![](images/pepperspray_title2.jpg)
Some
Basic Facts to Know
Note:
Bear pepper spray is no substitute
for appropriate conduct in bear country. It should only be relied
on as a last resort and if you are typical of the vast majority
of outdoor enthusiasts, you will never need to rely on it to resolve
a bear-human encounter.
What is in
a typical canister of pepper spray?
A:
All bear pepper sprays have in common the following
3 components: 1) oleoresin capsicum (OC for short; the oily residue
extracted from hot red peppers that naturally contains the active
ingredient - capsaicin - that elicits an intense burning sensation),
2) a carrier, or base, fluid into which the oleoresin capsicum
is mixed to thin and dilute it, and 3) a propellant that supplies
the energy to expel the carrier and active ingredients from the
can.
What
exactly is the “oleoresin capsicum” we see listed on the cans
of pepper spray?
A:
Before proceeding, a short vocabulary lesson is in order. Capsicum
is the Latin word for pepper and is the genus-level designation
for all peppers used in seasonings for hotness. Hence, oleoresin
(oleo = oil and resin= extract obtained from a plant) capsicum
(pepper) means quite literally "pepper extract in oil".
When jalapenos (moderately hot), habaneros (fiery hot), or even
bell peppers (no hotness at all) are finely ground, this pepper
slurry mixed in vegetable oil literally becomes 'oleoresin capsicum'.
Oleoresin
capsicum (abbreviated O.C.) is the oily mixture produced when
the burning compounds, which naturally occur in hot red peppers,
are extracted. O.C. is comprised primarily of a) carotenoids:
the red pigments found in many vegetables, b) vegetable oils and,
c) capsaicinoids, the compounds responsible for pungency. There
are over 25 capsaicinoid compounds found in O.C., but only 3 are
considered ‘active ingredients’ and are responsible for the "heat"
or pungency of the solution: capsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin and
dihydrocapsaicin. The other capsaicinoids, while comprising a
larger percentage of the O.C., are relatively inert with respect
to their ability to elicit the burn response.
Above
it was stated that OC is the oily mixture extracted from red peppers.
But red peppers aren’t naturally oily. The oil in OC results from
the process used to extract the active ingredient from ground
peppers. Since capsaicinoids are highly soluble in oil, the slurry
of freshly ground red peppers is saturated with vegetable oil
then strained through fine sieves, leaving behind much of the
plant cell wall matter. Some manufacturers use volatile solvents
in combination with vegetable oil during the extraction process
to reduce viscosity. This shortens the filtering time. Afterwards
the volatile solvents are removed.
This
capsaicinoid-rich oil is a deep red hue, however, because carotenoids
in the peppers are too fine for the sieves to remove. Most oleoresin
capsicum originates from red pepper growers in India and Africa.
Further extraction and separation of capsaicin from the oil is
expensive and since the target industry for most of this product
is the commercial food business, vegetable oil is a choice medium
for export and sale. Commercial food companies use OC to add hotness
to everything from chili to salsa. The pepper spray manufacturing
sector purchases this “food grade OC” in its thick, red state
and combines it with a carrier chemical which dilutes and thins
it out. Then, by adding a propellant to the canisters containing
this mixture the contents can be expelled as “bear spray”.
How
do you choose which bear pepper spray to purchase?
A:
Of the 6 bear pepper sprays currently registered with the EPA
for sale in the US you will find variation in spray duration (4-9
seconds), reach (18-40 feet), weight and cost. And if you browse
the web pages each has (see list at end of article) you’ll quickly
realize that each considers their product the best on the market.
There is nothing wrong with ‘product pride’ but personally I feel
that you won’t go wrong with any of the currently registered products
as the EPA has specified minimum standards in spray hotness, volume,
spray pattern and capsaicin source (must be from red peppers,
not man-made). The only qualities of spray not regulated by the
EPA are how far the spray carries and for how long the spray will
issue from the can. You may think you’d want a can that sprays
the farthest and longest but there are obvious trade-offs here.
In a recent Back Packer Magazine article on bear pepper sprays
(September 2000, www.backpacker.com) you’ll see that the spray
that shot the farthest (>40 feet) also lasted the shortest
amount of time (4 seconds). So what’s a hiker to do?
You
might consider the following guidance provided by bear safety
experts that comprise the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC).
