Bear Spray??

A friend of mine is taking an Alaskan cruise this summer. She asked me if she should take bear spray along. She was told by a long-time Alaska resident that she should. I've never heard of anyone taking it before. I googled "bear spray", and I guess a lot of people use it. It's a little expensive.

Have any of you either taken bear spray to Alaska or been eaten by a bear??

No need for bear spray. All she'll do is piss off a bear. Don't even know if it can be brought on a plane.

Alaskans are very bear savvy. City trash is secured from bears.

The only bears we saw 'up close and personal' was in Icy Strait Point on a meadow walk. We were with a guide and two armed escorts. The wildlife boat ride we circled the small island to make sure no bears were there before we were allowed to go ashore.

If your friend is alone ( highly unlikely) she should walk slowly away from the bear. If she has a bag she should drop it for a distraction.

If she wanders off on her own she should be very observant.

Bears are attracted to smells so it's best to be as neutral as possible. No fruity soaps. No food in pockets or backpacks.

AVOID BEAR CUBS. Momma is always watching. Not fun being rushed by a momma bear. Been there, done that. Never again.

We've camped up in Sequioa and Kings Canyon National Parks since the early '60s. Bears are always present. Except for the one time (1972) where the cubs were in the dumpster and momma bear was watching the cubs across the path we never have had a problem.

A friend of mine is taking an Alaskan cruise this summer.

 

Have any of you either taken bear spray to Alaska or been eaten by a bear??

Lol... i'm interested to hear from the ones that have been eaten by a bear!

But in all honesty, if she would feel better taking bear spray, she should take it, but I don't think for cruises and cruise tours it is a requirement, perhaps if she is doing hiking or camping. i think you can get bear bells too, so they can hear you coming and hopefully move themselves away.

We're going to go on a walk (guided I think) around Denali and don't plan on taking bear spray ( I'd probably spray myself in a panic anyways).

Hope she enjoys her Alaska holiday.

We did Alaska last year. Bear spray didn't even cross my mind. I didn't read anything suggesting it as a "must" item. The closest bear we saw was from the ship as we entered Glacier Bay.

We did hike through the Sitka National Forest and there were several signs warning people about bears :eek: but we didn't see any.

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I'm going to say take it! That is because while we were in Alaska we were hiking & went out on a pier that overlooked a beautiful area of water & landscape. I looked back & a bear had us trapped on the pier. I was only 12-13 at the time & I freaked. Thankfully we had brought said "bear spray" along & my dad sprayed it & deterred the bear so we could all walk off! It in fact worked & it seemed silly until we needed it!

Have any of you either taken bear spray to Alaska or been eaten by a bear??

I grew up in SE Alaska and still frequent the Juneau area once or twice a year.

Growing up in the 70's and 80's, there was still a concept of bear safety, but we did a lot of stuff that would be considered "stupid" by most people's standards. My friends and I used to wander around in the woods as children with no bear protection whatsoever, heck, we didn't even carry a compass. We never saw a bear and none of the kids I knew ever gotten eaten by one.

The chances of you unintentionally running into a bear from a tourist standpoint are small. The chances of you having a negative confrontation with a bear is extremely remote.

That being said.....

Since I had children, when I go hiking, I tend to carry bear protection (mine is in a form of a firearm, but I know that is not an option for cruise passengers). If you buy bear spray, it will most likely be a waste of $40. However, if you do find yourself off the beaten path and get into a negative confrontation with a bear, a can of bear spray sure beats trying to take a bear with rocks, sticks, and your fists.

My recommendation is that if you plan on hiking or being in places where there are not many people and there is a chance of a bear encounter, I'd buy the bear spray.

If you are sticking to well established areas that people frequent, save the money and buy yourself a sweatshirt or 2 king crab legs.

As someone mentioned, I do not believe you can take bear spray on the plane. I believe you'll have to buy it in Alaska.

What about moose or caribou spray?

Certainly can’t take bear spray on a plane and I wonder if you can take it on the ship. The best thing is to make noise. A pop can with some rocks in it works well. Some people like jalapenos, some hate them. It’s like that with bears, not all of them will respond to bear spray by running away. Make noise. If you must take bear spray, learn how to use it.

http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/safety/bears.htm

You definitely can't take bear spray on a plane!

We spent two weeks in Glacier Nat'l Park last summer and didn't use it once. Saw many bears while hiking and just made sure to make a lot of noise to alert them ahead of time that you're in the area. Just yell out "Hey Bear!" and you should be fine!

Don't wear bear bells. Too quiet for a bear to hear...

