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Post by High Sierra Fan on Oct 10, 2015 7:41:00 GMT -8
I didn't think bear spray was recommended for black bears. Great Smoky Mountain is only home to black bears and they've specifically allowed bear spray possession in the park in response to their black bear v. human issues. "Encounters With Bears Bears in the park are wild and their behavior is unpredictable. Although extremely rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death. Treat bear encounters with extreme caution! Watch the video Day Hiking & Wildlife to learn how to handle bear encounters. Bear pepper spray may be carried by hikers within Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the strict purpose of protection against bodily harm from aggressive wildlife. It should not be applied to people, tents, packs, other equipment or surrounding area as a repellent. Bear pepper spray is a chemical formula designed specifically to deter aggressive or attacking bears. It must be commercially manufactured and labeled as "Bear Pepper Spray" and be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency and individual states. Bear spray must contain between 1% to 2% of the active ingredients capsaicin and related capsaicinoids." www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/hikingsafety.htmI think the issue is except in a few specific locations (black bear behavior is very regionally based, they learn from each other) black bears don't pose a threat that requires bear spray be routinely available not anything regarding its effectiveness on black bears.
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Post by 92hatchattack on Oct 11, 2015 19:08:07 GMT -8
Hey everyone. Sorry I went cold on this. I was watching your posts though, just didnt have time to check back in. We did get out this weekend and we had a wonderful time! There was some complaining on the first 2 miles (haha, kids out of shape!) which were all uphill but once we hit the ridge line of the AT he really enjoyed himself and the scenery and views! Amazing fall weather and colors! As for the bear fear I brought some bear spray just for peace of mind really, and a little liquid bravery for when the sun went down! Crystal clear sky and no moon meant awesome star gazing up on the mountain top, even for NJ. Lots of space talk! Haha. We were pretty beat up on the decent though. I quickly remember that I haven't really been out hiking in about a year. Totally worth it all though. My son did plenty of complaining about the walking and first time with a pack on but it seems that to experiences he got outweighed that and overall he had a great time. Thank you all for the encouragement. I've learned everything I know (even though I'm still a newbie) from the wonderful people here on this forum and now I've gotten to share that with my son.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Oct 11, 2015 19:30:46 GMT -8
Looks like pretty country. Glad he had a good time.
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wanderboth
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Still trekking...
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Post by wanderboth on Oct 13, 2015 17:46:12 GMT -8
Good that your trip went well! I just wanted to reiterate what other backpackers have said - we sleep with at least one spray in each tent. I also sleep with a knife and a hatchet in the tent. It gives me peace of mind that if needed, I can gut the tent wall and get to the outside if ever a bear tried crawling in (or tent get's caught in a flooded river... or something of that nature where I need to get out in a hurry.)
I am a very light sleeper, so any sort of wildlife wakes me up. It was frightening at first, but as the trips pass by, you tent to learn to ignore all the rustling in the forest.
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Post by trinity on Oct 13, 2015 17:57:40 GMT -8
Wonderful report. Very few things make me happier than seeing folks get out backpacking with their kids. Looks like he had a great time, and I'm sure it's a trip he'll never forget. Well done.
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Post by hikerjer on Oct 13, 2015 18:53:10 GMT -8
Start em young, I say. Well done.
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Oct 14, 2015 8:25:10 GMT -8
I'm glad it went well!
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amaruq
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Post by amaruq on Oct 14, 2015 11:37:13 GMT -8
Get 'em started young. Get 'em hooked deep. With a little bit of luck he'll really take off on outdoor adventures with a passion, which tends to lead to better fitness overall as one strives to enjoy pushing into the bush more and more.
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Post by 92hatchattack on Oct 19, 2015 4:47:33 GMT -8
Thanks for all the kind words everyone!
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Oct 19, 2015 6:05:07 GMT -8
Any other suggestions on what the hell to do if we wake up to a bear nudging the side of our tent? I've had bears stroll through my camps many times, nearly always without incident. However, one nudged my tent at a campground in CO (forget the name... at the base of Elbert). I just yelled loudly, and it scampered across the creek. I could then hear it sloshing in the creek for a few minutes. I fell asleep, but it came back 30(?) minutes later, and I yelled again. This time it went off for good. In the morning, I realized I had a partially-eaten granola bar in my pocket. Oops! Also interesting, was that I had placed some dinner leftovers in a Ziploc bag, and "buried" it underwater in the creek... held down by rocks. The bear sniffed it out... that was the sloshing in the creek. Amazing (and lesson learned).
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Oct 19, 2015 6:57:28 GMT -8
Also interesting, was that I had placed some dinner leftovers in a Ziploc bag, and "buried" it underwater in the creek... held down by rocks. The bear sniffed it out... that was the sloshing in the creek. Amazing (and lesson learned). Even dogs can find smells in water. Years ago I was in the Sawtooths with Daetrip and Bowbender, and Daetrip's dogs would fetch rocks thrown into rocky streams. Sometimes it took a minute, but they always found the right ones. The rock only had to be in your hand long enough to throw it to leave a smell that they could find under water.
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almostthere
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Post by almostthere on Oct 19, 2015 21:10:59 GMT -8
Also interesting, was that I had placed some dinner leftovers in a Ziploc bag, and "buried" it underwater in the creek... held down by rocks. The bear sniffed it out... that was the sloshing in the creek. Amazing (and lesson learned). Even dogs can find smells in water. Years ago I was in the Sawtooths with Daetrip and Bowbender, and Daetrip's dogs would fetch rocks thrown into rocky streams. Sometimes it took a minute, but they always found the right ones. The rock only had to be in your hand long enough to throw it to leave a smell that they could find under water. Search and Rescue dogs are used in recovering remains from water - they learn to ride in the boat, and alert when the boat reaches scent they recognize as a human body. SAR dogs also can find Native American remains that are hundreds of years old. Bears have better noses than dogs do.
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Post by Lonewolf on Oct 31, 2015 18:43:41 GMT -8
I solo everywhere but primarily in grizzly country for the past few decades and keep a can handy in the tent. While I've had them come around at night, following proper bear precautions avoids problems. I've had several encounters over the years on the trail and occasionally in camp with both grizzlies and blacks but I've never had to use spray.
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Post by mradventure on Nov 26, 2015 14:33:58 GMT -8
Keep it in the tent, with the food far away.
I once met up with a group that had spent the night with the bear spray outside the tent and a pack of beef jerky in the tent. Sigh...
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Post by trekkerman on Nov 27, 2015 9:24:11 GMT -8
I agree with BlueBear's Oct. 7th posting. There's just way too much paranoia about bears. Maybe I'd take bear spray in Grand Teton N.P, and Yellowstone but I've never carried it in the Wind Rivers, but for whatever reason there seems to be this irrational fear of being attacked. Sometimes I think the bear spray manufacturers are laughing all the way to the bank. (As are the chili pepper growers in New Mexico who supply the primary ingredient.) But everyone is different, and if carrying it provides some sort of peace of mine so be it.
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