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What Are Your "Grizzly / Wildlife" Precautions?

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What Are Your "Grizzly / Wildlife" Precautions?

Old 10-09-16, 02:57 PM
  #76  
stevepusser
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I wonder why people freak out about a bear attack when I'll bet a thousand bucks that dogs cause many more injuries and deaths for cyclists. I've seen a couple horrible injuries myself due to dogs jumping onto the cyclist in front of me while rolling downhill. Once from a driveway, once unsecured from the bed of a passing pickup (both cases, the dog's owners had no insurance whatsoever, too. First they both tried to claim they didn't own the dog; it just happened to be hitching a ride in the pickup, for example).

Anyway, since pepper spray often just seems to add extra flavor for grizzlies, I wonder if some kind of igniter for the spray, much like the hairspray flamethrower, would provide any extra deterrent. At least if you're mauled to death by a flaming grizzly, you could die knowing their woodland home would soon be going up in a holocaust. Dibs on the Kickstarter!

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Old 10-09-16, 03:50 PM
  #77  
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Actually, I've heard of a sexual assault repellent that was a pouch full of skunk like fluid worn about the neck you could squish open when attacked. Supposedly, the theory being a would be attacker would be repulsed by the smell and leave off the attack.

Curious idea for bears if there was a smell strong enough that would repulse them.

Will a bear attack a skunk?

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Old 10-09-16, 05:40 PM
  #78  
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
Actually, I've heard of a sexual assault repellent that was a pouch full of skunk like fluid worn about the neck you could squish open when attacked. Supposedly, the theory being a would be attacker would be repulsed by the smell and leave off the attack.

Curious idea for bears if there was a smell strong enough that would repulse them.

Will a bear attack a skunk?
I thought pepper spray was supposed to do the trick, being more painful. Maybe an explosive vest where you threaten to take the bear's friends and family down with you could work. Or (Kickstarter!) a porcupine suit! The Grizzly Man armored suit would be slightly too hot and heavy for practical touring, though. Maybe a bear suit would let you blend in with the wildlife to deter attacks.
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Old 10-09-16, 05:47 PM
  #79  
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I've seen a porcupine taken by coyotes in Alberta. They rolled it over, ate out the belly and left the pelt intact so.. that's a no go.
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Old 10-10-16, 10:23 AM
  #80  
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August 2016. Alaska grizzly, professional guide, single-stack compact 9mm handgun, 147gr Buffalo Bore hard casts. Close range, dead bear.

Can't post url, google on Alaska Outfitter Defends Fisherman from Raging Grizzly.

The guy's choice of BB 147gr 9mm Hardcasts made so much sense I actually traded off my 10mm Glock 29 (w 220gr Hardcasts) last weekend and used the money for binocs I needed for a raptor survey.

I have successfully used bear spray eight times over fifteen years against charging dogs, not to protect me but to protect my dogs (blue heelers) in my lower income urban area. Not on every dog, just that small percentage that cannot be bluffed away. These were the charging dogs (mostly pits and rotts) that ignored my shouts and body language and just homed in on my dogs. It is my belief that it is not the capsaicin that repels them but the sudden unexpected 20+ foot blast which throws a switch in their brain from fight to flight. I presume this is how it affects bears too.

Bear country, I'd rather have both but if'n I could only have just one I'd pick the spray.

I am not at all averse to handguns or the carrying thereof, in fact I've been legal to carry for more'n 20 years now. But on tour I'd guess a handgun would create more potential legal and practical hassles than the slim chance of me ever needing one would make it worth.

JMHO,
Mike

Last edited by Sharpshin; 10-10-16 at 04:48 PM.
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Old 10-10-16, 05:14 PM
  #81  
Erick L
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I bike in a bear suit.
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Old 10-10-16, 05:56 PM
  #82  
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Deer and cattle also attack and kill many more people by surprise than bears* in North America each year--how shall they be deterred?

*at least until Bearmageddon.

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Old 10-10-16, 08:19 PM
  #83  
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OPSAK, but we only have Black Bear around here. Andrew Skurka is said to have done Alaska with one.
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Old 10-10-16, 10:26 PM
  #84  
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This guy walked right through our campsite as we were packing up in the morning. He did not even slow down as he went by the bear box that was about 20 ' away

Selkirk Loop, BC
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Old 10-10-16, 11:25 PM
  #85  
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
And have you ever tried putting a bear bell on. The collar is way too small and I doubt the bear would stay still long enough anyway.

