Testimonials
Stories from Actual Encounters with Wild Animals

Wisdom is Better than Strength!
Be Prepared!

EPA registered bear spray is to deter bears. However these are cases where people have used bear spray to protect themselves in other animal attacks.   

Testimonies are in chronological order and updated as additional stories come in -- Check back frequently!

Last update 04/23/2010

Maybe they should call it Bison Spray?

I've made several trips to fly fish Yellowstone's backcountry and always carried UDAP spray as a precaution in case of surprise encounters with bears. In the last week of September 2009 I found that my UDAP spray could also work on the animal that injures more park visitors than any other - bison!
 
On that late September day a cold front moved in covering much of the park in a light snow, and I spent the day fishing about 4-5 miles up Slough Creek.  Shortly after I started hiking back out I turned and saw a single bull bison emerge from the trees and start following me down the trail.  He was a good 250 yards or so back and it was just a coincidence that we were going the same way, so I did not think much of it.  About a mile on down the trail with the bull still trailing I came over a small hill and saw another bull bison standing just yards off the trail about 150 yards ahead of me.  At about 100 yards away I could see he was agitated, so I yielded the path to circle around behind him making sure I was keeping a good 70-80 yards away.  As I got behind him I lost sight of the first bull but figured there would be a good bison fight when he came over the hill and saw the second.  Feeling safe at some 80 yards away, I got behind the one tree in the area and got my camera out to capture the impending fight.  I took a few shots of the second bull, but could not yet see the first.  Then the second bull suddenly turned and started walking away from the direction of the first, which meant he was coming more or less in my direction.  There really was no where for me to go and the branches of the tree were too high to reach, so I dropped my backpack and camera, got my can of spray out and ready, and stayed as much behind he tree as I could.  At 30 yards, just when the bison seemed like he was going to walk right on past, he looked over at me and then turned 90 degrees to his right and charged full speed at me.  With my 7.9 oz can ready, I started spraying when he was about 15-20 yards out.  He disappeared into the orange fog, then he turned 90 degrees to his left and ran some 80 yards wheezing, coughing, and shaking his head, then stopped facing my direction.  

I then looked to my right and saw that the first bull had come around the hill and was now just to my right some 50-60 yards away.  He looked at me, then looked at the bull I had just sprayed.  The sprayed bull turned away and started running, and the first bull took off after him.  I guess there would be a fight after all, but I was not going to see it.  With some 3 miles or so to go and getting toward dark, I grabbed my gear and set a quick pace on the trail out. 

I've always heeded the park warnings to keep at least 25 yards away from the bison, and actually always thought 50-75 seemed smarter. In this case, even 80 yards (I measured it the next day) was not enough.  I reported the incident to Park Rangers who said sometimes those bulls just go nuts.  The bull that charged me would not have been able to knock down the tree I was behind, but I certainly am glad I did not have to have an agility contest with that bull.  Thanks UDAP! 

Joel Allen - Minneapolis, MN

Once a dog gets even the smallest taste of UDAP Bear Spray, he never bothers me again.

I repeat, he never bothers me again!

I want to tell you about another use for using UDAP Bear Spray. My name is Todd and I am an Ironman Triathlete. My sport involves swimming, cycling, and running. I live in Alabama and spend many hours cycling on country roads training. I love the country roads because there are usually not any cars. But, I have always had problems with dogs. Dogs love to chase me and cause me problems. This is extremely annoying and even startling if a dog comes upon you when you are not paying attention. Also, a dog can be extremely dangerous because of the speeds you travel while cycling. A dog made me wreck once causing damage to my bike (which costs $4,000) and causing me to get injured.

The only protection I had against dogs was a loud voice and spraying them with my water bottles. Usually this only kept them at bay and they would always be there waiting for me on my return trip or my next ride. This was very frustrating.

I was talking once with some fellow triathletes and we were having an entire conversation about how much we hate dogs because of the problems they cause us on the bike. This was a very bonding conversation. One of the guys said he uses UDAP Bear Spray to protect himself and the dogs do not bother him anymore. I ordered my first bottle the next day!

