Dang.  I was hoping that was a typo and we were going to discuss beer. . .

You're pretty unlikely to encounter a dangerous bear in the BWCA.  The last bear attack was, I believe, in 1985 or '87.  They're timid animals and couldn't care less about you; all they want is your food or anything that looks like it could be holding food (other than your stomach).

Maybe rare, but still not good. Seems after bears reach a certain size, ~300#, their menu expanses to include humans.

I hadn't packed my bear spray, but think I will.

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I'm going hiking in August in Glacier NP, and I plan on carrying bear spray there. I hope it doesn't come to it, but it seems like at least a last line of defense, should we stumble across Mr. Grizzly 

I never carry it in canoe country, though.

As for beer, I'm partial to a good Belgian    up

My favorite 'bear spray' is a 12 gauge...

Old Salt wrote on May 17^th, 2013 at 12:32am:


Oh no! More weight for Snow Dog to portage!

My son recently suggested I take a road flare or two along in my gear.  He thinks it would go a long way to discourage a nuisance bear.  It would also make a good fire starter and could be used as an emergency signal flare.
I suggested it would be somewhat problematical to get it started while a bear is dragging you from the tent.  But still sounds like it could be a good deterrent.

On a serious note IC, what about a stun gun?
Legal in Minnesota.
I doubt it would render a bear unconscious like a human, but 50,000+ volts on the nose should get it's attention.
The electrical crackle between the points might prove to be a deterrent too.

Quote:


Good question? Of course if the bear had a hold of you, getting a jolt of high voltage/low amperage would be the least of your worries.
Most stun guns I've seen have the trigger/handle oriented in such a way, that the business end has to be pointed away from the user.
Problem with a stick/camp axe, is that if your in your tent, you don't have the space to use it?
That stun gun would be for close quarters/last ditch measure only.

I keep Bear Spray in tent along with my knife.
Worse case scenario, I take a deep breath/close my eyes and hit the spray.
I figure I could crawl to water and rinse off as long as the bear is incapacitated or driven off.

intrepid_camper wrote on May 20^th, 2013 at 2:24pm:


I had an emergency flare gun that fit in my shirt pocket (like a fat pen) that I used to scare away an aggressive bear in camp in broad daylight on BWCA Spring trip on Shell Lake.  I shot it in the air and the sound scared the bear away and we decided to move to a different camp site.  By the time we were pushing off (15 minutes) the bear was back in camp.

starwatcher

Yes, you could be correct Solo under certain conditions.  It worked in my case, but you are right that it may not be appropriate in all conditions.

starwatcher

ML.........Redgap Pass is absolutely amazing. I had wanted to go through Ptarmigan tunnel to access the Belly River valley but it was snowed in so park service routed me through Redgap. Yes Redgap is a tough climb but not as bad as my guidebook had proclaimed (My guidebook uses words like "long and arduous" and "herculean effort by even a seasoned hiker"). I had a huge pack to boot (pun not intended) that included full length waders  and the surprising news about going through Redgap was a shocker. But it was the proverbial blessing in disguise and was a highlight of my trip............I figured once I got into the belly River valley it was going to be flat and I was only going to be doing some 5 or 6 miles per day after getting in. I had 2 different people ask if I worked for National Geographic (hilarious)! Lots of questions about my shovel/hiking staff. The thing probably saved my life. You do not want to fall/blown off off the trail the last mile to RedGap. It was thrilling but a bit traumatic with the wind.......It was a close run thing.

If you are up for it you could go through RedGap, spend a few days at Elizabeth lake and back through Ptarmigan Tunnel.

But whatever you decide it will be great. Do not walk the trails silently. You must let them know you are coming and they will get out of the way. I had quite the stern talk with one young fellow who had a young gal with him. I had bumped into them and they were traveling silently. I spoke privately with the young fellow later at a shared campsite and told him that he had a responsibility to the young lady to insure her safety........he tap danced around during our talk but the next time I came across them he was blowing his whistle.

You must practice pulling your spray so you don't fumble around if you need it. The time I was there a group of college biologists was doing a wildlife survey out of Many Glacier. Of course I assume they were traveling silently. The leader of the group had to use spray on a momma Griz. It worked and she left.

I seen lots of bear sign but only came across 2 blacks who both got a loud talking to ( I may have erred in one situation as my aggression put 2 cubs up a tree........Oooooppps!)

