28 replies to this topic

[Foy]

Foy, thanks for the geology note. I think I may have read that in some distant past, but would not have remembered it. That is interesting country. Had a friend who taught geology field camp out of Dillon for years - lot's of cool rocks and stratigraphy around there. Have fun!

Yessir, Taku, Dillon is nowadays one of the more heavily used areas for undergraduate geology field camp courses.  Exactly 42 years ago this week, I arrived in Dillon at the campus of Western Montana College where the University of Montana's field camp was, and still is, taught. For a kid from Appalachian State University who was accustomed to 2-5% outcrop and vegetation hiding even those from airphotos, the first day at Frying Pan Basin was Heaven. We finished with a big project at McCartney Mountain and some of us even sorted out the now infamous "Rat's Nest" to one degree or another. My wife and I married one month after I finished Field Camp and we've vacationed in Southwestern Montana regularly ever since.

 

Foy

[longhorn1]

Foy, this is what we have, Frontiersman Bear Attack Deterrent. I remember last year, the 3 attacks along the Gravely Range Road.

[XJINTX]

As I have posted on a local FB group. Those of us that travel into Bear Country only on occasion... we should loan out and let others borrow our spray that we have purchased. It's not inexpensive to outfit a family or group of multiple people. Better it get used and save a friend or acquaintance than expire. Let them borrow... if needed great and if not it was not just sitting on a shelf. Just my .02

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

As I have posted on a local FB group. Those of us that travel into Bear Country only on occasion... we should loan out and let others borrow our spray that we have purchased. It's not inexpensive to outfit a family or group of multiple people. Better it get used and save a friend or acquaintance than expire. Let them borrow... if needed great and if not it was not just sitting on a shelf. Just my .02

That's a great idea.

Frank

[smlobx]

Well I have a personal story to relate that I had never thought I would...

 

We were on our way back from Alaska about 2 weeks ago and we’re traveling down the Cassier Highway in BC. As most of you know BC has an incredible population of bears, in fact we saw three just that day along the Highway. It was getting late and we found a nice spot on Mehan Lake through iOverlander. The site was actually about a 200 ft back in spot to a small campsite along the shore of the lake that had a small floating dock tethered to it. After getting the rig leveled and chairs set up I grabbed my rod and tried to see if I could catch anything. It turned out that they were all about 5 to 6 inches long so I released the two I caught and went back to the camper.

 

That night we had our stove set up on the back right side of the truck with our two chairs forward of that so that my chair was at the front of the truck bed. A light drizzle had started so we rolled out the awning as Terri was sautéing some Andouille sausage and Brussel Sprouts ( don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!). We were having a drink along with our normal conversation when to my left I hear some noise in the bushes about 10 feet away at the corner of the truck.....

 

Realizing that what ever it was was bigger than a squirrel I grabbed Terri’s arm and told her to get into the camper as I got up and backed away towards the camper all the while talking in a loud voice and keeping my eyes on the bushes...As I get to the camper a black bear pokes his head out from the bushes right at the corner of our truck. I have Terri get me the bear spray all the while “talking” to the bear to go away. With the bear spray in hand and the safety cap off and pointed at him I turn the stove off. We are having ourselves a Mexican stand off and when the bear takes his first step towards me I yell and motion with my arms to back off. Apparently he must have not been an English speaking bear as he continues coming towards me...now about 10 feet away...

 

I pressed the trigger of the bear spray and give him a quick shot. The effect was immediate as he retreated into the bushes about 5 to 7 feet away and was making sounds that I estimated was him rubbing his face on the foliage to get rid of the odor. While still watching him I took the opportunity to grab all the cooking supplies and handed them into Terri in the camper. With the site now clean I retreated into the camper and we watched out through the window for a few minutes until the bear came back out again. I decided to not do anything further as there was no danger but just yelled at him to go away which he did...

 

So I can say that the bear spray was very effective and believe that the bear was probably more inquisitive than aggressive. Because he could have been on me in less than a second from his hiding place in the bushes..

 

Here are a few pictures I took the following morning showing the proximity of the bushes where he came out of and the beautiful lake...

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Edited by smlobx, 25 July 2020 - 04:23 PM.

[smlobx]

We have always carried bear spray with us but this just reaffirmed our commitment to do so.

[Vic Harder]

Glad that ended well.  I'm not sure I would have taken the food/attractant inside my camper though.

[smlobx]

This just came across my news feed...

Tragic..

 

https://apple.news/A...hRDqCmXfSqPioWg

[Kolockum]

I looked on REI.com and they will ship bear spray.

 

Foy, I know that trail too, can't say as I blame you. sometimes better to go somewhere else. Craig, likely the potential for a can leaking is why most carriers won't ship it. Had a can go off in the tail boom of a 212 in Alaska. It was in a foam lined ammo can and it got into the cabin readily while in flight. Luckily, we were fairly low level and put down. Had to have another ship come pick us up. Took the mechanic and pilot a couple of days to decontaminate the ship so the pilot felt it was safe to fly. That was a bunch of years ago!

 

I know of at least two instances where a can of bear spray has gone of in a National Park Service rig due to being left inside on a hot day. Makes one heck of a mess (I believe one vehicle had to be sent to surplus) and is a good warning to everybody to store it in a cool place or outside the vehicle when gone.

 

Pepper spray doesn't always work on highly enraged adrenaline fueled humans, I doubt it would work on a grizzle in the same state. But it is a decent tool for the other unfavorable encounters with bears or humans. I know of several people who have had to use it (on bears) and they swear by it.