I really wanted to open this with something like “A can of bear spray and a heart surgeon walk into a bar together…” but alas I couldn’t find a way to make a joke out of this subject. Not to get off on an unrelated tangent but if you can think of a way to finish that statement (and make it funny!) then please leave a comment below. Otherwise, back to the subject at hand. Why is bear spray like a heart surgeon you ask? It is very simple. Both are REALLY good to have when you need them, but it is even better to never need them in the first place. Furthermore, your behavior leading up to the moment of needing either a heart surgeon or a can of bear spray can have an effect on whether you ever need them in the first place. Let me explain…
The Heart Surgeon…
One of the great unsung hero’s of our time. This individual spends years going to school (going into debt!), internships, etc. so that they can help people who are facing the leading cause of death in the United States – Heart Disease! While their profession is their very livelihood and source of income, they are doctors at heart and should want what is truly best for their patient. I believe most, if not all, would advocate lifestyle choices that would negate the need to ever use their services. This would include things like diet choices, exercise, etc. We have all heard these things from our doctors, the government, the American Heart Association, and so on. Yet, despite all of this, the heart surgeon is still needed from time to time and thank God we have them to help us when the time comes. So what does this have to do with a can of bear spray?
The Can of Bear Spray…
Bear spray, like the heart surgeon, is great to have when you need it but, like the heart surgeon, it is preferred to never need it in the first place. Wait a minute…Why is a bear spray rental company telling me it is good to not need bear spray? It is a nuanced thing but it is better to HAVE bear spray in case you NEED it. You don’t ever want to need it. We advocate the having of or carrying bear spray and, if needed, the proper use of it. But, to be completely honest, we hope that none of our customers will ever NEED bear spray. It is important to remember that bear spray is a deterrent and not 100% effective. Much like the heart surgeon isn’t going to have a 100% success rate; the truth of the matter is that neither does bear spray. However, you can stack the odds greatly in your favor and one of the best ways to do that is by avoiding the situation of where you need to use bear spray. Much like behaviors that can reduce or eliminate your need for a heart surgeon, there are things you can do to avoid a situation where you would need to use bear spray.
How To Avoid Needing Bear Spray…
Bears are all over Alaska so even if you don’t see one, you can be sure they are still around you. Even inside the cities, like Anchorage, there are bears and you need to know how to act while you are in their territory. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has excellent and detailed information on bear safety along with a great brochure (which we will link to at the bottom of this article) for bear facts and how to avoid problems with bears. We are going to be highlighting some of these points here which are also redundant and reinforced by just about every agency or organization that advocates for safe human/bear encounters and coexistence:
Stay Aware and Look for Signs of Bears
Know how to identify signs of bear activity and constantly be aware of your surroundings. On a somewhat related side note, you should NEVER hike while wearing headphones as your hearing is a vital sense needed for being aware in the woods.
Make Noise
You don’t want to be obnoxious so that you are one of THOSE hikers but you also don’t want to be completely silent. Make a reasonable amount of noise so that a bear would know you are in the area and you don’t accidentally surprise a bear. There are devices you can wear, like bells, that can help with this.
Respect a Bears Space
Never willingly get too close to a bear. Respect their space and don’t give them a reason to act defensively. You also may not see the entire picture when you see a bear. If you see, what you think, is just one bear; it might actually be a mother with cubs who is much more likely to act in a defensive manner if you get too close.
Hike in Groups When You Can
A group of people is far less likely to have a negative bear encounter versus a single person. Groups will naturally make much more noise when hiking and, when grouped together, will appear larger to a bear.
Properly Manage Food/Garbage
Improperly managed food and/or garbage can be an attractant to bears and should be properly stored and managed.
Never Run From a Bear
While this may seem counterintuitive, you should never run from a bear if you encounter one. You will not be able to outrun them and running from them may actually encourage them to chase you. You need to stand your ground.
Stay Calm!
The most important thing when you encounter a bear is to stay calm and know how to act. It is also important to know how and when to use your bear spay if the situation changes from HAVING bear spray to NEEDING bear spray.
In Summary…
As stated above, we hope that you never need bear spray but we certainly encourage you to have it when hiking in the Alaska wilderness. We are also strong advocates of safe practices that minimize the likelihood of ever having to use bear spray as we want everyone who visits Alaska to make it home safely with great memories and photographs of their time visiting the place we call home.
For additional reading, which we strongly recommend, please check out this brochure on Bear Facts that is published by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
