Pepper Spray Needed for Mauled Hunter Who Was Also Shot

A hunter in West Park Hospital in Cody, Wyoming is probably wishing that his hunting companion had carried pepper spray rather than a handgun for self defense.

The two men were in the Coulter Pass area near Cooke City when a grizzly charged and began to maul one of the hunters. In an attempt to save his friend, the second man shot at the bear. Unfortunately, he accidentally shot his friend instead.

This incident highlights the problem with using handguns for protection in this situation: you don’t always hit your target, sometimes with disasterous consequences. A moving target is difficult for even experienced marksmen to hit and when you add in the elements of fear and surprise it is highly unlikely that a bullet would do much good in protecting a person from a charging bear. Even if the bear later dies from the wounds inflicted, it will not protect you from being mauled if the bear is not disabled fairly immediately.

When defending yourself, the biggest risk is that you will anger the bear further without disabling the bear. When defending others, the biggest risk is that you will accidentally shoot the person you are trying to defend.

Pepper spray formulated for bears is more likely to disable the bear and will not cause lasting harm if accidentally inhaled by you or your companions. It is easier to master use of, cheaper to purchase, and more convenient to carry. Purchasers should note, though, that pepper spray formulated for personal protection or law enforcement will not be as effective in a bear attack.