Your Story

We would like to hear of your stories and experiences of wild animal encounters. If we publish your story we will send you a FREE can of Bear Spray. We also look forward to hearing your comments about our web site and products. UDAP Industries values your opinions and will publish any information that might help others. To keep the integrity of this web site to the highest standards, UDAP Industries reserves the right to publish, edit, or not publish information received as the result of your input.

Thank you,
UDAP Industries

Your Story

This spot is reserved for your stories of wild animal encounters. These don't have to be related to pepper spray use. We just want your input and some more interesting reading.

Thank You,  Editor

"...We found security in being protected by UDAP..."

Being a wildlife filmmaker requires getting up close to some of the worlds most dangerous animals. 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

"As I turned the corner, the bear was right around the corner - after me at a run."

I live in Northwestern NJ and have been a customer of UDAP for some years now as our region has seen an increasing population of black bear in the recent past.

About two weeks ago,  I was operating a leaf blower in the back yard of our property, land that borders on a forested swampy area in the mountains of New Jersey. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a dark figure approaching from behind and when I turned around was face to face with a tall black bear about 5 feet from me. The bear was sniffing the air and swaying his head back and forth, all the while coming closer. I turned off the leaf blower and backed up slowly, about 20 - 30 feet. The bear didn't stop his approach, so knowing I was close to the front door, I dropped the blower and ran towards the front of the house. As I turned the corner, the bear was right around the corner - after me at a run.

Luckily the door was unlocked and I made it inside, and the bear broke off his charge and pursued another property in the development. After finding a mauled fox on my neighbor’s property the next day, we notified NJ Fish and Game, who placed a culvert bear trap on our property. Its been a week now and we have not caught the bear.

I thought it unusual that the bear would approach a person with a leaf blower in full action. We later learned that the bear had entered the yard of a neighbor, just before visiting us, while the person was using a chainsaw - so know now that some of them are used to loud mechanical sounds.

We now have a rule that no one works outside without the UDAP spray and a partner. We take it on walks with our dogs as well. We were very used to seeing passive bears in our area, until this encounter and are now a lot more cautious.

Jack Chadwick

"...We all laughed at him for "wasting" his money..."

She got within 15-20 feet and stopped briefly to snarl, snort and bounce upon an alder that was separating her from us. At this point I attempted to light my flare as a last defense. It was a dud, maybe I was just too nervous and fidgety, but I'd like to think it was the latter. There was no time to reach for another so I stood poised with my machete. The only thoughts going through my head were "I wonder what this is going to feel like." At this point fear wasn't even an option, the adrenaline had induced a slow motion type of analysis and curiosity. The sow bounced on the alder a few times and made her final charge toward us. I had completely forgotten about Todd, and his bear spray, but luckily for us he stepped up and sprayed... CLICK FOR FULL STORY

Regarding UDAP Pepper Power use, from Eric in Alaska

My only experience to date has only been with stray dogs and one would-be mugger.  It had the desired effect on all, and the mugger dropped to the ground moaning, totally incapacitated.  I was very happy with those results, and glad that no further force was needed (I carried a Sig P226 9mm at the time).  My concealed carry trainer had turned me onto the stuff as a first line of defense.

Also, here in Alaska, if you kill an animal (bear, moose, wolf, lynx, etc.) in defense of life and/or property - you are required to remove the skull and cape of the animal and turn it over to Fish & Game (state).  This alone is a larger motivator to use a non-lethal deterrent.  However, that is not to say that I have any reservations about terminating the existence of a predatory animal, or one that sees fit to rip me or any loved ones to shreds... kill or be killed comes to mind in a few instances.

- Eric in AK

Our Story

UDAP Industries Pepper PowerTM Bear Spray is one of the most effective bear sprays available. Like most bear sprays, Pepper PowerTM is made from capsaicin which is derived from hot pepper. Although you might think most bears sprays are the same, they are not. UDAP Industries was founded by Mark Matheny, an actual Grizzly Bear attack survivor. In September of 1992, while on a bow hunting trip, Mark was attacked by a sow Grizzly bear. As you can see by the pictures on these pages Mark was severely mauled by the Grizzly bear. Mark's hunting partner had a small self-defense can of pepper spray which he used to drive the grizzly bear off of Mark. When Mark founded UDAP Industries he knew that he wanted to create a bear spray that would be the most effective bear spray ever. He wanted a bear spray that could be used by everyone; campers, fishermen, hikers, backpackers, outdoor photographers, in short, anyone who ventures into the outdoors where bears of any kind live.

     Other companies had already begun to market Bear Deterrent sprays. Mark set out to design a bear spray that would, in his mind, do a better job of deterring bear attacks than other sprays. The first thing he realized was the average hunter, hiker, camper or photographer needed a bear deterrent that would not only be effective but the bear spray must be reachable at a moments notice. Since a bear encounter can occur with lightning speed an outdoor person needs to be able to instantly reach their bear spray. With this in mind Mark set out to design a bear spray holster that would allow instant access to the bear spray, and allow the outdoors person to shoot the pepper spray right from the holster if needed. Mark analyzed holsters from competitive bear spray manufacturers and decided another feature he wanted in his bear spray holsters was protection from accidental discharge of the pepper spray. The result is a bear spray holster that protects from accidental discharge, but still allows instant access to your bear spray.

     The most important  thing Mark looked into was the method of delivering the bear spray. One thing that bothered him was the effect weather could have on the delivery of alcohol-based OC and water-based OC pepper sprays. The result is that UDAP Industries Pepper PowerTM uses an oil-based OC, with a powerful  airborne propellant delivery system. The orange color is easy to see the direction of spray and therefore easy to direct the pepper spray quickly to the bears face. Thus making the safest, most effective pepper spray delivery system in the world.

     Remember it is not just grizzly bears that can be dangerous. Black bears can be just as dangerous, and with more and more states outlawing the use of hounds and bait on bears and cougars, the number of cougar attacks is on the rise as well. Some states do not allow bow hunters to carry a side arm. Bear spray is extremely important for bow hunters hunting in bear country, or to stop any aggressive attack. 

A Special Note to our Customers: If you ever use UDAP- Pepper PowerTM to prevent an attack, UDAP Industries will send you a FREE replacement can in exchange for your story. Just send your story and your shipping address to: