From my experience? It works great, But! you have to hit them directly in the face. Near misses don't count. As for that 14 year old, I understand it was dark, he was excited, and I seriously doubt he hit the face. I've seen the wild life agent at an Alaskian Air Force Base, trap bears in housing, (both Grizzlies and Blacks) take them out behind the base. Give them a liberal dose of pepperspray in the face, then turn them loose. Since he started using pepperspray he has not had a return bear. We had a problem at the cabin with a Grizzly, I set a can of pepperspray to spray at waist height when the door was pushed open. A weight was fixed to keep the door closed, and to re-close the door if it was pushed open. When I next went out a blast had been sprayed, and there was Grizzly tracks at the door. I could see where it had turned and ran. We have not had a bear problem since. When floating rivers, when we set up camp at night, we hang a small can of pepperspray across any trails that enter the camp site from the woods. Occasionally, during the night we will hear a startled grunt, and spraying. We will check it out and will find a can on the ground with a tooth puncture in it. It will usually still be spraying when we find it, and we usually throw a tarp over it to keep the spray from getting too strong in camp for the rest of the night. Sometimes we have to relocate camp due to the spray and wind. But after a bear bites one of those little cans, it doesn't come back. If you want an experts opinion, talk to Joe Nava, Joe teaches "Bear Protection" classes in Fairbanks. State employees going into the bush are required to take these classes. Yes Joe teaches the use of a 12ga and slugs, or a large caliber pistol. But he also swears by pepperspray, and teaches it's use in class. I have taken his classes and that's where I got the idea of putting small cans out around camp at night. Joe advised doing this, and I can testify that it works. When camping above tree line, I always do the cooking about 100yards from camp. Since there is no trees to hang the food boxes from, we repack them and set them back on the 4-wheelers. I place a small can of pepperspray on top of the food box. In the last four years, I've had two cans bitten into. The food boxes were not opened. In fact we watched one medium sized Grizzly come down off the hill one evening after sundown, but before it got dark. This Bear went straight to the cooking site, sniffed around where we had sat and eaten. Then it went over to the 4-wheeler and reached up on the food box for the loose can. After getting the can on the ground we heard a loud squall, and the bear left in a big hurry. We could see the can spinning around and spraying everything in the area. Next morning we had to put on gloves and take the food box and my 4-wheeler to the lake and wash off the pepper. If you get the residue on your hands, and then make a pit stop, rub your eye, pick a berry with your hands and eat it, or pick your nose, you're going to be one "Hurting Jose". Believe me I know from experience!
