Originally Posted by
Stumbling Bear
I carry bear spray on every hike but I've never needed it. (It's more for my wife's peace of mind than mine.)
I also carry one of those new "sound grenades" which cost only $10 and emit a high decibel sound.
However, I make so much noise in the woods I have never seen a bear or any wild animal for that matter. Even the squirrels and birds seem to disappear when I'm out there.
On the other hand, there was a hiker killed by a black bear in West Milford, N.J. - which is the next town over - about two years ago. But it was the first such fatality in N.J. in 17 years.