View Full Version : Dog Hair as Bear Deterrent
Gambit McCrae
05-30-2019, 10:17
I have been thinking of this for a while now. I have only had bear encounters while not hiking with my dog or when other dogs are not around. I am thinking that a small sandwhich bag of dog hair, unzipped around camp could be a possible "sniffer" deterrent to bears. If bears have as good of scent as they do, they would smell the hair before getting close enough to investigate and or find out there is not actually a dog.
trailmercury
05-30-2019, 10:38
I have been thinking of this for a while now. I have only had bear encounters while not hiking with my dog or when other dogs are not around. I am thinking that a small sandwhich bag of dog hair, unzipped around camp could be a possible "sniffer" deterrent to bears. If bears have as good of scent as they do, they would smell the hair before getting close enough to investigate and or find out there is not actually a dog.
good topic...I wonder this too. I have been known to scatter dog fur clumps left over from brushing in my gardens as a deterant to deer and rabbits. IDK if it works in that regard either.
Feral Bill
05-30-2019, 10:59
The chances that a bear would be discouraged by the smell of a dog having been somewhere at some time seems pretty remote. And deer certainly don't care.
The chances that a bear would be discouraged by the smell of a dog having been somewhere at some time seems pretty remote
or if the smell of food overpowers the smell of dog............
or human smell for that matter....
My bet is that Bear = Hunger > Fear of dog
Clever idea, but it's not as strong as deterring vermin with coyote scent or anything
Rain Man
05-30-2019, 11:49
I've done just that for years. Never had a bear come into camp.
trailmercury
05-30-2019, 11:50
The chances that a bear would be discouraged by the smell of a dog having been somewhere at some time seems pretty remote. And deer certainly don't care.
a large chunk of fur/dander is certainly more potent than a simple scent from an animal walking past. Again, I haven't seen the science on this, so speculation. Waiting for someone who knows the science behind this to chime in.
FrogLevel
05-30-2019, 13:01
This is only anecdotal evidence but I see bears zero percent of the time when hiking with my lab and almost 100% of the time when I am solo, sometimes very close before either of us react. I'm not sure if its the noise, smell, or a combination of both but there does seem to be some correlation.
Five Tango
05-30-2019, 13:32
I've done just that for years. Never had a bear come into camp.
So,what kind of dog hair you packing there Rain Man? And how do you carry and handle it etc? Somehow I am thinking dog hair in a mesh bag inside of a Ziplock bag taken out and hung up at night or something? It's an interesting concept.
Puddlefish
05-30-2019, 13:50
I think it's a theory, that's yet to be proven or dis-proven. There are a lot of potential elements on why you haven't run into a bear with a dog along. Could be dog scent, but it's just as likely the dog noise, or motion or some other aspect of the dog that alerts the bear to you and your dog's presence. Wind and weather conditions will come into play on if the bear even catches scent of the hair, the individual bear and how it's been exposed to humans and their food before will also come into play.
If nothing else, it will be lighter than my anti-tiger brick.
T.S.Kobzol
05-30-2019, 15:07
Sometimes I pee around the perimeter of my tent :-) lol. There is no scientific claim but I feel like I'm marking my territory. ;-) Never seen a bear.
I would think the smell of a sweaty stinky person would be just as or more effective than some dog hair, no?
If there is something to dog hair, I wonder if the type of dog has any impact. The fur of my Min Pin doesn't inspire confidence.
Five Tango
05-30-2019, 15:43
I would think the smell of a sweaty stinky person would be just as or more effective than some dog hair, no?
If there is something to dog hair, I wonder if the type of dog has any impact. The fur of my Min Pin doesn't inspire confidence.
Neither does the smell of my wife's poodle.Might smell like a French treat to a bear.Two schools of thot on "marking" you place with urine.I suspect most bears would know what you had for dinner if you do.
trailmercury
05-30-2019, 15:50
Black bears in areas where hunting is allowed typically associate the smell of humans and dogs as threats.
trailmercury
05-30-2019, 15:51
Black bears in areas where hunting is allowed typically associate the smell of humans and dogs as threats.
My post was meant for non-AT areas. Problem bears are likely going to be problem bears regardless
I would be worried that dog = food to a really hungry and potentially dangerous bear. A dog night deter bears in most situations but it may attract one that's desperate for a meal. A tethered dog would be pretty easy to catch and eat.
DownYonder
05-30-2019, 17:05
Black bears in areas where hunting is allowed typically associate the smell of humans and dogs as threats.
Not trying to start an argument. BUT, I have heard this statement before and don't believe it. Yogi and Bubba Bear don't hang out at night drinking Molsons in Yogi's den discussing how their friend Carl The Bear was run by dogs and shot out of a tree. The only bear that would associate humans, dogs & hunting is the one that got treed and is sadly now in front of a fireplace somewhere.
trailmercury
05-30-2019, 17:28
Not trying to start an argument. BUT, I have heard this statement before and don't believe it. Yogi and Bubba Bear don't hang out at night drinking Molsons in Yogi's den discussing how their friend Carl The Bear was run by dogs and shot out of a tree. The only bear that would associate humans, dogs & hunting is the one that got treed and is sadly now in front of a fireplace somewhere.
