# The bear spray thread **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2025, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193 "2025-06-04T12:40:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/41 "2025-06-06T11:37:18Z")
Sort of off topic, but an air horn (that we bought for bears) does a fine job to scare off wood peckers. Had a problem on attacking out house. Haven’t seen it in days. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2025, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/42 "2025-06-08T10:06:08Z")
Maybe you have bugs living in your walls and the woodpeckers just want a meal. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2025, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/43 "2025-06-08T10:55:21Z")
I’m sure it’s that or they are trying to build a nest or something. I would rather they did not do this by attacking my siding. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2025, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/44 "2025-06-08T11:10:23Z")
I’d have a pest control professional look at it. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/45 "2025-06-09T22:07:19Z")
Took holidays last week and was out hiking by myself in the front ranges. I called out lots and took bear spray and a flare pen launched bear banger (I don’t think those are available in the US). Ive mentioned the story here before of my friend that was attacked years ago at liard hot springs. He has had lots of correspondence with experts in the field. His choice of tools while hiking is regular loud call-outs, an air horn, and bear spray. The air horn is used to scare off a bear that yelling and noise making has not deterred. I really doubt it would provoke a bear, much rather have it as a deterrance tool than not. My feeling on the bear spray is that it is an absolute last resort because I am sure that some of it is going to come my way and with my asthma and lung issues it would likely take me out too. Luckily in what bear encounters I have had yelling and making noise has always been sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/46 "2025-06-15T10:42:02Z")
I don’t know what it is with bears and car break-ins around here. Just noticed a bear tried to break into my plow truck. Scratched the door up pretty good. There is no food or trash or anything in the truck except tow straps. 🤷‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/47 "2025-06-15T11:52:24Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > One thing I would question / doubt is whether anyone selling a used canister has actually used any of it. The larger cans are not one-shot items. But I’d not want to buy one thinking it was 100% full when it was not. Lotta ways for a partly used can to lose a lot more pressure / propellant than payload. So it weighs near the label weight, but it’s a semi-dud when you need it. Oops. [I can imagine how that could be a problem.](https://i.imgur.com/PASYeR2.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/48 "2025-06-17T01:49:15Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Sounds like many of those rangers are not smarter than the a-ver-age bear. Was this by any chance Jellystone park? 😉 Close. it was Glacier (different end of Montana, LOL). ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/49 "2025-06-17T01:50:26Z")
> [@FluffyBob](#): > > Luckily in what bear encounters I have had yelling and making noise has always been sufficient. The best solution, really, is to only hike with a friend who can’t run very fast. “You can’t outrun that bear!” “I don’t need to outrun the bear, I just need to outrun YOU!” ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/50 "2025-06-17T01:58:34Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > There is no food or trash or anything in the truck except tow straps Bear: “well, he SAYS that…” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/51 "2025-06-17T02:33:05Z")
Second Bear; “He would say that, of course.” ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/52 "2025-06-17T04:41:19Z")
It could be one of these three families of bears that appear to have … other interests for human goods! > **[https://preview.redd.it/34h6ty9tzfg61.png?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp...](https://preview.redd.it/34h6ty9tzfg61.png?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=c35d20759142d4011c1c17ccce58f2d2de1ab9e5)** [if it doesn’t load, it’s a cheap shot at the Charmin Bears] ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193/53 "2025-06-17T11:43:06Z")
Nope, not Charmin bears. It’s those damned cheerful Care Bears. Who care very deeply about what’s in your Car. They also suck at reading; their eyesight isn’t so good. Care / Car; it’s all the same to them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bear-spray-thread/1019193.md?page=2)