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Thread: Scaring Bears

  1. #1
    Registered User Majortrauma's Avatar
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    Default Scaring Bears

    This is a lot more expensive than Bear spray (approx $200.00) but I think this would be an exceptionally effective way to scare away bears that may have taken too keen an interest in your camp site/shelter.
    T.E.D.D. (Tactical Electronic Distraction Device) | Foxfury Lighting Solutions
    And it's rechargeable

  2. #2
    GoldenBear's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Better way to spend your money

    Why not spend $10 and achieve the same effect?
    https://tinyurl.com/Walmart-Airhorn
    Combine this with bear spray and the already EXTREMELY low odds of an attack by a black bear, you'll have nothing to worry about while on the Appalachian Trail.

  3. #3
    Registered User Majortrauma's Avatar
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    Concur. I actually carry both air horn and bear spray in the very unlikely event I have a bear problem.
    I thought this was pretty cool and would love to see the bears reaction.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Majortrauma View Post
    This is a lot more expensive than Bear spray (approx $200.00) but I think this would be an exceptionally effective way to scare away bears that may have taken too keen an interest in your camp site/shelter.
    T.E.D.D. (Tactical Electronic Distraction Device) | Foxfury Lighting Solutions
    And it's rechargeable
    $200 for something you will probably never use? I can think of better ways to spend $200. Most people carry nothing but common sense. Black bears rarely attack, unless they think their cubs are threatened, and even that is rare if you use a little common sense. If you see a black bear with cubs, just get out of the area, don’t stop to take a picture, and above all don’t get between mama and the cubs. Hang your food, or use a bear canister. All the black bears I’ve ever seen ran away when they saw me.

    If you feel you must carry something for black bears, carry bear spray.

  5. #5
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    I have a very lightweight emergency whistle. I've never used it in an animal encounter but suspect it would be effective (it is LOUD). The black bears I've seen along the AT are timid and run up trees. My last "bear encounter" was in SNP a few years ago. A mother and two cubs. The mom sent the cubs up a tree as soon as she saw me. Then she looked at me for a second and joined the cubs. That's the usual pattern. In all of my hikes in the Sierra Nevada, I've never seen a bear. And I saw no bears in Colorado on my CT thru hike. I store my food properly, give them space if I see them on trail, but otherwise I don't worry about bears.

  6. #6
    Registered User cneill13's Avatar
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    I had a bear come into camp at Blue Mountain Shelter on the AT last summer. I did not know it at the time, but there was a problem bear. I was wondering why I was the only one there.

    About 6:30 in the morning as I was watching the sunrise, I heard the bear come into camp. I couldn't see him because the undergrowth was so high. But I could hear sticks breaking. It was definitely something large.

    So what did I do?

    I lit a cherry bomb firecracker and went back to sleep.

    You would not believe how loud those things are.

  7. #7
    Registered User ScottTrip's Avatar
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    I was hiking up in Alaska and they use an Airhorn, it is very effective.

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    Exclamation Definitely NOT recommended

    > I lit a cherry bomb firecracker and went back to sleep

    Three reasons this is a bad idea:
    1) Cherry bombs have been illegal in the US for 54 years
    https://www.americanpyro.com/banned-illegal-explosives
    2) There's no way you can be certain that a firecracker of any size, that you randomly toss in a forest area, won't ignite a fire -- particularly if it's dark and you're barely awake.
    And before you say, "What harm can a firecracker do?"
    https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/21/us/te...rnd/index.html
    3) An air horn accomplishes the exact same thing, with no danger of causing $36 million in damage, and can be re-used several times -- just buy a replacement can of propellant.

  9. #9
    Is it raining yet?
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    Or you could toss a flash bang at the sucker. Sound and concussion:

    https://iwainternationalinc.com/m12-distraction-device/

    Works on people too....
    Be Prepared

  10. #10
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    I am sort of looking forward to seeing what kind of impression the strobe on my tactical flashlight will make on a black bear.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    I am sort of looking forward to seeing what kind of impression the strobe on my tactical flashlight will make on a black bear.
    I'm not sure how it might work in general but that one extremely rare bear that is going to attack is going to look really creepy as it moves in to eat you.
    "Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
    Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
    Call for his whisky
    He can call for his tea
    Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
    Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan

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  12. #12
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alligator View Post
    I'm not sure how it might work in general but that one extremely rare bear that is going to attack is going to look really creepy as it moves in to eat you.
    I was thinking I might cue up the Saturday Night Fever sound track before breaking out the Fenix.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    I was thinking I might cue up the Saturday Night Fever sound track before breaking out the Fenix.

    That might just work out for you.
    "Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
    Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
    Call for his whisky
    He can call for his tea
    Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
    Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan

    Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.

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    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alligator View Post
    I'm not sure how it might work in general but that one extremely rare bear that is going to attack is going to look really creepy as it moves in to eat you.
    But on the other hand it will make it easier to find out which bear ate him. You know the one with the strobe light coming from his mouth ......
    Last edited by JNI64; 01-22-2021 at 02:09.

  15. #15

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    It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
    Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

  16. #16
    Registered User NY HIKER 50's Avatar
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    I know a cheaper alternative. Tincture of bear mother in law. Works every time.

  17. #17

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    Thanks for the video, Alligator!

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Majortrauma View Post
    This is a lot more expensive than Bear spray (approx $200.00) but I think this would be an exceptionally effective way to scare away bears that may have taken too keen an interest in your camp site/shelter.
    T.E.D.D. (Tactical Electronic Distraction Device) | Foxfury Lighting Solutions
    And it's rechargeable

    I also concur with Yellow Bear. When I see the public being offered pricey gear through marketing beginning with the manly hardcore word Tactical followed by an acronym like T.E.D.D. or S.W.A.T it congers up infomercials that use marketing phrases like N.A.S.A. Approved to sell a pr of polyester dress socks or "space blanket", an aluminized mylar plastic sheet.

  19. #19
    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
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    I think the various land management agencies (and municipalities for that matter) should set up "sting" operations for bears. Make fake campsites (car, campground, back country, dumpsters etc.) and wire them with electricity, repellant spray, sirens, flashing lights, etc. When a bear triggers it they will be rewarded with a negative experience. Through conditioning they would learn not to associate these places with positive things like an easy meal etc. I believe this would be especially effective when sows bring their cubs into these locations as they would learn very young about the experience.
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

  20. #20
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    All I carry on the AT to ward off bears is my emergency whistle. If you don't provoke an Eastern Black Bear, they will leave you alone. You are far more likely to be injured or killed by lightning than by an EBB....

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