I recently purchased my first can of bear spray.
Hopefully, it’s my last.
Buying another would mean I had occasion to use it, and although that’s not something I relish, it would offer proof the first can worked.
Upon hearing I was planning a week-long backpacking trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness, a friend suggested I bring along a sawed-off shotgun.
“Lots of grizzlies up there,” he told me. “Lots of grizzlies.”
“I’m packing bear spray,” I said.
My friend laughed.
So did I.
“Good luck,” he said, shaking his head.
A lot of outdoor folk, hunters and horse packers foremost among them, have little confidence in bear spray. Given a choice, they’d prefer a shotgun or hand cannon.
I’d prefer to run. Not that I can outrun a grizzly, but like the old joke goes, I just have to run faster than you.
Unfortunately I don’t have the wheels I used to and I’m the slowest guy on this trip.
Still, I didn’t actually buy the bear spray. My wife did after telling me I couldn’t go on the trip without it.
Had it been left up to me, I would have skipped the spray and packed more food. That can must weigh as much as four bags of jerky.
And I never considered carrying a firearm on the trip. Unless the weapon was in my hands or on my belt ready for a quick-draw it probably wouldn’t do me much good anyway.
I’ve experienced a number of close encounters of the grizzly kind both armed and unarmed. I ran into a pair of young grizzlies a few years ago while elk hunting. They answered my cow call at close range and the big game rifle in my hands offered little comfort as we all stared at each other from 50 feet.
The tree I climbed to avoid a big boar in Yellowstone Park was considerably more comforting than any rifle.
I spotted the grizzly on a game trail through the snow and he charged as soon as I reached for my camera. I climbed like a monkey 20 feet up the closest tree.
Another bear I surprised on an elk carcass in the sagebrush raced off at my approach, then stopped and watched me slowly back downhill away from him.
Had I been packing bear spray in any of those instances, I doubt my behavior would have been much different. But I’m sure the can would have been in my hand.
I’ve read enough stories about charging bears being turned away by pepper spray to believe the stuff works. I just hope I never have to buy that second can.
Parker Heinlein is at pman@mtintouch.net