"B2431" wrote in message
...
From: "Kevin Brooks"

But seriously, pepper spray has limited range and is OK for your own
personal protection. But if a cat threatens or grabs a kid you need to
be
able
to reach out and touch the cat.

Uhmm...I did not say that. I believe that was Harry's posting.


The problem is too many people carry sprays rated for humans. If memory
serves
California has a law that limits the strength of the spray and requires
training before purchase.

I have the full-stregth stuff, and I'd still rather have a gun. The number I
saw was a 75% effective rate against bears; better than nothing, but that
still leaves you holding an empty spray can while trying to figure out what
to do about that 25-percenter bearing (pun) down on you. I have not seen any
documented cases yet where someone armed with a gun, and who shot same-said
bear, was subsequently killed.


I personally don't carry such a thing and use common sense around bears.
Brown
bears are a bit laid back to the point of being lazy. Just look at a berry
patch one has raided. They leave quite a lot of berries and move on to
where
they are easier to reach.

The Alaskan brown can be quite nasty, from what I have heard.


One safe thing to assume about any bear: if they are in your campsite at
night
be prepared to fight. I hang my food at least 20 feet up and as far out on
a
limb as is possible. I do this in a tree 10 - 15 yards upwind. Yes, full
grown
bears can climb trees.

I used parachute cord to do that in the Great Smoky Mountain NP--and woke up
the next morning to find that field mice had shimmied up the tree, down the
cord, and into our food supply. Can't win for losin' sometimes.

Brooks


Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired