Any knife enthusiasts?

[2Stonedbirds]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Dude I have bear spray and I even bought an inert can to practice. I guarantee I think and plan for bear encounters more than anyone. I'm the exact guy you'd want by you if a bear attacked.

You'd seriously rather have no spear than a spear if a bear was attacking you? That's ridiculous. It seriously makes no sense. I wouldn't wish a bear attack on anybody, of course, but if anybody is sitting here reading this I really hope you think back on how dumb you thought carrying a spear was while you're getting mauled by a bear trying to fend it off with your fingernails. I mean, come on. I'm not sure if you're trolling or what at this point.

But anyway, I only posted because that spear is back in stock and I thought some people would be interested since this is the knife enthusiast thread.

I will try to find a link that works on the bear bangers in the park. I'll probably hide it better than clipping it to the outside of my shoulder strap at the very least, so I appreciate your insight there.

I always preferred a 12g scatter gun, loaded with 1-1/4oz 3" rifled slugs, regular loads to a knife. But to each their own!
This was crown land mind you. Not national parks.

[Wormius]

A spear would be pretty unwieldy if a bear is near. I know your original plan was to position it in the ground so the bear charged into it, but that’s a pretty unique case.

I think you’re just carrying extra stuff you don’t need, and you’ll really look like a nerd. Like, seriously I don’t think you can pull that off without giving off strong Napoleon Dynamite vibes. People will laugh at you. Not even behind your back - they’ll be pointing and laughing.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Wormius

A spear would be pretty unwieldy if a bear is near. I know your original plan was to position it in the ground so the bear charged into it, but that’s a pretty unique case.

I think you’re just carrying extra stuff you don’t need, and you’ll really look like a nerd. Like, seriously I don’t think you can pull that off without giving off strong Napoleon Dynamite vibes. People will laugh at you. Not even behind your back - they’ll be pointing and laughing.

I always carry extra stuff. I even bring a small axe to chop up the bear in case I bag one. I have to make PepsiFree his necklace and I want to mount his head (the bear's; not PF's).

Extra stuff is fine. Just means you're getting more exercise.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

I mean, you do you man, but if I was going to walk around a national park with a prohibited item (Bear banger), I probably wouldn't double down by carrying an item (spear) that, legal or not, will pretty much guarantee any CO you run across will start asking questions and taking a closer look at you.

Yeah, maybe you're right. It's stupid they won't let you carry a bear banger. It's like they want us to die. At least the UCP is doing one thing right after all these years, though. Never thought I'd be thankful for them.

I guess if I'm choosing between a spear and a bear banger, I'd actually rather have the spear, so it works out well that we don't even think it's illegal.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Dude I have bear spray and I even bought an inert can to practice. I guarantee I think and plan for bear encounters more than anyone. I'm the exact guy you'd want by you if a bear attacked.

You'd seriously rather have no spear than a spear if a bear was attacking you? That's ridiculous. It seriously makes no sense. I wouldn't wish a bear attack on anybody, of course, but if anybody is sitting here reading this I really hope you think back on how dumb you thought carrying a spear was while you're getting mauled by a bear trying to fend it off with your fingernails. I mean, come on. I'm not sure if you're trolling or what at this point.

But anyway, I only posted because that spear is back in stock and I thought some people would be interested since this is the knife enthusiast thread.

I will try to find a link that works on the bear bangers in the park. I'll probably hide it better than clipping it to the outside of my shoulder strap at the very least, so I appreciate your insight there.

It sounds like I'd be able to make a quick getaway while you got yourself killed trying to engage a bear with a spear, after drawing the bear's attention in by pissing it off with all the attempted bear bang headshots. I thank you for your hypothetical sacrifice.

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, maybe you're right. It's stupid they won't let you carry a bear banger. It's like they want us to die. At least the UCP is doing one thing right after all these years, though. Never thought I'd be thankful for them.

I guess if I'm choosing between a spear and a bear banger, I'd actually rather have the spear, so it works out well that we don't even think it's illegal.

At a risk of turning this into the politics thread, it is the second thing they got right as they also banned photo radar on Stoney Trail.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

I mean, you do you man, but if I was going to walk around a national park with a prohibited item (Bear banger), I probably wouldn't double down by carrying an item (spear) that, legal or not, will pretty much guarantee any CO you run across will start asking questions and taking a closer look at you.

Ah yes! But a spear could also be considered a 'Walking stick!'

Its all about how convincing you can be. And, lets be honest, they're Park Rangers not Sherlock Holmes.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Locke

Ah yes! But a spear could also be considered a 'Walking stick!'

Its all about how convincing you can be. And, lets be honest, they're Park Rangers not Sherlock Holmes.

Park Rangers, and Conservation Officers are 2 very different things.

I hunt so I've dealt with a lot of COs, generally speaking they are pretty good, but they do take their job pretty seriously.

Could a spear be a walking stick? Sure, but you know what it definitely is? A spear.

