Beara
Bear spray or no?
BearVault or no?
Opinions, go!
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Most people will tell you no to both questions. You would only need a bear vault if you plan on camping between Jarrod Gap and Neel Gap from March 1 to June 1. The ATC "strongly recommends" using a Bear-resistant canister Between Springer Mountain and Damascus Va. due to rising number of bear encounters in the region.
That said, if you stop and camp at Lance Creek (2.4 miles south of Jarrod Gap), you should be able to make it to Neel Gap (7.4 miles from Lance Creek) the next day.
Personally I am carrying UDAP Bear Spray. Call it insurance, you have it but don't want to use it. I like this brand because it was developed by a guy that survived a grizzly bear attack. It projects a 30 ft fog type spray instead of a stream. I also opted to carry a Ursack Allmitey Bear Bag. It combines the S29.3 All white Bear Bag with a Kevlar bag laminated inside. The S29 stops the bears, and the Kevlar bag stops the little sharp tooth critters. I seam sealed it and I put a large (28 x 20 inch) Opsak inside. The Opsak is just for odor control as I have never had a leak. This combination may weigh more than other people's food sack, but I am not asking them to carry it for me. When I camp at a place that has no cables or bear boxes, I tie it to a tree about 6" in diameter. never had a problem. YMMV. I feel this a personal choice. Research your options then go with your gut feeling.
Blackheart
Bear spray, no, bear vault, yes. The micro-bears are the biggest threat to your food, the vault protects it from all hungry critters. Plus you always have a stool for around the fire and an ice bucket for town stops!
Hey, Sandy of PA! Its ranger, I met you on my 2012 AT thru. You, me and One camped together one night. Not sure where..
Anyway, No need for either especially the 2lbs 9oz bear vault. Ugh that thing is heavy. Just hang your food properly and you'll be fine. the PCT method is easy and works well just google it. Sandy of PA is right about the micro-bears they will chew thru anything to get to food.
You'll be lucky to see a bear. I saw 13 on my AT thru (including the one in a cage at the bear mountain zoo). I only saw 2 on my PCT thru. None of them wanted anything to do with me and were usually running away so fast I couldn't get a picture of them.
Have a great hike
no spray. no vault
So far: no and no. If they ever make a cheap and light bear vault that isn't a huge pain to carry, I'll consider it.
As others have said: you'll be lucky to see a bear.
I mainly hike in N GA/southern Appalachians.
Spray? no
Vault? no, but I did purchase an Ursack with my REI points. More for critters other than bears, but for bears as well, since they seem to be prolific in the Cohuttas and I love backpacking there.
Agreed, although I know I'm in the minority when it comes to carrying a bear vault. I've just found it very convenient, keeps all critters out, keeps food dry and whole, etc. Plus, I spend a lot of time in the Adirondacks where they are required. Sooner or later they will be required in places like the Smokies, and eventually most of the AT.Originally Posted by Sandy of PA
No and no. No hiker has ever sprayed a bear on the AT and reported it. (Several people have sprayed themselves though) The bear canister is way too heavy to make it worth it.
I'd probably pack spray in GSMNP and NJ. No on the vault otherwise.
Thats a good point. Can someone describe their experience of using bear spray to their advantage on the AT? I have yet to find a single instance.
Last edited by Alligator; 04-06-2017 at 09:32. Reason: Leave out of the thread.
Carrying more than 3/4 oz. of a pepper type spray in NJ constitutes unlawful possession of a weapon. (N.J.S.2C:39-6). That said, I do have bear spray but never carry it. I'm on the AT (or other trails in NJ) almost every weekend and see black bears about 60% of the time, but never had a problem. People are far better off educating themselves in black bear safety. Bear spray is no substitute for knowing what to do to to avoid an encounter in the first place, or if one is unavoidable, having it not turn into an attack. By the time you need to use the bear spray, the situation has gotten so far out of control that the spray is a desperate last resort.
On a short section last year from Standing Bear to Hot Springs, we had two encounters with bear each night at our campsites. The campsites were 16 miles apart. Don't know if it was the same bear but each night it was just outside our tents for about 20 or so minutes. The 2nd night a young hiker went by and she told us that a bear got her food sack and other items on the other side of Hot Springs. I am headed back to Hot Springs next week to section to Erwin, Tn. Hopefully, the bears are still hibernating! If not, just a word of precaution in that particular trek on the AT!
