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Legalize the Constitution
Picture of TMats
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I believe the “retired ranger” tatortodd referred to is me, although I was USFS, not NPS. I did work right in the heart of the Primary Conservation Area for the grizzly bear. We had family and friends visit and took numerous hikes in G bear country (especially in GTNP). I always carried bear spray, and fishing by myself, a .44 mag in a chest holster. While hiking, we sometimes encountered black bears, even blacks with cubs. I kept a close eye on the bears, especially that wet sow, but never had a black show any aggression. You don’t say where you’re hiking, but if you feel better carrying bear spray, go for it. If you’re planning to shoot first, should you have an encounter, using spray for a backup is not the usual route most go.

I say carrying your 10, in the unlikely event you experience a confrontation, that pistol will handle it. Please don’t shoot if the bear just stands up in an attempt to catch your scent. Personally, I think you would be blessed immeasurably to see a lion.


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Posts: 13154 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: January 10, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
drop and give me
20 pushups
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While living in Alaska 1st line of defense while out and about was what we called "Bear Bells" which was a string attached to belt loop with several small bells on the string which made noise that would alert any animals (bear/moose/buffalo/wolves/etc) so that they would be on the alert that there were humans in the area and not be suprised and give them a chance to move on...... Personaly also carried a Ruger"Redhawk" 44mag on the hip..... On 3 seperate occasions while standing out in the river stream fishing and hearing a noise behind me after turning around and seeing a grizzly bear munching on my fish that were on the river bank... Just moved off away from the bears because it would have gotten me into major problems with the Alaska Fish and game officers.. ...... Know of one encounter where someone shot a charging grizzly with 4 rounds of 444mag rifle into the chest area plus 6 more 44mag pistol rounds to have the bear drop dead less than 6 ft from where he was standing. ............................. drill sgt.
 
Posts: 1938 | Location: denham springs , la | Registered: October 19, 2019Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of RichardC
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This is posted in a Georgia State Park.

It made me giggle.
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Beware of peeyoomas in crevasses!
Remember this video?



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Posts: 15832 | Location: Florida | Registered: June 23, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have been around a few bears, even had a cub walk on top of me while sleeping. I would carry a 10 oz. bear spray at a minimum. Ideally a pistol, with the Glock 20 being my first choice. However for black bears, a 9mm or .357 magnum would probably be sufficient.

Mt. lions have attacked humans due to hunger, but personally if I had a large knife on my belt I would feel safe.


-c1steve
 
Posts: 4038 | Location: West coast | Registered: March 31, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Banned for
showing his ass
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My thought is being able to run faster than your friends ...
 
Posts: 3190 | Location: PNW | Registered: November 16, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fire begets Fire
Picture of SIGnified
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quote:
Originally posted by old dino:
My thought is being able to run faster than your friends ...


Sounds like time for another breakfast with all y’all!

See who can run the fastest with a gut full of chicken fried steaks and hashbrowns!





"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty."
~Robert A. Heinlein
 
Posts: 26756 | Location: dughouse | Registered: February 04, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I carry bear spray when I play in the woods. Mostly because my wife is smarter than me and insists. The cannister is big. Like 10-12 oz. I know I've bought Counter Strike but I buy what's on the shelf at the outdoor store and replace when it expires. Getting cited for carrying too big of a container is the least of your worries. I've never had to use it. Never come across a bear and I play in an area with the second highest concentration of bears in the continental US. I've smelled them on the breeze and it's a bit unnerving. The black bears in CA don't want anything to do with you for the most part. Make yourself big and loud. Have your spray accessible. Go about your business.

I've seen mountain lion tracks buts that's it. The general advice is you won't see the kitty until it's on your neck at which point your spray or your pistol aren't much use.

Be smart and aware of your surrounding. Don't go for the selfie if little bears pop up. Have fun in the woods. You probably have a better chance of getting hit by lightning than having an encounter with a bear or mountain lion.
 
