Bear Spray – How much to bring in a group?

I am of the firm belief that each person should have their own canister of bear spray.

In a group of six people you are bound to get split up as each individual hikes at their own pace, takes pictures, used a friendly tree, or simply decides to chat with a fellow hiker. When this happens you don't want a lone person or group of people not to have bear spray.

In griz country I want my own.

Thanks for the responses!

I'm having a hard time justifying the group bringing almost 5 lbs worth of bear spray, when the chances of using it once is very low.

In fact, when I've brought it in the past, I usually forget to bring it with me when fishing or going to the restroom.

But this is definitely making me re-consider whether or not I'm not as cautious as I should be in griz country…

Everyone on the WTS courses carries their own can of bear spray. We strongly emphasize that everyone have their spray on them at all times and never go off alone.

Personally, I'd bring my own without regard to the group decision.

i vote each having his own. it protects you and the bears.

Oi, yes, no question that everyone in a group of six should carry their own bear spray (and know how to use it!).

Remember, if you are proper applying backcountry camp discipine, your bear hang will be 150 ft from your shelters, your shelters will be dispersed, you will 150 feet from water, you will be cat holing 200 feet away from camp etc…

You're not going to trek en masse to each place – you're likely going to send a couple of people for water, the first person awake in the morning will likely grab the bear hang, etc… each shelter needs its own bear spray at the ready overnight… I think it would be quite hard to manage group bear spray canisters. One each is much simpler & (IMHO) safer.

Everyone should have their own. Bear encounters are unplanned and most often unexpected and all partys should be prepared.

I hade a encounter last August in Wyoming (Tetons) and one a few years ago in Glacier N.P/ Let me tell you, it rattles you're cage. Always carry a can with you at easy reach, preferably when not on your pack, on you pant's belt… No exceptions. If you can't carry a firearm, it is you best defense.

never been to grizzly country but I was under the impression that the best defense is hiking in a large group. I thought there is no documented attack by a grizzly on a group of more than 3?

I understand the point that it is almost impossible to stay together as a group of 6 throughout a hike.. but I thought a group of 6 would be pretty noisy and loud and scary to a grizzly.

Before reading all the responses, I wouldn't have guessed there would be such a strong consensus on here favoring each person having their own.

FWIW, my '9oz' bear spray I have weighs 11.09oz with the bottle included so you might be able to find some bear spray lighter than what you were looking at (13-14oz).

Regarding the initial question, I would say that it depends on the group dynamics and risk tolerance levels. When 6 hikers are hiking in a group down a trail, my personal opinion is that I don't think 6 bottles is necessary. I would feel safe if ~3 of the more brave hikers were armed with spray. In regards to all the talk of people wandering off alone, I think it may be possible to set up some sort of a system where you have community bottles that can be used, so there is 1 or 2 bottles available for when groups of 1 or 2 want to go off alone, yet the core group is never left which fewer than 2 bottles or so. Considering that the core group would now be smaller (3-4 people) they would still have a similar ratio of bear spray:people. Sharing doesn't seem that hard with good communication and some planning ahead. Essentially I think you need to decide was ratio of bear spray:people you want, and then it won't be that hard to preserve that ratio when people split off if you have good communication.

Dan,

This was my thought as well. I would have thought that most people would have suggested the exact opposite of what the consensus is.

Now granted, I have never encountered a bear (that I know of) in the wilderness. My thought is that if a grizz wanted to eat me, that I'm most likely screwed anyway…with the best defense being in a group and making a lot of noise (to prevent startling a bear).

I'm a believer in bear spray, it just seems to me that if everyone was as alert in using and keeping the bear spray easily accessible (meaning: on their belt), than it would make sense for everyone to carry one. But it seems most people are more like me, in that they will have it accessible on the trail, but in camp it becomes a whole different story when fishing and going to the bathroom (it is kind of hard not to do this when you are in paradise). I'm sure an aggressive griz encounter would change my perspective.

I think the number depends on how you are camping. If you are two to a tarp or tent, then one will do for each pair. Another way to consider this is to have one at the kitchen camp, one at the sleeping camp and one for anyone to use when they are " going to see a man about a horse". I'd also suggest the smaller canisters since they should be sufficient for an attack. The larger canisters provide a psychological advantage to the user, but not sure they are going to get you through an attack any better than the smaller ones.

