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  1. #1

    Default Dog Hair as Bear Deterrent

    I have been thinking of this for a while now. I have only had bear encounters while not hiking with my dog or when other dogs are not around. I am thinking that a small sandwhich bag of dog hair, unzipped around camp could be a possible "sniffer" deterrent to bears. If bears have as good of scent as they do, they would smell the hair before getting close enough to investigate and or find out there is not actually a dog.
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  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gambit McCrae View Post
    I have been thinking of this for a while now. I have only had bear encounters while not hiking with my dog or when other dogs are not around. I am thinking that a small sandwhich bag of dog hair, unzipped around camp could be a possible "sniffer" deterrent to bears. If bears have as good of scent as they do, they would smell the hair before getting close enough to investigate and or find out there is not actually a dog.
    good topic...I wonder this too. I have been known to scatter dog fur clumps left over from brushing in my gardens as a deterant to deer and rabbits. IDK if it works in that regard either.

  3. #3
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    The chances that a bear would be discouraged by the smell of a dog having been somewhere at some time seems pretty remote. And deer certainly don't care.
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

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    The chances that a bear would be discouraged by the smell of a dog having been somewhere at some time seems pretty remote


    or if the smell of food overpowers the smell of dog............

    or human smell for that matter....

  5. #5
    Registered User tarditi's Avatar
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    My bet is that Bear = Hunger > Fear of dog

    Clever idea, but it's not as strong as deterring vermin with coyote scent or anything

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    I've done just that for years. Never had a bear come into camp.
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  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Feral Bill View Post
    The chances that a bear would be discouraged by the smell of a dog having been somewhere at some time seems pretty remote. And deer certainly don't care.
    a large chunk of fur/dander is certainly more potent than a simple scent from an animal walking past. Again, I haven't seen the science on this, so speculation. Waiting for someone who knows the science behind this to chime in.

  8. #8

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    This is only anecdotal evidence but I see bears zero percent of the time when hiking with my lab and almost 100% of the time when I am solo, sometimes very close before either of us react. I'm not sure if its the noise, smell, or a combination of both but there does seem to be some correlation.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rain Man View Post
    I've done just that for years. Never had a bear come into camp.
    So,what kind of dog hair you packing there Rain Man? And how do you carry and handle it etc? Somehow I am thinking dog hair in a mesh bag inside of a Ziplock bag taken out and hung up at night or something? It's an interesting concept.

  10. #10

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    I think it's a theory, that's yet to be proven or dis-proven. There are a lot of potential elements on why you haven't run into a bear with a dog along. Could be dog scent, but it's just as likely the dog noise, or motion or some other aspect of the dog that alerts the bear to you and your dog's presence. Wind and weather conditions will come into play on if the bear even catches scent of the hair, the individual bear and how it's been exposed to humans and their food before will also come into play.

    If nothing else, it will be lighter than my anti-tiger brick.

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    Sometimes I pee around the perimeter of my tent :-) lol. There is no scientific claim but I feel like I'm marking my territory. ;-) Never seen a bear.
    Let me go

  12. #12
    Registered User JPritch's Avatar
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    I would think the smell of a sweaty stinky person would be just as or more effective than some dog hair, no?

    If there is something to dog hair, I wonder if the type of dog has any impact. The fur of my Min Pin doesn't inspire confidence.
    It is what it is.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by JPritch View Post
    I would think the smell of a sweaty stinky person would be just as or more effective than some dog hair, no?

    If there is something to dog hair, I wonder if the type of dog has any impact. The fur of my Min Pin doesn't inspire confidence.
    Neither does the smell of my wife's poodle.Might smell like a French treat to a bear.Two schools of thot on "marking" you place with urine.I suspect most bears would know what you had for dinner if you do.

  14. #14

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    Black bears in areas where hunting is allowed typically associate the smell of humans and dogs as threats.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by trailmercury View Post
    Black bears in areas where hunting is allowed typically associate the smell of humans and dogs as threats.
    My post was meant for non-AT areas. Problem bears are likely going to be problem bears regardless

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    I would be worried that dog = food to a really hungry and potentially dangerous bear. A dog night deter bears in most situations but it may attract one that's desperate for a meal. A tethered dog would be pretty easy to catch and eat.

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    Quote Originally Posted by trailmercury View Post
    Black bears in areas where hunting is allowed typically associate the smell of humans and dogs as threats.
    Not trying to start an argument. BUT, I have heard this statement before and don't believe it. Yogi and Bubba Bear don't hang out at night drinking Molsons in Yogi's den discussing how their friend Carl The Bear was run by dogs and shot out of a tree. The only bear that would associate humans, dogs & hunting is the one that got treed and is sadly now in front of a fireplace somewhere.
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  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by DownYonder View Post
    Not trying to start an argument. BUT, I have heard this statement before and don't believe it. Yogi and Bubba Bear don't hang out at night drinking Molsons in Yogi's den discussing how their friend Carl The Bear was run by dogs and shot out of a tree. The only bear that would associate humans, dogs & hunting is the one that got treed and is sadly now in front of a fireplace somewhere.
    Do you bear hunt?
    In Wisconsin and/or Michigan? (might be a slight regional variation in fear of humans among black bears. less fear along AT corridor, especially GSMNP and SNP where they are overprotected)
    Some bears get away before being treed. They have memory.

  19. #19
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    Where's the roll eyes emoji? Oh, here it is, over by the keep the ticks away essential oils.

  20. #20
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    Dog smells = dog food = hungry bear. Also the scent of ANY food you have in your tent will attract them, including a mini Snickers wrapper, or the s'mores smeared on your lips and fingers, and overpower the dog hair scent. That's how bears think. Trust me, I know.

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