Paintballs and Bears

[jackellis]

There was a bear wandering around the neighborhood we'll be moving to in a few weeks. We actually heard him trying to break into a nearby house. He walked across the street and down into the woods behind our neighbor's house. We left but before the builder left (it was dark by this time) the bear came back and walked up to the front door of our unfinished house.

I'd prefer to use a shotgun and rock salt but that might upset the neighbors. I'm wondering instead whether paintballs might sting enough to drive him away? I assume the paint is water based and not toxic.

[Uncle Cracker]

I don't think I'd screw around with a bear. If it repeatedly comes around, then it thinks it's in its own territory, and bears protect their turf. You are probably better served by getting the wildlife authorities involved to relocate it.

[jussi]

Paintballs are non toxic (they better be I've gotten shot a few times in the mask and ended up eating some of the splatter) and they will sting depending on how hot your shooting but I agree with UC. You might get some extremely dangerous results. Call the proper authorities.

[Tom Slick]

paint balls and yelling is what the national park service use to scare off bears out of camp grounds.

[Sam Conder]

I assume we are talking about a black bear. I doubt the bear actually feels a sting from the paintbal, but just the fact that it is "under attack" would be enough to cause most bears to tuck tail and run for the time being. Like Uncle Cracker stated, it might serve as a temporary deterent for the bear, but it will most likely come back later.

[LinuxRandal]

Do the national park service?

Do they use regular paintballs, or the pepper spray kind?

[os1kne]

Getting the wildlife folks involved is probably the smart way to go. Depending on the bear, starting a fight with a bear with a paintball gun (or a rocksalt loaded shotgun) can quickly get you into a mess that you don't want to get into.

[jackellis]

The local black bears are behaving just like Yogi (for those old enough to remember the cartoon show). They roam around and attempt to steal food from cars and homes. Not really dangerous, just really annoying.

I used to make jokes about bear stew but now that my wife belongs to a local bear protection organization, all I can do is try to scare the suckers off. It's eaither paintballs or get a dog unless I can train our cats to scare off the bear.

Oh well, the joys of living in the woods.

[BobSch]

You could always give him some Jack.

http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...runkenbear.flv

[Sam Conder]

It's eaither paintballs or get a dog unless I can train our cats to scare off the bear.

It's been done before...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...-cat-bear.html

[jackellis]

Thanks Sam. It's about time we got something for all the money we spend on cat food and vet bills

[Russianwolf]

at one point I had a cat that you wouldn't have needed to train. She was just plain out and out MEAN to anything but those living in her house (except other people).

Dogs, Other cats, bird out of the air, squirrels, even a raccoon that came in her yard all got torn up by her. I'd put her up against a bear. I bet it'd be like the dogs and never see her coming.

Imaging walking through the yard and all of a sudden, a demon is on your head filleting your scalp at about a mile a minute. I don't think most of them ever even figured out what attacked them.

All this from a cat that weighed 5 lbs soaking wet. She was a runt.

[dbhost]

Bears, like gators are NOT something to be messed with trivially. Do NOT shoot a bear with a paintball gun. That will likely only cause him / her to want to defend itself.

Call your local wildlife authority and have the animal relocated, or wait until O-dark thirty and remove him with the assistance of a LARGE caliber weapon at a considerable distance. (30 .06 might be enough unless we are talking Grizz...)

[Uncle Cracker]

The local black bears are behaving just like Yogi (for those old enough to remember the cartoon show). They roam around and attempt to steal food from cars and homes. Not really dangerous, just really annoying.

Your bear is not Yogi. If you think it's not dangerous, then it is doubly so. Don't give in to a "Hold my beer and watch this" moment...

[Hellrazor]

You guys are wimps.


Black bear are nonconfrontational unless they have a cub with them. Then you might want to think twice about the situation. A paintball gun isn't going to do anything more than help scare it off.

Now if it was a griz.... whole other story.