Don't let your concerns about bears ruin your good time. It is easy to obsess on the blasted things. Just give a shout or continue conversation and they will get out of your way. The trouble starts when You walk up on them eating berries and they are 25ft away.   

I was rejected from the Madison show. Yup, tough competitive business out here on the street.......but it just motivates me to get better. So unfortunately I will not be able to check out where the locals hang out via your hospitality. Rats!

Poor guy.......all this talk of bear spray and getting unwanted visitors in the night might dampen his excitement. I know when I set my sights on the park and then read up on bear attacks I promptly decided not to go........then I gradually talked myself into it.

I can't help but like the electric fence idea. I wonder what the weight of the thing is? I used a motion detector alarm connected with power pro strung around my tent. I just needed to make sure I remembered it was out there for the middle of the night nature calls. I did have a flock of Robins set it off early one morning. Not sure how effective it would be (counter effective perhaps?) It certainly had almost zero effect on a blackie on Sawbill lake who found and shredded my food pack all while the alarm blared.........

Counter assault is readily available at a number of different places in and near Kalispell. It has been already noted you can't fly with it but you can MAIL it back to yourself via US post office. It must be correctly labeled and will go by ground delivery only. The clerk can help you with the labeling. You could also mail it to yourself and have it waiting via general delivery if you were so inclined.

If I was taking Miss MT I would be staying at the neat Inns and doing day trips. The Swiss Chalet style Inn at Swiftcurrent was pretty neat. I stayed at a nifty tiny hut of a thing for $28 a night my first few nights.

You nailed it, MT! I am taking Mrs. ML and we are staying at the Swiftcurrent Inn and doing day hikes (although Mrs. ML has no problem doing 15-20 miles in a day, she likes her indoor plumbing  ) We'll probably go out to the Ptarmagin Tunnel one day; I'd also like to take the shuttle to Logan Pass, the hike the Highline Trail up past the Granite Park Chalet and then throught the Swiftcurrent Pass and back down to where we're staying.

And those are great tips, ST. When I said low-priced bear spray, my understanding is that it's the same stuff, just not marked up as much as you'd find it in the park. FedEx is an option, but I can't buy the real deal bear spray in Wisconsin any more. They passed some law a year or so ago, for some reason. At least that's what the guy at REI told me.

My plan is to buy two canisters, and use the chest holsters. Since we're likely to not use them, I plan on donating them to the park when we leave. They give them out to trail crews and the like.

I'm not particularly worried about the bears, although the fact that Mrs. ML is a faster runner than me gives me pause to reflect   

MuleLars wrote on May 30^th, 2013 at 1:05pm:


Good hike but lots of elevation change. I went up and over from Elizabeth lake and it was a big day. But you will be fairly light. I remember limited water supply on the ptarmigan trail.......I use a 70 oz camel back when I hike tucked into a pocket on my pack. Need to drink lots and lots in the high country. Don't forget good sunglasses and sunscreen.........might be a few flies around. I liked having my "genie" bug pants on which kept me from getting eaten up. Geez, I'm getting pumped just thinking about it. I also suggest some sticks. Most western hikers will have 2 trekking poles. Pretty handy for taking some strain off your knees on the way down. I can't imagine hiking without either a single hiking staff or a pair of trekking poles. My single hiking staff that I used to go around Mt Rainier also served well as a monopod for my camera....just had to unscrew the top knob and plop the camera on...handy!

mastertangler wrote on May 30^th, 2013 at 4:43pm:


In OUR case it would probaby be #8 lbs.
That's 1 fence to keep bears from us and 1 to keep us from each other.

mastertangler wrote on May 30^th, 2013 at 8:31pm:


One of the things that irritated me most when I tripped with 3 other guys is that because they knew I planned for the worst, they didn't worry at all.
When something happened and I had inadvertently not had whatever we needed or not enough of it, they actually would get mad about it.

Quote:


Agreed, you can't take it personally when someone is new to the experience.
In the instance I was referring too, this was over a 20+ year span.
I know I should of cut the cord years before, but we had a social connection as well, and I kept getting pulled back in. My mistake for thinking( hoping) "leopards" could change their spots.

Quote:


That was part of the problem. After a trip when I swore never again, there would be a cooling off period and then they'd start the pitch for the next trip that would be "different".
Didn't happen and your right, you can choose whether to be irritated or not.
After 20+ years, I skipped the irritated part and just cut all the ties period.
Never regretted doing it and mutual friends tell me they've never taken a wilderness trip again.
I guess they knew someone had to plan and organize for one, and they knew it wouldn't be one of them.