Hunting with a spear is 100% illegal.
Walking around with a spear to defend against bears is at best a grey area for legality.
If a CO sees you walking around with a spear, you can almost guarantee they are going to stop you and ask you some questions.
Heck I'd say walking around with a potential hunting weapon in a National Park is reason enough to search your bag, and if they find a bear banger, now you've got a potentially serious problem.

If you're also carrying a bear banger, which is 100% illegal, they now have you breaking a law while carrying something else that could be there for the purpose of breaking another law.

I certainly wouldn't want to find myself in that situation, especially when the solution is to just not walk around with a giant heat score while carrying a prohibited item.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Park Rangers, and Conservation Officers are 2 very different things.

I hunt so I've dealt with a lot of COs, generally speaking they are pretty good, but they do take their job pretty seriously.

Could a spear be a walking stick? Sure, but you know what it definitely is? A spear.

Hunting with a spear is 100% illegal.
Walking around with a spear to defend against bears is at best a grey area for legality.
If a CO sees you walking around with a spear, you can almost guarantee they are going to stop you and ask you some questions.
Heck I'd say walking around with a potential hunting weapon in a National Park is reason enough to search your bag, and if they find a bear banger, now you've got a potentially serious problem.

If you're also carrying a bear banger, which is 100% illegal, they now have you breaking a law while carrying something else that could be there for the purpose of breaking another law.

I certainly wouldn't want to find myself in that situation, especially when the solution is to just not walk around with a giant heat score while carrying a prohibited item.

Okay, I'll bite.

What...is a 'Bear Banger?'

I'm not getting close enough to a Bear to hit him in the balls or anything. And then find out its a mama-bear. Under any circumstances.

I dont know what they are so I don't know why they're illegal. Spears? I can understand the concept of not wanting every idiot who wanders the woods to have a spear. That makes sense to me.

Although...the prospect of all hikers having spears and engaging in some medieval battle does present a certain amount of appeal.

If one could buy tickets. And popcorn.

Lets make Hiking Exciting Again!

[BigThief]

All those words and typing for a meandering joke and you could've just done this

Spoiler!

[Wormius]

Do bear bangers explode on contact or are they fused?

What guarantee is there that if Sliver fires one towards a bear it would actually go off and scare it, rather than just bouncing down as it as the bear continues to charge? I mean, if it didn’t work, you’re essentially setting off a bear banger behind the bear and driving it right at you.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Do bear bangers explode on contact or are they fused?

What guarantee is there that if Sliver fires one towards a bear it would actually go off and scare it, rather than just bouncing down as it as the bear continues to charge? I mean, if it didn’t work, you’re essentially setting off a bear banger behind the bear and driving it right at you.

Have you not been paying attention? That’s what the spear is for.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by BigThief

All those words and typing for a meandering joke and you could've just done this

Spoiler!

I was honestly expecting more gay porn. It kind of sounds like a category you’d find.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Have you not been paying attention? That’s what the spear is for.

You’re right. But, wouldn’t a fishing spear be better, like the ones divers bring when they’re around sharks? I just don’t think bears would be dumb enough to impale themselves.

Hopefully Sliver wears a Gopro when he goes hiking.

[BlackArcher101]

Man this is some absurd stuff. Sliver, have you taken a bear safety course?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Man this is some absurd stuff. Sliver, have you taken a bear safety course?

This one?

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by Locke

Okay, I'll bite.

What...is a 'Bear Banger?'

It's a bear deterrent the size of a large pen or Hi-Liter.


Essentially it 'shoots' a projectile that explodes with a really loud noise. Kind of like a reusable bottle rocket. How much it works is debatable and generally heavily dependent on the bear itself and/or how used to/sensitive they are to loud noises/bear banger noises in particular.

How to use them is often up for debate. Some folks use them to 'clear' a trail before hiking on it. This is generally considered a waste of a banger, as the noise is rarely close enough to affect the bear and may only serve to get them used to the sound/noise of a banger, defeating the entire purpose of a banger when it's really needed.

Some folks feel that if you are hiking and can SEE a bear, especially if it's not seen you yet, you set one off skyward, and the noise should be close enough to startle the bear and send it off in the opposite direction of the noise (you).

Some folks feel that they are best used when the bear is close by/clearly aggressive towards you. Then they are aimed 'near' the bear, so you get the most loudest explosion right by it to scare it off. There are several problems with that school of thought, as most folks, when faced with an angry bear, would have problems aiming a bear banger and setting it off in an effective manner. They also aren't a precise science, so it's not like the noise maker part is going exactly 20' and exploding. It's going a random distance, and could bounce off of things, ending up who knows where before it goes off, scaring the bear towards you.

Like all things, they have their pros and cons, but that's a quick overview.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Man this is some absurd stuff. Sliver, have you taken a bear safety course?

Take one? I could give one.

[KelVarnsen]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Take one? I could give one.

I feel this would be a terrible idea

[Wormius]

Sliver on his way to the trailhead.