This group comprised of State and Federal biologists released
recommendations for bear pepper spray on August 12, 1999. Their
“Pepper Spray Position Paper” lists the following criteria:
Item
|
IGBC
Recommendations |
Spray Concentration |
1%
to 2% Capsaicin and Related Capsaicinoids |
Spray Distance |
25
feet or more |
Spray Duration (minimum) |
6
seconds |
Size (minimum) |
7.9
ounces of net weight or 225 grams of spray |
Spray Pattern |
Cloud
Pattern Spray |
Raw Material |
Derivative
of Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) |
EPA Registered |
Yes
|
To
read more that these experts had to say you can go to the following
address on the web: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/wildlife/igbc/Spray.htm
With
regard to these recommendations, only 3 sprays go the the minimum
distance (25 feet), and 3 the minimum recommended duration(6 seconds).
However, since the EPA doesn’t regulate those 2 qualities, it
is up to you to decide what works best for you. I personally would
feel secure with any of them. But I know of experienced outdoorsmen
who insist on using only the first and oldest brand (Counter Assault);
others who think that you’re best using an Alaskan spray when
in Alaska (Guard Alaska); or one manufactured by someone who has
actually been attacked by a bear (UDAP Pepper Power); and so it
goes.
I
can authoritatively state, however, that field results alone are
too few and too confounded to base a sound decision on. Not only
do we lack sufficient incidents for each brand but also have had
contradictory results. For example, a USGS employee in Alaska
surprised a bear a number of years ago and the brand of bear pepper
spray she dispensed into the bear’s face apparently “failed” to
halt the attack. She received injuries after the bear charged
through the spray cloud and assaulted her. However, this same
brand “successfully” thwarted an attack just recently here and
has been very successful in other situations. In the case of the
former attack, perhaps the bear would have injured the USGS field
biologist even worse had she not sprayed it at all. Who knows,
yet I’d be reluctant to write the brand off as ineffective.
How
does pepper spray work to deter bears?
A:
Capsaicin elicits an intense burning sensation
when it comes in contact with skin, causing pain receptors to
send the same impulses as those generated by burning heat. However,
the thing that really makes bear pepper spray an effective defense
weapon is the way it effects the mucous membranes, primarily those
of the eyes, nose and lungs. Capsaicin immediately causes these
tissues to swell and the result is a nearly total, yet temporary,
loss of sight and severe restriction of breathing. To be optimally
effective, bear pepper spray has to hit the eyes and nose of the
aggressive bear. Therefore, the way pepper spray is designed to
work makes it imperative that it be highly aerosolized as if it
is not it will not be properly inhaled into the lungs.
I
have heard that bear spray actually attracts bears? Who would
want to use something that does that?
A:
I published a paper in 1998 in the Wildlife Society
Bulletin (Vol. 26: 92-94) demonstrating that some Alaskan brown
bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) were attracted to bear pepper
spray residues. I decided to conduct this work after I’d observed
a bear vigorously rolling in pepper spray residues put down by
a person who had hoped that the spray would repel bears from his
floatplane tied to the beach. It hadn’t worked and his neoprene
float covers were damaged. Now here I was watching a bear vigorously
scent rub in the orangish stain on the beach. “What if this stuff
actually attracted bears?” I began to worry, but not whether or
not the spray worked as a bear deterrent but rather regarding
their interest in residues on objects regardless of how they got
there. I reflected on the fact that only days before I had shown
a new field assistant how to use pepper spray... by discharging
it just outside my field camp perimeter. It never occurred to
me that the residue might prove troublesome. What if this residue
actually attracted bears? Considering this further, I knew of
people who had applied pepper spray to objects in the hopes of
repelling bears from them. I even knew of a PhD bear research
scientist who lectured on bear safety and had suggested that spray
could be used in this manner to protect items that couldn’t be
otherwise protected from curious bears. I felt I needed to further
investigate because property and people could possibly be injured
by this misuse of the product.
For
this research I sprayed red pepper spray directly onto the ground
then sat back and observed bears' reactions to it. Many bears
were clearly attracted to spray residues, some vigorously head
rubbing, back rolling, pawing and eating the soils tainted with
spray. I also observed some bears responding to these sites for
up to a 5 days after spray application. So not only were they
attracted to it but for some time after it had been dispensed.
So I published a short note hoping to warn others of the potential
dangers associated with misuse
of the product.
Some
persons have concluded that because pepper spray was shown to
elicit and hold a bear’s interest is ought not be used as a deterrent.