Wow......

a few thoughts FWIW.........

*I question his original thought process of making himself known. If the bear hasn't noticed you my tack would be to keep it that way.

*He was super smart to be assertive, move towards him and hit the bear while stationary. Very tough to get a short effective blast while they are coming at you. The tendency seems to me would be for a more sustained blast which leaves you empty.

* I wonder what concentration the spray was? I found a canister in Algonquin park which was Canadian made and the concentration was only 1% as opposed to the 2% of "Counter Assault". 2 cans of spray on a paddlin trip is not really feasible but I like having my Seal Pup knife handy. I have seen/heard of 2 instances now of persistent blacks being determined in spite of multiple shots of mace.

solotripper wrote on Jun 12^th, 2013 at 1:06pm:


Just enough knife to piss it off. I like the Seal Pup knife I have.......pretty cool knife although I will probably seldom if ever use the dang thing, I just like it. Someone on the board made me get it  and it rides on the Batman utility belt. Sheathe is some sort of plastic covered by nylon. It has a little pocket where I stick my tiny bottle of Bens bug spray. Rather handy.
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The elite comes with a Kydex sheathe which I strongly suggest if you intend to wear it. It will prevent you from impaling yourself in a fall. 

I still wouldn't want to go head to head though even with the fairly substantial blade. You can kill one with a blade though as per described in "Bear attacks, causes and avoidance" where a teen killed one in PA after it had already secretly killed a pal that he went looking for while they were trout fishing. He killed it with a filet knife.

I have occasionally wondered the best grip to be employed during a bear attack and have decided the best way would be to have the blade upside down and pointing towards me. Stick it in and pull up and hopefully gut the thing. It seems to me that to use a knife in an ordinary manner would be mostly ineffective as while pushing the knife your grip is quite likely to loosen and fail despite the adrenaline. Pulling towards your body seems to me the best option. Of course that means that the bear is on you and it is close quarters but I think it is the best way. The big question mark is......can I stick him before he gets my neck and shakes it :question Rather hard question to contemplate.

YOU GUYS!!!!!   You are working hard to erode my confidence just before I head out for 10 days alone in the Quetico!  I still believe meeting a predatory bear is less likely than getting hit by lightning...if death by bear is my future I will have to accept that.

I_C, You know the 1st thing these guys would do is put on a pair of brown pants,,,,

so people wouldn't know how scared they really were,,,

Jim J Solo wrote on Jun 13^th, 2013 at 2:37pm:


Yup, I'd have brown pants alright but better brown pants with a plan than brown and bloody without one.

I'm less worried about a bear killing me outright.
If that would occur, then my "problem" is solved.
What concerns me more is being mauled to the point I couldn't get out or signal for help and left to die a slow/lingering death.

IC, I'm sure somebody in Ely carries it. I know Piragis does in it's catalog.
Just make sure whatever product you buy, it clearly states on label that it's for use on animals ONLY and not for personal defense ( like pepper spray) .
I believe pepper spray is illegal in Canada and  could cause you problems with the customs people.

You know my intent wasn't to terrify you or anyone else, especially solo paddlers but that being said, going solo has enough risk involved that you can't plan/foresee.

If your going to take a SPOT device because your concerned about others worrying unnecessarily, then having some bear spray for the worst case scenario is just an extension of that concern.

What good is the SPOT if your not alive to use it or unable too because your badly injured. :question

MT,
I hope to never have to find out firsthand what knife techniques would prove the most effective.

What's clear to me is that if that field biologist hadn't had the foresight to carry that bear spray, the end might of been far different ( for him).

Predatory bears must be a concern regardless of the long odds, or the people who work daily in the field wouldn't carry bear spray or firearms (sometimes both).

In a large group, say 4 or more, you could probably drive off a predatory bear by sheer force of numbers, but a solo paddler or even a couple if one is attacked and crippled/killed in the intial attack has the odds against them unless they have a option other than going one on one against a bear.

I've driven for over 50+ years now, never been in an accident. Never had to rely on my seat belt, but I've always worn them, even when it wasn't the law to do so.
Small price to pay for the knowledge that if the worst scenario happens, I have a fighting chance to survive.

I look a Bear Spray the same way. I don't care how unlikely the chance's are to be attacked by a wild critter, that's little comfort when your the one the odds fall on.

You can hear those things miles away. The last thing I want to hear in Quetico (or any other backcountry area) is someone else across the lake honking their vuvuzela at everything they think might be a bear.

