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When you think about a bear den, what comes to mind? A hollow tree? A cozy cave? How about a pile of abandoned tires? Or under your porch? Bears can den up in all those places and many more. [...]

Every day an estimated 6,000 acres of open space are converted to other uses, according to the US Forest Service. That’s more than 2 million acres a year of forests, grasslands and wetlands [...]

For bears, fall is “last chance to eat a lot” season as they continue to roam about searching for every bit of remaining food, natural and otherwise. Days are getting shorter and nights are [...]

October at a Glance: Hyperphagia is in full-swing. Bears may be awake and searching for food up to 20 hours a day. Many bears also look for den sites. Some pregnant females may den up by the end [...]

There are several important differences between bear spray and pepper spray. Bear spray is much stronger, covers a larger area and works from much farther away. Bear spray has a range of 20 to 40 [...]

In an aggressive encounter with a bear, studies show that even if you are a firearms’ expert, bear spray offers several advantages. It’s much easier to hit a moving target with bear spray, [...]

Getting sprayed with bear spray will cause your eyes to close and tear up. The pain can last up to 45 minutes, but getting sprayed does no permanent damage. If you’re accidentally sprayed with [...]

Bear spray won’t permanently harm bears, people or other animals when used according to directions. Don’t play around with bear spray; bear spray travels at more than 70 mph and at very close [...]

No. Bear spray is equally effective at deterring black bears. Bear spray affects the mucous membranes and may also successfully deter aggressive domestic dogs and other mammals, including moose, [...]

Bear spray is widely available from mass market retailers, outdoor and sporting goods stores, and is often found in many other outlets in grizzly country. You may find a greater variety of brands [...]