Shelton, the author of the recent bear book, makes at least part of his
living giving courses in bear defense. Many of his patrons are government
and corporate employees. It is all outlined in his earlier -- more
interesting -- book, The Bear Encounter Survival Guide.

His courses are about the *real* defense: shooting high-powered rifles at
charging bears. This is a very difficult, athletic activity and he has
clever drills to increase one's skills.

An important point that he has demonstrated in a convincing manner is that
Black Bears in northern B.C. (and by extension, in areas where a Black Bear
has never seen a human) are often dangerous. He goes into great detail
about recognizing when such a bear is in predatory mode. He argues further
that since we are protecting bears more now, they are getting cocky and
coming out of the woods where they belong.

Whether the B.C. bear population is growing (his view) or is diminishing
(view of all the NGO's) is still a difficult, important issue.

As for bear spray, I'm afraid that confidence in it is waning.

First of all, though it has turned away bears, they have never seemed to
*mind* it in the screaming, convulsive way humans do. Some don't stay away
long. Some don't stop at all.

Further, bears *like* the smell. There are several videos of Brown Bears
rolling in ecstasy on ground that has just been sprayed, of coming to
investigate tents where a cannister is stored. Just a little residue on the
tip of a once-used spray bottle can be sniffed from afar. So at night leave
your spray 100 yeards away with the food in your little Garcia bear-proof
barrel. You like pepper on your food? So do bears.

In the past, vendors and experts would always start with caveats, but then
whole-heartedly endorse carrying spray. Now, I think, it is: Well, if you
aren't going to carry a .338, you might as well carry spray, it's better
than nothing. The main recommendation though: go back to the multi-factor
approach -- know a lot about bears and be a lot more careful than is ever
convenient.

All of the above is an off-the-cuff reaction based on a lot of reading and
maybe a dozen conversations on the subject with bear biologists.

-Tully