What's the best bear spray?

Yea I got snipped at 28. No kids for us. It's not that I have to be right, it's that this is common sense. We're talking black bears if you're in CT; loss of habitat, highways prohibiting them from roaming, and an easy food source via trash cans and unguarded grills. Deer populations are due to our actions as well, since we killed off all their natural predators here with the exception of coyotes, and they keep losing habitat so their numbers cant be sustained with the habitat thats left.

I'm sure I can find you a million articles if you think I'm just stating my word is fact without any base. Here's a dissertation written on the impacts of development on black bears, specifically mentioning CT:

The unique landscapes represented by exurban development bring wildlife into close proximity with humans, increasing the potential for conflict. Land-use pattern in Connecticut is typical of New England, with the state comprised almost entirely of exurban housing (Theobald 2001). Concurrently, black bear (Ursus americanus) abundance is increasing throughout the northeast United States, and their range has expanded into Connecticut. The interspersion of forest and housing in the state, and bears’ ability to exploit human food sources simultaneously facilitate human-black bear conflicts, and present substantial challenges to conflict management. Exurban development patterns (6–25 homes/km2 ) are characterized by housing densities between rural and urban embedded within natural cover types, and were the fastest growing form of land use in the United States as of 2000 (Brown et al. 2005). Such development may have strong effects on biodiversity and biological communities, with specific impacts varying among species (Hansen et al. 2005). Human development has historically been thought to displace native wildlife (Vogel 1989, Theobald 1997). However, exurban land-use patterns produce a more multidimensional human-wildlife interface, as interspersion of housing and native vegetation benefits some human-adapted guilds (Miller and Hobbs 2002, Glennon and Porter 2005, Hansen et al. 2005). As opportunistic omnivores, black bears may readily adapt to, and thrive in, forested exurban and suburban areas. Although black bears may be sensitive to large-scale anthropogenic removal of natural habitat (Mattson 1990, Brodeur et al. 2008), housing interspersed within forest provides additional food sources that bears exploit (Ranglack et al. 2009, Baruch-Mordo et al. 2014). In many developed areas, black bears have significantly modified their foraging and 3 reproductive behavior because of the regular availability and abundance of anthropogenic foods (Beckmann and Berger 2003, Ellingwood 2003, MacKenzie 2003, Moyer et al. 2007, Beckmann and Lackey 2008). In addition to providing consistently available foods, housing within suitable bear habitat may accelerate the rate and extent of bear habituation to humans (McCullough 1982).

https://opencommons.uconn.edu/cgi/v...tpsredir=1&article=7291&context=dissertations

And here's one on overpopulation of deer in the eastern united states, from an article written by a PhD in biology:

• Absence of predators. Historically, wolves and cougars preyed on deer year-round. Wolves and cougars are now absent from most of the eastern United States. Other predators of deer—black bears (Ursus americanus) and coyotes (Canis latrans)—typically prey on fawns but not adult animals. Additionally, unlike wolves and cougars, deer are not their primary prey item.
  
  
• Declining numbers of hunters. The number of hunters in the United States has been declining since the 1970s. Fewer hunters in the woods during deer season will translate into larger deer populations over time.
  
  
• Expansion of “no hunting” zones. Where deer hunting is prohibited, deer populations can grow and spread to surrounding areas. Parks, open green space, small towns, and in many cases, suburban developments are de facto deer sanctuaries. In rural areas, private landowners that once welcomed deer hunters are increasingly turning them away, due in part to legal liability concerns.

• Habitat changes. The agricultural fields and pastures, orchards, fertilized and well-watered suburban landscapes, as well as parks provide a greater abundance of high quality food for the deer than the eastern deciduous forest they replaced. Greater habitat productivity leads to greater numbers of deer.

http://www.actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/rooney.html

The biggest take-away is that animals are adapting to us because we alter the landscape and provide them an easy meal. It's not realistic for our population to just cease popping kids out but if the trend continues, will there be any habitat left? Think of the increase in just the past century, and I don't expect it to slow down as medicine advances and people can reproduce with greater success and at older age.

