Is mace effective on bears? (Anchorage: work, art, guide)

[Delaneyland]

I went through some training recently and the trainer suggested carrying mace for bears. My thoughts have always been along the line of "Don't go to a gunfight with a knife" and I cannot imagine it being terribly effective on a Griz or brown, not to say I'd even want one close enough to me to use the mace. For you native Alaskans, what are your thoughts? Is it a viable idea or an attractive spice option for a bear?

[utvolsfan13]

You can get bear spray! I'm not too familiar with it though, but I've heard that you should carry it if hiking in AK.

http://www.counterassault.com/

[mal_flisk]

When carrying bear apray, I recommend 2 cans per person. One can with a group doesn't work when the person with the bear spray is 200 yards away, and nothing is worse than spraying a can out and having 5 days left on the trail.

[Rance]

I've never used the stuff. Probably never will. But I've seen some training videos that show'd it seems to work, if your within range. The product used had a good 20 or 30 foot stream that made contact with the bear, and off it went.
You'll have to account for the wind. Could you imagine spraying, only to get blinded by the spray being down wind, whilst a bear is about to latch onto you? Thats gotta hurt!

[BudinAk]

Well...yes and no. Don't use the mace designed for people...go to a sporting goods store and get the pepper spray made for bear protection. It does work, but has the limitations others have mentioned in this thread. (range 25' max, wind may render it useless, or even worse: you may end up spraying yourself) Works great if you have to be around mean dogs...had to "hose" the neighbors mutt once when it went for me. The incident was practically over before it started. Nowadays it still barks at me, but won't come any closer than about 15ft away...

Bud

[Delaneyland]

Hey all....thanks for your responses. I'm kinda surprised, I didn't figure it would be much of an option. As a retired cop, I've emptied cans of pepper spray to no avail on doped up people and I didn't think anyone would actually carry the stuff into the bush thinking it may work. Anyway, thanks for the thoughts, I'd still feel safer with my trusty .338.

[Rance]

I recommend a 12 gauge shotgun, alternating between slugs and double ought buckshot. Slug-shot-slug-shot-slug-shot. Then there is the 50 cal S&W pistol. It's like 3 bucks a round. But it will kick a bears butt.

[Delaneyland]

I've got a friend that guides in (out of) Anchorage and he took a .338 and made it into a pistol. I like your idea better, I wouldn't want to try to hang onto a sawed off .338. I've seen the pics of the last grizz that charged him, he put all 5 rounds into it and it fell 15 feet in front of him. I just can't see the bear spray idea, maybe it works but I'm too chicken hearted to go in the bush without something that goes bang.

[Rance]

I pretty much grew up playing the woods, and we never carried firearms as kids. But then we always made such a racket that we rarely ever saw a bear. But when your hunting...and being as quiet as possible, thats when you stumble into them and spook or surprise them. The 2 times I was charged I had no weapon. The brownie had cubs with her and I thought I was bear fodder. She stopped about 20 foot away, gave me a nasty look and walked off. And yes I was staring her right in the eyes! Still don't know why she stopped, but man am I glad she did!

[Unhappycamper]

You could all learn from this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_VlVckrUgY