Posted on 05/25/2019 2:33:59 PM PDT by marktwain
-(Ammoland.com)- When various far-left ecology and animal rights groups such as the Sierra Club, the Humane Society of the United States, the Center for Biological Diversity, submitted a petition, calling for the mandatory carry of bear spray by hunters, it made national news. The petition was submitted to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission and others. The petition claimed that Studies show that bear spray is far more effective than firearms.
The petition was written about in several Idaho outlets, and nationally.
The Commission turned down the request that the carry of bear spray by hunters be mandatory. From lmtribune.com:
The commission turned down a request from environmental groups that it create a rule that would require hunters in grizzly bear habitat near Yellowstone National Park to carry bear spray. Commissioners said the rule would be overbearing and difficult to enforce, and agreed with agency officials who said education about recreating in grizzly bear country would be more effective.
The coverage of the Commission turned down the petition was far less extensive.
Dave Smith, author of Backcountry Bear Basics: The Definitive Guide to Avoiding Unpleasant Encounters, has done significant work explaining how the carry of bear spray by hunters is not effective and can be counterproductive. Dave wrote a letter to the Idaho Fish and Game Department, IFGD, to educate them about the problems involved.
Dave's letter deserves a wider audience. Dave graciously gave permission for me to use it
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Requiring to carry?
A couple more ounces in the tac vest, no big deal.
Requiring to use FIRST?
Very big deal—but that is not what is being proposed.
I saw an episode of Bear Grylls’ show where they used pepper spray to flavor some eggs they found and cooked. A bear might also like a peppery snack, for a change.
I think hunters should be required to carry and use bear spray on insane members of the Sierra Club, the Humane Society of the United States, the Center for Biological Diversity they may encounter.
Then I stand corrected.
Note I did say, as far as I know...
Dean, I love your work!
No worries, FRiend .
I, for one, appreciate his being here.
Hey bear, hey bear, bang, bang, bang, hhissss of bear spray.
Industrial strength dumb idea, especially for brown bears.
Good grief give it a freaking break why don’t you.
Did some Blogger steal your lady or did she leave you for one because you’re always bitching ?
Go have another drink or 10 so you’ll pass back out.
I lived in Alaska prior to the availability of bear spray. I killed a charging black bear in my backyard in Wasilla with a Galil AR in .308 firing 4 rounds into him until the threat was eliminated. There were still 16 rounds left in the mag in case any of his buddies showed up. Then I moved to the Kenai peninsula where I was charged by a brown bear at night in my front yard. I was armed with a flashlight. That was not a good feeling. Managed to escape long enough to retrieve a 12 bore loaded with Brenneke slugs, added a couple of 12 ga. “flash-bang” shells, and shot her in the ass with one of those so that I wouldn’t orphan her cubs. When I was out and about I carried a Marlin 1895 with hot-loaded .45/70 rounds.
Bear spray NO WAY!
When Dean was on the radio show mentioned above, he said that bears are also attracted to the sound of gunfire.
Creepy thought.
(All the more reason to get a suppressor)
Thats because they associate the gunfire as Moose,Elk or Caribou getting killed and its an easy steal for them.
Yep. Dean said it was like a dinner bell to them. The bears know that the sound is associated with at least a gut pile, or a carcass, and come after it.
Or a Bonus of a Hunter with low Situational Awareness.
“... he said that bears are also attracted to the sound of gunfire.”
I think that depends on the area hunted. I knew guys who hunted blacktail deer on Kodiak Island in November-December (yeah, they were crazy) and they switched from guns to archery because shortly after shooting a deer a brown bear would show up to claim it.
My old marlin stainless 4570 with ghost rings is my best friend when out in the wild lands and my backyard.
Too many hunters carry beer spray. Too much jostling will lauch those suds when opening the can. Too dangerous.
“bear spray is far more effective than firearms”
...and for those cases when it is not ‘far more effective’....sorry about your luck.
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