Is bear spray necessary on the Appalachian Trail?
It is recommended that you carry bear spray when hiking in bear country. However, some parks do not allow the possession or use of bear spray. Check park regulations before your trip.
Always watch out for bear sign when hiking in parks with bears. Be aware. Be alert while on the trail, and always be on the lookout for bears. Keep an eye out for fresh tracks, scat, other signs (torn up logs, digging, fresh claw marks on trees), and carrion (carcasses) in the area.
If you absolutely cannot get bear spray, then regular pepper spray could be used as an alternative. It's easy to find abroad and is allowed in checked luggage. Just don't expect it to be as effective as bear spray.
If you do any hiking or camping in Yellowstone, you SHOULD bring bear spray. Generally, you don't need bear spray when visiting the popular and crowded geyser areas and villages, such as Old Faithful and Canyon Village. Bear attacks are extremely rare and unlikely, but they do happen.
A bear will smell your food regardless of what container you put it in. A dry bag may reduce the distance from which a bear can smell your food, but will not make it impossible to smell your food. It's extremely uncommon – especially for black bears – for a bear to attack a person to try to steal their food.
Bears also dislike the strong scent of pine-based cleaners, but avoid using anything with a fresh, lemony or fruity smell. And never mix bleach and ammonia; the combination produces fumes that can be deadly to both people and bears.
Tents are not a proven deterrent against attacks from large wild animals such as bears or cougars. A tent, however, serves as protection while you sleep from insects and snakes.
Returning to your campsite to find a bear at your tent is scary. So much so that it is likely to ruin your whole day. Bears can and do get into tents very easily. They are invariably searching for food but may also be attracted by the scent of perfumes and other toiletries.
Does bear spray work and what does bear spray do? Bear experts agree that bear spray is much more effective than firearms in a human-bear confrontation. While estimates of bear spray success rates range from 90 to 98%, humans are injured in 50% of bear confrontations where the human uses a firearm*.
Bear Spray IS Effective
Bear spray stopped black bears' undesirable behavior 90% of the time, according to “Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska” (Smith et al., 2010).
What is better than bear spray?
If you're worried about bears, carry bear spray. On the other hand, if you're concerned about human attacks, a pepper spray gun for self-protection is better.
Female Grizzly Bear in Yellowstone steal from humans, so you have to work a bit harder to find them, but once you do bears show much more natural behavior. They are active throughout Yellowstone in spring, summer and fall then hibernate all winter, emerging sometime in March or early April.
If the bear sees you, retreat slowly and leave the area. If possible, slowly walk upwind to let your scent reach the bear. Regardless of the distance, never approach the bear.
Although bears are less frequently observed along roadsides and within developed areas today than in the past, many people still see bears each year. From 1980-2011 over 40,000 bear sightings have been reported to park managers.
Bears can smell through Ziploc bags. They do so because scent molecules escape through the thin plastic.
Lotions, deodorants, scented soaps and perfumes are all going to pique the attention of your not-so-friendly neighborhood grizzly or black bear. Pack your toiletries in doubled plastic bags or airtight containers.
Why coffee grounds? Since the bears have a strong sense of smell, such a pungent treat is extremely attractive and stimulating to them. The bears roll around in coffee grounds like a cat in catnip!
Most animals dislike the smell of fabric softener sheets, the kind you use in your dryer. They can also cover the smell of food. Take a pack with you in your camping supplies and put them everywhere: in your cooler, tent, sleeping bag, and backpack.
While bears love anything sweet (yes, even honey) they have often been found to steer clear of anything pine-scented. Bears dislike the scent of any pine-scented cleaners that contain pine. Using pure pine oil or a cleaner that contains pine oil, such as Pine-Sol, will aid in repelling bears.
Coffee grounds are easy to overlook since you wouldn't think that this type of waste can attract animals. However, bears and other animals love the pungent smell of coffee grounds. In fact, some zoos use coffee grounds as an enrichment activity for bears.
What to do if a bear is charging you?
When the bear charges you, hold your ground and stay calm. After the bear charges, slowly retreat while keeping an eye on the bear. Let the bear know that you're a human, and that you aren't a threat. Continue to speak to the bear in a calm voice and make it clear that you are a human.
In most cases, the bear will flee. If you are in your campsite or other place bears shouldn't be, and you are sure the bear is a black bear, consider trying to move it out of the area. Ensure the bear has a clear and safe escape route with no people or obstacles in its way. Stand tall and look it directly in the eye.
Campfires, as warm, cozy, and safe as they make us feel, will not deter bears. But loud, off-key singing around a campfire will. The fact is, bears don't want an encounter with us any more than we want one with them. And noise is the best deterrent.
It is a common misconception that shotgun ammunition is a good way to chase away a bear. In reality, target or bird-hunting shot is an ineffective solution that often leads to unnecessary outcomes. Bears have relatively thin skin and shotgun ammunition can be extremely harmful and even lethal.
Bears aren't typically scared of bright lights because bears naturally have no negative association with bright light and don't see it as a threat.
If you're in camp, quickly lock away any food in a bear canister or metal locker, or carry the food with you (even if it's in a cooking pot) as you back away. It's important to not let a bear get your food. If the bear seems more interested in your food than you, drop it only as a last resort and move away.
FirSt aid treatment For Bear SPray
Most major effects of the spray should dissipate in 30 to 45 minutes.
Bear Spray Vs.
Studies show bear spray is 90% successful when used to deter bear attacks, versus 76% for long guns and 84% for handguns. Although someone armed with a gun may possibly be able to stop an aggressive bear, van Manen says “injuries to the shooter and others also sometimes occur.
In the end, the reports show that bear encounters with firearms resulted in injury in approximately 50% of the cases while bear spray was 98% effective at preventing injury.
Never run away from or approach him. Make yourself look as big as possible by spreading your arms or, better yet, a coat. Make as much noise as possible by yelling, banging pots and pans or using other noisemaking devices. If the bear approaches and you have bear spray, spray the bear as he approaches.
Is bear spray enough?
In short, bear spray is 98% effective at deterring a bear. It's a strong smelling capsaicin spray, similar to the pepper spray or mace that policemen use. Most bears won't think twice when their nose and eyes start watering and burning, and will back off.
Air horns are an effective bear repellent. They are certainly loud enough to alert bears to your presence. Some campers like to fire off the air horn before they leave their tent in the morning to scare away any bears which might be at the campsite. If you see a bear, you can also use an air horn to scare a bear away.
In studies of close human-bear encounters conducted by the University of Calgary's grizzly bear expert Stephen Herrero, bear pepper spray was found to be 94% effective in deterring aggressive grizzly bears.
Generic pepper spray does not work on bears,” Bartlebaugh says. “People who thought it does have, in the past, been seriously injured because it didn't stop bears.” After decades of use, bear spray is touted by experts as the best choice for staying safe in bear country.
For a bear cartridge anything equal to or more powerful than a . 41 Magnum or . 44 Magnum will be fine. Oldtime black bear hunters say that any load that throws at least a 200-grain or bigger solid bullet at 1000 fps or more will take any bear in the woods.
hang your food, we recommend the “PCT method,” with your bag hanging a minimum of 12 feet from the ground and 6 feet from the overhanging limb and trunk. Bears are found along the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. In any location along the Trail, bears may pursue human food when easy access is available.
Bear spray is legal for self defense in The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Although you probably won't need to use it, the peace of mind and security of knowing you have it on your hip so you can enjoy your hiking, camping or swimming is priceless.
Wear long pants tucked into socks, and shirt tucked into pants (ticks crawl up); long-sleeved shirts, especially when treated with permethrin, offer more protection than short sleeves. Spray-on permethrin can also be used to treat your pack and outer tent floor.
Bear pepper spray may be carried by hikers within Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the strict purpose of protection against bodily harm from aggressive wildlife. It should not be applied to people, tents, packs, other equipment or surrounding area as a repellent.
Bears also dislike the strong scent of pine-based cleaners, but avoid using anything with a fresh, lemony or fruity smell. And never mix bleach and ammonia; the combination produces fumes that can be deadly to both people and bears.
Where are the most bears on the Appalachian Trail?
A few things about bears on the Appalachian Trail:
Attacks on humans are extremely rare. The highest black bear populations on the trail are in the Shenandoahs, the Smokies, and New Jersey.
Remain still; stand your ground but slowly wave your arms. Help the bear recognize you as a human. It may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.
In fact, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has approximately 1600 black bears roaming around at any given time! While your odds of seeing a bear sound good, this really only equates to 1-2 bears per square mile of park.
If you are out hiking, whether it is a tenth of a mile or a backcountry adventure, it is essential to carry bear spray for your safety. Bear spray has been proven to be the most effective tool in stopping aggressive bear behavior and preventing attacks.
Bears are attracted to anything that smells; it doesn't even need to smell good. Garbage, compost piles, dirty diapers, pizza boxes, empty beverage cans…to a hungry black bear, it all smells like something good to eat. Bears are curious and always exploring.
Erratic weather, high winds and steep, rugged terrain create the potential for hikers to get into serious trouble. “That's generally considered the most dangerous in regards to terrain and exposure,” Mr. Miller said. “It's difficult terrain, rocky and steep, and people don't make progress as quickly as they expect to.”
It is very easy to get temporarily lost. Also, there are always sections of the trail that are shifted for various reasons from year to year. These can be less well marked than the main trail and you can get side-tracked.
- Bringing too much food. ...
- Carrying too much water. ...
- Carrying too many (or too few) clothes. ...
- Not practicing with gear before starting. ...
- Carrying a pack weighing 50 pounds or more. ...
- Making someone's day turn to crap. ...
- Sleeping with food in tents and shelters.
Will Bears Bother You In A Tent? Generally speaking, bears don't want to be around you any more than you want to be around them. Since most black and brown bears are really just looking for food, they usually only bother people in a tent if they smell something tasty inside.
Bears have never been observed showing interest in sunscreens either—but they might if it smells unusually tasty. Bears are naturally curious and almost always hungry, but it is not likely a bear that found insect repellent or sunscreen interesting stuff to sniff would then follow up with an attack on the wearer.