I seem to recall there being a law about it in NJ. *I'd interject, given the reports of issues with bears in NJ it's a dumb law. My opinion, of course. I'm not ignorant of bear avoidance and such I just can't unhear what I've heard about attacks in NJ and GSMNP. Regardless of the situation involved. It might be a security blanket but I'm out there to enjoy myself. If a bottle of something makes me feel better I'm fine with it. On that thought, maybe I just need a flask.
I don't know what you heard of bear attacks in NJ, but its not exactly an epidemic. There was one kid killed in 2014. There was not a lot of information released other than it was a group of inexperienced hikers that may have been approaching the bear to grab photos and when the bear reacted, they split up and ran. The second attack was on a scout leader who lowered himself into a ravine onto a hibernating bear. In both instances, a little black bear knowledge would have gone a long way - specifically what a bear huffing means, importance of remaining in a group, not mimicking prey behavior by running from a bear, and knowing where bears are likely to have dens, including ground dens.I seem to recall there being a law about it in NJ. *I'd interject, given the reports of issues with bears in NJ it's a dumb law. My opinion, of course. I'm not ignorant of bear avoidance and such I just can't unhear what I've heard about attacks in NJ and GSMNP. Regardless of the situation involved. It might be a security blanket but I'm out there to enjoy myself. If a bottle of something makes me feel better I'm fine with it. On that thought, maybe I just need a flask.
I don't think that the bear spray law is a good one, but I also don't think people should be running around bear territory with a false sense of security due to 8 or 10 oz. of pepper spray as a substitute for knowing bear safety. That said, as long as you have the basics of bear safety down, a little liquid courage from Scotland or KY never hurt!
Majority of my backpacking experience is in grizzly territory. That being said I'm definitely very familiar with bear protocol and identifying a grizzly from a black. Feels a bit strange to leave two things I always have to carry at home though
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If you're used to grizzlies, I wouldn't worry about the bears on the AT - you know what you're doing. Make sure you read up on ticks and Lyme prevention. Maryland to southern New England is ground zero for Lyme.
Recently left my job as an Assistant Prosecutor in NJ after 15 years and you are misstating the clarity of NJ law on this issue. It's actually an interesting legal issue that as a hiker and a NJ criminal lawyer have given a lot of thought. 2C:39-6 is the list of EXCEPTIONS. So while it's clear if you meet the conditions of 39-6i you are legal, it's not clear that the reverse is true. 39-6i lists the punishment for carrying more than 3/4 oz. of pepper spray but to be subject to that punishment you would also have to violate 2C:39-5. Looking at 2C:39-5d would require that you are using the pepper spray in a manner "not manifestly appropriate for such lawful uses as it may have". Therefore the logic would go if you are using the bear pepper spray while camping in the woods of NJ for the purpose of protecting yourself against bears then presumably you are legal.
I'm not giving legal advice - I'm just saying that someone reading Offshore's statements shouldn't immediately assume he is correct about NJ law on this particular issue.
Now let's talk practicalities. Do you really think that if you want to carry bear spray while backpacking through NJ and you are doing so responsibly that you are going to be given any trouble?
Again not saying if you should or shouldn't carry bear spray. My understanding is that relative to the rest of the AT, NJ has a fairly active bear population. The threat of bears acting aggressively toward you might be low on the probability scale but it's definitely not zero and I think it's probably smart to give a little extra thought to consider ways you can lessen your chances of a bad outcome in the unlikely event you are confronted with that situation. So when Offshore encourages people to educate themselves in black bear safety - that I completely agree with, of course. Happy hiking!
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
You may have the legal background to determine that in the end, posession probably wouldn't be problem (and I tend to agree with you on this), very few law enforcement personnel that one would encounter neither have similar legal background to reach the same conclusion nor the time to listen to an argument. In all probability its arrest or cite and let the courts handle it. Who needs that hassle for something that has such a low probability of being needed at all or if so, being used correctly and effectively ? Humans do a terrible job in risk assessment and evaluation - people get worked up over bears, when the real risks on the trail are getting there and back (esp. in NJ) and tick-borne illness.
The question also comes in how many officers have bear spray on their radar in the first place? For me, if I were hiking there, I'd have it. As I said, NJ is home to an attack that I can recall and won't likely disassociate from my memory. The Smokies are another. So I'd either carry or hike it in the Winter.
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