Self defense

[OldStormcrow]

Do you know this from experience? Please elaborate. It is my luck that you are joking and I would actually run into a bear, spray him with the wasp spray, and it would make the bear think I am a willing mate or something equally horrid

Actually, law enforcement folks will tell you that wasp spray or yard fogger is one of the best self defense items you can keep in your house. When my next door neighbor and I were teenagers we read this somehwere and decided to try it out. I managed to drop his little brother to his knees from over 20' with one spray. It's a wonder he ever had kids. Seeing as how a bear's sense's are even more sensitive than a human's, I would suspect that they would be thoroughly replelled by the stuff. I still maintain that the 4 legged critters won't bother you.......'cept for the tourist-hungry bears in the Smokies, that is.

[weary]

forget fighting styles, take mace...regular mace, none of that bear mace BS. That way if you have to use it on a bear you can get up close and personal with him and tell him why your spraying him with that horrid stuff.

Good advice. That way the poor bear won't have to run around, half blinded, to counter attack.

[Sly]

Unless you smear yourself with peanut butter and honey, you'll be lucky to even see a bear.

[BR360]

LMAO! on that youtube in post #57, Sheepdog!! Thanks!

Seriously, the knowledge that you can protect yourself in close-quarters improves your confidence, which improves your clear-headedness in an immediate threat situation. Useful on the trail or off. It is worth investing some time in...That said...

I have studied Aikido for years, and have a 2nd degree black belt. I would tell you that if you want some skills in self-defense then study something similar to krav maga, which just means "contact combat." All martial "arts" that you learn at a "school" have a lot invested in their own "style" and it takes years to master them.

Something style-less, but with super-practical approach is best for self-defense.

Youtube krav maga for a sampler.

[Gumbi]

I would second the Krav Maga. No special techniques involved, but very brutal and effective.

[Plodderman]

A hiking stick is all I take. Not sure what I would be defending myself from except for maybe a bear. I'll take the stick and take my chances.

[taildragger]

This method is the best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qiLjaef_jM

True, kicking a bear in the junk will distract it long enough for you to get its salmon, however, since there are very few salmon to encounter on the AT, this approach may not be advisable.

Also note, that to create an opening in the bears defenses, which is necessary for an effective kick to the junk, you need to say "Oh, look, an eagle" with a british accent. If you don't, the bear will block your kick, and proceed to maul your junk.

[ATX-Hiker]

Does anybody know how to tell the difference between a black bear and grizzly bear?




























A black bear will climb up the tree and eat you.

A grizzly bear will knock the tree over and eat you.

Or at least I've been told.

[gaga]

Unless you smear yourself with peanut butter and honey, you'll be lucky to even see a bear.

l
i just heard a bear, he told me something... i listened ,and he repeated one more time,but i could not see it from the dust i left behind me

[Gumbi]

You can tell the difference between black bear scat and grizzly bear scat very easily. Black bear scat has lots of berries in it, while grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper! :P

[brooklynkayak]

ATX - Just travel with someone you can out-run.

This is a dangerous and common myth. Bears, dogs and many other animals feel compelled to chase after a person who runs away.

There have been many cases of vicious attacks when someone decided to run from a bear or obnoxious dog.

During rutting season, male elk have been known to attack and kill running humans.

There was a video on youtube of a small dear that was compelled to chase a dog and kick the crap out of him, when it tried to run away.

[sheepdog]

Unless you smear yourself with peanut butter and honey, you'll be lucky to even see a bear.

If you hike in GSMNP there are lots of bears to be seen. They are not affraid of people either.

Saw two bears this day. This one walked up to 25 feet away. I had to yell at it to get it to turn.

[Sly]

If you hike in GSMNP there are lots of bears to be seen. They are not affraid of people either.

Saw two bears this day. This one walked up to 25 feet away. I had to yell at it to get it to turn.

Consider yourself lucky.

I've hiked through the Smokies several times, and never saw one. I suppose early spring, thru-hiker season isn't the best of times.

I scared a griz by clearing my throat, and clicking my Leki's, in Glacier. How's that for self-defense?

[jim gunning]

Try a Pat Crawford,hiking staff,fighting stick, expensive but worth every dollar,saved my butt, many times,smacked a large mule deer buck in the Grand Canyon that was trying to steal my lunch,was very agressive ,had a large set of antlers and tried to gore me,after the third smack to the head he split...slipped off a mountain top,jabbed it thru the ice into the snow and adverted a nasty plunge,speared fish with it, tapped agressive dogs , will keep punks at bay. made of aircraft grade aluminum, life time guarentee, Pat is an expert staff and knife maker.. staff defense easy use USMC rifle fighting techniques, slash ,jab, horizonal butt stroke, you can be a good staff defensive fighter in a couple of hours of training. Jimbo 7

[Homer&Marje]

LMAO! on that youtube in post #57, Sheepdog!! Thanks!

Seriously, the knowledge that you can protect yourself in close-quarters improves your confidence, which improves your clear-headedness in an immediate threat situation. Useful on the trail or off. It is worth investing some time in...That said...

I have studied Aikido for years, and have a 2nd degree black belt. I would tell you that if you want some skills in self-defense then study something similar to krav maga, which just means "contact combat." All martial "arts" that you learn at a "school" have a lot invested in their own "style" and it takes years to master them.

Something style-less, but with super-practical approach is best for self-defense.

Youtube krav maga for a sampler.

Thank you. Krav Maga is probably the most effective close combat there is. Not that it would do much against a bear unless you can poke its eye out or possibly take a tear on the jugular. But that's why I have my large, hard wood hiking stick (very light though) and my large fix handled blade.

I don't worry about bears or any other animal until I hang my food. I just want to be able to eat breakfast.

[Bearpaw]

If you hike in GSMNP there are lots of bears to be seen. They are not affraid of people either.

Saw two bears this day. This one walked up to 25 feet away. I had to yell at it to get it to turn.

I've seen bears in the Smokies on a good 3 dozen occasions. Almost all of them were butt shots as they ran away. However, this is mostly down in the valleys, where the food is. I've only encountered a bear once on the AT.

I HAVE seen some that would linger near Cades Cove, where I suspect some equate people with either food, or those big metal boxes they roll by in.

[ATX-Hiker]

what if you took a grizzly bear costume, do you think a black bear would be scared by grizzly bear.

[gaga]

yep,i`l stick to my lightsaber ,thank you,remember the TanTan??

[Plodderman]

Wouldn't run but if necessary they say to fight black bears if attacked. I carry a stick and I have seen many bears but none posed a problem. I always hang my food and eat away form the shelter and am careful on the trail. I suppose the most dangerous time is if you run into a couple of cubs. Then I would just back away slowly.

[saimyoji]

yep,i`l stick to my lightsaber ,thank you,remember the TanTan??

http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/wp-...-on-tonton.jpg