Posts: 4273 | Location: Peoples Republic of Berkeley | Registered: June 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of wrightd
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quote:
Originally posted by c1steve:
I have been around a few bears, even had a cub walk on top of me while sleeping. I would carry a 10 oz. bear spray at a minimum. Ideally a pistol, with the Glock 20 being my first choice. However for black bears, a 9mm or .357 magnum would probably be sufficient.

Mt. lions have attacked humans due to hunger, but personally if I had a large knife on my belt I would feel safe.

So the lion leaps on you from behind latching onto the back of your neck, or throat, and you could get him off with a large knife ? Are you martial arts trained ? Do they cover that scenarario ? Knives have been successfully deplyed against cougars, but wouldn't a gun be a better bet ?




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Posts: 8632 | Location: Nowhere the constitution is not honored | Registered: February 01, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of konata88
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The way I'm perceiving the scenarios:

1) Bear attack: propensity: low; severity: high / death
2) Mt Lion attack: propensity: low-moderate; severity: high (stronger the resistance, the more likely for survival).

Baring a mutually surprising encounter, as much as I'd probably shit my pants, a (black) bear encounter resulting in severe injuries and likely death is very low.

There is increasingly higher risk of a severe Mt Lion encounter. For that bear spray and a 20 (with a readily available long, fixed blade?) would both be indicated if an attach is imminent. Counter Attack or Sabre Frontiersman are trusted brands. 10oz preferred, but if limited by law, then perhaps (multiple) 2oz is better than nothing. If warranted, wife sprays, I shoot....?

Or just stop hiking in remote areas (which would suck because that's generally where some of the nicest, quietest views are) -- seriously, looking over my shoulder every minute scanning for a cat was not enjoyable. I need one of those presence sensors from Alien.




"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy
"A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
 
Posts: 12678 | Location: In the gilded cage | Registered: December 09, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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With regard to mountain lions. Many years ago we were hiking/camping in Montana. There were two young children with us (10 and 12). The advice was to ensure they never the last in line while hiking since they are easy prey. I don't know if that is 100% accurate but it sounds reasonable.

We were also advised to make noise so we didn't surprise a bear. With our crew that was not a challenge and we didn't surprise any bears.



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Posts: 714 | Location: North of Pittsburgh, PA | Registered: January 29, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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konata88, aren't you in the SF Bay area?
Mountain lion attacks have increased in the region however, most of those are due to the hiker/runner startling the animal; in other words, making very little noise. Not saying one needs to walk the woods like the ice cream truck coming through the neighborhood but, there are people that are quite 'delicate' on their feet and have zero situational awareness. Carrying a hike stick/pole is the best advice for cat defense, along with your CCW...are you in a county where that's an option?

Bears in California, I wouldn't worry. REI and outdoor stores have bear spray, however the incident of such an attack is more rare than a mtn lion attack. Both animals are inherently shy and tend to keep their distance from humans.
 
Posts: 14548 | Location: Wine Country | Registered: September 20, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Great bear spray story from my wife's uncle in Alaska. Two greenhorn hunters were dropped off by float plane. When the pilot made his pass to get the ok to leave both hunters were rolling on the ground. The hunters used the "BEAR REPELLENT" like bug repellent. This was told as a true story but probably just barroom tale!! In places where both black and grizzly bears are present people are told to wear bells to discourage bears. Also to watch for scat to tell if it's a black or a grizzly. How do you tell which is which ? The grizzly bear scat has BELLS in it!!
 
Posts: 141 | Location: Ma. | Registered: November 18, 2020Reply With QuoteReport This Post
semi-reformed sailor
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WRT mountain lions, we used to hear them when walking the dirt road in front of my house in the mountains of western NC. The first time I was walking back to the house and at our driveway I spoke to a retired park ranger who asked me how it was going…I was 15 and he was probably 65…& had grown up there. When I told him I heard what sounded like a baby crying he told me it was a “catamount” (another name for mountain lion) and to always be careful. He explained all about them and showed me and my brother several stuffed ones he had.

