# Trip to Alaska: Do we need a gun? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 21, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trip-to-alaska-do-we-need-a-gun/686610 "2014-04-21T14:46:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trip-to-alaska-do-we-need-a-gun/686610/41 "2014-04-22T19:01:39Z")
If the grizzly is already charging you, you’re probably dead no matter what you do. You’ll have slightly better chances with the pepper spray than with a gun, but you’re still pretty much screwed. The smart idea is to never get into that situation in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trip-to-alaska-do-we-need-a-gun/686610/42 "2014-04-22T20:08:01Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > Okay then… a huge Grizzly bear… one of the most feared bears on earth… is charging at me… I’m going to spray him with bear spray and stop him in is tracks? > > :dubious::dubious::dubious::dubious: It’s a crap shoot. There have been stories of bears rolling in the stuff much like a dog does. About the only thing one can do is to drop to the ground, curl in a ball, and try to protect the back of his neck. But bear attacks are rare. I lived in Alaska for a total of 30 years and never had a bear encounter other than at [Katmai National Park](http://www.nps.gov/katm/index.htm), but then that’s the reason people go there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trip-to-alaska-do-we-need-a-gun/686610.md?page=2)