My next ride, I tucked the UDAP Bear Spray in one of my bottle holders on my bike and went out for my ride hoping for some payback. Of course, I did not have any problems with any dogs. After about two weeks, I was riding and I started being chased by three dogs. I saw them charging at me and I got out my UDAP Bear Spray. When the dogs were close, I fired the spray at the dogs and missed. I was amazed at how streamline and how far the spray went. It startled me as much as it startled the dogs. The dogs stopped in their tracks and did not bother me even though I missed. They stood there confused. Since then, I have used the spray many, many times. I have sprayed many dogs and put them down from far enough away that I was never in any danger.

Once a dog gets even the smallest taste of UDAP Bear Spray, he never bothers me again. I repeat, he never bothers me again! He will sit there from a distance and watch me ride by. I just smile J

Thank you UDAP! I am now able to enjoy all of my bike rides.

Sincerely,

Todd - Ironman Triathlete -Muscle Shoals, AL

...his head got lower and began stomping his fore feet...

This was what I saw as I rounded a blind corner on an old cattle trail in the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve in Venice, Florida. It is not my first encounter with feral hogs; in fact I have had several little ones walk over my feet while standing camouflaged alongside a hiking trail. I didn’t plan it that way to be sure, but it did not develop into a problem and I got out with several good photographs.

The reason there is only 1 photograph of Ole Nasty and it is slightly out of focus is because he lifted his head from the rut as he heard the click of the shutter from 40 to 50 feet away. He swung his head toward me and began walking directly at me. Talk about a cardiac stress test! Needless to say, I was not interested in any follow up shots because my attention was drawn to the white tusks protruding form his lips. He made several more steps as I was drawing my canister of UDAP and quietly slid the safety off the trigger. 

As he got closer, his head got lower and began stomping his fore feet with each step. Not fast, but steady. I could not have been in a worse place. The nearest tree was 20 or more feet away and too big to climb and jumping was out of the question because my camera gear and pack weighed just over 40 pounds on that day. My only thought was if the canister still held its charge.

It did! 3 years of heat and cold and 3 test shots at home it did not fail me. Hogs can run very fast and they can turn a lot more sharply than you can imagine. I estimated his distance at 30 feet when I hit the trigger, but the cloud enveloped his head so either the canister has a longer range than advertised or he was closer. In either case the effectiveness of this product is beyond my expectations. The hog was gone in an instant and by the sounds of him groaning and crashing trough the palmettos, he was not in any condition to continue his previous intentions. Thanks guys - it really works

Wes Demarest

Sussex, NJ

...You just never know how a moose will react....

Last year I was working near the Continental Divide just south of Glacier National Park. Over the course of about two months I saw this cow moose, never saw a calf, at least a half a dozen times, in the same area. I came with-in a hundred yards of her each time and she never displayed any aggression. Then one morning I'm in the same area and see the cow moose again. This time, at about a hundred yards or so, she lays her ears back, with the hair standing up on the back of her neck, and trots in my direction. I thought, "what the hell's up with her?" and stepped back in the timber behind the largest tree I could find. She came charging in, reared and started striking with her front feet around either side of the tree. I'm ducking and dodging and thinking this old girl is pretty serious. The can of UDAP, that is ALWAYS in the right-hand leg pocket of my Carhartt pants when I'm in the backcountry, comes to hand and I give her about a two or three second burst at about three feet distance. The effect is immediate and dramatic. The cow moose almost goes down, regains her feet and ricochets off about three trees on her way out of the timber. It worked very well and I didn't have "moose tracks" all over me! I have been treed by moose on one occasion and respect them as much as grizzly bears. Under certain circumstances they are more unpredictable than bears. You just never know how a moose will react and I was very glad to have your product in my pocket on that day. Thanks again for "saving my bacon!"

Sincerely, Ross Buckingham

...in my right hand looked to be something he did not want any part of....

Hi UDAP team, as a volunteer animal cruelty investigator for the Humane Society Of Louisiana, I am often subjected to different breeds of dogs trying to bite me. I have used UDAP Pepper Spray several times to keep from being bitten.  The last attack had nothing to do with my animal cruelty investigations, I was walking my S.A.R. (search & rescue) dog along with a 10 year old neighbor boy who loves to help me train my German Shepherd.  Any time I walk or train my dog I am NEVER without my UDAP Spray. As we were walking in a neighborhood, out of no where came this medium size matted up breed of a dog. He was growling and showing his teeth and I was trying to hold my German Shepherd back by the collar as holding him by his leash he could have attacked that other attacking dog. I reached into my holster with one hand while still holding my dog. Now this attacking dog was smart, he kept his distance of about 20 feet as he seemed to know what I was holding in my right hand looked to be something he did not want any part of. He soon played out his luck and came too close, showing his teeth and I knew I had to protect all of us. I let him have it with 1 burst of UDAP and I missed. He then decided to make his attack and I sprayed again and this time I hit that dog right in the face. He decided that it was time to leave and he went straight back into his yard where his owner was waiting. The little boy that was with me was just amazed at how well the UDAP bear spray worked. I bet when he grows up, he will want a can of UDAP bear spray too :)   -    Jerry S.

