Kids And Bears

[RRPZ]

So, my 5 year old daughter told us the other day that there was a bear in the yard when she was playing outside. Now, you cannot believe everything she says but we have seen a bear cub about 1/2 mle from our house. We have 3 dogs which I think would chase it away, but you never know.
Now the dumb question.
what do you tell a 5 year old girl to do when she is playing outside with her sisters and they see a bear? do they run, walk, yell, call the 350+lbs of dogs to scare it away? If I'm at home I have the propper size pill for it, but I work all day and the wife will not(yet) learn to shoot the rifles.

[SmokeyMcBong]

i would say that if there are alot of bears in the area and my kids liked to play in the yard, they would be out there playing with the dog(s)! better safe then sorry. and a bear will run from a dog, seen a shi tzu chase off a bear a few weeks ago at our camper

[HOUSEHUNTER]

NO QUESTION IN MY MIND .....PUT UP A ELECTRIC FENCE !!!!

CALL ME IF YOU NEED A HAND

http://youtu.be/g-ydIGNxjbE

[Wolf]

Teach your daughters to WALK away from the bear and back into the house....NEVER run.
To a predator, FOOD runs. A bear's instincts are much like that of a dog...run away from a dog and what happens ? 9 times outta 10 it will chase you (may not bite, but it's the basic instinct at work)

If your wife refuses to use a firearm that's fine, get her a can of bear spray and show her how to use that. An emergency involving small children running around is no time to learn to use a rifle, but the OC will still give her the advantage.

The dogs are probably your best first line of defense however.

[RRPZ]

biggest concern is that everyone has seen a bear cub. And obviously, where there is a cub there is probably a momma.

too bad I ran over our male dog on the weekend. that kinda slowed him down. He had something cornered in the bush early this morning, so he's still doing his job. I guess I should have gone to check it out.

[MacD Mucker]

A few years back we had one go through our yard. We bought an air horn, the little cans that they carry on boats. tought the kids how to use it and told them if they saw a bear to use it. Scares the bear and lets anyone near there is something wrong. I dont know if it works cause it never came back, but prob wouldn't hurt.

[motorboat]

Originally Posted by macd Mucker

a Few Years Back We Had One Go Through Our Yard. We Bought An Air Horn, The Little Cans That They Carry On Boats. Tought The Kids How To Use It And Told Them If They Saw A Bear To Use It. Scares The Bear And Lets Anyone Near There Is Something Wrong. I Dont Know If It Works Cause It Never Came Back, But Prob Wouldn't Hurt.

awsome Idea!

[Low-1]

Just a caution about using bear spray. You don't want to use it around your house (or camp for that matter) unless its ABSOLUTELY necessary. While a blast in the eyes will repel a bear, or dog, they apparently love the taste and will come back and eat/lick anything that was sprayed. That's what I have always been told anyway. And x2 on the walk. Our little girl has known that for a few years, and that she can walk into anyone's house if she needs to (no one here locks their doors when they're home, and almost no one locks their doors when they're out either). We always have multiple bears in town every year.

[Deerdigger]

We have a simular situation, every year we have bears in our yard, we have a 6 and 4 year old playing outside, we told them to try and walk to the nearest door, and make a lot of noise to try and deter the bears. We do not have a dog, the kids are always close to the house. We`ve had a mother and three cubs on our porch a couple of years back at that point the kids were not allowed to go outside without one of us out there with them. Probably not much help but thats all ive got.

[Hillsiderambler]

I heard that hornet blaster is just as effective as bear spray. Does the same job, safer, and shoots a lot farther.