Surviving a bear attack is 10% skill and 90% luck.
Of course you could always take my approach and just don’t go anywhere that bears might be. But if you’re more of an outdoorsy type and want to get out and explore nature, the chances of being attacked by a bear are low, but never zero.
Any time you’re in bear country, bear spray is a must-have. Capsaicin-based, it’s basically like pepper spray for bears, although it can shoot much further and is usually stronger than the kind many people carry on them for personal safety. Bear spray delivers the same burning sensation to the eyes and respiratory system, which is designed to deter an aggressive bear from attacking you. Over 90% effective in stopping bear attacks, it’s commonly carried by hikers, campers and hunters… and just about anybody else wandering throughout the open backcountry where bears live.
It’s also a non-lethal alternative to simply shooting every bear you come across, thereby being an effective way to prevent bear attacks without killing them. The National Park Service recommends everyone carry it, but when surveyed, only about 28% of hikers do.
But one hiker in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is probably thankful that he was strapped as he was hiking, even if he wasn’t able to get to the bear spray in time to spray it himself.
According to Cowboy State Daily, the 35-year old man from Massachusetts was hiking off-trail, carrying his bear spray and doing his best to make noise to scare off any nearby bears, but suddenly he came upon a grizzly bear cub sprinting away – and a mother close by to defend her cubs.
Mama bear charged the hiker before he could pull his bear spray, so he laid down and played dead as the bear began to attack. But while the bear was biting him, apparently it chomped down on the can of bear spray that was in his hand – and ended up macing herself.
After accidentally spraying herself with bear spray, the mama ran away and allowed the man to get to an area with cell phone service to call for help. He was airlifted to a hospital in Jackson, Wyoming, and released the next day.
Needless to say, this guy got extremely lucky that the bear just happened to bite the canister and spray herself, because it sounds like she was on the defense of her cubs and ready to take down anybody that she viewed as a threat. And with the guy unable to deploy the spray himself, it was just a freak set of circumstances that resulted in the bear ultimately taking care of it on her own.
“I was walking through a thick wooded area in a valley. I over came a feature in the slope to my right and I noticed a brown bear cub running up a hill about 50-70 yards in front of me.I knew this wasn’t good,I unholstered my bear spray and saw the mother bear charging.I stood my ground, shouted and attempted to deploy the bear spray but as I did she already closed the gap. When she pounced I opted to turn and give her my back and I laid down in the prone position on my belly and braced for the ride, interlocking my hands behind my neck to protect my vitals. The first bite and slash was on my back / right shoulder.
I screamed. She then turned, stepping on my back. She bit one of my legs, picking me up and slamming me on the ground multiple times. She bit each leg from my buttocks to my inner knee about three times each. The final time I screamed again. this unfortunately but fortunately turned her attention to my head. I believe she went in for a kill bite on my neck.
I still had my hands interlocked and my arms protecting my carotid arteries. I never let go of the bear spray can. As she bit my hands in the back of my neck she simultaneously bit the bear spray can and it exploded in her mouth. This is what saved my life from the initial attack. I heard her run away, I looked up and instantly ran in the opposite direction up a hill.”
Like I said, 10% skill, 90% luck…and in this case, I’d say this guy’s thankful to be so lucky.
Can Of Bear Spray Launches Over 200 Feet Through Yellowstone Employee’s Windshield
One Yellowstone National Park employee recently found out why keeping a can in your hot car can be extremely dangerous. Long story short… they can explode.
These photos were shared to a Yellowstone Hiking page on Facebook, taken from a private employee group for Yellowstone National Park. Shared by a Yellowstone worker named Kevin, he details his co-worker’s experience with the exploding can of bear spray:
“Although we are warned, I had no idea how powerful bear spray is. A couple days ago in the LERV (employee RV Park at Lake) my friend had a can of bear spray, which was on his dash, explode. It blew right through his windshield and even after that, it launched over the trees for a couple hundred feet.
Thankfully, it didn’t hit anyone or missile itself into another camper. Damaged the dash and airbag as well. Wasn’t hot outside or in direct sunlight either. On the upside, he won’t be bothered by bears anytime soon.”
It launched like a rocket right through the windshield and over 200 feet away from the car. It’s unclear how the second dent in the windshield occurred, but perhaps it was the airbag that deployed when the can broke through the glass. And not only do you have to replace the windshield, I’d imagine it’s pretty tough to get that out of the carpet and the seats… might as well just buy a new car, dude.
Check it out:
Of course, it going off while you’re driving can be worse…
About 10 years ago, a man went viral when a can of bear spray exploded in his car. He immediately tried to pull over, in fairly heavy traffic, while it started to burn the passengers in the car. Talk about a nightmare:
“This is what happens when someone scoots a seat back and accidentally punctures a can of bear spray in a car. Not a good way to start out the morning!”
