Bear Spray

[victoria maki]

Do people carry bear spray on the AT? Is it a necessary thing? Up in Minnesota, I don’t bother. Only seen one bear in all the years I have been hiking.

[jimmyjam]

It’s not necessary, unless you feel the extra 10 or 12 ozs is worth the piece of mind it gives you or family. Black bears are generally pretty timid on the AT. There are a couple of problem areas such as around Dick’s Creek in Georgia where a canister is required although most just hike right thru this short section as it’s only a few miles.

[victoria maki]

Thanks for both posts JimmyJam. I really didn’t want to carry the extra weight. I’m kind of a gram weinnie. Also, the website you gave me looks like just the ticket.? Thanks

[jimmyjam]

When you’re hiking solo on the AT, if you’re lucky, you might see a black bear in the Smokeys or in the SNP. Generally they see you and run, or if you yell and clap your hands they run. I have only had one stand her ground and that was a momma bear in the SNP near Black Rock where somehow I got between her and her 3 cubs. She did not like it and neither did I, she crouched down on the trail ahead of me (cubs now behind her) and would not move, I slowly did a 90 degree turn off trail and bushwacked way around her.

[Anonymous]

Bringing bear spray on the AT is like bringing a Bazooka or long range sniper rifle/scope to an old Western gun fight–a bit over done.

(course, now that i’ve said that, i’ll get viciously attacked by a black bear at some point…)

[David Thomas]

I think bear spray isn’t necessary here in Alaska since making noise weighs nothing and is more effective (better to never see a bear and need to spray a bear than even the best outcome from having to used spray).

And where there are no dangerous animals (Grizzlies, polar bears), why bother with spray? Shout at it, throw a rock, or, my favorite – run at it while shouting and throwing rocks.

[Author]

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