Do you bear hunt?
In Wisconsin and/or Michigan? (might be a slight regional variation in fear of humans among black bears. less fear along AT corridor, especially GSMNP and SNP where they are overprotected)
Some bears get away before being treed. They have memory.
Where's the roll eyes emoji? Oh, here it is, over by the keep the ticks away essential oils.
Game Warden
05-30-2019, 18:46
Dog smells = dog food = hungry bear. Also the scent of ANY food you have in your tent will attract them, including a mini Snickers wrapper, or the s'mores smeared on your lips and fingers, and overpower the dog hair scent. That's how bears think. Trust me, I know.
Dog hair is 100% guaranteed to keep Bears away. In other news..... Introducing Malto’s Magical Bear Deterrent for only $19.99. Production starts soon, no doubt I can keep up with the huge demand coming my way. Starting the harvest from my boys.
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bbikebbs
05-30-2019, 19:23
45235
I took this picture near the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center in the Shenandoah National Park on Memorial Day. There were quite a few of these around.
DuneElliot
05-31-2019, 02:07
I'm trying to decide how serious most of this discussion actually is.
But the only bear I've seen while hiking was one that came within 100yards of camp...and I had dogs with me. He paid absolutely zero attention to me, the dogs, or camp.
Sardines in oil are known to repel bears.
T.S.Kobzol
05-31-2019, 06:08
True story [emoji16]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Traveler
05-31-2019, 07:06
Akin to the concept that laying a lariat around a sleeping bag will ward off rattlesnakes.
Five Tango
05-31-2019, 07:16
Akin to the concept that laying a lariat around a sleeping bag will ward off rattlesnakes.
Gee,I always thot it was sulfur in a circle for snakes but I'm pretty sure salt still works against vampires though.
Christoph
05-31-2019, 07:52
I just curious, why wouldn't anyone WANT to see black bears (at a safe distance of course)? Just hang your food or anything that would draw his attention away from your tent and enjoy the outdoors. Black bears are just scavengers looking for a bite (not humans) to eat. I love seeing them roam around through camp at dusk. They know exactly where we are. I sometimes wonder how many I've actually walked past without even realizing it. Now those grizzly's tho.... that's a different story. Haha
Put a little gun oil on your hiking poles.
Do you bear hunt?
In Wisconsin and/or Michigan? (might be a slight regional variation in fear of humans among black bears. less fear along AT corridor, especially GSMNP and SNP where they are overprotected)
Some bears get away before being treed. They have memory.
I agree. This may ruffle some feathers, but that Grizzly population out West needs the fear of man put into it some more. There have been some rather brazen attacks in recent memory that don't fit the typical "protection" response.
I agree. This may ruffle some feathers, but that Grizzly population out West needs the fear of man put into it some more. There have been some rather brazen attacks in recent memory that don't fit the typical "protection" response.
Just shave a poodle and throw the hair anywhere near them and they run faster than you've ever seen a bear move and never come back. Trust me, I had a beagle once and while in the arctic a wind came through and blew off a few hairs of his coat and killed 3 polar bears.
garlic08
06-01-2019, 09:01
This thread is moving real close to the humor forum. Keep it coming!
Bear (and deer, coyote, skunks, etc) in my neighborhood don't worry too much about all the domestic dogs around.
FrogLevel
06-01-2019, 21:25
I just curious, why wouldn't anyone WANT to see black bears (at a safe distance of course)? Just hang your food or anything that would draw his attention away from your tent and enjoy the outdoors. Black bears are just scavengers looking for a bite (not humans) to eat. I love seeing them roam around through camp at dusk. They know exactly where we are. I sometimes wonder how many I've actually walked past without even realizing it. Now those grizzly's tho.... that's a different story. Haha
I felt the same way until one wanted to share my foodless tent with me in the middle of the night. He even made his own side-entrance as I was skedaddling away.
I love bears but I don't want them near me after that terrifying experience.
Slow Trek
06-01-2019, 22:13
Dog hair is 100% guaranteed to keep Bears away. In other news..... Introducing Malto’s Magical Bear Deterrent for only $19.99. Production starts soon, no doubt I can keep up with the huge demand coming my way. Starting the harvest from my boys.
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Now,that is funny!!
Dog hair is 100% guaranteed to keep Bears away. In other news..... Introducing Malto’s Magical Bear Deterrent for only $19.99. Production starts soon, no doubt I can keep up with the huge demand coming my way. Starting the harvest from my boys.
4523345234
Beautiful dogs
Despite these signs....still passed multiple dogs off leash in SNP with day hikers couple weeks ago.
Traffic Jam
06-02-2019, 22:22
Make sure the hair ain’t from a dog in heat...just sayin.