Jim

Lots of minsinformation on this thread. Fortunately a word of reason and accuracy posted :)

Certainly can’t take bear spray on a plane and I wonder if you can take it on the ship. The best thing is to make noise. A pop can with some rocks in it works well. Some people like jalapenos, some hate them. It’s like that with bears, not all of them will respond to bear spray by running away. Make noise. If you must take bear spray, learn how to use it.

 

http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/safety/bears.htm

No bear spray is allowed on planes. Also, bear bells do little to no good. The human voice is the best deterrent for bears. Also, if you are carrying a pack do NOT drop it - keep it on your back. It will help protect you in the very unlikely event of a bear attack.

Our bear-watching guide in Sitka carried railroad flares and explained that bears have poor eyesight. The intense light hurts their eyes. We were told to stay together and the group would appear like a large opponent not worth encountering. We were told to speak loudly to let any bears know that we were passing through.

Dealing with a mama bear and cubs is another story.

I've been recommending a soda can with rocks in it for years. Makes a lot of noise. A bear has to be too close for my preferences to use any bear spray, my priority is to have plenty of distance all the time. Noise is a good resource to accomplishing that.

OP, as others have pointed out, you CANNOT take bear spray on a plane. It WILL be confiscated on a large plane and if found boarding a small plane without special permission, you will be disembarked immediately. You could take a small plane down with all the passengers if the can accidentally went off while in flight

So you friend will be running around Alaska wasting valuable vacation time buying bear spray. And unless you REALLY know how to use it, you could put yourself in more danger attempting to use it in a panicked situation than being calm, yelling NO BEAR repeatedly and making a lot of noise so you don't surprise a bear. MARINE flares are a better alternative, IMHO if you REALLY feel you need something and are FAR off the beaten path. My dear departed husband used to take them with him all the time when he was fishing in out of the way spots on the Kenai by himself (as well as a 357). But if your friend is doing the "normal" tourist thing, forget anything for extra protection except making noise and being around others.

I will tell you what bear spray IS good for-HUMAN thugs. During some Krav Maga self defense classes I took before I started taking overseas work assignments, there were a lot of questions about using the pepper spray that is sold lots of places and is supposed to save you from a mugger, kidnapper or anyone else that wants to do you harm (including those jealous boyfriends/husbands).

Most pepper sprays only have enough propellant in it to spray 5-8 feet, MAYBE 10 feet if wind isn't a factor. That means the mugger is basically arms length from you, right in your face and if you miss, you are in deep doo doo. While they are "cute" and small and hang on key chains, they really are an over confidence builder because you could be in serious trouble if you miss. You just po'd a mugger who only wanted your money or purse and you may be seriously hurt instead of just loosing your possessions.

BUT even the cheapest of the bear sprays have a spray distance of approx 25 feet. So you don't have to factor in wind and there is a LOT more spray in those cans than those little cutesy pepper sprays. Bigger and not as easy to handle but a sure deterrent. But be aware that bear spray and pepper spray, while legal in all states, have some SERIOUS restrictions in some states, so check your state laws. CA restricts to a very small size and NY goes way over the top IMHO and you must purchase from a licensed Federal Fire Arms dealer.

If you are close enough to a Bear to need or try to use "bear spray" then you better start praying!!!

JMHO as a former girl from Alaska ;)

As a former Alaskan and frequent visitor, I have got to say I have never heard of "bear spray" or is it just sold to tourists???? Sorry can't help myself :)

But you do not want to get between a Mama and her cubs!

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Thanks everybody for your replies. I will pass the information on to my friend.

As a former Alaskan and frequent visitor, I have got to say I have never heard of "bear spray" ...

Sounds like you didn't get out much.

You can't take it onto any commercial conveyance, land, sea or air, and you can't take it across the border into Canada (though you can buy it in Canada, where that's what you carry into the bush instead of guns).

Sounds like you didn't get out much.

 

 

 

You can't take it onto any commercial conveyance, land, sea or air, and you can't take it across the border into Canada (though you can buy it in Canada, where that's what you carry into the bush instead of guns).

Well maybe I'm just a sheltered kind of girl....lived in Alaska 40+ years ago and my family is still there....maybe they did not have "bear spray" in the 60's, drove the Alcan Hwy back then ( a time or two) and sure never heard of it then....must be a new invention or an Urban Legend :)

Any way I would not want to be that close to a Bear to think some Bear Spray might protect me....have run into to some annoying moose in my time but lucky the Bears never seemed to like people or maybe they just did not like teenagers back then!

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Sounds like you didn't get out much.

 

You can't take it onto any commercial conveyance, land, sea or air, and you can't take it across the border into Canada (though you can buy it in Canada, where that's what you carry into the bush instead of guns).

You absolutely can take it into Canada.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/faq/im-ex-eng.htm

Q. Is pepper spray allowed in Canada?

The Criminal Code of Canada and its related regulations prohibit “Mace” and similar products designed to injure, immobilize or incapacitate a person. Bear sprays and similarly devices clearly designed for protection from wild animals are allowed.

