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How to Keep Bears Away
Learn your black bears from your brown bears then figure out how to keep them away from your camp.
Tell black from brown: A black bear has a light-colored muzzle, and is generally smaller and lacks the muscular shoulder hump and dish-shaped face of a brown bear (grizzly). Browns can be found only in remote areas of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and western Canada.
Cook wisely: A bear's sense of smell is 7 times greater than a bloodhound's. Prepare meals at least 100 yards from camp. After your meal, change clothes and secure food in a bear bag or a hard-shell canister.
Discharge pepper spray: Aim for the bear's eyes and face, and pull the trigger when a charging bear is within 40 feet. Most canisters create a visible 30-foot cone of spray. Once the bear is disoriented, leave the scene as quickly as possible and report the incident to local authorities.
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READERS COMMENTS
If you have already thwarted a bear attack with pepper spray, chances are you won't feel very comfortable sleeping in the same spot anyway. Bears are a very curious species but chances are good that a generous snout full of pepper spray should detour any further curiosity and the same bear should normally not give you anymore trouble, but I always says to err on the side of safety. Best to go ahead and find a new camp site if it is convenient considering location, time of day, weather, safety and other factors.
Be safe and have fun.
Posted: Sep 18, 2010 Doc Savage, Outpost Outfitters
What if the bear is in the vicinity of your campsite & you need to discharge the pepper spray? Still leave, or report the incident & stay there?
Posted: Jun 15, 2010 Ila Vaquez
W
Posted: Jun 15, 2010 Ila Vazquez
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