Air horns are illegal in a lot of wilderness areas too, for exactly this reason

Don't even think about taking an air horn. If you're concerned about bears, read up on bear safety precautions, keep a spotless, odourless camp, and your chances of an adverse bear encounter will be miniscule.

I don't want to hear air horns going off either (false alarms), but I can understand the concern about being alerted if a nuisance or God forbid a predatory bear is coming into camp?

I've mentioned my little personal alarm set-up before. It's basically a jogger alarm that takes a 9v battery and is about the size/weight of a deck of cards.
Pull the lanyard and it sets off a sound like smoke detector.

Beauty of this set-up is with a little ingenuity it can be rigged to hanging/stashed food packs in such a way that only a big critter like a bear could set it off, no false alarms.
You could even rig it with some fishing line like a perimeter trip wire set-up.
Keep the trip line high enough off the ground so little critters wouldn't set it off.

Keeping a clean camp is very important and since 99+% of bears are just looking for a free meal, that is the best defense against losing a food pack.
For that small % of bears that see YOU as the meal, then a early warning of their presence, especially at night might be helpful.

I'd still get  a can of good bear spray, one for each tent in party. Cheap insurance IMHO.

I'll bet that biologist that used if effectively to avoid a mauling/death won't say "What's the odds of that happening again" and go without it next time out.

He'll pack a bigger can next time I bet.

Quote:


I bought the jogger alarm because I'm a solo paddler and 2x portage.
I didn't like the idea of leaving my food pack unattended especially on long portages and hanging every portage would be a pain in the rear.
I put my jogger alarm in a secure side pocket of food pack and tie short line to branch and then pull pin cord on the alarm.
I figure if a bear grabs pack and the alarm blaring in his face fails to detour him, the pack will be easier to find in the woods.

When in camp, I hang my food pack and take alarm in tent along side my bear spray.
I'd set alarm off as 1st response if bear comes into camp/ tent, then bear spray.

Bears are getting hungry again - this one couldn't be deterred from his goal: several video interviews at the link

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CTVNews.ca Staff, May 8, 2014 10:51:00 PM





A Suncor employee killed by a bear at an Alberta oilsands site was with a group of co-workers when the animal attack occurred, a union official said Thursday.

CTV Calgary has confirmed the victim's identity as Lorna Weafer.

The 36-year-old was an instrument technician who was doing electrical work near Fort McMurray when the bear attacked her Wednesday afternoon.

"It was ... seven people that were working in a group area and she was attacked by this bear out of that group and dragged off," Scott Doherty, a spokesman for Unifor, told The Canadian Press on Thursday.

"People tried to stop it and do everything they could. Obviously they are fairly horrified at what they saw and witnessed."

Doherty said the union does not believe the workers were carrying bear spray. Another union official told CP that the victim's co-workers blasted air horns in an effort to scare the bear away, but that didn't work.

A spokesperson for Alberta Fish and Wildlife told CTV Calgary that it doesn't look like the bear was provoked. So far, officials are calling the attack predatory.

The RCMP said it killed an adult black bear in the area after the attack. Tests are being done to determine whether it was the same bear that attacked Weafer.

"This has been a very difficult and tragic time for the Suncor family," company spokesperson Sneh Seetal told CTV. "Fort McMurray is an incredibly close-knit community."

Doherty said there needs to be a full investigation into what happened.

Suncor said it's working with Alberta wildlife officials to find out why the attack occured. The company also says it offers "bear safety awareness training" to its employees "on a regular basis."

The union, however, says that training is not extensive.

This was the first time since 1991 that someone in Alberta was killed by a black bear. Experts say fatal bear attacks in North America are very rare.

Alberta Environment estimates there are more than 40,000 black bears in the province. They start to come out of winter hibernation at this time of the year.

In 2011, 145 bears were shot in Alberta to reduce the number of bears who were getting too close to populated areas, attracted by garbage.

I happened across a post on a hunting forum regardign a fatal bear attack near Dubois, WY.  Since I had just driven thru Dubois on my way back from Yukon, I wondered how close to where I'd camped (Togwotee pass - N.F. free camping)  had it happened.  well, one thing led to another and here's what I found recently. 

