True Tales: Charged by a 500-Pound Grizzly

hit it in da head
it will pass owt and u and ur friends can run awey
or... it will get pissed and eat u

good 4 u...
u didnt get your head eaten off by a grizzly

To Scott
a 20 mph wind in your face won't stop a .44 mag but is not great for bear spray. I carry both. From your post it sounds like you have never had a bear encounter where you need to react, until you do, maybe you should keep your advice to yourself. It's not possible to always hike upwind.

To Scott
a 20 mph wind in your face won't stop a .44 mag but is not great for bear spray. I carry both. From your post it sounds like you have never had a bear encounter where you need to react, until you do, maybe you should keep your advice to yourself. It's not possible to always hike upwind.

First, to Always Prepared--You pack the gun, I'll pack the bear spray. With a gun you get one shot to find the right mark. On a bear that mark is very small and the hide is thick. Miss your mark and you have an angry bear looking to do more than charge...an angry bear becomes a hungry bear and you suddenly look like food.

Second---never, never empty your canister in one shot, always,always, always, leave some for your retreat.

Third--it sounds to me like the bear was making a first false charge as he stopped about thirty feet way. It was not the best idea to spray at that point. At the beginning of the second charge is the best time to spray. That said, if a bear was charging me I would probably spray early too.

UDAP sells inert training units and it is not a bad idea to buy a can or two and work out some false scenarios at home with inert spray before the real thing comes along in the wild. Less to think about should the real thing come along.

i always have my UDAP spray on me..i hike alot in norvin green state forest in jersey and its black bear heaven...i always feel alot better cause i have my spray...i never used it yet but seen many bears but none have charged me thank god...also when you get the spray opt for a 10oz+ size they are only 5 or 10 bucks more when you add oz's to the can...good luck

i always have my UDAP spray on me..i hike alot in norvin green state forest in jersey and its black bear heaven...i always feel alot better cause i have my spray...i never used it yet but seen many bears but none have charged me thank god...also when you get the spray opt for a 10oz+ size they are only 5 or 10 bucks more when you add oz's to the can...good luck

you know, my hubby and I visited Yellowstone and we did a bunch of short hikes. We foolishly did NOT bring bear spray... I think we were pretty dumb. Just because we don't do back country, doesn't mean you won't encounter one on such trails like to Hell Roaring or some of the others you don't see many people on! wow! I will never ever go there again without spray.

I used The Force.

I used The Force.

Pack a gun and not seasoning.

Pack a gun and not seasoning.

I was charged by a bear while living in the Amarkantak Jungle of Central India in 1991.It was a moonlit night in the hottest and driest time of year, before the monsoons flood the jungles.

I was warned that the bears- black bear size- were restless this time of year but I could not resist the lure of a moonlit jungle in one of the most sacred areas of India where ancient Vedic Sages had kept their ashrams from time immemorial.

Sure enough as predicted a bear jumped up and charged from 40 meters and my natural reaction is all that saved me, as my awareness immediately went into a state of intense silence that seemed to stop the charging bear in his tracks- I practiced Transcendental Meditation for 20 years. The bear held perfectly still and stared at me for some time- then shook his head gentle accepting me in the jungle, and turned and walked off.

I was charged by a bear while living in the Amarkantak Jungle of Central India in 1991.It was a moonlit night in the hottest and driest time of year, before the monsoons flood the jungles.

I was warned that the bears- black bear size- were restless this time of year but I could not resist the lure of a moonlit jungle in one of the most sacred areas of India where ancient Vedic Sages had kept their ashrams from time immemorial.

Sure enough as predicted a bear jumped up and charged from 40 meters and my natural reaction is all that saved me, as my awareness immediately went into a state of intense silence that seemed to stop the charging bear in his tracks- I practiced Transcendental Meditation for 20 years. The bear held perfectly still and stared at me for some time- then shook his head gentle accepting me in the jungle, and turned and walked off.

seems a friend also uses fire crackers, he stated they run away very quickly. just didn't work on a skunk, the skunk still came through the cloud of smoke after him

I've had many bear encounters...however never has one charged me. Despite my good fortune, I'm always prepared with spray...check out my research at my BLOG POST http://www.campology.ca/campologist_talk/carry-bear-spray-when-on-the-trail/

Glad you had time to weigh him!

You weighed him?--gb

That's a risk I am not willing to take (hope the bear runs away before my spray runs out). But I'd still be packing alright.