Remdies for Bugs & Bears

bob_nestor wrote:
Don't know if it's true or not, but I was told that in Canada bear spray is legal but pepper spray isn't. Bear spray comes in the large cans and pepper spray in the small ones. I did but bear spray last summer in Alaska and never had a problem with border crossings. I always told Canadian Customs I had it when asked and they never asked to see it or to see a receipt. ...

Years of reading posts of what is legal to cross a border with I can't help but wonder WHY you just don't buy the legal item in question AFTER you cross the border. :?

Items asked about such as having a steak or bag of dog food or pepper spray are all inexpensive items.

Rather than make a big to do about sneaking/getting across with them, throw the darn things out and buy what you need AFTER the border crossing.

WyoTraveler wrote:
Very interesting about Canadian law. Are you saying in Canada you are not allowed to defend yourself against an attacker? Just have to accept attack and file a report?

There is an entirely different way of thinking up here. I will not say I agree or disagree with this, but the logic is:
The big difference up here is weapon related offences are much lower than in the USA (somewhere around 1:1000 ratio in Canada vs USA). Thus the first assumption by the law is that you do not need to defend yourself against something that will virtually never happen. The second assumption, is because virtually no one has guns or other weapons as they are restricted and only used for hunting, no one is shooting each other, thus no need to have a gun or weapon to defend against people who also don't have guns or weapons. The third assumption is that is the police's job to shoot/taser/pepper spray/handcuff people. If you call them in a situation they will determine if a bullet is the necessary answer.
I guess what it comes down to is unless you are in the drug neighborhoods of Toronto or Vancouver, you will likely never see or know anyone in your entire life who has been involved in any type of weapon related incident.
Do I agree with this logic? Not sure... your system has some advantages ie ability to protect yourself it something does happen. Our system has the advantage that you simply do not need to protect yourself. As I mentioned before, up here you have to be far more worried about being mugged by a bear than a punk and even that is very low.

we,ve used skin so soft ,a avon product with good success. spray your cloths to. only bear thing I have is a 357.mag .

Don't know if it's true or not, but I was told that in Canada bear spray is legal but pepper spray isn't. Bear spray comes in the large cans and pepper spray in the small ones. I did but bear spray last summer in Alaska and never had a problem with border crossings. I always told Canadian Customs I had it when asked and they never asked to see it or to see a receipt. I crossed back and forth going in Haines and Skagway on my return trip and I came back into the Lower 48 thru Montana.

My only "problem" with Canadian Customs is I'm flagged in their database for a work related situation a few years ago that I'd always have to explain. It was never a problem though. However I did notice that US and Canadian Customs are now sharing a lot more information and a couple of times US Customs asked me about the "incident". So whatever your story might be make sure it's the same story you tell on both sides of the border!

I did read someplace that placing a clothes dryer sheet in a shirt pocket can help ward off bugs but I never tried it. Growing up in Alaska I guess I just got used to them, although when it was really needed DEET seemed to work the best. Mosquito season is the latter part of the summer and they aren't out as much in force in May and early June.

basically,yes.you can mess him up badly but can't kill him.aim low.

Re. insects, we all have different chemistry. My chemistry does best with Off liquid. All Aerosol stuff is way too expensive for quantity of protection.

& you can get yourself a net jacket. This is what I have http://www.veseys.com/ca/en/store/tools/clothing/bugjacket

:)

Very interesting about Canadian law. Are you saying in Canada you are not allowed to defend yourself against an attacker? Just have to accept attack and file a report?

Bear spray is available at any of the leading Canadian or Alaska sporting goods shops. The size seems to be the issue, has too be a size too large to be easily concealed. It also needs a bear photo on the can and labeled as bear spray. Most are approx the size of a Coke can. Places that sell bear spray will most often have the belt holsters to carry it where you can access it. You don't want it in your backpack or in your fishing tackle bag or box. All reports that I have read claim the bear spray is the best protection against bears that get too close but leave the area after using it as the residual smell remaining seems to attract bears.

Bugs, after living in rural Alaska for 25+ years, for me, nothing beats high concentration DEET sprays or lotions. The brand isn't to important, just find one you can stand the smell of after a few days. Be careful around fishing gear or hunting gear as high DEET will damage stuff like lines, gun finishes, sunglasses etc. I tried a pair of the Thermacell devices and didn't care for them. Too expensive to operate and only worked in absolute calm air. I was sitting at a campground at Tetsa River Regional a few years back, the same year I bought the Thermacell units. I had it running on the table where I was, when I noticed a mosquito land on it to check it out.

Off also makes a similar device but is cheaper and heats using battery power instead of the fuel cells used by Thermacell. My SIL had one of the Off devices that same trip and liked it but she is not a bug magnet like I am. LOL both of these devices work by heating a replaceable chemically treated small mat causing it to give off repellent fumes. Every few hours you replace the mat and heating source.

For young kids we liked Off brand wet wipes. I usually have some Cutters, Ben's and when available Army surplus Jungle Juice. Bugs are dependent on location. Stay at the more urban campgrounds and seldom will you have a problem. We stayed at Rivers Edge in Fairbanks for a week last trip and I believe I saw two mosquitoes. I always carry a head net, cotton gloves, long sleeve shirts and duck tape sometimes to be able to sleep at night in a tent or leanto when in the bugs are thick.

To answer both questions, the quick cheap, environmentally safe way to deal with mosquitos and black files is wind. Just get a desk fan that rotates and setup in front of where you are sitting outside, put it on high and let it blow the bugs away. In areas where the bugs are bad and in the spring grab Muskoil, but get the liquid not the aerosol.
Re Bear spray, it is legal to own, buy and bring into Canada. But its use and possession is controlled. It must be clearly labeled as Bear Spray and contain Capsaicin. In Canada our weapons laws are much more restrictive, so keep in mind the following:
1) declare it when you cross into Canada
2) do not carry on your person in places where bears are not a threat ie the mall
3) do not conceal it when carrying it and identify that you are carrying it when questioned by police or park rangers
4) NEVER use it (even in self defense) against another person (I know that argument again). Canada does not have the same self defense laws and even if the use saves your life you will likely be dealing with an Assault with a Weapon charge (like a Felony up here). That's OK though, there are far more bears then Gang Bangers up here anyway :)

Which province will be crossing into Canada? Reason why I ask is if you cross Alberta and in the Banff area you can legally buy Bear spray and not pepper spray, keep the receipt to prove you bought it Alberta and go on your way.