When you recreate around big mammals, you need to have a good handle on . If you get charged by , grab your and fight back. If what’s lumbering towards you is a , jump behind the nearest tree.
As for a grizzly sprinting full pelt towards you? Better unholster that . But it turns out that there are occasions when you might use your bear spray on a beast other than a bear. I was reminded of this during a recent chat with wildlife expert Bo Welden, who leads wildlife tours in .
Welden's can of bear spray has seen plenty of action over the years, and not always on bears. There have been a few moose stompings already this year, including one and in Colorado. So defending yourself from moose might have been on your mind more lately.
Is bear spray an option? Read on to find out whether bear spray is effective against the mighty moose, and how to use it as a last resort. As we uncover in our article on using , bear spray – that's aerosol deterrent spray loaded with highly concentrated and capsaicinoids – is effective against all mammals, and yes, that includes moose. Why it’s called bear spray then and not mammal spray isn’t totally clear, but it’s probably because you’re more likely to need it against a grizzly than other mammals.
Needless to say, bear spray should only be used as a deterrent when an animal is threatening you. It should never be used as a preventative measure when an animal, moose or otherwise, is just minding its own business in an area you want to hi.
