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Experts may disagree on some details of how to behave in bear habitat, but just about every researcher who has spent a meaningful amount of time studying the big guys agrees on one thing: Bear spray is essential for anyone headed to grizzly country. While it’s not a 100-percent-effective deterrent—nothing is—it’s the most reliable solution we have for driving away an aggressive bruin. It’s also easy to use: Unlike a firearm, bear spray doesn’t need to be fired precisely to be effective, and can’t permanently injury you if you accidentally trigger it.
But that doesn’t mean it’s foolproof: Knowing how to properly carry and deploy bear spray is a must if you’re going to rely on it to keep you out of harm’s way. We asked Wes Siler, Montana-based adventurer, experienced hunter, and Outside writer, to walk us through what beginners need to know about using bear spray. —Adam Roy, Editor-in-Chief
Get more bear stories and safety tips in Bear Month 2025, running through June 15.
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