Full Can of Bear Spray Used in Fatal Bear Attack

AmmoLand ^ | December 30, 2021 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

On April 15, 2021, Carl Mock was attacked by a grizzly bear, just outside of Yellowstone Park. Mock was an accomplished woodsman and guide. He did not have a firearm with him. He had bear spray.  He used the bear spray but was fatally injured.irected to Montana Fish and Wildlife Morgan Jacobsen, was able to determine bear spray had been used in the incident. Initially, the use of bear spray was reported as unknown by ktla.com:

Mock when attacked had bear spray — a Mace-like deterrent meant to protect against attacks — but officials said they did not know if he managed to use it. Bear spray canisters have safety tabs to prevent them from going off accidentally and the safety tab on Mock’s bear spray was off, Jacobsen said.

Eight months later, the investigation of the incident is over.

Ktvh.com reports the investigation confirms bear spray was used. Although the attack was fatal, the lead investigator, Hillary Cooley, is reported as characterizing the use of bear spray as helpful. From ktvh.com:

Cooley says the incident again shows the need for safety precautions, even close to town. While bear spray helped curtail this attack, carcasses can present a real hazard in grizzly country. 

Another report indicates the full can of bear spray was discharged in the incident. From gohunt.com:

Investigators say he had brought fishing gear and a camera to the closed campground and likely the surprised the grizzly bear around 3:30 p.m. He was able to discharge a full can of bear spray during the attack and call 911 to report where he was. 

The full investigative report makes clear the bear spray was deployed against the grizzly bear during the attack.

[Jewbacca]

Nuke it from orbit. The only way to be sure.

[Caipirabob]

The bear enjoyed it that much. Bear Spray; The condiment of choice in the wilds.

RIP…

[Gay State Conservative]

Hell,I probably would have killed him too if he had sprayed bear spray at *me*!

[Vaquero]

If “ Mock was an accomplished woodsman and guide” he would have had a gun.

A .44 magnum with short barrel is easy to pack. Medium to large caliber rifles are good. A 12 gauge with sabot slugs are devastating at close range. A light short barreled pump is easy to sling and carry

[SauronOfMordor]

>>Bear spray will NOT stop an angry , hungry bear whether its a grizzly or a black bear. Think about it. A thousand bee stings do not stop them from getting honey out of a hive.

Bear spray just makes a hungry bear even more ugly.<<

As you point out, bear spray can discourage a bear who is not strongly motivated. It will NOT discourage a bear who is starving and desperate for food(with you being the desired dinner).

Similarly, a .22 pistol will cause the average mugger to look for easier prey, because nobody enjoys being shot. But it won’t stop an enraged drunk from messing you up.

It all depends on how motivated your opponent is, how willing to ignore pain to get to you.

[Max in Utah]

Speaking of ammo, potent loads with heavy, hard-cast bullets would be helpful in punching through a bear’s skull. Buffalo Bore makes ammo of this sort.

I’ve read that Alaskan guides have been turning to Glock 20s in 10mm for protection. The reasoning is, having more rounds increases the chances of some effective hits.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Karelian Bear Dog will alert you far before you can see a bear - and then harass the bear while you prepare to shoot and seek cover.

[Lurker]

That story amazes me every time I read it.

L

[Bonemaker]

"He did not have a firearm with him."

"Tsk, tsk"

[Candor7]

It all depends on how motivated your opponent is, how willing to ignore pain to get to you.>>>>>>>>>>

With a bear, its genetic.Injured or starving they will kill and eat you.

[dfwgator]

[richardtavor]

I thought that was odd as well. My first thought was that Mock was not eaten because the bear spray made his body taste bad. So, since the body was still there, the attack was curtailed due to poor taste.

[Roccus]

I never go into bear country alone.

I always carry a .22 pistol in bear country.

[Joe Brower]

Heh, beat me to it. Having lived in bear country myself for some years, thinking that ‘bear spray’ would be sufficient against something like a Grizzly is sheer fantasy.

[Theophilus]

Not likely. Bear spray is much loved of the ruling class.

I'm thinking of a great use for bear spray.

[T.B. Yoits]

My first thought was that Mock was not eaten because the bear spray made his body taste bad. So, since the body was still there, the attack was curtailed due to poor taste.

I guess that's the trick; douse yourself in bear spray so bears don't want to eat you. You can use your trail of tears and snot to find your way back out of the woods.

[marktwain]

The bear that killed Mock was guarding a moose carcass. It was not hungry. Grizzly bears are like land mines with variable sensors and random number switches.

Mock was 47 yards from the nearly undetectable moose carcass, and likely 90 yards from the bear when the bear detected him and started the attack.

He probably did not notice the bear until it was 20-30 yards away.

Grizzly bears often stop an attack when the person attacked stops moving. They frequently come back and attack again, if the person starts moving.

[Vaquero]

He made a boo boo.

[TalBlack]

. Mock was an accomplished woodsman and guide. He did not have a firearm with him.

His call but I gotta ask WHY?

[Chickensoup]

.22 wont begin to do it