I don't know jack about bear spray, but it seems to me if an angry bear is close enough for me to spray it in the face with an aerosol can, it's already too close. Plus I've probably just pissed it off even further.
I don't know anything about bears. Or bear spray. But i think it'll spray 30 feet or more like a high powered wasp spray. Now... is 20 feet still too close? Don't know. Maybe. Wouldn't want to be the meal that finds out
I read bear spray generally contains capsicum so you're essentially spraying chili pepper. They say spray when the bear gets around 20 yards from you. They don't tell you what to do if you wake up and the bear is in your tent.
It causes temporary blindness and difficulty breathing, it's basically pepper spray for bears. My understanding of grizzlies is that if you perceive a threat, back away slowly, do not make eye contact, do not turn your back and run. If attacked drop face down on your stomach clasp hands behind your neck and play dead.
Ever see the opening sequence of the movie The Revenant? it's probably something like that so yeah horrific beyond words.
Yes, that's what you are supposed to do. I once was walking on a trail (in a city park no less!) that was bordered by grass/weeds over my head. I came around a bend and out of the tall grass and almost stepped on a black bear (okay, it was 10 feet away) and I stopped and backed away slowly (and ran like hell once I was out of sight) which worked just fine. The bear's initial response was to turn away from me and try to climb the nearest tree. A grizzly wouldn't do that, it would think "cool, dinner's here!" and would most likely have been on top of me before I could react. I seriously doubt that, if I came face to face with something the size and ferocity of a grizzly, I would have enough presence of mind or strength of will to roll up into a ball and not move. I'm pretty sure common sense and knowledge would vanish and every cell in my body would scream "RUN!!!". I've never carried bear spray because I don't live in grizzly country and figure I'm doomed if I ever do tangle with one. Black bears aren't a threat unless you get between them and their kids. The black bear I encountered that day merely layed back down in the patch of sunlight I found it in and resumed its nap while I watched from the other side of the pond really wishing I had my camera.
I'm watching season seven now, six people left i think. I have to say that this set of people so far, with exceptions, are incredibly disappointing compared to the previous seasons.
I wonder if any of these folks saw or heard of Grizzly Man, the doc about Timothy Treadwell who saw himself as some kind of bear whisperer and ended up as lunch?
I don't think any of them have any delusions of trying to befriend grizzlies. All are quite aware of the potential danger.
My point being this would totally put me off the show knowing grizzlies are everywhere. But maybe that's just me.
it's not just you I'm sure some of them had doubts also to be out there without firearms for protection
The woman who dug the pit shelter so far is the smartest imo and the log cabin guy is right behind her. Past seasons have shown, when you have your most energy, build your darn shelter. It's interesting to observe how people react in odd ways in adverse conditions. On this show some seem to either very quickly become overwhelmed by the new, never seen environment or by the items they need to do. The guy who caught the fish is thinking along one strategy that can pay off in the short term but without a good shelter it doesn't matter. BTW those bears are going to love being around him if he is leaving fish guts around. And they will tell their friends!
Txs Chris. I wasn't even aware "Alone" was a different show from "Naked & Afraid. Never heard of "Dual Survival".
There's a lot about Naked and Afraid that comes off as not real. There's cameramen everywhere. If a couple goes hungry for long enough, somehow they miraculously find food. Going to be honest, i don't even recall a Dual Survival. But Alone seems different. Want shelter? Build it. Want food? Catch it. Want to be seen on TV? Set up a camera and video yourself. And as it goes on you're watching people dying of hunger and malnourished. I know. I doesn't sound like a lot of fun. And often it isn't. But i can't turn away.
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. Oregon Biko cuts the sleeves off his shirt. Now he can really focus on building the rafters for his cabin. And he lifts his bed on a raised platform. Smart. So he breaks into song. Singing makes him happy. But fishing makes him sad. So he swims. In the cold. A long way. For nothing. Idaho Clay turns his fancy pink underwear into a fish bag. And he uses moss to fill the empty spots in his fireplace. His shelter is still more of a tent than a cabin. So... he hunts in a tree graveyard. After his unsuccessful hunt he hears a grizzly moving in the brush. It was 12 yards away. Virgin Islands Matt cooks onions... on day 8. His hair, though, looks like it's on day 80. He contemplates his new routine. He isn't sure he likes it. Or the bear sighting. He doesn't like bear. Or mice. A mouse ate through his bow string. So he's forced to build a mousetrap. Tennessee Jordon bathes in the lake. Because he smells like a$$. He finishes his cabin. Quite exceptional really. He's hungry. And he's sick of eating berries pulled from bear scat. Good thing he catches a giant trout. It could feed him for days. Penn Rose makes a fishing rod. With a reel. She's unsuccessful so she considers her plan in her tent. Calmly. Until a bear circles her shelter. She yelled at it. And it listened. So it left Maine Michelle still only has a tent. And things get worse when she bites into a cow parsnip. Evidently they suck. Hard. She checks the camera and sees her hair. She isn't happy with what she sees. And she notices an armpit awareness. Turns out she maybe hasn't been eating cow parsnip after all. She's been poisoning herself. Why would anyone do this? No one is thriving. No one is happy. And almost everyone loses at this. The creativity and inventiveness is really remarkable. I know each one of us has our skills. I don't have any of these survival skills. I get mad when my TV remote needs batteries. 9 people remain still.
I can't speak to their individual frame of mind as to why they'd undertake such hardship but it's fascinating to observe, no? Don't know why watching people unravel is enjoyable but I guess it's the journey.
Unless somebody bags a deer or moose (and knows how to store the meat away from the grizzlies, cougars) my money is on anybody carrying excess body fat, I guess that leaves Oregon Biko, procuring food seems to be a major problem for all of them. I guess the question we should ask is how are the grizzlies managing to survive?? their caloric requirements are much higher especially when headed into hibernation season. Clearly they are masters of their environment, we're merely visitors with limited knowledge and abilities. A firm rule for all contestants, pack on 30-50 extra pounds months before you start your journey into Alone, you might need it, actually you will. Triathletes need not apply. Kudos to some of the shelters being built and lol!!! at some of the others who think pitching a tarp over a couple of logs is going to cut it in winter. We're approaching the two week mark, hunger will really kick in for some and I predict a few exits soon. If you can't feed yourself now......
I think it's part of our hard wiring, deep in the recess' of our ancient DNA we all lived like this at some point in our ancient history. Our connection to the environment and nature, that's where we all came from. Seeing people attempt to live off the land solo brings all of that into focus and only reinforces how social the human species has to be to survive. We don't do very well Alone.
Episode 3....so exactly like episode 2? No one does anything ridiculously stupid though that fire could have been tricky. And yeah, I agree with you Chris about Matt's hair. It must be covered in smoke. Interesting that the area doesn't seem to have small prey like rabbits. Season 7 was full of people catching rabbits and it kept many of them going long into the game. The lake looks really choppy most of the time so not much line fishing. Without a substantial food source (they can't hunt the bear and good luck getting a cougar) this show could last 60 days tops!
I just finished season seven, to me the winner was pretty obvious early on, barring a mishap or sickness. I'm in for season eight.
For me it's interesting because I've lived in similar fashion a couple of times, never up north or in extreme cold, and it's fun seeing their solutions for problems they encounter. I also watch some youtube living off of the grid shows.