Does this make any sense? Of course
not. All it means is that these sprays should
only be used as intended by their manufacturers: directly into
the face of an aggressive bear. Other uses, such as applying it
to objects in the hopes that the spray might have some sort of
repellent effect would be an outright waste of the product, and
given my findings, potentially dangerous. Even after noting that
some red pepper spray deterrents have this attractive quality
about them, I never questioned their use or effectiveness. I carry
theses products in bear country, my field assistants carry them
and they are effective.
Are
there any other side-effects or negatives regarding bear pepper
sprays that I should be aware of?
There
is a downside to every bear deterrent I know of and bear pepper
sprays have them too. While keeping in mind that bear pepper sprays
are highly effective, let’s take a look at a few problems you
will want to avoid.
1.
Wind speed and direction can affect the efficacy of bear
pepper sprays. This works both ways, of course. If you
have a strong wind to your back you have a much greater reach
and may be able to send out a short burst of noxious spray to
a bear much farther from you than the stated reach of the product.
That’s a good thing. However, if the same stiff wind is blowing
perpendicular to you and the bear you can expect to have a much
shorter distance to work with. In a number of bear-human encounters
(on the low side of things admittedly) people have used bear pepper
sprays to deter menacingly curious bears. In such instances it
seems entirely possible to maneuver about until you have the wind
in your favor. Keep that in mind. The largest category of bear-human
encounters involve surprising a bear and you can’t do much about
the wind in those cases. However, the pressure in cans of bear
pepper spray is sufficient to propel the contents a short distance
even with a stiff breeze so don’t discount this deterrent option
because of the possibility of adverse wind conditions.
2.
These sprays are very powerful and pose a potential risk
for persons with respiratory ailments should they accidently inhale
them. If you are known for anaphylactic reactions to
a variety of foreign substances (such as bear pepper spray), I
would make sure I had my Epi-pen, or other anti-inflammatory,
on hand in case spray was accidentally inhaled. All persons should
realize that these sprays are not to be taken lightly. “Test spraying”
the product has burned more than a few persons who released the
spray then allowed it to waft back over themselves. Be careful
with it and as I’ve mentioned previously, I wouldn’t test spray
the stuff to begin with.
3.
Bear pepper spray residues are very irritating.
You should never have to worry about getting residue on you UNLESS
you fire the product. Once you release bear pepper spray you’ll
see that some amount of residue will remain in the nozzle. You
really should get that out of there (use a cotton swab or piece
of tissue or rinse with warm water and soap) because eventually
something will get it on it and then you will get it on you. There
are a lot of stories ‘out there’ of people who got pepper spray
residues on them and wished they had not. Which brings up another
point: I carry a small amount of baby shampoo, the ‘no tears’
type, with me in the field because you can wash your face and
not worry about burning your eyes with this kind of soap, should
you need to get bear pepper spray residues off your face.
In
summary - no product is perfect and bear pepper sprays have their
problems. However, so do firearms, flares, bells and fog horns.
It is telling that many bear experts choose to carry bear pepper
spray over firearms. I’d think on that awhile before I dismissed
bear pepper sprays as a viable bear deterrent.
How
do you know that these sprays are effective?
A: Dr.
Stephen Herrero and Andrew Higgins of the University of Calgary,
Alberta initiated an effort in 1993 to gather information regarding
the use of bear pepper spray in parks, refuges and other areas
where these sprays have been carried for a number of years. From
this work they produced a paper titled "Field use of capsicum
spray as a bear deterrent" which was presented at the 10th
International Conference on Bear Research and Management, Fairbanks,
Alaska. They summarized their findings as follows:
"We analyzed 66 cases of field use
of capsicum sprays between 1984 and 1994. Regarding aggressive
brown/grizzly bear incidents associated primarily with close range
encounters, in 94% of the cases, the spray had the effect of stopping
the behavior that the bear was displaying immediately prior to
being sprayed. In six cases, the bear continued to act aggressively;
in three of these cases the bear attacked the person spraying.
In one of these 3 cases, further spraying caused the bear to stop
and leave. Of the three encounters that resulted in injury to
the sprayer, two involved a mother with cub(s) and the other involved
a single bear. In all three injurious encounters, the bear received
a substantial dose of spray to the face. While it can't be known
for certain how these encounters would have ended out in the absence
of spray, the use of spray appears to have prevented injury in
most of this type of encounter. Regarding brown/grizzly bear incidents
associated with curiosity of searching for human foods and garbage,
in 100% (20/20) of the cases the spray had the effect of stopping
the behavior that the bear was displaying immediately prior to
being sprayed. The bear left the area in 90% of the cases."
