If the bear cannot tell what you are, it may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. If necessary, back away slowly to give the bear plenty of room to escape. To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. Udap Bear Spray - Budget Pick. Carry what the professionals carry! If a bear appears in your camp or while you’re hiking. Your ultimate protection in the wild! It typically comes in a small can and can be sprayed a maximum of six to 10 feet, he says. Then I did it again and again and again, until it was empty. some mad scientist resurrects a T-rex by extracting its blood from the DNA of a 67-million-year-old mosquito trapped in amber? On a recent backpacking trip in northeastern Minnesota, we had Counter Assault Bear Spray on us the entire time, and it provided the safety and peace of mind we were looking for.. Recipient of 1998 Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee* (IGBC) Stewardship Award for Research and Development of Bear Pepper Spray. Yes, Counter Assault Bear Deterrent is EPA registered and can be taken across the Canadian border for your own personal use. images reprinted with the permission of Be Bear Aware Campaign. Deterrent power: I’ve eaten ghost peppers, and if this stuff is 10 times fierier, I believe it works; see study above. Moses notes that bear attacks have steadily declined in Glacier, from 2 to 3 people injured every summer in the early 1990s to an average of fewer than 0.5 per year in recent years. Weight: For thru-hikers, even the smaller canister may seem like extra weight at 8.1 ounces. If on a trail, step off the trail on the downhill side and slowly leave the area. - Counter Assault bear deterrent. Well, not so fast with the stats. Maximum stopping power: Maximum strength (2.0% major capsaicinoids) allowed by the EPA, guaranteed via in-house lab Camp in open areas away from trails, thick brush, berry patches, spawning streams, or carcasses. He is believed to have treated more bear-attack victims and investigated more bear attacks than anyone else in the continental US. Bear spray uses a fine cloud of Capsicum derivatives to temporarily reduce a bear’s ability to breath, see, and smell, giving you time to leave the area. If product does not work: Editor scrubs my Trek profile, posts cursory notice of my demise, wife collects on life-insurance plan we’ve been paying into all these years. “As a ranger, I’ve seen visitors spray their tent. If the bear or large predator continues to approach or to charge within 20 to 30 feet, use short blasts, continuously in succession, aiming low at the head and toward the ground in front of the animal so it runs into the spray, until the animal retreats or is deterred. Never bury it; pack it out. The most effective dispersal system is the atomized fogger. It has been used effectively in Cape Churchill, Manitoba against polar bears using this method and also in the Arctic at extremely low temperatures of 12°F/-12°C to -6°F/-22°C. Keep sleeping bags and tents completely free of food, food odors, or beverages at all times. 800-695-3394 answers-info@counterassault.com For comparison, plain old pepper spray—the kind you use to fend off solicitors—is a dinky 1 million SHU, and ghost peppers, the hottest thing humans actually eat, top out at a wimpy 300,000 SHU. Deploys a high volume, powerful, atomized blast of highly concentrated pepper spray to deter a bear attack. A bear hang is all but useless unless it is six to eight feet from the tree trunk and at least 10 feet off the ground. Moses spent nearly 30 years working for the National Park Service in Glacier and Yellowstone, two popular parks with the most densely populated brown-bear (aka grizzly-bear) habitats. A standing bear is curious, not threatening, but this is a good time for a first short (one-second) burst of Counter Assault, bear mace which may send the bear on its way. Gary L. Moses: Counter Assault Bear Education Specialist In 2014, Gary joined Counter Assault as Product Ambassador and Bear Education Specialist. Bear attacks can happen in a wide range of scenarios, Counter Assault Bear Spray is lightweight and easy to carry on your hip or in a chest holster so you are always ready. Weight: 7.9 ounces, MSRP: $39.99 They are matriarchal; mom teaches her cubs everything. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Range: 30 feet The product, Moses says, is intended for one, and only one, use: To lay down a “wall” of deterrent between you and an attacking bear. This issue came to light due to the improper use of bear pepper sprays. There are many types of ways that bears confront people. “A bear attack usually happens in a quick couple of seconds.”. All bear-inflicted injuries associated with defensive spraying involved brown bears and were relatively minor.” And not a single bear was injured or killed. Frontiersman Bear Spray at a Glance: 30 foot … Although he does conduct bear spray training for organizations and agencies, his focus is on bear education and avoidance to enable outdoor enthusiast to recreate safely and confidently in bear country. Courtesy counterassault.com. Your ultimate protection in the wild! Great for Backpacking and Hiking. I confess I felt a little deflated, sort of like when you had fired off the last of your bottle rockets when you were a kid, but it was super easy to use and fired a good 30 feet (the practice canister has a range of 32 feet). Active ingredient: 2% capsaicin and related capsaicinoids, the maximum allowed by law. This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. Its use can reduce human injuries caused by bears and the number of bears killed by people in self-defense. Try to back away slowly diagonally, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. When the animal attack is interrupted, this is your chance to get away, but DO NOT RUN. Bear spray is a non-lethal bear deterrent designed to stop aggressive behavior in bears. As far as effectiveness of bear spray in general, Moses points to a 2011 study, “Efficacy of Firearms for Bear Deterrence in Alaska,” published in the Journal of Wildlife Management, which found that spray is more effective than trying to fend off an attack with a firearm. Bear spray is a vital part of any attack deterrent plan when you’re in bear country. Store food and odorous items by hanging at least 10 feet above ground and 4 feet from top and side supports or by storing in approved. He emphasizes that this is not “pepper spray,” a much-weaker (though still potent) product intended to deter humans. Our top affordable choice is Udap’s bear spray, as it features a more … (Aside: Speaking of bear walls, I met a guy on the AT whose first trail name was Darkness. Frontiersman continues to rank as one of the … The industry’s leading bear pepper spray, spraying distance of up to 40 feet and spray duration of 8 seconds. In 2008 he received the prestigious Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award, given annually to a single ranger who exemplifies the skills needed to protect resources and serve visitors. Use a gun on a charging bear, and your chances are about 50/50 of getting hurt or killed. Mama pulled up short, wanting no part of this guy, turned around, and ran off. Select food in individually sealed packages. To relieve the discomfort of the individual who has been exposed. In 2016, I hiked the AT and I have literally thought about it every day since. CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON. Counter Assault Bear Deterrent Boasting the max legal potency of 2% capsaicin, a proprietary safety cap designed to prevent accidental discharge, a far superior shelf-life to most of its competitors, a spray time of 8 seconds, and reported to have a 90% success rate, the 10.2 oz Counter Assault Bear Deterrent is a box-ticker across the board. Moses says far too many backcountry users endanger themselves and bears with sloppy food storage. If a bear is going to charge more than once, it creates a barrier zone for the bear to have to reenter. Wild bears rarely attack people unless they feel threatened or provoked. FAA regulations do not allow transportation of more than 4 ounces of pepper spray packed in checked luggage. Help the animal recognize you are human. Do not spray this product on objects, tents or humans; such use has no deterrent effect on bears. Great for Backpacking and Hiking. If you are exposed, the effects of Counter Assault are temporary. To be effective, Counter Assault Bear Deterrent must be airborne. Works on all bear species to deter bears from attacking humans. “Always carry it attached to you or the exterior of your pack, where you can reach it,” he says. A can of bear spray won’t do you much good stowed in your pack, or even a rear pocket, Moses says. Range: 15-20 feet To be effective it must be airborne. Sabre Frontiersman Bear Spray - https://amzn.to/38x4yW21:05 NO.2. You can’t outrun a bear — they have been clocked up to 35 mph, and like cougars and dogs, they will chase fleeing animals. Here are some important things to consider if you want to buy bear spray. It’s incredibly easy to use and designed well to prevent accidental release. Works on all bear species to deter bears from attacking humans. A standing bear is curious, not threatening, but this is a good time for a first short (one-second) burst of Counter Assault, which may send the bear on its way. To get the best possible understanding of this product, its uses, and some of the science behind it, I called up Gary Moses, a product ambassador and bear-education specialist for Counter Assault. The three most common encounter scenarios where spray distance will be important: Counter Assault products have a four-year recommended replacement date because ALL aerosols lose propellant over time. The shorter claws of the black bear are better for climbing. The product must return to the US and cannot be sold or remain in Canada. Stand still – hold your ground if the bear charges. Try to back away slowly diagonally, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. “Bears learn a negative experience with people. Bear experts all agree that bear pepper spray, when used correctly, is the best defense against an aggressive bear. Dump dishwater at least 100 yards from your sleeping area. Please refer to the letter from Health Canada below. Counter Assault bear spray also deters other large, (understandably) angry creatures, such as moose and (possibly) velociraptors. $ 36.99 USD More information In fact, Tom Smith, the author of at least one of the studies, has said the studies do not argue for the efficacy of bear spray. The black bear is the smaller of the two, uniformly black, brown, blond, or cinnamon in color. What do you call people who get this close to a grizzly bear mama with a cub? Counter Assault developed the sophisticated dispersal system that creates an atomized fog, which produces a pepper cloud slow to dissipate. A group comprised of bear biologists and wildlife specialists released recommendations for bear pepper spray on August 12, 1999. He can’t prove it with data, but believes the use of bear spray is a big factor in the change. Works on all bear species to deter bears from attacking humans. In May 2017 and 2018 I gave back to the trail by working on the ATC's storied Konnarock Trail Crew. Trade name: Counter Assault Bear Deterrent: Product size: 230g (8.1 oz), 290g (10.2 oz) ... Use restrictions: Not for use on humans. Bear sprays that contain OC induce an almost immediate but temporary burning sensation of the skin and a burning, tearing, and swelling of the eyes. In extreme cold weather, American and Canadian park rangers carry their Counter Assault under their jackets to keep it warm for emergency use. First aid instructions are printed on each Counter Assault Bear Deterrent label. It’s only to be used to spray in the face of an animal that is trying to cause harm.”. I scooped up a tangle of bear hair just before Blood Mountain on the Appalachian Trail in 2016 and it was … pungent. Counter Assault Bear Spray’s NEW innovative formula produces the optimal combination of spray time and spray distance. 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