Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1029803
IDAHOFALLSMAGAZINE.COM 35 Seconds Count Distance versus time it takes a real bear to reach you when it's charging at 30 mph. 60 feet: 1.4 seconds 30 feet: 0.7 seconds 20 feet: 0.5 seconds 10 feet: game over (source: Caribou-Targhee National Forest) Here's what she has to say about it: I carry bear spray always. It's in my hand never. That's the first mistake I make when the decoy bear charges me. I'm still fumbling with holster and then safety clip when the bear bumps into my feet. Bear safety experts, Appelhans and Kula bust a gut. Their laughter is so loud it echoes through the forest alerting any real bears within earshot. We're in the eastern Idaho woods, an hour outside of Yellowstone National Park. There are bears. The black kind and the grizzly kind. Second try, second mistake. I wait for the bear to get close so I'm sure I spray directly in its face. Don't do that. We're using fake spray, which is a harmless, white mist. Real bear spray is potent and it creates a red pepper cloud. You want that cloud between you and the bear. If you wait for close proximity so you can spray the pepper directly on the bear, the bear is going to be directly on you. Try three. Spray starts in hand not holster. I turn, create a cloud with a 1-2 second burst. I don't empty the can. This I get right. I know bears may back off then start over. I'm saving spray for a second charge. Cans only hold up to seven seconds of spray. Don't blow it all in the first shot. After three tries, I start focusing on speed. This is the hardest cor- rection. Real bears move three times faster than decoys and you're prepared for decoys. The speed at which a real situation unfolds is unbelievable. I thought I was pretty bear aware. I thought wrong. This response test is a harsh reality check. Watch Millgate's response test online via video at www.eastidahoutdoors.com