Although
not under tightly controlled conditions nor observed by scientists,
these results strongly suggest that red pepper spray deterrents
work well. It would have been interesting to see if any difference
existed between the various brands of spray but the data set is
far too small.
What
has been the Alaskan experience with bear pepper spray?
A:
For
the past several years I have been constructing a database of
bear-human conflicts that have occurred in Alaska. To date the
database contains nearly 500 incidents that span a century. Among
these there have been only 15 that involved persons spraying bears
with bear pepper spray. Of these 15 incidents where person(s)
chose to use bear pepper spray to defend themselves, 13 were decided
successes (87% success rate), and 2 were judged ‘failures’. In
the one failure the bear charged through the spray cloud, swatted
a woman to the ground, bit her in the face and left. In the other
failure the bear did not leave the immediate vicinity of the hiker
(it was only 15 feet away) when sprayed directly into its face.
Consequently this well-armed hiker fired a bullet over the bear’s
head, apparently providing enough reasons then for the bear to
turn and leave. The majority of Alaskan cases involved grizzly/brown
bears (12 of 15) and one bear pepper spray failure was attributed
to each species. In short, bear pepper spray is a proven bear
deterrent in Alaska.
Even
if bear pepper spray has effectively thwarted a number of bear
attacks, aren’t you better off relying on a gun to do the job?
Isn’t bear spray the best choice only when a gun is neither available
nor permitted (as in National Parks)?
A:
My co-workers, family and myself don’t opt to carry bear pepper
spray over firearms for any reason other than it has a better
track record than firearms for deterring bear attacks in Alaska.
Although fewer bear pepper spray incidents have been recorded
than those involving firearms (14 versus, bear pepper spray has
been 87% effective in deterring aggressive bears whereas firearms
have fared worse. In analyzing the Alaska Bear Attacks Database
Project that I and Dr. Steve Herrero have been involved in the
past several years, we identified a number of incidents involving
firearms and bears with sufficient information for analysis. The
following graph presents those raw data:
![Bear attacks vs. firearm or no firearm](images/rps_firearms_graph.gif)
One thing
is clear after browsing these data: possession of a firearm is
no guarantee that one will emerge from a bear attack unscathed.
Closer examination of the Alaskan bear attacks database reveals
that some firearms were of insufficient caliber (e.g., .22 caliber)
to have effectively dealt with an attacking bear. We also know
that some persons were so suddenly attacked that they had little
or no time to put the firearm to use. And of course, some persons
were not experienced marksmen and that too added to these results.
Interestingly, however, we know that the same applies to the persons
carrying bear spray: that they were surprised and likely inexperienced.
Yet the nearly 90% success rate of those carrying bear pepper
spray is an impressive statistic not to be easily dismissed. This
leads us to the next question: why is bear pepper spray so effective?
Why
is bear pepper spray so effective in deterring aggressive bears?
A: I personally
believe that these bear deterrent sprays confer three
important advantages to the user:
1) Bear pepper spray gives people
a reason not to run. Its often said that
running from a bear may elicit a chase and attack. Is this true
or are people just assuming that bears are little more than “big
dogs with little tails” (to quote famous phylogeneticist George
Gaylord Simpson) and hence, like dogs, chase things that run from
them? I analyzed thousands of stimulus-response type data associated
with bear attacks. The idea was to see what the historical record
could teach us, quantitatively, about how bears responded to people’s
responses to them. In this instance I had 42 times in my database
when people confronted with an aggressive bear chose as their
response to run. It seems fairly safe to assume that the desire
of the person running was to put distance between themself and
the bear and end the confrontation. How often did the desired
result occur? About 5% of the time! In only 2 of these 42 instances
did the bear leave without further interaction. Importantly, however,
in 83% of these instances (35) desired results were not obtained....
bears chased after the fleeing persons, and in some cases, attacked
and mauled them. So, running from an aggressive bear should not
be high on your list of options for dealing with them in a close
encounter. Yet when confronting a bear, particularly one-on-one,
with no deterrent options available, people panic and run regardless
of what they’ve been told. We can do much better than that. Carry
bear pepper spray and don’t run but stand your ground. Not running
and holding your ground conveys a message that bears recognize,
that of a co-dominant unwilling to yield. That gives them pause
and buys you time. If you have bear pepper spray with you, have
it handy, have it out and pointed in the bear’s direction, you
will find that you have a reason to not run and this says to the
bear “I am not subordinate nor am I going to be an easy target.”