We live in brown bear country and typically use the above criteria when we are with a large group.

Take a look at Erin and Hig's video taken during an encounter on the Alaska Peninsula on their walk from Seattle to False Pass.

In the Yellowstone are there has I believe never been a bear incident with a group of four or more. I'd be inclined to bring three cans and share strategically. If someone wanders off alone at dawn or dusk, especially near streams and/or in thick brush, take one. Each shelter ought to have one too. A bear coming into camp at night is a different deal entirely (unlikely as it is).

I'm also a lot less bearanoid than many. I bought my first can a few weeks ago, and spent all last year hiking solo in the Bob, Yellowstone, and Glacier without one. Be smart, make noise in risky places, cook far from camp, and the odds of trouble are remote. Bears are far less risky than many things like lightening and drowning, they just push our human buttons more directly.

Last week, while solo in the Thorofare, I saw three bears in four days. Two Griz, one black. All sprinted away the minute they smelled me and realized I was a human. I'll carry my (small, 8oz counter assault) can of spray on my packs hipbelt, and count myself lucky when I see a bear.

It's worth reading up on Griz behavior. Know what they're eating and where they're more likely to be given the terrain and time of year. Last July I saw no bears and little bear sign during two long days in Glacier, and a month later saw one black and five Griz in a single day in the same area. Different plants at different times of year had moved them a big lower to feed, I suppose.

So is it worth it to bring the larger can of spray?

I'm just wondering if there's THAT much more spray in the larger can that would make any sort of difference. I figure if you empty the can into the bear's face and he's still coming at you, a few extra seconds from the larger can probably won't do any more good.

Edit: I just read Joseph's post where he says "The larger canisters provide a psychological advantage to the user, but not sure they are going to get you through an attack any better than the smaller ones."

Don't forget about the intimidation factor. If the bear sees the big can, they probably turn and run the other way.

It would work for me if I was a bear.

I'm sure that once I have an aggressive encounter with a bear, it will freak me out to be extra cautious going forward.

Thanks everyone for the valuable information. This is great stuff.

Chris, I don't think you need (or want) an aggressive encounter with a bear, but go out hiking with a RESPECT for them.

I've run into black bears on the ATV trails over here in Wisconsin, and they just ran away. It was cool, but I didn't learn much from that. Once I got a chance to observe them for some time from my tree stand vantage point, I viewed them very differently. Once you see a bear charging through dense forest at 20 mph or more, you learn to respect that very quickly. Then to see two bears sparring and batting at each other over some food, you imagine yourself in the middle of that. No sir. I'll stay up here in my tree stand with my .357 mag. (for protection only).

I've also accidentally snuck up on one rounding a bend in a path. I had all camouflage on, and the bear couldn't make me out. It stood on its hind legs trying to get a better view of me. A couple of stomps from the bear had me backing away.

And remember, these are just black bears! Grizzies are a whole new ballgame (or so I hear since I've never seen one).

So, yes, a little fear helps, but a healthy respect helps much more, IMHO.

Travis I totally agree with that.

When we are on the trail with our backpacks, I do a good job with being bear smart (making a lot of noise, staying with the group, etc…

When we get to our destination for the day, we end up hanging our food and eat away from the tent, but I don't seem to be nearly as cautious. I have the utmost respect for these animals, but I find when I'm at an incredible location (a beautiful lake with 10,000 foot mountains around), I seem to totally forget about them. This is mainly what I was referring to the aggressive encounter. I don't want to be paranoid, and maybe I'm not doing anything wrong, but it does kind of freak me out to think of a grizz charging us.

>but it does kind of freak me out to think of a grizz charging us.

Ya, I think that might make me p00p my pants!

I still love how "p00p" is considered profanity.

In a place like Yellowstone that is subject to bad forest fires, I can understand why they advocate only bear spray to keep the grizzlies at bay. On the other hand, other places are not so concerned about forest fires if they have a lot of rain, so there they advocate bear flares. Those are obviously much different for use, and are lighter and cheaper.

Spray is a good "standoff" weapon, and a flare is good for close-quarters combat.

–B.G.–