I live in a area where black bears are common. (Mid Maryland)
With the new housing developments going in, which displaces wildlife we have seen more activity in recent years.
I’ve seen bears on my rides in the past no problem. Once even in a tree…
The other morning I was riding my road bike, still pitch dark. I thought I heard a galloping sound like a horse on my right side behind me… then gone only about 3 or 4 seconds I heard the galloping. pitch dark could not see anything. Forgot all about it.
Even if I had bear spray, i could not see anything to spray and happen much faster than I could have take the spray out.
Today I opened the local news paper and found that a woman was attacked by a bear, which was about 5 miles from where I heard the galloping.
Has anyone carried bear spray on the bike or run and had to used it? Or use it in general?
Is this something I should even be concerned? (At this point I am a little)
I do swims in areas where 6 ft bull sharks have been caught, never worry about sharks at all. Been walloped in the side by a large snakehead last year.
I haven’t had the need to use it, thankfully but I do carry it around when I do longer trail runs in the remote parts of the PNW. Just one of those things that one probably doesn’t need but if you do… you’ll be thankful. Especially when running since you are at more risk of startling a bear and that’s definitely not what you want to do. I have read stories of its efficacy but I am sure there are stories where it didn’t work, either way, it’s not very heavy but you do need to ensure you have it in a place you can grab it in an instant, like your front pocket of your hydration vest or tight on your belt, if you’re wearing one.
On a side note, while hiking in the winter, I slipped down a small slope and in some crazy move my hand removed the safety trigger and pressed it, my face went into the cloud and I inhaled a bit of it. Not a direct hit but enough that I just sat there for a good 15-20 minutes and used all my water to get it off my skin and the taste out of my mouth. Its powerful stuff and I can see how it would work on a bear.
Pre-Covid, I was riding up Frederick County at least once a week and I’ve seen a black bear once while riding home from work in the middle of the road near the AT trailhead off RT 40 and I wouldn’t even even consider carrying bear spray. Way more likely to get hurt running into a deer or having one of the locals run you off the road in their pickup truck. I would say it’s a non-issue and not worth worrying about in the slightest. If there was brown bears and you were mountain biking, sure.
I have a friend in Western Montana that was attacked by a Black Bear when he was walking an access road with his two Huskies. This is a guy who practiced his bear spray skills because of where he lives and was already kind of freaked out about them to the point of not going outside without the spray. The bear charged out from the brush and knocked him down and took a big piece of his scalp loose. After that he was able to deploy his mega blaster bear spray which saved his life. The Huskies were useless.
That is a scary story. I hope your friend was able to fully recover.
I also live in Western MT. I never carry bear spray and I’ve had a black bear in my house. I treat black bears as large scared dogs. If you freak them out, they will respond appropriately. If you give them warning, it is almost never a big deal.
If I’m in an area where you can’t see far ahead, I make noise while I’m running. Even if that means continuously talking out loud while running by myself.
There are basically no grizzlies near where I live. When I go into Grizzly country. I carry bear spray. Grizzlies are terrifying.
To the original poster: Learn how to point and discharge the spray. If you have bears becoming accustomed to people with food, you’ll need to be prepared.
I recommend running with a trail backpack that has the front mount bottle holders. They do a good job of holding the spray and make them easy to access.
For mountain bikers, a small cowbell or jingle bells is something to consider to prevent encounters. Back up “bear spray” will be a Glock 10mm in a chest pack made by Hill People Gear.
Back up “bear spray” will be a Glock 10mm in a chest pack made by Hill People Gear.
That’s a crappy plan. If you want to ensure you do not get hurt during a bear encounter, carry spray. If you think you have the nerves to hit bullseye on a 20mph moving target you know might seriously hurt you, bring your gun.
For mountain bikers, a small cowbell or jingle bells is something to consider to prevent encounters. Back up “bear spray” will be a Glock 10mm in a chest pack made by Hill People Gear.
Bear spray is very effective. Making your presence known is an important part of preventing encounters, surprising a bear is generally not a good thing. It’s why people try to make periodic/loud noise when in bear country.