Without a deterrent you will have a very hard time keeping your
legs from taking off regardless of what your head says otherwise.
2)
The sudden, loud hissing of
the spray and billowing cloud startles bears.
This effect I have observed several times in person and on video-tape.
You could be spraying sugar water for all it matters initially
because this sound and sight is surprising. As a result, approaching
bears are surprised, they halt, and very often run away before
the spray even reaches them. Again, this startle
effect has been shown time and again to give bears a reason to
go somewhere else and, as our records show, they most often do.
3) The active ingredient in
bear pepper spray is a strong irritant, as
observed with penned and wild bears that have been sprayed. Steve
Herrero, Chuck Jonkel, myself, and many others have seen bears
sprayed directly with this and many cough, wheeze, and wildly
paw at their eyes and nose. Pepper spray obviously turns the tables...the
aggressor becomes the victim. Sure, there have been a few failures
of sprays to deter aggressive bears but there have been far greater
successes, something that you should keep in mind next time you
contemplate hiking in bear country.
What
other benefits are there to carrying bear pepper spray versus
a firearm?
A: Not
only are firearms in of themselves a hazard to carry but consider
for a moment that a bear has charged and you’ve killed it. Now
you’ve a real dilemma because in Alaska this is termed a Defense
of Life or Property (DLOP) incident and you, as the shooter must
skin the bear and turn the hide, claws and skull into the nearest
Fish and Game agent. There will be paperwork to fill out, explanations,
and this all takes time. Have you ever skinned a bear? I doubt
most of you have. It is a nasty, difficult job. What if this happened
miles from the nearest road? You’re going to have to decide whether
or not you can pack the hide, skull and claws out or not and justify
that response to Fish and Game. What about the carcass? You’ve
now created a kill site and other bears can be expected to be
drawn to it. If it is along a major trail that carcass must be
moved or other persons may find themselves in the same circumstance
you were just in and may be injured, or worse. An average Alaskan
bear will weigh hundreds of pounds... how do you move that? What
if you shot at the bear but didn’t kill it or are unsure? Now
someone is going to have to go after that bear and finish the
job or verify that it was indeed killed. Trailing a wounded bear
is very, very dangerous and has resulted in a number of serious
injuries and deaths over the years here in Alaska. My point in
having this discussion is to help you realize that firearms carry
with them some hefty responsibilities and when successfully used
(about half the time) they result in other consequences that you
may well want to not get involved in. I would seriously think
about this before opting to carry a gun rather than bear pepper
spray next time you hike. Even if you are a hunter who has a firearm
on your person, I would highly recommend that bear pepper spray
be a part of your gear because unless you are bear hunting, killing
a bear will impact your hunt in a negative way, not to mention
the impact of the ecosystem losing a bear for no good reason.
Is
bear deterrent from the United States allowed to cross the Canadian
Border?
A: Yes. Hiker's
are allowed to enter Canada (and re-enter the USA) with US EPA
registered bear deterrents for their own use/protection against
bear attacks. (The product must return to the US and cannot be
sold or remain in Canada)
When
in Canada, which are the approved sprays for use in that country?
As
of 2003, there are 13 products registered for use in Canada. The
following table was downloaded from the Health Canada web site.
