People rarely shoot themselves when defending against predators, but as the previous poster brings up, you have little control over the wind - for lack of better odds, it's 50-50 it will be blowing in your benefit.

Nobody talks about that when suggesting bear spray. It's a second page mention, or later, when it finally comes up. it's a common matter when discussing the use of pepper spray for LEO's, tho. Why is it ignored when discussing bear?

And yes, I have 'certified' with a snootful. Standard practice for all MP's, active or reserve. Since we don't carry Glocks tho, no reason to worry about leg injuries . . .

Black bear are generally nocturnal in areas with humans present, and largely exhibit avoidance patterns EXCEPT when they are familiarized with open garbage near small towns - like, Gatlinburg TN. Rangers are busy running them off and its the tourists getting pictures who cause the most problems. There is a reason why there are signs saying don't feed the bears. All too often hikers refuse to pack out their trash and start the cycle of identifying humans with food. The bears are generally fine left alone, it's people who cause the problems. Plenty of bears and lions in MO/AR and very few reports of encounters. We're lucky to get game camera pics posted.

Mountain lions are prevalent in wilderness areas and tend to go after small game - unless they get familiarized with runners in remote areas who appear defenseless - aka the female dragged down and killed in CA. Like walking past the Capitol Police waving you in to the Rotunda, pick your time and place for those activities more carefully. No, we do NOT interact with the wilderness well - predators do have advantages.

So far the large caliber handgun is the most comfortable aid to self protection outdoors, and because of that the larger pistols do fine, worn openly and easily accessible. A can of spray should be the same - openly worn and easily accessible, not in the bottom of the pack or out of reach, which is where it's found too often as the Rangers inspect the scene hours later. And them? When investigating a bear or lion attack, they come in armed and dangerous. Usually a .30 rifle or larger, without fail.

That is a standard to be accepted in the wilderness, bears and lions are the lowest risks, drug farmers, feral dogs, snakes, and insects rank a lot higher. I've rarely if ever gone outdoors hiking without a firearm, most rural landowners won't either. I've had friends lose family members to gunfire in the wilderness and it's a minimum of a 9mm for me. As the budget permits, I will buy a Mossberg Shockwave. The rest of the time is in No Tick season after a hard freeze, and that means a deer rifle.

Bear spray only handles a few low risk issues, the bigger problems require tick repellant and a gun.

quote:

Like walking past the Capitol Police waving you in to the Rotunda

Nothing like politics in an apolitical discussion

Do not interject politics into apolitical threads. This is most unwelcome in this forum.

If you’ve not seen it, bears can move faster than you think possible. Make noise and keep your head up. I might be overreacting but, depending on the area, I carry bear spray in my hand.

Silent

Lion attack as we speak

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news...ol3L?ocid=uxbndlbing

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Lion attack as we speak

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news...ol3L?ocid=uxbndlbing

That must have been one hell of a fight between a mountain lion and a Belgian Malinois

Hope that good little dug makes it … flipping hero dog! Should rename you bad ass!

Don't underestimate a mountain lion.
Below is from 2015 in New Mexico.

PINOS ALTOS, N.M. -- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish officers and U.S.D.A. Wildlife Services agents used dogs and snares this week in a continuing effort to find or catch a mountain lion that killed and apparently ate parts of a Pinos Altos man last week.

Medical investigators confirmed Monday that Robert Nawojski, 55, died from injuries sustained in a mountain lion attack near his home in a wooded area of Pinos Altos north of Silver City. Nawojski, who lived alone in a small mobile home, was believed to have been attacked by the lion late Tuesday or early Wednesday last week. Searchers found his body June 20, a day after his brother reported him missing.

It was determined that Nawojski, who according to relatives like to bathe and shave on a rock ledge about 60 yards from his house, was attacked just below that ledge. The lion then apparently dragged the body a short distance, and then ate and buried parts of it.

A Department of Game and Fish officer initially was called to the scene Thursday night when a search team looking for Nawojski found a mountain lion near the trailer home. The officer shot and wounded the lion after it would not leave the yard. After the lion ran off, the officer discovered the door to the house open, the water running, and Nawojski's false teeth on the table.

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https://www.wildlife.state.nm....8pinosaltoslion.html

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quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:

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!

I feel comfortable that I can out run both you and Boss ... of course I will cheat somehow to get a head start.

Not to minimize your concerns, but it reminds me of an old joke.

WHEN IN BEAR COUNTRY

Wear jingle bells to alert them of your presence.

Wear brightly colored clothing.

Carry bear spray.

HOW TO IDENTIFY BEAR SPOOR

It has jingle bells and bright pieces of fabric in it, and smells of pepper.

That lion verses dog fight linked above was intense, after coming at the lady owner.

Like many things, very extreme randomness, though one never knows. I like how the dog got in the fight right away. Hopefully a full recovery & can still see.

How does one learn to effectively scan for danger? I think this will be increasingly important as wildlife populations grow and as I go through retirement with more leisure time.

Honestly, I can look around me but I'm not sure if I'm doing it effectively and not sure I would actually detect danger if it was there.

I've heard things like: don't keep moving your eyes while you scan, you're not really focusing. Divide visible areas into sectors and focus on a point in that sector; keep focused on that point for period of time (whatever's necessary) and use peripheral vision for the rest of the sector. Then move your eyes to the next sector.

Seems like there are skills and techniques to better scan for danger around you. How does one learn them?

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
HOW TO IDENTIFY BEAR SPOOR

It has jingle bells and bright pieces of fabric in it, and smells of pepper.

Close, but this is how it's meant to be told:

This may be a dumb question, but are whistles, perhaps like the Fox 40 Sonik Blast CMG Whistle, advised for warding off a lion (one that you've caught stalking you)? Or ill advised?