Ask A Bear: Can Wasp Spray Repel You?

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Q: Would wasp spray, with increased range and a narrow stream for accuracy, be a good bear deterrent as opposed to the regular pepper spray?—Steve Ridings, via email

A: Jeez, sometimes I think people just loooove coming up with new ways to make me have a bad day.

Luckily (for me) this probably isn't the best way to do it. Some wasp sprays have better accuracy and range than bear sprays, but nailing me in a sensitive area—eyes, mouth, etc.—would require excellent shooting, especially if I'm charging you at high speed. Bear sprays fire in a wide fog on purpose: so that you don't have to shoot like Wyatt Earp to make sure you get me.

Even if you manage to sharp-shoot me in the eyes, it's not clear that it would do very much. The few reports of humans who've been sprayed in the eyes confess to some irritation, but at much milder levels than even pepper spray (which is weaker than bear spray). To cause extreme toxicity, a large amount of spray needs to enter the lungs, and that's a very difficult prospect. No extended toxicity studies have been done in bears or humans, but Cornell researchers experimenting with rats and rabbits found immediate symptoms to include numbness, nausea, and diarrhea—nothing that's likely to stop me. Prolonged exposure even brought about sparring and aggression in rats.

Long story short, stick with the spray that has "bear" on the bottle—save the one that says "wasps" for wasps.

—BEAR

Got a question for the bear? Send it to askabear@backpacker.com.

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READERS COMMENTS

...As if a bear about to attack is gonna wait for you to find ur flare, ignite it, get your can of wasp spray in the other hand and proceed to catch all the bushes and trees around you on fire... i.e. homemade flamethrower probably not a good idea.

A little common sense and you wouldn't have to worry about bears attacking you, so get rid of the steak you have hanging around your neck.

In the State of Washington as reported by the Gaming Department, only 1 person within the past 100 YEARS has died from a bear attack. No doubt that that person was probably annoying the bear in some way.
www.hikingbackpackstore.com for hiking tips.
Posted: Sep 21, 2010 Doug

Combining the wasp spray with the road flare would probably produce enough "fire" power to thwart a bear.
Posted: Sep 08, 2010 BS

That's why it's called bear spray. After a few years of training in armed close combat/"quick draw" situations with y'all's tax money, I still take bear spray over firepower when dealing with charging animals (not that my oatmeal, nylon, and flannel are all that tasty).
Posted: Sep 03, 2010 DHarry

Fred you just said the following:

Earlier Poster - I agree.....You have to be a complete idiot to use wasp spray against anything other than a wasp.

Your Post - This is NOT True - Some wasp sprays have better accuracy and range than bear sprays.

However, the statement made by the earlier poster is TOTALLY CORRECT. Just because wasp spray has better accuracy, doesn't mean that what is IN THE CAN will do anything to STOP THE BEAR!!!!!! There are water guns that can spray many feet away. That doesn't mean that it will REPEL a bear!!!
Posted: Sep 03, 2010 Sara

My 1911 .45 has better range and effectiveness than either wasp spray or bear spray. No use taking a butter knife to a gunfight.
Posted: Sep 03, 2010 Kendal

Any spray discharged with the wind in your direction will just make you sick. If a bear charges, is anyone going to take time to determine the wind direction to make sure the spray goes to the bear and not the hiker. I don't think so..
Posted: Sep 03, 2010 mdavid

I've had a can of Frontiersman bear spray for three years. Whats the shelf life? I've seen many black bears while hiking but nothing threatening. Other than one running to cross the road broadsiding me on my motorcycle. Neither of us was injured though.
Posted: Sep 03, 2010 Mike

Even at 35 feet, a bear which is charging at 30+ MPH is going to cover the distance in LESS THAN ONE SECOND. That isn't even time enough to kiss your knees good-bye. You might have better luck handing Mr. Bear your Visa card and directing him to for a maul at Home Depot or Shopping. Standing there and trying a Quick Draw Magraw is DUMB.

Posted: Sep 02, 2010 Ric U.

I heard using road flares will scare them off.
Any thoughts?
Posted: Sep 02, 2010 Josh

It would be very illegal to douse bears or any other wildlife with an insecticide or toxic chemical! Anyone who would do such a thing deserves to be mauled and prosecuted.
Posted: Sep 02, 2010 Charles

I take precautions when I'm in bear country (I live in bear country) but I'm much more wary of a lone wolf or a cougar. A bear normally avoids us. A lone wolf (not a pack, they avoid us) is unpredictable and may attack. Even without provocation or food smells a cougar may stalk and attack, especially a lone trekker or a child. So take intelligent precautions against bear encounters but don't let fear plan your hiking trips for you.
Posted: Sep 02, 2010 northwoods girl

I am 68 years old. I have been fishing, hiking and backpacking in the California Sierra as long as I can remember and the Colorado Rockies for the past 12 years. I have never had a run-in with a bear nor have I ever lost anything to a bear. Keep a clean camp, cook well away from where you sleep and store your food and packs farther away than your kitchen. I carry a can of Counterassault bear spray but I'm more likely to spray someone breaking into my car at a trailhead than a bear in the wild.
Posted: Sep 02, 2010 Jim

Ive also been outdoors for the last 40 years , the 70's were rampant with bear encounters in my experience , but i believe most bears have been chased out of high use areas .... use bear cannisters and leave the mouthwash at home , oh and dont chew gum in your tent , idiot ...
Posted: Sep 02, 2010 steve quinne

Note to file: If a bear turns aggressive to me while I'm in the woods, it's possible some idiot sprayed him with Wasp Killer within the last hour and the bear is feeling punchy.
Posted: Sep 02, 2010 Trey

Why are you all so worried about bears and getting attacked? Are you hiking in meat suits? I have been working and playing in the woods for 25+ years and have seen numerous bears. NEVER have I needed bear spray. Get over it. The MOST dangerous part of your outdoor activity is the drive to it.
Posted: Sep 02, 2010 Not paranoid

Bear Spray has a range of 35 feet a lot futher than wasp spray. Not sure who started this wasp spray issue, but we have seen it here and there. Don't believe it! It could cost you more than you might think. Bear sprays are a proven tool that is good for you and the bear. It is proven your best defense. Period!

For bear safety tips and testimonials visit www.pepperpower.com

UDAP Pepper Power is produced by a bear attack survivor.

Posted: Sep 02, 2010 PepperPower.com