That being said I tour with bear spray and keep food separate from camp. Two years ago I did a diving trip in Jasper that required a trek through trails that had recent bear activity. I carried bear spray, a bell and an air horn on that one.
I live just around the corner from the wreck (literally!). I see divers out there once and awhile while riding the trails... Among the most random wreck dives in the world albeit with a really interesting history

I've noticed 2 things over the years of dealing with animals. The people who regularly deal with these animals regularly rarely/never carry a firearm and those people who are rarely in bear country tend to lean towards carrying a gun...

Personally I've lived in black bear/grizzly country all my life (Eastern Foothills/Rocky Mountains Alberta) and never even come remotely close to having any issues with bears. Good habits on and off the trail are key; be noisy, watch out for areas with a lot berries, keep far far away from any animals, stay far away from kills and eat in a different spot than you camp. This eliminates 99.9% of issues you'll have with any creature. Bear spray/bear bangers/firearms are extremely last resort.

I'm personally way more terrified of elk, African Lions (....), tourists in rental RV's and crashing into trees than bears.
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Old 10-11-16, 07:52 AM
  #86  
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.357 versus bear, dead bear.

Grizzly Attack Caught on Camera | Field & Stream
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Old 10-11-16, 08:12 AM
  #87  
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Originally Posted by Doug64
This guy walked right through our campsite as we were packing up in the morning. He did not even slow down as he went by the bear box that was about 20 ' away

Selkirk Loop, BC


Awesome! This past weekend I was hiking on part of the AT in New Jersey bear country. We thought we heard one in some thick growth, but it turned out to be a guy we think was doing his "business."
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Old 10-11-16, 11:20 PM
  #88  
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Originally Posted by SparkyGA
I live just around the corner from the wreck (literally!). I see divers out there once and awhile while riding the trails... Among the most random wreck dives in the world albeit with a really interesting history
Oddly enough, I just drove 700km's yesterday to dive another site in the Shuswap, the Adams River, where a sockeye salmon run happens. On the hike to the river mouth (in full scuba kit) I came across this lovely bit of bear scat.
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Old 10-12-16, 08:34 AM
  #89  
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Speaking of CrazyGuyonaBike (other thread), there is a blog there I cannot re-find. A fairly recent account of a 60 year-old gentleman who wanted to be (and became) the first guy to ride a bicycle from the US to the Innuit State of Nunavut, which ride IIRC involved about 500 miles of remote dirt roads each way through the North Woods.

Notable because once up there he was encountering about three black bears a day (attracted to the forest margins along the road), most of which had probably never seen a human. Neither had he been allowed to bring bear spray into Canada.

His accounts of the effectiveness or lack thereof of various bear-scaring devices and strategies are quite humorous. For the most part the bears either fled or ignored him.

Out of all these bears, only two caused him problems, both large mature males.

In the first such encounter, he had stopped to pee when a bear emerged from the woods and, totally ignoring him, began to tear into the panniers on his bicycle. The trip was saved when the bear bit into a pressurized can of mosquito repellent, the explosive escape of the same causing the bear to flee the scene.

The second was potentially more serious. Along his route were scattered single Cree hunting cabins, generally left open and unoccupied most of the year. He was sleeping in one of these and had locked the doors to protect his stuff from bears. A big male black bear arrived and tried repeatedly to get into the cabin through the door and windows despite his best attempts at scaring it off. IIRC the gist was the gentleman felt that that particular bear was coming after him along with his stuff.

I wish someone could locate that account. he even had to cache food on the way up so as to be able to make the trip back.

Mike

Last edited by Sharpshin; 10-12-16 at 08:38 AM.
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Old 10-12-16, 10:56 AM
  #90  
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Mike, I read that fellows trip journal. I don't know the reasons, but it is no longer on cg anymore. I can't remember names for the life of me but his last name is a French name, remember the issues he had at the border because of the diff spelling on documents?
It was a well written piece, I sometimes wondered if part of it was fictional or at least embellished, I don't know, but the whole food caches and hoping/being certain that he would get food out of the blue along the way seemed a little too risky/hardass for my tastes.

I also seem to remember that when I was reading/following it, it was about a year after he did the trip, so he obviously took the time with it, he is a good writer. I only read it that once, but it was a neat combination of bike trip blog with the various feelings and thoughts of being on a very isolated bike trip, but also his writing touched on a lot more in life than just a bike trip.