September seems to be a bad time to be in the grizzly woods.  I've read of many encounters in that area south of "Jellystone" - Yogi and Boo Boo know that a gunshot means a likely deer carcass, just like Kodiak island and others in Alaska - bears will come running to a gunshot.


first attack near Dubois        9/5/14
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   fatal attack - no gun or bear spray - in an area noted for its concentration of bears and hunting.   "The victim’s remains were found adjacent to two deer carcasses bears had been feeding on. No bear spray or firearms were found at the scene, Hunter said."

second attack near Dubois        9/22/14
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The attack happened Sunday afternoon when two elk hunters surprised a female grizzly with two cubs just north of Dubois.  Wyoming Game and Fish Department Regional Wildlife Supervisor Jason Hunter said Monday the bear bit one of the hunters on the side. He says the hunters then fended off the animal with bear spray


9/16/2014  - fatal attack

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not much detail - that guide may be a fast runner


9/6/2014 fatal, west of Calgary - I drove this highway on the way back from yukon - I camped in the same vicinity, and remember the name Picklejar Creek - a really nice drive thru there.

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"the hunter had done nothing wrong, he just crossed the path of a grizzly feeling protective of both her cub and a recent deer kill"


fatal black bear attack   9/21/14  clueless city slickers

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"Police said in a Sunday release that the five men, all from Edison, had been hiking together in the 576-acre nature preserve on Sept. 21 when they encountered a black bear that began following them."
"They became frightened and attempted to flee the area," said West Milford police Lt. Keith Ricciardi in the release. "During the confusion the group became separated as they ran in different directions."
"According to the release, four of the five men were able to reconnect with each other following the bear encounter, and they began searching for Patel. When they couldn't find him, they contacted police at approximately 3:44 p.m. The township's Search & Rescue Team was dispatched to the scene, and immediately began to search the area that police describe as "heavily-wooded." The team found Patel's body at approximately
"Evidence at the scene indicated that the victim had been attacked by a bear," states the release. "A bear was located at the scene and immediately euthanized."

8/14/14 - la de da, think I'll go hiking along a stream full of spawning salmon in Grizzly country and let my dogs run loose
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Thea Thomas was hiking on Tuesday along the Heney Ridge Trail in Cordova, a remote and sparsely populated coastal fishing community southeast of Anchorage, near a stream in which salmon were spawning when two dogs she had with her ran ahead.
The dogs soon sprinted back to her chased by a bear, which she estimated to be between 6 to 7 feet, reared on its hind legs. She told the Alaska Dispatch News she was bitten about seven times, the worst to her back and inner thigh.


Now this is an old incident from 2004, but it was September, and near Dubois - Togwotee pass is a nice place to camp on the way to or from Yellowstone - free, and up high enough to be cool in summer.  I've camped there 3 times.  This year, coming back from Yukon, I loaded the shotgun and kept it handy in the back of the pickup (same as I did on highway 40 near Picklejar Creek area)


"about a seconds worth of spray left"
Speckhals, a 46-year-old ski patroller and quality controller with Evans Construction, and fellow Evans employee and full-time skier Tom Foley, said the grizzly they battled was persistent and backed off only when there was about a second’s worth of spray left in the can of deterrent. Speckhals gave credit to Foley, who carried his can of spray on his hip, for rushing into the fray and saving his life.

"Within two weeks another bear attack on an elk hunter resulted in a crushed skull. That hunter recovered, as did the other two men—a hunter and a hiker—who were involved in bear attacks last fall. "


all of these are pretty common occurances - always joggers in AK
7/7/14 - the third grizzly mauling in AK as of date of this article
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jogging on a trail thru thick brush, headphones on, no bear spray, a trail near a stream soon to be full of spawning salmon - from the article


common for hunters to have issues with grizzlies too, claiming a downed deer or elk, or the carcass leftovers - read about that in WY almost every year

last year I bumped into black bears near elk carcasses 5 or 6 times - once a bear was sleeping behind a tree about 4' away from me and jumped up that close, another time it was a sow and 2 cubs within 20 feet, but they had an easy escape rout and ran off, another time it was a bear sleeping on a shelf - it jumped up at 15' and ran off - archery hunting, I dont' carry a pistol nor bear spray while hunting, but keep a 9mm in camp - you just take your chances.  but those grizzlies, man, you don't want to take any chances hiking in thier country during hunting season or salmon spawning season

On my last Quetico trip I was almost involved in a bear attack.  I was going down the Cache River on one of the portages I came over a ridge and headed down a steeper path and suppressed a bear laying in a blue berry patch.   The bear woofed at me twice and ran away.  I almost had a heart attack.  Would that qualify as a Bear Attack?