1 |
22137.00 |
BUSHWACKER
BACKPACK & SUPPLY |
COUNTER
ASSAULT PEPPER SPRAY PRESSURIZED BEAR DETERRENT |
2 |
22991.00 |
STAND
OFF PRODUCTS INC. |
BEAR
SCARE BEAR DETERRENT |
3 |
23507.00 |
PEPPER
PLUS INC. |
BEAR
GONE BEAR DETERRENT |
4 |
23686.00 |
PRED-IT
INDUSTRIES INC. |
PRED-IT
BEAR REPELLENT |
5 |
23797.00 |
PERSONAL
SAFETY CORP. |
OUTDOORSMAN
BEAR REPELLENT |
6 |
24202.00 |
BODYGUARD
CANADA LLC. |
BEARGUARD
BEAR DETERRENT |
7 |
24901.00 |
BRANDON
INDUSTRIES CANADA INC. |
THE
ORIGINAL BLACK MAX BEAR REPELLENT PRESSURIZED PRODUCT |
8 |
25126.00 |
NORTH
PACIFIC SUPPLY CORP |
BEARSHIELD
- BEAR SPRAY |
9 |
25589.00 |
BODYGUARD
CANADA LLC. |
UDAP
BEAR DETERRENT |
10 |
25590.00 |
BODYGUARD
CANADA LLC. |
TACTICAL
O.C. BEAR DETERRENT |
11 |
26521.00 |
AXTROM
INDUSTRIES INC |
BEARIER
BEAR REPELLENT |
12 |
26529.00 |
MCNEIL
RIVER ENTERPRISES INC. |
GUARD
ALASKA BEAR REPELLENT |
13 |
26619.00 |
SECURITY
EQUIPMENT CORP |
FRONTIERSMAN
BEAR ATTACK DETERRENT |
What
additional advice do you suggest regarding bear pepper spray?
A:
I generally recommend the following to people:
1.
Always carry at least 2 deterrents
at all times in bear country, one being pepper spray.
Bear spray has such a well-proven track record that you would
be remiss in not carrying it. The other deterrent might be a flare
pistol, signal flares, an airhorn or a firearm. Also, depending
on the number of people in the party and length of trip, each
person should carry their own can of spray. If you are going to
be out for several days you should consider carrying 2 cans of
spray because several persons who were confronted by an aggressive
bear and sprayed it later said that they wished they would have
had a second can for the rest of their journey.
2.
I do not recommend that you
“test-fire” cans of bear pepper spray. I
may be sticking my neck out but if you only have 6 bullets in
a revolver, what happens each time you ‘test fire’ it? You have
one less bullet. The same is true for cans of bear spray. Each
time you test fire the can you have that much less content for
the time when you might really need it. If you test fire the can
each time you go for a hike, it won’t be long until you have an
insufficient amount to deter a bear. As pointed out by Steve Herrero
and Andrew Higgins in their paper cited above, some bears had
to be sprayed 2, 3 and even 4 times before they finally left the
hiker alone. So I would very jealously guard the contents of that
can. But what if the can has no pressure? When is the last time
you pushed down on a new aerosol can of some product and nothing
came out? I don’t think that has ever happened to me in my entire
life. The chances of a new can of bear pepper spray full of contents
(obvious by the heft of the can) not having any pressure is next
to impossible. What if the seals failed and the pressure is gone,
leaving the contents behind? Believe me, this is one product that
will let you know if a leak develops! Incredibly tiny amounts
of spray that you get on your finger will burn such that you will
know if a leak has occurred. In short - the chances of a no pressure
being in a new, full can are about zero, if not zero. Test firing
wastes contents AND puts attractive residues on the ground. I
would not do it. But what if I want to see what it feels like
to spray a can? Several manufacturers sell cans of inert spray
(i.e., there is no active ingredient in the can) for that very
purpose. Check the web sites I’ve listed and see which do. I would
highly recommend you order a can or two and practice until you
feel comfortable with the operation and spray pattern. Save your
precious bear pepper spray for when it is needed...don’t waste
it!
3.
If you do discharge spray
from a canister, I would suggest that you lightly rinse the actuator
(nozzle) with soap and water. Time and again
I have been out in the field working, bear pepper spray by my
side and suddenly noticed that my cheek was on fire. Upon closer
inspection I’d note a tiny bit of residue of spray from the nozzle
had gotten on my polypropylene glove, or hand, and I’d inadvertently
wiped my cheek. It is very annoying to get bear pepper spray residues
on ANYTHING so I would gently rinse it off after each use.
4.
Do not use cans of bear pepper
spray which have less than 2/3 of their contents left.
The contents of bear pepper sprays currently on the market range
from 225 grams to 260 grams. Counter Assault®, for example,
sells a 230 gram cannister...that’s 230 grams of contents, not
the cannister’s overall weight. An off-the-shelf can of Counter
Assault® weighs 323 grams (11.4 ounces), or 93 grams of its
weight is due to the can and actuator, not contents. Therefore,
when a can of Counter Assault® is 2/3 full, it will weigh
245 grams. In an agency setting, such as the National Park Service,
where cans of bear pepper spray are passed from year to year,
I would recommend that a single can be emptied to the 245 gram
weight. Float this can in a container of water and mark on the
can right where the 2/3 full can floats. Now this cannister can
be used to compare all others against by floating each and seeing
if they float above the line (<2/3 full) or below the line
(>2/3 full). I would recommend that those cans with less than
2/3 of their content be discarded or used for spray practice at
a safe location.
