Anyone use Bear Spray past 4 Years?

[Bullshot]

All of my old cans, some very old, were fine. The only exception is one fired and wouldn't stop once I released the trigger. Sprayed the whole can into my neighbors back yard - turned all the vegetation orange. I was glad they were not home and I really hope their dog didn't play in the orange patch, but I never heard anything and never confessed.... not proud but not in trouble either!

Someday maybe I'll also publicly discuss the couple times I inadvertently zapped myself with some UDAP (oops, guess I just did).... let's just say I would have 100% confidence in the product at either stopping a bear or clearing a riot out of a mall. Clear your schedule for an hour or two if you decide to replicate my experience.

** I feel the need to add this disclaimer that I truly think a direct shot of the good stuff (2%) to the nose/mouth could be very dangerous for a normal person let alone anyone with allergy or hypersensitivity. Not to be trifled with, or let loose in an enclosed space of any kind!!!

 

[KipCarson]

My grandma had a little 4” long key chain sized canister on her truck keys meant to defend her from muggers. After at least a dz years of being toted around she left her keys in her truck on a hot 95+ degree day and lucky for her I was the one to open the door first. It exploded and instantly I was cured of any thought of a life of crime! Good Lord the agony, 20+ years later my lungs still hurt when I think of it. My eyes are watering now. All that to say this, I’m sure glad I don’t hunt in grizz country, I’m think I’m more afraid of the dang spray that I would be of them!

 

[Salmonchaser]

I too use the old stuff for training our guides and guests. I’ve seen the really old stuff hardly work as described above. In addition to training the old stuff can be used to drive porcupines out from under the lodge or guest cabins and drive bats out of the eves. It’s not a permanent solution to the bats. The porcupines are shot when they come out.

 

[elkhunter340]

I carry UDAP and the last can I bought had a 4 year expiration date We set off a can that was six years old and you didn't want to get downwind of that. If I'm a few miles from camp and getting dark I'm not going to second guess the guys who sell this, cheap insurance I think.

 

[Jim/Wa]

A buddy of mine told me about a local bike shop that was giving a demonstration using an old, expired canister in the parking lot. Within 5 minutes, people started pouring out of every little store in the strip mall. Seems it was still potent enough when it got sucked into the ventilation system...

 

[Tradewind]

Since we are talking bear spray. Another thing I learned from the factory rep was that in order for the propellent to work well, the canister has to be about 50 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer,,,well not lay it on the dashboard warm.

I suspect pretty strongly that the propellent is iso butane. The vapor pressure at 50 degrees would be 35ish psi. At 80 degrees it would be around 60psi. Before my conversation with him I never gave that a thought. I routinely hung a canister on the saddle of my horse,, right in easy reach. Now I put it in a holster that is inside my coat.

So what would the spray effectiveness be at 10 degrees? open day of rifle I usually carry a can but dont bother late season

 

[406dn]

So what would the spray effectiveness be at 10 degrees? open day of rifle I usually carry a can but dont bother late season

I doubt it would be very good. Likely like an old man standing at a urinal.

 

[Tradewind]

I doubt it would be very good. Likely like an old man standing at a urinal.

Geez....Now ther is a visual

 

[MT Bound]

Once my cans are past the expiration date I use them to practice, for myself, my wife, and when the kids or family comes out. Our life is worth spending another $40 for 2 cans that are new.

My .44 will always be my backup, for me personally it goes bear spray first, gun second. We've had to do it once and glad we didn't shoot the sow w/cub, the spray was effective.

 

[dapper]

Several years ago we went bowhunting for bears in Ontario. My two nephews who were in one vehicle, left for home several hours before we did and in the middle of the night. During the drive home they switched off driving. The new driver went to adjust the seat, since he was a bit shorter. Apparently one cannister of bear spray had somehow found its way down near the track the seat slides on. The adjustment ruptured the cannister. Quite funny hearing their story of the event. How they quickly come to a stop along the shoulder of the highway and vacated the vehicle. Took a while to air out enough to continue the drive with all the windows down. Said hours later when they got home and showered, the hot water just made it like reliving the event.

 

[F250]

A State Trooper called me for assistance as she responded to a complaint of " two neighbors shooting at each other with long guns". I jumped in her car with my scoped rifle (Troopers didn't have rifles then). On the way, somehow, her OC canister on her belt went off. We arrived at the scene coughing, choking and watering eyes. I was confronted immediately with a rifle toting, uncooperative, strung out, suspect. After a short stand off, I was able to get things under control. I really wasn't able to see clearly or breath well, until it was over.

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

I had a 10 year old can once that I had on my backpack belt. It went off in my truck sometime over the summer (guessing a slow leak or something from it getting hot in the truck). It made for a very unpleasant backpacking trip the next time out. Getting that stuff off of you and your gear in the backcountry is no easy feat. I did fire off that can after the trip was over as practice. It was a little dry and didn't seem to last long or empty all its contents. My 2 cents is I wouldn't trust one that old.

 

[bcnorth]

I found an old can in the bush and tried to spray but it came out like diareah. I have heard that very cold temperatures can affect it. I buy a new can if its expired or if its out in very cold weather. I dont mess around, i like to be confident in my bear defense.
Also, its fun to use your expired cans to practice. Its a fun excersize to do and see how far it goes, how wind affects it. I tested an expired can on a black bear that got into neighbors garbage and was destroying my dads cherry trees and had no fear of humans. It dropped out of the tree with a large thud and ran off and we never saw it again.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

When mine expire I just practice with them. This past year I had my son use one that had expired. Invaluable for him. His first 2 sprays were way too high. Good learning lesson.

 

[44hunter45]

I had a can a buddy gave me years ago before I was married. For the heck of it I tried it out last year (been married 9 years, the can is easily 12 years + old) it took an extra second to start spraying, it sprayed about 15 feet or so. I was shocked and stopped spraying in case I needed it. I have it somewhere. Will check the expiration date when I find it again.

I always assumed it was like a fire extinguisher. Once you shot it, it was done.

 

[ccc23454]

Keep seperate, i have ammo can in back of truck: never goes unprotected into shop or garages (if it leaked without...not good). I use them till i can't read expiration date,dont care what it says. Only exception and so everyone knows if you do the elk refuge hunt you have to carry unexpired can. Always carry spray as a secordary to firearm! Wind rain and temps lead will still fly! We had our first attack in town friday, and i found my first one of year Saturday.So it begins again...

 

[IAhawks84]

The times I've carried it, I used UDAP. I ordered on Amazon as we don't have any bears around here. I'm glad I did as prices seemed to greatly increase in hunting/fishing stores in grizz country. IMO, it's well worth having just on the slim chance you do cross a nasty grizzly. You can shoot them, but it's a lot harder to argue shooting one and not even carrying bear spray. I'd much rather detour one with spray than have to shoot it, but if spray doesn't detour them and you have to shoot, I'd think it'd be much easier to explain to fish and game.

 

[1100RemingtonMan]

I personally don't use Bear Spray unless I'm at Yellowstone Park.

 

[wyoboypt]

I just tried that can again that I tried a year ago or more and it still worked, even better than the first time. The exp. date is worn off. The can is easily 15 years old.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

We had some expired cans in the closet and let them rip over Memorial Day... seemed to work fine the one from 2013 was a bit paler than the one from 2015.