[at-l] OC (Pepper Spray) and its uses - Long

[rickboudrie@hotmail.com (rick boudrie)]

"straight into his face for at least three seconds, and until he starts 
coughing or gagging.  After that, additional spray is both pointless and 
cruel.  Stop after six seconds regardless."

About 5 years ago I had the chance to watch a bear getting sprayed in the 
Delaware Water Gap.  Somewhere in the archives is a more detailed report 
including a picture of a black bear's behind sticking out of my car window.

The relavant part of the story is that the ranger wanted to teach the bear a 
lesson after scavenging from a standard dumpster in the DWG*, so after 
chasing about it 10 feet up one tree (the two cubs went way up another) he 
stood below and emptied his OC spray into the bear's face. Not sure what 
brand of spray it was, but it I did take note it was infact OC and not mace. 
  I suspect that it was of a kind normally issued to law enforcemnt since it 
was holstered along with the ranger's service revolver.

Anyway, as we watched this transpire the bear seemed totally unfazed.  
Infact the only one getting really agitated over this me, because I didn't 
think this was a prudent course of action for the ranger to take given that 
the group I was camping with (including a couple snack-size campers) was 
just 50 feet away.  At my insistance, the ranger backed off and the bear 
came down shortly thereafter and ran off.  He came back for the dumpster 
later.

In other situations and with other products I am sure that OC could have 
produced a different reaction.  On the AT though the only threat that might 
justify the weight is the human animal, IMO.  There are some very light and 
small dispensers that would carry easy.  I understand that Pepper Spray is 
illegal in some states like MA.  I wouldn't want to spray the Mayor's poodle 
in MA unless there was no other choice
;-).

Rick Boudrie


*Weary, as written that's the bear that was scavenging, right?

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