Hi Mark, We met at the International Bear Conference in Gatlinburg, TN several years ago. You took time to demonstrate to me your spray and what to look for in a good pepper spray. Since that time, I’ve only carried UDAP, but never had reason to use it as defense against a bear until September of last year. (I have used it successfully against two feral Rottweillers that attacked a mountain biker in Pisgah National Forest here in North Carolina.)

While hiking back out to the trailhead after several days in the backcountry near the Shoshone Lake geyser basin back in mid-September, I was charged by a large dark Grizzly near campsite 8R3. I had spotted some scat only a few minutes before the encounter but because there was so little, and because of the time of year, I figured that it was a black bear. The bear charged just after I passed the turnoff to the campsite. I heard a roar and turned to see the bear flowing over some downed logs only a few yards away. I threw my arms up and yelled at the bear, causing it to stop just as it hit the path about 8 feet or so away from me. For about 30 or 40 seconds the two of us had what amounted to a roaring contest.

The griz was bouncing stiff-legged as it circled, trying to get behind me. As soon as I thought it as safe to lower my arms, I went for the UDAP spray that I carried, ready to fire, on my pack belt. As I reached for it, the bear jumped in towards me. I fired nearly straight down at its head as it did, with it coming close enough to slobber on my right leg. I only sprayed a short burst, hat may be why the bear retreated about 10 feet, but continued to roar (growl loudly?) and bounce up and down. I then got the spray out of the holster and fired a longer blast, really nailing the griz with the stuff. I literally painted its head with the spray. It immediately retreated, rubbing its head against the ground and weeds as it went. It didn’t run away – instead, it would move a few feet, bawling and rubbing its face against the ground, and then turn to face me again.

When it was about 50 feet away, I remembered the camera hanging around my neck and got a couple of quick blurred shots of the Griz as it faded into the timber, still growling loudly and looking back. As soon as it was out of sight, I booked on down the trail. I made the mistake of rubbing my forehead with the back of my hand right after the encounter and smeared residue liberally into one eye. The pain was incredible, but considering what the alternative might have been, was quite bearable (pardon the pun…) When I got back to the Grant Village backcountry office, I filed a report with bear management and learned that what was evidently the same bear had mauled two hikers at the same location the morning before I had my encounter.
Dave Landreth

Being a wildlife filmmaker requires getting up close to some of the worlds most dangerous animals.  In 2005, our crew spent 3 months in some of southern Africa’s wildest places, spending great deal of our time filming creatures notorious of being man-killers.  Giant elephant bulls, cape buffalo, lions, leopard, and hippo just to name a few.  Over that time we had many life threatening encounters.  We had a pride of lions kill a waterbuck 10 feet outside our tent one night.  We had an insane buffalo bull ram our truck full tilt.  We were charged by angry elephants a dozen times.  During all of these encounters we found security in being protected by UDAP bear spray.  Our countless positive experiences with this product made it our ONLY choice, opting to leave the rifle at home.  Thank you for a wonderful non-lethal alternative of protection to allow us to film some of the most incredible things on earth.  So next time I am up close to Africa’s big five, I will have my UDAP Big Mama.
Thank you,  The Crew of Untamed

My family and I were camping at the Russian River campground on the Kenai Peninsula Alaska when we heard some rustling of bushes about 30 feet away. I figured that we were relatively safe since the grizzlies were down at the river fishing for salmon.  I got up, told every one to stay put and with my bear spray in hand, went to see what it was. When I reached the top of the edge of our campsite I surprised to see a medium sized 185-200 pound black bear coming up the hill towards me. She was trying to get into our site but I was blocking her path. She stopped about 15 feet from me and started thrashing at the bushes for about 10 seconds when she just stopped and stared at me then made a charge that was faster than I believed was possible.  I gave the bear a quick 1 second spray and instantly, the bear spun and headed the opposite direction.  My heart was already pounding and when I turned around and saw what the bear was really going after, my heart almost stopped. My 5 year old daughter had decided to join me to see what the noise was. That was what the bear was charging at.  I kept an eye on her until she was out of sight and she never returned.

<span”>I thank you for your product, without it I’m afraid to think what could have happened without it. I don’t enter the woods without it. Period.

 Eric Toney

 P.S. My daughter and I have had long conversations about bear safety prior to and definitely after this encounter

My Name is Matt Vermillion, I spend my summers in Chinitna Bay in Lake Clark National Park as a bear viewing guide. This summer I saw first hand the power of UDAP Pepper Spray. We were having trouble with the bear you see pictured, You see he was extremely curious of us early in the season, Which gradually grew into him advancing upon us while on the trail, Talking him down and air horns did work the first couple of times we met this bear, Then one day we were viewing this bear along with several others. The bears were grazing and the trouble bear started grazing directly toward us,, as he had done several times before. At this point the bear was still advancing while we were talking to him, advancing at a very slow pace, just creeping up on us, When talking firmly didn’t work, It wasn’t my .44 you see me holding that I pulled out, But my newly acquired can of UDAP, I sprayed the bear when he was no more than 5 feet from us, I was praying silently to myself that this stuff was gonna work, I would never want to kill a bear for him acting naturally in his habitat unless all else failed, To my relief and amazement the bear immediately turned and ran full speed in the opposite direction with little more that a brief puff of spray to the face, About 20 minutes later we were back at camp after leaving the area, and I saw the bear with our scope, still rubbing his eyes and face ,,the spray was still effecting him half an hour after i sprayed him. I was convinced after that of the power of UDAP. The picture of the bear you see was a matter of seconds before we sprayed him, looking back at the picture i can see the look in that bears eye, looking right at me, UDAP gave me the option of not having to kill a bear, and to not have that bear get rowdy with me our staff and our guest, Thanks UDAP!
Sincerely, Matt Vermillion