Flares for bears

turnerriver · Dec 23, 2020

I’m reading a book titled Owls of the Eastern Ice about the Blakiston’s Fish Owl of the Primorye region in Russia. Good book so far and I just read that the author Jonathan Slaght carries a flare for bear and tiger protection. As a foreigner he’s not allowed to carry a firearm and bear spray is nonexistent so he’s been told to carry a flare by a fellow American tiger researcher- the noise and flame will drive off a bear or tiger, failing that you can just pull the string and jam it into the tiger’s side as it’s trying to kill you. The tiger guy did just that and it worked.
No caliber specified but you can buy the flares in Vladivostok.
Regards,

ImprovedModel56Fan · Dec 23, 2020

I think that this qualifies as a bear thread or, as we said in grade school, free-for-all.

Fishinfool · Dec 23, 2020

But who makes a good leather flare chest holster...

I know I read that in certain parts of India, people working in the wilds wear a human likeness face mask, backwards on their heads. Seems big cats only like to attack from the back of their target, and the mask throws them off.

Larry

6518John · Dec 23, 2020

Magnificent bird and book!

Edit. This thread needed a picture. Interestingly, I have seen good old fashioned American owls engage in similar behavior. Barred Owls and Great-Horned owls will catch scavenge fish too.

S42N8 · Dec 23, 2020

The bear flare drift is strong in this one....

Ivan the Butcher · Dec 23, 2020

I have a HK flare "pistol" that they no longer import the flares for. they are 19mm (3/4") diameter and about 1 1/4" long. 6 fit in a detachable magazine, the firing mechanism is a simple single action type hammer and trigger.

I don't think I want to take on a bear or tiger, but I always figured it would run off thugs and drunks when backpacking!

Ivan

Peak53 · Dec 23, 2020

I'm pretty sure a flare would scare off all but the most determined blackie. I hear griz like 'em cause it gives a better sight picture in the dark

roguegamma · Dec 23, 2020

Another great book about that region is The Tiger by John Vaillant. I don't think a flare would have helped the three men eaten by the subject of the story.

Autonomous · Dec 24, 2020

I had a situation where I had to regularly walk through a wooded cut at night near an overpass that a cougar liked to hang out under. I would carry burning striker operated fusees. To keep from losing my night vision I held them behind me.

riverrat38 · Dec 24, 2020

What caliber flare works best for large bears?

Best,
Rick

goldenlight · Dec 24, 2020

riverrat38 said:
What caliber flare works best for large bears?

Best,
Rick

I would say about 3", 76mm.

Onomea · Dec 24, 2020

Makes sense to me. I think a good, strong flare, would give a tiger pause. (Don't wanna find out personally. Just sayin'! Kinda a portable version of the ol' keep the wolf pack at bay by keepin' the camp fire roarin'.)

Rudi · Dec 24, 2020

Fire is good!!

Absalom · Dec 24, 2020

Fishinfool said:
.....
I know I read that in certain parts of India, people working in the wilds wear a human likeness face mask, backwards on their heads. Seems big cats only like to attack from the back of their target, and the mask throws them off.

Indeed. These head masks are worn by villagers in the Sundarbans of Eastern India, an area around the Ganges delta that still holds a decent population of Bengal tigers, including its share of man eaters.

ContinentalOp · Dec 24, 2020

Why would anyone wanna let bears use flares?

UncleEd · Dec 24, 2020

How about sparklers?

cmort666 · Dec 24, 2020

goldenlight said:
I would say about 3", 76mm.

I wouldn't go any lower than 81mm in direct fire mode, and 120mm in indirect.

bigwheelzip · Dec 24, 2020

We always backcountry hiked with a 3-pack of aerial flares in our pockets. These would have served as bear deterrent, had the need arose.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

Ziggy2525 · Dec 24, 2020

Bears and tigers. Yikes. I prefer living where I’m at the top of the food chain.

6518John · Dec 24, 2020

Ziggy2525 said:
Bears and tigers. Yikes. I prefer living where I’m at the top of the food chain.

It’s far, far worse than that, you’ll have to read it to see how rough it can get. I got the book last night on my Apple Books account and read 8 chapters before I pooped out. (As an aside, no extra charge, this book is absolutely outstanding and I can’t recommend it more highly. Sort of a combination adventure story/mystery/nature study/Indiana Jones. This will give you an idea:
The owl man: saving the incredible bird you've probably never heard of | Environment | The Guardian).

Flares for bears

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