Pepper Spray in Canada?

[cpaharley2008]

My singing would definitely drive a bear away.

But I hear you, we do the same. I have never used a bear bell before.

With my luck the bear would be hard of hearing….

 

[PGDriver]

With all the time we spent living, fishing, hunting and traveling around northern BC not once did I ever need to take any defensive action against a bear. Bears by far want less to do with you then you do with them. That said you need to know how to travel around bears, most of these are common sense and are mentioned already. My view on pepper spray, yes I have a large container and figure it is a last resort if not armed but I would save the last bit of spray for yourself and hope the bear doesn't like spicy food...

 

[Jim Bennett]

With all the time we spent living, fishing, hunting and traveling around northern BC not once did I ever need to take any defensive action against a bear. Bears by far want less to do with you then you do with them. That said you need to know how to travel around bears, most of these are common sense and are mentioned already. My view on pepper spray, yes I have a large container and figure it is a last resort if not armed but I would save the last bit of spray for yourself and hope the bear doesn't like spicy food...

LOL!!!

It seems that those that have spent a lot of time in bear country do respect, but not fear bears. I too have never had to take defensive action against a bear, other than to chase them off.

 

[dave macrae]

While chipping onto a green in waterton and few years ago a bear wandered across the fairway probably 50 feet behind me, I felt pretty stupid standing there with only a pitching wedge in hand. Thankfully he wasnt interested in us and was just taking a short cut across the golf course.

 

[Jim Bennett]

That is a great golf course for wildlife watching, eh? I have golfed maybe 100 times in my life, and more than half of them have been there. I stayed in Pincher Creek, and worked south of there near Waterton mostly, and got into golfing there after work for something better to do than just sitting in the lounge drinking.

I have seen whitetail, muley, elk and black bears there. On the 10th hole, a coworker that I was golfing with, had his tee shot roll past a black bears path. He came up from the slopes on the right and was just crossing over. We did not until he teed off. Good thing he never hit him. We just waited until he made it across the fairway before going for our second shots.

 

[gbaglo]

Lucky it wasn't Tiger.

 

[LeonW]

Several years ago (1992?) a ranger at Yellowstone told me that more tourists injured by bison than bears. Seems many folks thought the bison were docile, like large cattle. On that same trip, there was a story in the newspaper about a family in Glacier who had secured their human food, but left their dog food under the picnic table, which (surprise!) attracted a bear. No one was injured, but the bear had to be put down because it was a repeat offender and had been relocated away from the campground before. The human offenders were going to be tried in court, with a maximum $10,000 fine.

 

[Buddy-ESC]

While chipping onto a green in Waterton ....

I was banned from the golf course in Waterton, something about having learnt all of my golf etiquette from Rodney Dangerfield.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I was banned from the golf course in Waterton, something about having learnt all of my golf etiquette from Rodney Dangerfield.

LOL... I tell you, it was not a lot better with the crew I worked and golfed with.

 

[daveandsandyclink]

I have enjoyed this discussion on bears and deterrents against attack.
Let's be specific about what we mean talk about bears. In North America, we have four species of bears. These are black bears, brown bears, grizzly bears, and polar bears. Alaskan browns being the biggest @ 1000 lbs or more.
In some areas, including the lower 48, the black bear is at the top of the food chain. Thought to be more docile and flighty, black bears attack more humans than the other bears combined. This is because they live in areas where they are likely to encounter people. Especially around campgrounds and other areas where they forage for human food and trash. All though they are omnivorous (eating both plants and animals), they are still predators and well equipped to kill us.
Grizzly, brown, and polar bears are apex predators. They will in fact kill and eat black bears as well as deer, moose, marmots, fish, and yes people. All three must be taken seriously when trespassing in their domain.
It is against the law to protect your property(trailer and food) by lethal means in our parks. Only to protect life as a last resort is it permissible to shoot a bear in a park.
Big bore firearms such as the .500 S&W, .454,.44 , 12 ga. slug, .300 mag, and 30-06 are effective bear stoppers.
Experts say make lots of noise, stand your ground, look large, and keep your spray close at hand. Do not run and if knocked down, lay face down, cover your face and neck, and play dead for several minutes.
I just don't know if I could play dead while being mauled.
Again as others have suggested, stay bear smart by keeping your food properly stored away and staying vigilant while hiking.

 

[emers382]

I'll add my two cents worth having lived in bear country. We moved to our country home outside Thunder Bay and put our garbage outside in these 2x4 constructed garbage bins the previous owners left us and bears would come and pull off the wood and grab the bags pulling them through the holes making a mess as they went. We also had compost bins for which we didn't have to stir the contents because the bears would come and knock them over and help themselves to the rotting contents. My wife still likes the tell the story of running around and around our house in a nightdress either chasing or being chased by a bear. We quickly learned to put garbage in the garage with closed door and to be noisy when hiking in our woods

Adrian

 

[davescape]

These are the kinds of tales that are best told around a crackling fire while others nervously watch the nether dark regions of the campsite for bruins lurking in the forest;D

 

[gbaglo]

Which reminds me of the tale told by a friend of mine.
His family was sitting around the camp fire singing camp songs. He got out his camera and shot a picture of the kids. When he got the pictures back from the drug store ( some while ago ). There were a large pair of eyes, lit up by the flash, behind the kids.

 

[reetired]

Which reminds me of the tale told by a friend of mine.
His family was sitting around the camp fire singing camp songs. He got out his camera and shot a picture of the kids. When he got the pictures back from the drug store ( some while ago ). There were a large pair of eyes, lit up by the flash, behind the kids.

The woods always has "eyes"!

 

[gbaglo]

Just purchased large can of bear spray at Mountain Equipment Coop to replace expired can. Had to fill in a form with name, address and phone number and show ID. Cost was $37.50 plus tax.
Picked up a six pack of bear bangers at the same time, $16.75.

 

[Dave Walter]

...Picked up a six pack of bear bangers at the same time, $16.75.

That is close to the price of a six pack of Canadian beer. I think I will go for the beers and take my chances with the bears.

 

[daveandsandyclink]

What's the registration about? Does Canada consider bear spray a weapon that could be used in a crime? Or to help figure out who's bloody clothing belongs to that half empty can of bear spray?

 

[gbaglo]

Well, you have to sign for pesticides so...
Anyway, I filled in the form and the sales person took the spray etc. to cash ( presumably so I couldn't use it to rob the store ).
I think it's mostly to ensure that you've read the instruction and know how to use it.

 

[daveandsandyclink]

Thanks Glenn,
I have a bottle of bear spray that is at least 10 years and it may be a dud by now.

 

[thoer]

This is a pretty interesting site :Bear Deterrents | www.bearsmart.com It seems to have a lot of good information.

Interesting quote: According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report, law enforcement agents and experienced hunters who use firearms to defend themselves suffer injury about 50 per cent of the time, while people defending themselves with bear spray escape injury most of the time and injuries that did occur were less severe (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). University of Calgary's Dr. Stephen Herrero found similar results. This is why bear spray is often carried in the backcountry by biologists, professional guides and hikers/campers.

One of the other things they talk about are this pocket size sound horns:Amazon.com: Falcon Safety Super Sound Horn: Sports & Outdoors