Air horns?

[pipsissewa]

Does anyone know how well an air horn would deter a bear encounter versus bear spray? I'm interested in an air horn as an alternative to bear spray for several reasons:

1. It's easier to obtain and travel with.

2. There's no chance of it leaking and ruining gear.

3. It seems that it would be more effective from farther away. I don't relish the idea of waiting for a charging bear to get within 15 feet of me before spraying! And I probably would not be able to do it! I'd panic--run, spray too early, etc.

4. It seems that it would deter "two-legged" aggressors as well.

Anyone have any experience using an air horn?

[juma]

Probably work. But too heavy

I carry a couple of cherry bomb size firecrackers in a Baggie with matches as a lighter approach.

anyplace where bears are hunted, they will avoid you. If you are someplace with no bear hunting, bears may come pretty close. My experience is a lot loud noise will move them along. There is always the exception though.

[pipsissewa]

Not sure it's any heavier than bear spray. I forgot to mention: CHEAP!!

See Here: Air Horn

[4eyedbuzzard]

Air horns work well on boats and as gags at parties.
If a bear really wants to attack, kill, and/or eat you, an air horn isn't going to stop it. Bear spray will give you the best chance of surviving an attack.
NPS and USFS rangers and people who frequent bear country, especially out west, carry bear spray - not air horns. Think there's a reason?

[Starchild]

Air horns work well on boats and as gags at parties.
If a bear really wants to attack, kill, and/or eat you, an air horn isn't going to stop it. Bear spray will give you the best chance of surviving an attack.
NPS and USFS rangers and people who frequent bear country, especially out west, carry bear spray - not air horns. Think there's a reason?

Reason because that's what everyone else does? I have seen a TV show where they relocated a bear and used a air horn to get it moving away from the release point.

The only thing that comes to mind is it may be taken as a challenge. Animals make noise to challenge each other, to let the other know how big and bad you are. Sounds like it would work unless the bear wants to challenge you on it to see if you are really as big and bad as you sound. With the spray at least you can demonstrate you have some ability to put a hurt on a bear.

[Nyte]

I have seen more than a few recommendations from outfitters concerning using air horns to scare off a bear. Not sure how well it would work for a Grizzly, but yeah. The idea being it's a loud, sudden noise that they are not acclimated to. Also, first blast will startle them, and they will probably run 10-30 feet, stop and look around for the source. Sound it again at that point and it *should* scare them off. If they are in areas where they get car horns blared at them a lot, probably won't do nearly so well.

[hikerboy57]

Air horns work well on boats and as gags at parties.
If a bear really wants to attack, kill, and/or eat you, an air horn isn't going to stop it. Bear spray will give you the best chance of surviving an attack.
NPS and USFS rangers and people who frequent bear country, especially out west, carry bear spray - not air horns. Think there's a reason?

they never thought of it?

[moldy]

It won't work any better than yelling. Especially in the "threatened bear" mode. It will just get him more excited. It might work on the "hungry bear", but not so much for the "starving bear".

[4eyedbuzzard]

For those who might be considering an air horn as a substitute for bear spray. Let's get a mean rogue male eastern black bear looking at you as prey, and you have the choice of an air horn or a canister of bear spray. Which one do you choose?

[hikerboy57]

For those who might be considering an air horn as a substitute for bear spray. Let's get a mean rogue male eastern black bear looking at you as prey, and you have the choice of an air horn or a canister of bear spray. Which one do you choose?

bear bells.
cmon, really?mean rogue male eastern black bear?
at liberty springs this summer, a bear went into a hikers tent and took his food, with the camper in the tent at the time. he was unhurt, but i wonder if an airhorn would have been enough to scare the bear away? bear spray in a tent wouldnt have been a good idea.

[HikerMom58]

I've heard firecrackers work pretty good too.

[Kookork]

Change the label of an air horn with a bear spray. This way the bear thinks you are carrying a bear spray and would avoid you!!!

[bfayer]

I've heard firecrackers work pretty good too.

I hear the firecracker thing fairly often too, but think about it; If you have time to get out firecrackers, get out a lighter, light them and throw them, then I can say almost for certain that the bear was not a threat to begin with.

[leaftye]

For those who might be considering an air horn as a substitute for bear spray. Let's get a mean rogue male eastern black bear looking at you as prey, and you have the choice of an air horn or a canister of bear spray. Which one do you choose?

Well, one is a food product, basically.

[Dogwood]

I don't know if an air horn will work to scare off a bear but it certainly got me a boat ride over to Whitehouse Landing for some resupply.

[pipsissewa]

Well, one is a food product, basically.

I think that's a cream horn you're thinking of!

[daddytwosticks]

As others have mentioned, I've been carrying firecrackers for years and have never been harassed by bears. I too question how quickly I'd be able to get them deployed. I would probably use them around camp when a problem bear wouldn't leave and needed coaxing. Not as a self defense weapon such as bear spray. However, in my own warped mind, I'm convinced bears know I carry a couple of "black cat" firecrackers and give me a wide berth.

[leaftye]

I think that's a cream horn you're thinking of!

That's a spicy cream!

[Starchild]

The more I thought about this the worse the idea seems. The only type of bear you will need to deter with bear spray will be the type of bear that challenges your air horn.

In other words the bear that will run from the air horn will not mess with you anyway.

[hikerboy57]

not too many challenges over the years.a corkscrew is equally effective.