He talked with my parents and we never went out in the woods without a gun or dog after that. Our property adjoined Nantahala National Forest, so my side yard went to Georgia…man I miss the mountains



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Posts: 11233 | Location: Temple, Texas! | Registered: October 07, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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More dangerous than any four-legged - or no-legged - animal.
 
Posts: 27803 | Location: Johnson City/Elizabethton, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of konata88
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The cat video above:

1) why did the cat approach him
2) should the guy have stood his ground? Or did he do right by backing up, albeit at what seemed to be a good walking pace?
3) why did the cat disengage?
4) what should one do when the cat pretended to pounce?
5) did the guy not have spray or a weapon? If he did, what should he have done differently, if anything?




"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy
"A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
 
Posts: 12678 | Location: In the gilded cage | Registered: December 09, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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State Park, national park, national Forrest,national monument personnel
Will be more help

Than anything you mentioned.
They are there everyday.
They see and hear stuff all the time.
They more than anyone on the forum will be able to offer info on your concerns.

Take the time to meet them , call them .

Follow their advice
Long story short.

Call the man





Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.



Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
 
Posts: 54478 | Location: Henry County , Il | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just for the
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Picture of comet24
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Here is my experience and advice for black bears. Don't worry. If you are worried talk as you like. I've come across a good dozen black bears hiking. Every single one has run away. Several times I've heard them as they run and only then catch a glimpse of one.

Only one time did I have thought of OK let's make sure we are safe. My young nephew was with me on an overnight hiking trip. He was in front of me as we came upon two young black bears on the trail. They hesitated before taking off. My only worry was where was mom and I hoped we haven't somehow ended up between cubs and mom. They took off as I was telling my nephew to back up.

The only place I have carried bear spray was Alaska and that was because of brown bears which is a different ball game.

Oh, and the 2.5 limit is worthless. Bear spray comes in much larger cans.

Also depending on the wind direction you can smell a bear before you see it.


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Posts: 16374 | Registered: March 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Republican in training
Picture of DonDraper
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If it's black bears only in your area, I wouldn't worry too much. Keep your distance, don't sneak up on the bears, and you'll be fine. If required, be prepared to spray the bear right in the nose and pray that the wind is blowing in your favor. If a mountain lion shows up do not look it in the eyes. Hopefully you're not by yourself. They like to pick off the small individuals that are by themselves. I always bought Counterassault brand bear spray. If you are camping, learn about sealing up your food source and keeping it hung high up. You're walking into their domain, just keep your guard up but don't be paranoid.


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I like Sigs and HK's, and maybe Glocks
 
Posts: 2263 | Location: SC | Registered: March 16, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of smlsig
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What Tatertodd said makes a lot of sense.

A couple of other comments. As most know Grizzlies don’t live in CA so your risk of an attack are very low. Having said that in 2020 I did have a 400 pound black bear charge me while camping in British Columbia. Fortunately I was carrying my bear spray in a holster and was able to deploy it and discharge it toward the bear. As soon as he caught a whiff he grunted loudly and retreated into the brush so I am a believer in their effectiveness.
There are several good brands but this is what I used..
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/e...ray-with-hip-holster


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Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina
 
Posts: 6309 | Location: In transit | Registered: February 19, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I had a bad experience with a bear one night, backpacking with my children. When I got home I bought a 10 oz can of bear spray and carried it, clipped to my backpack harness for several years. One day, as I packed for another hike, I thought, "I wonder if this stuff is still good?". I walked out to the middle of the street and with a stiff desert breeze at my back I touched off a brief blast. I saw a nice orange fog dissipate as it was blown away from me. Then I was nearly incapacitated by an eddy of wind which brought back a tiny bit of the spray. I managed to find my way to our home, found the hose and spent 30 minutes washing my face and eyes. I put the can away and carried a .357 on that and many following hikes.


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I'm filled with gratitude for the blessings I've received.
 
Posts: 707 | Location: So Cal | Registered: September 25, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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