[at-l] Bears and Mace

[rickboudrie@xxxxxxxxxxx (rick boudrie)]

I watched a Ranger spray a bear at close range in the car camping area along
the river in the Delaware Water Gap NRA.  Basically, he wanted to teach the
bear a lesson for foraging with its two cubs in the non bear-proof dumpster
and the backseat my car.  He chased the mother bear up a small tree.

While her two cubs were each able to climb 30 or more feet up the trees they
selected, the mother only got up about 10 feet or so.  The Ranger had
standard police issue peper spray, and let loose on the bear.  The bear
didn't even flich, and since she was trapped she got a good dose.

The only person to flinch was me after the Ranger scared hemself with his
own fire cracker and instictively reached for his service revolver.  Being
the concerned citizen that I was, I told the ranger that I didn't appreciate
his approach, given that our party included two young children, and we were
cooking dinner about 40 feet away.  He didn't say much, but did back off.
When he did, the mother bear ran away with out her cubs.  She came back
shortly there after and her cubs came down to join her.

Rick B



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