Bear sprays are one of those highly recommended “Do not leave at home” essentials when you are heading out to hike, especially if you are going to do it in bear country. What is a bear spray, how does it work, and should you carry one around with you during your hikes? This article is here to answer those questions.
The danger of bears
Bears are a known presence in many hiking trails, and the presence of one always sends cold shivers down a hiker’s spine, because of how unpredictable a bear can be. They might see you as someone not worth the trouble of harassing and run off if they spot you or see you as a potential food source (or at least the food in your backpack), potentially placing your life in danger.
Bears are also quite intelligent, and if they manage to break into camps and steal a sizeable amount of food enough, they will learn that the presence of humans = food, causing them to be more confident in approaching humans as they see them as something carrying potential food that can give them a nice meal.
With this, it’s important to take precautions when hiking in bear country. Ideally, you won’t even have to deal with a bear encounter in the first place, but some people might be unlucky and be at the wrong place at the wrong time and would need to do something fast, so precautions to avoid an encounter are important, as well as tips when an encounter does happen to cover your bases.
What’s in a bear spray?
The mixture that can be found in bear spray contains atomized capsaicin, which is the active component of chili peppers. It works akin to pepper spray, that is, by spraying its contents all over a bear’s face, greatly irritating the bear’s eyes, mouth, nose, and skin with a very painful burning sensation.
A bear has a sense of smell that is considered to be the best of any animal on earth, estimated to be around 2100 that of a human and 7 times that of a dog. That means that the bear spray is especially effective in overloading their senses, most notably their smell, while being considerably painful to deal with. It also causes their eyes to water, and they will likely stumble about or flee as their means of perception are disabled.
If you are worried about the state of the bear, don’t worry. The pain it experiences is only temporary and eventually the symptoms and pain will clear. It is not meant to be a lethal weapon, but instead a self-defense item that can buy you enough time to run away from a bear. Said bears might return to the scene of the attack later on, however, so don’t try to linger if you turn out to be successful in repelling one with a bear spray.
How to use bear spray?
Obviously, you simply need to aim it and spray at a threatening bear to get any use out of the bear spray, but what you probably want to know is when exactly you should actually be using this spray when on an encounter.
To start with, carry around your bear spray on hand at all times, especially if you are hiking in bear country.
Have the bear spray always within reach, such as in a worn holster that can be easily gotten from. On the occasion that you think that you are in a situation where you might surprise a bear, carry the spray on hand.
Sure, it might feel uncomfortable having to carry around bear spray with one hand and only have one available to do things, but when a bear attacks, it will not wait for you to fish out the bear spray hidden in your backpack or your holster.
When you need the bear spray, you need it now, not after a few seconds.
Now, bear sprays are not meant to be used as your primary means of defense against a bear. It is always good to have it prepared on hand to be used at any time, but it should only be used as a last defense measure if you feel that a bear is going to attack (e.g., It starts approaching or charging at you).
Instead, do your best to avoid a confrontation in the first place. If you and the bear have some distance from each other, back away slowly. The best-case scenario is that the bear has not noticed you, and so you can move and get away. If it has noticed you, back away slowly and wave your arms to make yourself appear bigger. Make sure that you don’t run.
Only when it decides to approach is when you should prepare your bear spray if you have not already.
The range of a bear spray can extend to 25 to 35 meters, but the closer the bear, the more effective it becomes. Stand your ground and adjust your aim according to the wind direction so that the mixture does not get blown away when you need it the most.
Wait until the bear is within 10 meters then start spraying. The recoil might make the spray go upwards, so make sure you are aiming downwards, such as slightly below the bear’s face. If you can, aim for the nose, eyes, or mouth, for maximum effectiveness. Try not to use the entire thing just in case you might need it again later.
What next?
If the spray works, the bear will be repelled and will run away to heal itself. It won’t be out of commission for too long, but long enough for you to get away and out to safety.
Don’t try to continue the trail, as you might get attacked by the bear again.
Done right, a bear spray will keep you safe without having to resort to killing the bear with a firearm.
Note: Bear sprays have a shelf life of 4 years, so swap the ones that have been laying on your shelves for too long. Be careful as they are also flammable and explosive, so don’t store them in places that have a high or low temperature.