The bear spray thread

[robby]

You bring up some great questions!

FWIW, I started a thread last year about bear spray being a superior alternative to firearms against aggressive bears.

Carrying firearms for defense against an aggressive bear?

In this post over in this thread, @Broomstick said the following: I have guns, too, but would not use them in self-defense against a bear. The vast majority of firearms are simply not that effective against an attacking or charging bear. The way to safely take on a bear with a firearm is at a distance with a high-powered rifle. A bear attack, on the other hand, is by definition at a much closer range such that a rifle is difficult or impossible to use. And the vast majority of handguns are fa…

In my case, I borrowed bear spray from the person I was visiting in Alaska to carry on my hikes. Obviously this isn’t an option if you don’t know anyone there, though.