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Backup Weapon

Anyone carry bear spray or a rifle with them while bow hunting black bears? I'll be in bear and wolf country.

Im not to concerned about needing some extra backup for bears, but the outfitter had guys being followed out of the woods by wolves last year and that is a little nerve racking for this IN boy.

Also saw another forum about guys taking bear spray into Canada so I didn't know if that was common for bow hunters to carry.

Are you able to bring a handgun? (Not if Canada) Heavy duty bear spray would help. Check with the outfitter, see what he recommends.

Nope no HG, I will be in Canada.

I carry spray, never had to use it but its nice to have

I have a few cans of spray up at camp that my guests will on occasion ask to carry. Though they have never had the need to use it, I did have one guy try it to see if it worked by spraying in into a slight breeze. Why I don't know but he did manage to empty half of it in front of him.

As for wolves following you? A timber wolf is one animal in the forest I trust will never bother me any more than being curious, if ever.

I had a pack of coyotes follow me out one time in IL and it was a bit scary. If I was in wolf country and they've had packs follow hunters out I would want a gun. If allowed I would sling a shorty shotgun, pistol grip or a double coach gun. I don't think bear spray would work on an attacking pack.

Bear Track, I didn't know that about timber wolves. That makes me feel a little better. So is the main thing to worry about a sow and cubs? And assuming you give them plenty of space, they won't bother you either?

Sows will avoid you most all the time. They're not the greatest mothers compared to a cow moose and calf. Now there's trouble right there. Moose will pound you into the ground.

If you hear ooff, ooff, ooff, it's time to do a 180 even if that means climbing back in your stand. When she sends her cubs up a tree with that ooffing, it's not for ever, just until danger moves off and afterwards, she'll gather her babies and move off.

A bear following you out, is generally more curious, wondering what's this guy's business in this part of the forest? If it's dark out, they turn into different animals with generally no fear or need to run. Usually close encounters are rare and make good chatter back at camp. Still, it's comforting for some to have bear spray while hunting. I've been carrying my coach gun for over 20 years and rarely have I ever put rounds in it.

Great to know. Thanks Ron!

I think bear spray makes sense to carry if you're a bit nervous about encountering a bear or having one climb into the stand with you.

I don’t place a lot of weight in its effectiveness in places like Kodiak Island where it’s usually blowing at least 15 miles per hour and up to 100 mph. In a black bear bait stand situation, I think it would serve its purpose well.

I get a good rush when I run into bears in my spots. ran into one on Thursday and we were both walking towards some gobblers. I just bailed up the ridge and let him continue his hunt. He was there first after all. And I didn't even have my bow with me just a knife.

Usually I don't worry much until I'm out in the dark. Sometimes I think the sense of security of a sidearm or mace would be comforting, but I've never had the urge to get either.

They took my bear spray away from me at the border one time. It almost costed me my life up in Alberta. It was close to dark and I had couple mature bears at the barrels. Tried scaring them off but they could have cared less about me. I got on the ground and walked the 100 yds to the cutline where the outfitter would meet me with the quad. I could see down the line a long ways and there was no sign of him coming and it was about 3 miles to the road so I started walking. It got black quick and then I could here something walking along beside me in the bush. Suddenly a big bear charged out at me woofing and slapping his front paws on the ground hard as he came within a few feet of me. I yelled as loud as I could, stood my ground and swung my bow at him and he retreated. I kept walking and he kept charging in the same way about a dozen times before the quad finally got to me. I was a mess, with a death grip on a shaft and could barely talk my throat was so soar from yelling. I told my guide what was going on and he turned the quad down the cutline and there he stood about 20 yards away. And as my guide say "That's a big prick and he's not scared of us at all" I was like yea lets get the hell out of here! His other quad had broken down and he had to go back for another one. Yea I probably shouldn't have gotten out of the stand. But a day before I had a bear run up me tree and start sniffing the back of my neck so sitting there in the dark didn't seem like a good idea at the time either. Another time we had big ars grizzlies in on the baits, that doesn't make you feel very good about sitting there either. I was glad I had brought my 300 mag along with my bow that trip, especially when walking out I can tell you that!

Thats a heck of a story 5575. Wow

Someone told me the other day that no one has ever been killed by a bear when they had bear spray on them. Whether it's true or not, when a bear is charging at me, if you're not 100% rock solid shot, you better off with a fog of deterrent than a clip and a shaky hand.

this works on the small ones...

I've had a number of bears put their paws on the tree I am in. I have even had a number start to climb the ladder stand or climb the tree. I video them. One time in Saskatchewan I had to use bear spray. I had a bear climb my ladder stand. I was talking to him all the way up. I kept shaking my arrow and pointing my finger at him saying, " Get down....Get down". Finally he made it to the top of the ladder. He reached out to touch my boot..That was close enough..He was turning his head side to side looking at me as I was talking to him..He didn't know what I was....But now he had my attention..I sprayed him flush in the face with the bear spray. The orange spray went all over his face and eyes..He fell seventeen feet to the ground and landed on his back..the fall knocked the wind out of him. He stumbled away bumping into every tree and bush..He couldn't see.. One of my fellow hunting buddies claims he saw him two days later at a different bait.. He still had some orange spray on him..he was really spooky around the bait. Most of the time they know you are in that stand. Their stomach Is their Achilles heel. They want food..they may bluff charge or huff a little to check you out...but they want to eat...or breed a sow.. When you have a sow with little ones around the bait, it is best to pay attention..

I live in Manitoba, and I usually carry a shot gun with me when hunting bears.

I watched one of my guides spray a nasty teenager that was harassing us while baiting. Unfortunately for him he sprayed into a stiff headwind. The sound of it spraying spooked the bear but the spray only went about 4 feet and then straight back in his face. He was sporting world record twin snot streams and gasping for air for quite awhile. It was funny as hell after we determined he would live.

A client was pretty jacked when we found a bear he had shot. He put his bear spray in his front pants pocket business end down: the safety popped off and it dunped about a half a can right square in his crotch before he got it pulled out. A few minutes later I literally saw a grown man cry. Back at camp he sat in the lake for several hours; the ice had gone off just a few days before. His tighty whiteys were hanging on a clothesline nearby with a big orange stain right square, poor guy! Wow that looked freakin' painful.

Think the message here is that you have a far better chance getting killed driving to the bait than ever being attacked by a black bear.All these pro guides and outfitters are in a position to be attacked many times every day and they all are still here!Best advice is if you think you need a gun leave the bow home,but if your bow hunting the added anxiety justs adds to the hunt.Black bears are almost always bluffing or running away.

I like to bring a camera as my backup weapon. I guess if the last picture on it is of a bear's open mouth people will be able to figure out the rest! Ha!

Black Bear?

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