A friend of mine is taking an Alaskan cruise this summer. She asked me if she should take bear spray along. She was told by a long-time Alaska resident that she should. I've never heard of anyone taking it before. I googled "bear spray", and I guess a lot of people use it. It's a little expensive.

 

Have any of you either taken bear spray to Alaska or been eaten by a bear??

I've been eaten by a bear once. Fortunately I passed through without any problems. As for bear spray the run of the mill tourist on a cruise ship from the lower 48 doesn't need it.

I personally carry it and my handgun each time I head out to hike the hundreds of trails around Anchorage. The moose cows are getting ready to calve and the bears were out of hibernation weeks ago.

Bears around populated areas are very habituated to human noises. They aren't people eaters or attackers. If they react it's in a defensive posture cause you've gotten too close or most likely surprised them.

Be aware of where you are. Don't walk around with earphones jammed in or your eyes glued to a stupid cell phone. Probably the most important thing to do is not to panic. Cause when people panic they tend to run. And running almost always guarantees an attack when it comes to bears.

If your that worried about it spend some time reading up on the subject.

You absolutely can take it into Canada.

 

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/faq/im-ex-eng.htm

 

Q. Is pepper spray allowed in Canada?

The Criminal Code of Canada and its related regulations prohibit “Mace” and similar products designed to injure, immobilize or incapacitate a person. Bear sprays and similarly devices clearly designed for protection from wild animals are allowed.

Interesting since just last week when I drove into Canada the officer/agent asked me if I had bear spray. I said "no" (I didn't) but we talked about it and he said it was not allowed to be imported even though it can be purchased in Canada.

As someone who actually lives in Alaska, I would advise NOT bringing bear spray. First, as many have noted, you can't bring it on a plane. Second, unless you have been trained in how to use it, it is less than useless.

Third, if you are in a large group. Don't worry, there won;t be any bears near you.

The only time you need to be nervous is when you are alone and quietly moving around. Then you might stumble across a bear.

People say make noise, and that is true, but sometimes you get between a cub and mom-then watch out. Or, if you are out in the wilds you might stumble across a food cache that a bear is guarding-then again watch out.

But if you stay with a group and on the more familiar trails, you should have no problem.

As someone who actually lives in Alaska, I would advise NOT bringing bear spray. First, as many have noted, you can't bring it on a plane. Second, unless you have been trained in how to use it, it is less than useless.

 

Third, if you are in a large group. Don't worry, there won;t be any bears near you.

 

The only time you need to be nervous is when you are alone and quietly moving around. Then you might stumble across a bear.

 

People say make noise, and that is true, but sometimes you get between a cub and mom-then watch out. Or, if you are out in the wilds you might stumble across a food cache that a bear is guarding-then again watch out.

 

But if you stay with a group and on the more familiar trails, you should have no problem.

So would you say hiking the trails around Mendenhall Glacier is generally safe? We have a car rental and plan to spend a few hours there hiking, so not just doing the quickie Nugget Falls walk. Thanks!

Interesting since just last week when I drove into Canada the officer/agent asked me if I had bear spray. I said "no" (I didn't) but we talked about it and he said it was not allowed to be imported even though it can be purchased in Canada.

It's on their website that it's permitted. The canister must say "bear derrent spray". I've had the Customs Canada officers ask me on numerous occasions and then ask to inspect the canister. All have permitted it to be brought in. They do not allow personal defense sprary, tear gas or CN gas to be imported.

See page 11, paragraph 25©.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d19/d19-13-2-eng.pdf

Even the US Border Patrol mentions that it is legal to bring it into Canada.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/878/~/want-to-bring-bear-spray-into-the-u.s.

NOTE: Bear repellent is not considered prohibited in Canada if the label of the container indicates specific use against animals only and pest control provisions are met. For more information visit Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA).

So would you say hiking the trails around Mendenhall Glacier is generally safe? We have a car rental and plan to spend a few hours there hiking, so not just doing the quickie Nugget Falls walk. Thanks!

It's safe. Just pay attention to your surroundings.

I hike in all the ports on my Alaskan cruises, and I've just been researching bear safety. Likelihood of even seeing a bear on a hike: small. Likelihood of it attacking you: tiny. Likelihood of it eating you: much, much, much, much less than the likelihood of you getting in a car accident on the way to the airport.

Instead of bear spray, I recommend hiking loudly. Talk, sing, clap your hands, and in brushy areas or blind curves, don't feel silly about yelling, "Hey bear!" to alert any potential bear to your presence. Trouble usually only occurs when you startle one.

If you do meet one, stand tall, talk in a loud monotone, and very slowly back away. Never run.