Stalking Light said:
I've read in studies that bear spray is pretty effective, better than a handgun against a bear anyway. Plus, you're more likely to hit something with the spray than an handgun unless you practice a lot. I always carry bear spray in grizzly country and have had a few close encounters but never had to use it.
I'm going to pass on commenting on the effectivenss of either spray or firearm simply because the tool is a personal choice.
But a more important question, when was the last time you timed your draw and discharge and measured your accuracy, regardless if bear spray or handgun? How about immediately after, running 40 yards and doing 20 pushups?
One of my favorite questions of those I encounter in the back country carrying bear spray in a holster, "when was the last time you discharged bear spray"? I probably asked the question 50 times this past summer. Only one person admitted to ever discharging bear spray, and he was evaluating the range of the spray, not discharging it at a bear!
IMO, the more germaine question, while under extreme stress, can you hit your target with maximum effectiveness to neutralize the attack? And the answer to this question has nothing to do with the tool but rather a function of training and mindset. Is there any difference between a grizzly bear charging from 25' or a home invasion/encounter taking a serious turn for the worse? If you have made the earlier decision to formulate a plan of self defense, can you react with maxmium effectiveness in order to win? I would submit the answer to this question is, have you prepared yourself mentally and physically to overcome fear and the adrinalin dump so you can perform giving youself the best chance for a successful outcome, survival?
As someone who has been around mindset training and hostile environments, if you fail to prepare and trian your mind to deal with life threatening events, your chances for success are not very good, regardless of the event. Yes, you might get lucky. But, I'd much prefer a combination of skill and a bit of luck.
So rather than going to the store and purchasing a product, a security blanket, give some thought about trianing your mind and body to deal with a life threatening event. Psychologists have developed mental training programs to help warriors perform in extremely stressful environments. Mental training is just as important as weapon training and marksmanship. Physcologists assist top atheletes to overcome mental hurdles to achieve optimum performance through mental training programs.
Today, the USMC goes to great length training Marines the Combat Hunter Program. While the program is designed for combat, its principles can be applied to any generic life threatening event. In esscence, the program teaches one how to observe the signs leading to a potential life threatening event allowing one to avoid or greatly reduce the life threatneing event altogether. Avoiding the event is called being "Left of Bang". If you are in a stiuation where Grizz is charging you from 25 feet away, you are "right of bang". "Right of Bang" is being forced to react, right now.
I'm not plugging the book. But, it is well worth the read if interested in how to begin the process of mentally preparing your chances avoiding life threatening encounters.
LEFT OF BANG (
Patrick Van Horne and Jason A. Riley)
Further, I submit, if you are going to spend any time in bear country, especially Grizz Country, learn the signs indicating the prescence of bears. Learn to distinquish recent tracks, markings and scat from not so fresh. Often times you can pick up the signs long before an encounter and backtrack out of the area. Learning the basics of tracking and 'sign' can be learned in a weekend tracking course. Further, a tracking course will likely open up an entire new world in the back country.
My 2 cents, spend some time and coin to train your mind, then decide on the tool to carry.