Pre-Covid, I was riding up Frederick County at least once a week and I’ve seen a black bear once while riding home from work in the middle of the road near the AT trailhead off RT 40 and I wouldn’t even even consider carrying bear spray. Way more likely to get hurt running into a deer or having one of the locals run you off the road in their pickup truck. I would say it’s a non-issue and not worth worrying about in the slightest. If there was brown bears and you were mountain biking, sure.
i live in Va and in Va I agree…but out west the black bears and grizzly are a different story, with black bears more aggressive and more of a nuisance than here
I have a dozen or so interactions a year with Black Bears, mostly on my deck or around my house. Never need more than to make a lot of noise. Once I get them to turn away from me, I typically chase them until off the property. Bears are slow thinker. When you first encounter them they have to take a second to asses the situation, they will not turn and run until few second of mental processing. But if you make noise until they turn away from, your good. Here is My wife running one off two night ago. Watch how the bear thinks for a second or two before it runs away.
Bear spray is very effective. Making your presence known is an important part of preventing encounters, surprising a bear is generally not a good thing. It’s why people try to make periodic/loud noise when in bear country.
That is a scary story. I hope your friend was able to fully recover.
I also live in Western MT. I never carry bear spray and I’ve had a black bear in my house. I treat black bears as large scared dogs. If you freak them out, they will respond appropriately. If you give them warning, it is almost never a big deal.
If I’m in an area where you can’t see far ahead, I make noise while I’m running. Even if that means continuously talking out loud while running by myself.
There are basically no grizzlies near where I live. When I go into Grizzly country. I carry bear spray. Grizzlies are terrifying.
To the original poster: Learn how to point and discharge the spray. If you have bears becoming accustomed to people with food, you’ll need to be prepared.
I recommend running with a trail backpack that has the front mount bottle holders. They do a good job of holding the spray and make them easy to access.
Other than more frequent wearing of hats he’s OK, but even more “Bear Aware” than usual. The Forest Service folks found an animal carcass just off the road from the incident so evidently mama bear thought he was threatening her late afternoon snack.
So about that bear in your house, did he leave politely or did you have to break out the home movies of your last 27 triathlons?
You: “Now back in '93 you can see that I’m really fit but I was nursing an anal fissure and some terrible hemorrhoids, but nonetheless…”
Back up “bear spray” will be a Glock 10mm in a chest pack made by Hill People Gear.
That’s a crappy plan. If you want to ensure you do not get hurt during a bear encounter, carry spray. If you think you have the nerves to hit bullseye on a 20mph moving target you know might seriously hurt you, bring your gun.
Neither is very effective on a bear that really wants to harm you.
The bears you need to worry about are the ones charging with intent to kill you. People spray bears that are just snooping around and call that “effective”.
Same with dogs. The ones in kill mode are not deterred by pepper spray.
Your chart lists pepper spray, but there’s a difference between bear spray and pepper spray. Pepper spray is generally marketed for people. There’s a difference in the levels of of Capsicum. And, you need to be careful about the bear type upon which it’s being tested. Brown vs. Black makes a big difference. On the east coast, it’s black bears that we’re concerned with. From the same link you posted: "The study did find that the spray was effective in 20 of 20 encounters with curious bears. "
No deterrent is 100-percent effective, but bear spray has
been effective in fending off threatening and attacking bears and
preventing injury to the person and animal involved. The proper
use of bear spray can reduce the number of bears killed and reduce
injuries to people caused by bears (from the Interagency Grizzly
Bear Committee at http://www.IGBConline.org).
One small thing worth noting (IMO) is if you’re going to bring it, carrying the bear spray on your body is a must. Somewhere easily accessible. I’d also recommend practicing or at least understanding where the shit comes out of the canister.
Knocking on my bamboo desk as I type this but thus far 99% of my bear encounters the bear/bears is/are equally scared and off the trail before I can even process that it was a bear. The other times have been in Jellystone/GTNP where they’re almost numb to human presence.
I bikepack a lot between Montana and Colorado and cringe when I see people toting it in the webbing of their seatpack.
