Self defense

[JonHorde]

Has anyone ever considered a laser for last ditch self defense against a bear?
I cant fly on an airplane with bear spray, nor a pistol. I do alot of back woods overnight hiking.
im thinking a laser could dazzle a bear giving me time to run away, especially if I drop a bag of tuna.
Can anyone recommend a power level that might not do permanent damage at close range for a fraction of a second?
My 2w blue laser is clearly too powerful.

 

[gazer101]

I'm no biologist, but according to these articles polar bears (and presumably most mammals) should be very receptive to green light (~525 nm):

The spectral sensitivity of a polar bear

1.1. The visual sensitivity of a polar bear was examined by standard operant techniques. Scotopic and photopic functions were determined.2.2. Scotopic…

www.sciencedirect.com

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2015.1817

The required power of the laser for flashblinding depends on how much you would be dispersing the beam. In any case you run the risk of getting sued by some treehugger if you accidentally permablind the creature and they see you doing it:

Laser Pointer Safety - Different lasers' hazards compared

 

[ChrisWhit]

I've always wondered about this too. I have a laser dazzler that also has a stun gun function. I do sometimes go up into where bears live at a cabin that's up in the mountains. The dazzler is a 520nm green laser at 1 watt that diffuses out. But it gets tighter the closer in it is. I would find it hard to imagine any living creature with eyes wanting to approach with that thing firing at them. I think maybe the horrifyingly loud crackle and pop of the stun gun would scare most animals away. But I would like to see something like this experimented with by someone with the proper resources to do it

 

[brendon7358]

Any laser for dazzling should be green. Any other color you are just blinding your subject.

 

[Coonie]

Any laser for dazzling should be green. Any other color you are just blinding your subject.

Are you mad? Since when has green lasers been eye safe? Maybe in moronville but not here in reality... you know... where most of us are

 

[JonHorde]

Thanks,
Not too concerned about getting sued. Id rather that than be dead...

 

[Snecho]

Not this can of worms again...

There are already several threads about this exact question if you just used the search function...

Are you mad? Since when has green lasers been eye safe? Maybe in moronville but not here in reality... you know... where most of us are

I think his point was if you are going to dazzle someone, green is the highest blind to power ratio. You need less power with green to flashblind than any other color.

 

[RedCowboy]

If you blind a bear and survive PETA will have you imprisoned for malicious animal cruelty, after all the poor bear was just trying to eat and you have two legs, you could have given him a calf to chew on while you soil yourself to drive him away with your natural repellent.........hell if you flash him with a laser he might eat it and the batteries could make him sick...........that's poisoning a poor animal who they will say would have left you alone if not for your dazzling light that made him curious...........you bad animal hater sicko.

Everyone knows you just wave your hands and yell in an intimidating manner.........sheese, blinding a bear..........you animal hater sicko.

 

[Encap]

What RedCowboy said above ^^^^

Not to mention the difficulty of dazzling a active bear in both eyes with a 7mm to 10 mm laser dot + time to focus the laser under less than ideal circunstances or while running away--that is if a dazzler would even be effective on a bear which is uncertain/questionable.
You might just be able hit one eye and get him really pi$$ed off causing him to agressively attack/go after you.
Thats the last thing you want...an 800 pound beast that can run 30 mph, climb trees, and swim intent on going after the damn guy who shined a laser light at or in his eye or eyes LOL.

Have you ever heard of a laser beam turning a bear away?

 

[RedCowboy]

Hell a bear can smell you from a long way away and even if you blinded him the bear can still run you down on smell alone, animals have amazing endurance and strength and what else will he have to do once he can't see but go after the smell of whatever that was who is causing him distress, you will become his single obsession and you can't outrun the dam thing and with the bear blind you can't jump and wave your arms to scare him off........buy a gun or stay out of the woods.......as for your can't fly with a gun or bear spray.......you can buy bear spray after your airplane lands, before you go hiking in the woods..........unless your airport is located in a patch of remote forest.......

 

[Encap]

Exactly RedCowboy

"Bears are thought to have the best sense of smell of any animal on earth. For example, the average dog’s sense of smell is 100 times better than a humans. A blood hound’s is 300 times better. A bear’s sense of smell is 7 times better than a blood hound’s or 2,100 times better than a human. A bear’s sense of smell is so acute that they can detect animal carcases upwind and from a distance of 20 miles away" ~ https://sectionhiker.com/bears_sense_of_smell/

 

[Milkeeway]

Interesting idea!

 

[JonHorde]

Not this can of worms again...

There are already several threads about this exact question if you just used the search function...

I really did try to search for it. Couldnt find any threads. What key words did you use?

 

[JonHorde]

Thank you for the useful info. Looks like Id be interested in a 500mW green. Can you suggest a seller?

 

[Snecho]

Thank you for the useful info. Looks like Id be interested in a 500mW green. Can you suggest a seller?

Smith & Wesson

 

[gazer101]

XD