Meant to write him to tell him these things, but by then it wasnt around anymore and I couldn't find hide nor hair of him, so that was that.

one thing I took from reading that is that the Surly Troll is a tough bike, he is a big guy and carried a crapload of stuff at times, and the bike handled it well. Was part of the germ of the idea to get a Troll because I had confidence that it would make a good tough tourer. Took me years to get one, but finally did.

cheers
David
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Old 10-13-16, 11:14 AM
  #91  
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Originally Posted by Sharpshin
.357 versus bear, dead bear.
This, or don't bike tour in grizzly country.
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Old 10-13-16, 11:33 AM
  #92  
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Originally Posted by Sharpshin
Wow! He was lucky to have even been able to grab and use his gun! It's hard to believe they were stupid enough to not have secured the trap to the truck, or well, maybe not. lol
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Old 10-13-16, 04:19 PM
  #93  
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Originally Posted by Bike Hermit
This, or don't bike tour in grizzly country.
Really.. that's gonna limit travel in Western Canada. Try riding with one up here.
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Old 10-13-16, 04:36 PM
  #94  
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Originally Posted by Sharpshin
I wish someone could locate that account. he even had to cache food on the way up so as to be able to make the trip back.
I think the author you are referring to here was Bill Saint-Onge (no idea if that was his real name or a pseudonym). He self-deleted his account last November. He didn't give any reason, but it seemed to coincide with a contentious forum thread that was unfolding around the same time. He didn't participate, but I believe he took umbrage at some comment I made and rage-quit the site in protest. Unfortunately once someone deletes their account, their journals are gone for good - the records are physically deleted from the database.

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Old 10-13-16, 04:51 PM
  #95  
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It was a well written piece, I sometimes wondered if part of it was fictional or at least embellished, I don't know, but the whole food caches and hoping/being certain that he would get food out of the blue along the way seemed a little too risky/hardass for my tastes.
If it was embellished, it sure was a convincing embellishment.

The guy wrote so perceptively of the First nations people he encountered I'm thinking he may be First nations himself.

Hopefully he took it down to put in a book, or else maybe someone got offended I dunno.

A pity was taken down, because it was an extraordinary tour.
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Old 10-13-16, 05:22 PM
  #96  
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Nothing personal but it's one problem with posting journals on third party sites. Yes, you do get more immediate exposure (you borrow their networking efforts) the but you also give away decision making ability as far as presence and creativity. Not saying that's what happened there at all but it's a consideration I've had over the years with biking and diving. I'd rather link to my own site so that, if I get mad and delete my presence on a forum or something, I still have my material intact.

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Old 10-13-16, 06:08 PM
  #97  
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Originally Posted by Sharpshin
If it was embellished, it sure was a convincing embellishment.

The guy wrote so perceptively of the First nations people he encountered I'm thinking he may be First nations himself.

Hopefully he took it down to put in a book, or else maybe someone got offended I dunno.

A pity was taken down, because it was an extraordinary tour.
I agree that it was too bad it got taken down. I like reading trip journals and this one stood out for me and I regret not being able to let him know how much I appreciated his writing. I don't really care if things were embeleshed or not, it came across as genuine and so as someone growing up reading Farley Mowat, a Canadian writer known for embellishing, I enjoyed it--just as much for the bike trip adventure side as it touching on issues like you mentioned.
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Old 10-13-16, 06:28 PM
  #98  
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
Nothing personal but it's one problem with posting journals on third party sites. Yes, you do get more immediate exposure (you borrow their networking efforts) the but you also give away decision making ability as far as presence and creativity. Not saying that's what happened there at all but it's a consideration I've had over the years with biking and diving. I'd rather link to my own site so that, if I get mad and delete my presence on a forum or something, I still have my material intact.
Um, I already explained that he took it down himself. It was entirely the decision of the author to do that, not me.

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Old 10-13-16, 06:33 PM
  #99  
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No, I wasn't trying to imply that. It can be as much a case for the individual as the host. Unless he/she has a backup file of what they wrote so they can transcribe it to the next platform they are SOL if they delete it in a fit of anger. I might quit a forum but I doubt I'll delete my own website to spite others.

Definitely not a knock against you. As one who builds sites I appreciate the effort required.
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Old 10-13-16, 06:35 PM
  #100  
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Ride fast
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