy. As the joke goes, you’d only have to outrun him, not the bear. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/18 "2005-08-05T18:38:34Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] Why won’t a handgun stop a bear? Too small a caliber? Not enough power to penetrate the skin? Takes too long for a bear to bleed to death?QUOTE] It isn’t going to just drop when you shoot it. You have to penetrate the skull or the spinal cord if you want it to just drop dead, or major organs if you want it to bleed to death in a reasonable time, or maybe a shot to a shoulder or leg to slow it down (I am not a hunter, just guessing on that one). A pistol will have less penetration than a rifle, and it takes more skill to properly place a shot with a pistol. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/19 "2005-08-05T18:40:28Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > A Casull with a scope can be used when hunting bear. But what do you use when the bear is hunting **you**? Wot? Like in Russia? 😃 sorry, couldn’t resist. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726/20 "2005-08-05T18:42:31Z")
I might be the only fool in this thread contemplating _going_ bear hunting this year. With my brand new .45-70 rifle and a .50 cal. Ruger sidearm. And someone to watch my back/identify my remains. Don’t think I’ll be taking pepper spray though. Unless it’s for the chili. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-think-youd-be-able-to-stop-and-freeze-when-confronted-by-a-grizzly/315726.md?page=2)