5.
Know how old your can of bear
pepper spray is and discard it when the manufacturer’s published
shelf life expires. Safety in bear country
is serious business so why trust your well-being to an old, out-dated
can of bear spray? As I understand it, the chemicals used in bear
pepper spray are stable over time (i.e., contents are good for
quite a few years), but that the seals holding the pressurized
contents in the can age and will eventually fail, resulting in
leaks. So what is the shelf life? I recently browsed a number
of bear pepper spray web sites (June 2003) and found that most
did not post their product’s shelf life, although a couple did
( e.g., Frontiersman and Counter Assault have shelf lives of 4
years). If the date of manufacture is labeled on the can you are
in good shape, but if not, you might do well to write the date
on the bottom of the can for future reference. Occasionally I
see some very old, nearly empty cans of bear pepper spray out
on the trails in Alaska. My peace of mind and personal safety
are worth more than that.
6.
To be useful, pepper spray
must be conveniently carried on your person.
The best placements are either in the special belt holster available
for most brands OR by hanging that holster on one of the straps
of your pack. Either way, it does little good to have your can
of pepper spray buried deep within your pack. Surprise encounters
are just that, a surprise, and there are instances of people who
have had pepper spray on them but because it was in an inconvenient
location they were unable to use it. Once I was personally confronted
by a very angry bear only to realize that my can of pepper spray
was buried deep in my pack! Not much good there. Fortunately by
simply standing my ground and talking to the bear (as I frantically
tore through my pack) I was able to get out of that unnecessary
situation. Now - older and wiser - I carry my bear spray on my
pack strap, always available. When I approach an area I cannot
see into very well, the spray comes off my strap and is into my
hand. I also have the safety wedge out so that I can release spray
in an instant should it be needed. I am ready these day. How about
you?
7.
Consider securing the safety
lock when transporting your spray. You can
easily secure the safety lock on the top of the spray canister
by using a ‘zip strip’ available at hardware or retail department
stores to insure that the spray will not accidentally be fired.
At least one company sells there product with a zip strip already
in place. When you are getting ready to hike in bear country,
don’t cut the zip strip off but gently work it off the top of
the can and save it for when you will be transporting the can.
Stuffed in a backpack, jostling around in the trunk of your car,
or where-ever, the safety clip can be knocked off and the spray
fired unintentionally. It also insures that people who are looking
your product over, say at your home, work or a classroom, have
no opportunity to test-fire it. Believe me – this has happened
and is awfully embarrassing when you have to empty out an entire
building because of a slip of the thumb.
Where
can I get additional information regarding pepper spray products?
A:
World Wide Web Pepper Spray Information Links:
The Interagency
Grizzly Bear Committee’s bear pepper spray resources page, including
a link to their position paper on pepper spray use in the greater
Yellowstone Ecosystem: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/wildlife/igbc/
A list
of bear deterrents properly registered with the EPA can be found:
http://www.epa.gov/Region8/toxics_pesticides/pests/beardeter.html
My news
release with photos and video footage regarding the attractiveness
of bear spray to Alaskan brown bears: http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/pepperspray/news.htm
The following
links are for informational purposes only and are not endorsements
of the companies or products by the USGS or any state or governmental
agency:
- Counter
Assault Bear Spray®: http://www.counterassault.com/
- Guard
Alaska Bear Spray® http://www.guardalaska.com/
- BearGuard®
- http://www.guardianproducts.com
- UDAP
Pepper Power - http://www.udap.com/
- Bear
Peppermace - http://www.mace.com/
- Frontiersman
Bear Attack Deterrent - http://www.macecanada.com/unitedstates/animalrep.htm
- Black Max Bear Repellent: http://www.pepperspray.ca
For
additional information feel free to contact me at the following:
Tom
S. Smith, Ph.D.
U.S. Geological Survey
Alaska Science Center - Biological Science Office
1011 E. Tudor Rd., MS 701
Anchorage, AK 99503
Office: (907) 786-3456
Fax: (907) 786-3636
email: tom_smith@usgs.gov
![polar, brown, and black bear](images/3bears.gif)
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