 

Fine choice either way. Good to research but between those two I wouldn’t get hung up on brand. This stuff expires so you can use old cans to practice. I've fired both, multiple times. Spray pattern is similar enough, there’s no telling which will be advantageous for whatever situation. The magnum size is preferable for backcountry use. UDAP Magnum is my choice now but only because I’m used to it and trust the QC. Not an endorsement. I haven't had problems with Counter Assault. The included nylon holsters are all garbage. Some of the newer UDAP models come with a plastic holster that might be a slight improvement. If your setup accommodates MOLLE, the FHF holster is better. Don't need to unholster it to spray it. Shield eyes/nose with weak arm. Yes in a true attack you will take some to the face and hands.

For the record I’m a gun owner, I shoot competitively and carry in the woods near daily. Don't claim to be an expert but my risk exposure is higher than average and I prepare accordingly. Miraculously I was able to just answer the original question. Here's why (off topic):

It’s a false dichotomy. Bear spray and firearm is best practice, when feasible. The professionals I’ve encountered who spend their careers studying bear attacks don’t come down hard on either side. Defensive-aggressive vs predatory attacks vs unwelcome inquisitive behavior covers a pretty wide range of situations. Best practice isn’t always feasible for an activity, or lawful per locale. If a guy runs 44 Redhawk for IDPA and realistic drills, I tip my hat to him. Not sure it's solid advice for anyone looking for advice. For a handgun to be a serious option, the caliber will realistically be a damn tough compromise between ballistics and user proficiency. For a 45-70 lever or 12 ga w/ slug to be feasible, the activity/locale has to be compatible with a long gun. But either the lever or 12ga, plus bear spray, is a combo most anyone can become proficient with over time. Most scenarios, bear spray is primary, firearm additive.

Backcountry Bear Basics by Dave Smith is a book to read, and re-read periodically, if you spend a lot of time around bears.

Congrats on starting a hoot of a thread.

 

My buddies mountain biked the continental divide from Banff down to Montana. I drove my Tacoma as support vehicle, carried the bbq so we could do steaks at the end of the day.
In the flathead valley camping we didn’t see any Grizz, not even a pile of bear do-do. That area has one of the highest concentrations of Grizz but they wanted nothing to do with us.
Saw the most wildlife of the trip in the town of Whitefish, deer everywhere !

 

That's the ride we did! I stopped riding at steamboat but some of the guys made it all the way to Mexico. We saw grizzlies in Montana and in BC but both times they ran off the trail as we rode down.

 

Sounds like you did it hard core! My group had me carrying the camping gear , bbq and beer for the end of the day. It was awesome driving the forestry roads.

 

If I get the chance I plan to go back and drive the route. Had a lot of fun but being on a bike limits all the stuff you can see. We managed to carry beer and pizzas into the backcountry on numerous occasions. Riding out of town to camp one night we exploded a whole pack of coors on a downhill haha, it was a blast. Pretty much the only places to stop on that route are bars so we drank a lot and met some interesting people.

 

No mention of the brand, but apparently it works pretty well on humans.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/24-amazon-workers-hospital-bear-repellent-accident/story?id=59625712

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ThZ8dc2B8E

 

Always good to have escalation of force steps and be proficient in them. I second your assessment on CA vs UDAP. Basically Chevy vs Ford, pick your brand.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will get UDAP. The only concerns I found from reading Amazon reviews is that the safety clip can be hard to remove and/or get jammed, and it is difficult to fire in burst sprays because you "have to manually depress the trigger." Are either of these actually a concern?

 

I don’t think that issue is unique to one or the other. The mechanisms are not that different. In a controlled setting it's common to operate the safety by thumb. In a panic: rip velcro, mash hand into safety, slide out safety and mash down again to fire. One hand or two.

 

I'm surprised Amazon ships it since its regulated but I guess it's no different than any other aerosol?

 

Made it that far... And realized you have, literally, no idea what you're talking about.

You don't ever look for a "headshot" on any bear.

 

Really?
https://www-nbcnews-com.cdn.ampproj...ter-killed-grizzly-bear-outside-cabin-n941156

Less than a month ago.

 

That's where I purchased mine.

 

Uh... No they don't

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/p...ls-says-he-warned-them-about-grizzly-problem/

 

Yes. Must be good stuff to take down 24 people.