Originally Posted by
Pete D.
I get the impression that you think you'd be an exception to the info in the article above.
98% success with bear spray vs. 60% success with a firearm.
And that minute that the bear is blind (if, in fact, that is the only result) is when you leave.
Pete
The problem with the article's stats are that it's not a large enough sample of the pepper spray incidents to compare it to the firearm statistics.
Nor does it take into account the circumstances of each incident.
With pepper spray, you have to be ready for it. If you're walking around with the spray in your hand, then you'd have a much better chance of repelling the attack. But how many hunters walk around with bear spray in their hands vs. how many walk around with a ready firearm?
Then you have to account for how far away the bear was when you decided to shoot/spray. And how fast/committed the bear was to the attack. Furthermore, it does not state which of the successful spray incidents their were multiple hunters available where someone was standing by with a firearm.
Probably the best solution (if you can call it that) is to carry both. And use them in accordance to the situation. Too many variables and not enough info in these stats to qualify them.