Bear spray

[Dan L]

I bought a can of bear spray last week to carry with me when I'm camping and traveling through Canada. In the past I've had a gun with me, often a handgun in the US. That isn't allowed in Canada and I've got another trip north planned for this summer.

I was wondering how other pilots carry bear spray in their planes? My Alaska Cub friends won't transport it in the cabin, only in a belly pod. The fear is that if it accidentally discharged in the cabin during flight the outcome might not be good.

I bought a little MTM brand Survivor dry box that I thought would make a good transport container.

image.jpg

Anybody have experience with this subject? Anybody actually used bear spray on a bear?

I have bumped into a few bears while airplane camping in Montana and Alaska. But I have never had to defend myself, but having the handgun or bear spray is comforting. In Alaska I borrowed both.

There is a Customs office on the airport at Kalispell and made an appointment to ask a few questions. One of them was about bear spray. The agent said that having bear spray on board is fine and it is just necessary to declare it when passing through US Customs. He said the same was true of Canadian Customs as long as it is labeled as bear spray. If it is meant for humans, like Mace, they won't allow it.

image.jpg

Here is a 3-legged brown bear directly across the river from our gravel bar camp. We had electric bear fence but .....

image.jpg

Brown bear tracks. They like fish too.

[Dan L]

Dan,

I flew up to the Yukon (through Edmonton and Whitehorse) bear and sheep hunting last August commercial. They wouldn't allow bear spray ANYWHERE on the plane.....not in checked or carry-on luggage. They were really adamant about it. I said ... "Hell no I don't have any bear repellant.....I HUNTING for them!"

Now that may have just been an "Airline" rule internally and not Canadian Regs.

That is an airline regulation and true on domestic flights too.

Who did you sheep hunt with? On my way back from Alaska I'm stopping at Mervyn's out of Whitehorse for a Dall sheep hunt the first week of August.

[TroyBranch]

I strap my bear spray to the rear step on the gear leg. I never know where I will end up so it stays on the cub all summer. If you spook a bear with cubs, you may not have time to use either. There seems to have been more attacks last year than other years, some never had time to use it. I don't know what it best, a bad shot could just upset the bear and the spray may just do the same. I don't think there is a good answer. I just hope I never have to use it.

[Steve Y]

And for the USA side, I carry this. Clearly not the answer in all cases, and spray may be better?

[Charles]

You can carry a rifle into Canada okay. I've flown in Canada (and Alaska) with a Marlin Guide gun, which seems the best bear gun to me.

[cityrancher]

You can carry a rifle into Canada okay. I've flown in Canada (and Alaska) with a Marlin Guide gun, which seems the best bear gun to me.

You can bring a rifle through Canada if it meets their requirement ( barrel length and Type of rifle) but you must fill out the paperwork and pay the fees. I used to transport (I was a 20 year resident of Alaska)
a hunting rifle through Canada every year from Southeast Alaska to the North Slope. It is NOT something you should do without research on the rules.

Regarding Bear Spray, that is also something to research. I carried the spray in a PVC pipe sealed on one end and screw capped on the other.

[Dan L]

Regarding Bear Spray, that is also something to research. I carried the spray in a PVC pipe sealed on one end and screw capped on the other.

I like the PVC pipe idea with a threaded cap. That would contain the spray if it happened to discharge.

And Troy's idea of strapping it it outside to a gear leg is another good solution.

[Cubdriver2]

Why not carry it on the jury struts like we do snowshoes? Easier to get to instead of buried in the pod

Glenn

[dane]

yesterday I watched one of them, because my friend also asked for advice in choosing. Look, I hope that helps. Good luck]

Bears attack when you smell like spam.

(New member, and the links he provides are to an Amazon affiliate scheme thing.)