...he decided it was "lunch time" again, and I was the "milk bone".

All of a sudden, I hear something just behind me on my left side (I am right handed).  I look to see what it was, and it was the largest Rottweiler I have ever seen running like hell to catch up to me.  I had rigged a bag on my handle bar for your spray can.  I did not have time to get it out and arm it.  Instead, I peddled like heck to get away from "killer".  They are so fat butt big, and waste so much time drooling and snarling, that I lost him.  I must confess I cussed and yelled at the beast to get the hell out of there.   He retreated back to his house.  By this time, I was as mad as the grizzly that about ended your days. I pulled the can of Bear Spray, armed it.  I turned around and rode right past were the dog was sitting.  I got about even with him, and he decided it was "lunch time" again, and I was the "milk bone".  He was about 15 feet away and gaining fast.  I let him have one single blast. Boy, it happened so fast, it looked like a blast out of a large fire extinguisher. The "blast" hit him full hilt in the face chest and one side of the body.  He stopped dead in his tracks, shook himself and ran back to his house.  I have tried to nail a few other charging dogs with the little  "personal pepper sprays" sold in hardware stores with less than good success.
 
In my one experience, you product was everything you said it was!!   

We have many homeless types that roam our bike trail areas.  I have been afraid that one might try to rob me and steal my bike (my pride in joy toy - $3000) from what I saw today, heaven help them if they try.  My motto from now on is:  "walk softly, and carry a big can of your Bear Spray".

Thanks for putting your product on the market.  I now feel much safer and able to defend myself (I am 62, 5'7", 140 lb).  I have taken some martial art training (belt below brown belt).  If I had my choice
between having a Black Belt to defend me, and a can of your spray, I would feel safer with the can of your spray.

Kirk Brill

"...determined to finish me off, she advanced into the cloud..."

As a resident of Yellowstone Park, I carry my UDAP Pepper PowerTM bear spray with me all the time. My diligence in carrying UDAP paid off on a spring morning, when I hopped on my bike and peddled off to work. I was still a little sleepy, when a cow elk came out of nowhere. She was in that "protecting my young" mode and I knew she was going to make contact. I turned my bike right. She turned left and kicked her hind legs, striking my bike and knocking me to the ground. Now on the ground and the elk coming toward me, I pulled out my UDAP pepper spray and let off a two second burst, when she was about 15 ft. away. The noise from the can startled her at first, but "determined to finish me off, she advanced into the cloud". She didn't get two steps when she started to sneeze and back up. As I peddled off, I took one last look over my shoulder, only to see the rump of the cow elk retreating also.

I am thankful to those at UDAP Industries for making such a product, which not only saved me, but also the elk. I know if I had been seriously injured, the elk would have probably been destroyed, leaving its young to fend for itself, and almost surely sealing the calf's fate also.

Thanks UDAP,

Gerald Joest

Lions, Tigers and UDAP Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray      

To who it may concern I have used the product UDAP Pepper PowerTM for the control of big cats as a non lethal or physical damaging agent in the following emergencies. 

1) Male tiger introduced to a new female tiger for the purpose of breeding. The male tiger upon introduction to the female grabbed her by the throat and would not let go after the use of C02 water and noise to no avail, we gave the male tiger a short blast of the pepper power from about 20 feet it hit him around the head and he immediately turned loose of the female and left her unharmed.

2) We had several male lions out on the compound together when one male bit the other on the tale. When this happened the bitten male became very hostile and attacked the first male. I was standing by the action and had a can of pepper power on hand as is our practice at all times for potentially violent circumstances. When the lion fight broke out I sprayed the lions from 20 to 30 feet away and the animals stopped on the spot with little injury from the fight. I am sure without the spray the injuries would have been very serious.

3) A female Jaguar (temporarily placed with us) decided not to let her keepers near the door of her bar type enclosure. She would attack at the door as soon as she new someone was coming. We tried several times with food, water from a hose, and a stick to convince her to let us close to her door to no avail. This was preventing us from cleaning and feeding her and her breeding mate. We used the shortest burst possible of UDAP Pepper PowerTM and she left the area and she let us close to the door.

I have had over 200 big cats and have raised them in Zoos for more than 18 years I have found the UDAP Pepper PowerTM product to be a valuable means of big cat deterrent in extreme emergency situations, it works fast with no permanent harm even on the most aggressive animals under extreme circumstances.

UDAP Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray at the Zoo

I am writing this letter to endorse UDAP Pepper PowerTM as a deterrent for big cats. I had the chance to use it in the following situation. Our tiger exhibit here houses two tigers. We recently chose to introduce a third animal into the exhibit. All went well for a week when the male tiger attacked the new female grabbing her by the side of the head and the other female grabbed her by the leg. He had a death grip on her and I am sure she would have perished if not for the quick effect that the UDAP Pepper PowerTM Spray had on him and his cage mate. The female tiger has fully recovered and they are getting along better now thanks to UDAP Pepper PowerTM. I have been in the zoo business for thirty-five years and I feel that UDAP Pepper PowerTM has a very powerful and immediate preventive effect upon wild felines when situations of harm arise. This product can stop the animal in it's tracks with no lasting harm to the animal.

...It takes the wind right out of their sails...

I am a vet who works exclusively with cattle in southern California.  We don't see many bears here in Chino, but with over 100,000 dairy cows, we have more than our fair share of bulls.  Two weeks ago a worker on a dairy here in Chino was killed by a bull.  They are extremely dangerous and can weigh up to 2,000 lbs.  You must never let your guard down when you are near one.  Unfortunately, because of my work, I must often turn my back to them while I am in the corrals.  I have made it a practice to carry UDAP Pepper PowerTM on my belt whenever I am in a bull string.  If I am not carrying it, I feel naked.  Whenever a bull crosses the line from threatening to dangerous I let him have it with the spray.  It takes the wind right out of their sails every time.  I have had to deal with enough aggressive bulls that I managed to use my entire bottle of spray.  After that man was killed two weeks ago, I am glad that I did.  If he had been equipped with a UDAP canister, I know he'd be alive today. Thank you for making a product that works.

Sincerely

Dr. Andrew B.

Thank you for your outstanding product. I originally purchased (2) 15 oz. cans [UDAP Pepper PowerTM] for use as a defense against a Brown Bear attack here in Alaska. However, I spent last year on a tropical island in Micronesia. Although there were no Brown Bears there, I did find some extremely aggressive Boonie Dogs. One American school teacher was attacked by these dogs and required stitches on his back, he was lucky there were no more extensive injuries. I began carrying the pepper spray as a defense against these vicious animals. The product performed very well, and I was never injured. I used up both cans. Now, I'm back in the Alaskan Bush. My wife is teaching in a one-room schoolhouse and I'm working for the timber company based here. A couple weeks ago, my wife looked out the window and saw a Brownie chasing a dog around the schoolhouse. We've also had a black bear that has tried to get into the cookhouse. I work in the wilderness and see bears frequently. I would like to request 3 more cans of 15 oz. UDAP Pepper PowerTM. Thanks again for a wonderful, life-saving product. -- Michael A. Edison

man's best friend - Two Large Dogs vs. Owner & Small Dog

On the night of Aug. 30, 1998, my Scottie and I decided to take a walk around the block. In the darkness of the night we rounded a corner only to be surprised by two large dogs charging us at full speed with lips pulled back and teeth bared. With only seconds to react, I yanked my 24 lb. Scottie into the air while simultaneously drawing my UDAP magnum Pepper PowerTM from my waistband. The UDAP Pepper PowerTM came out of the holster quickly and almost in an instant the safety was off. As the two 80 lb.dogs started to attack, I pulled the trigger and stopped them as if they had hit a brick wall. Last seen the two dogs were turning somersaults and rubbing their muzzles in the grass. Around the block or in the Colorado high country, we don't go anywhere without UDAP Pepper PowerTM. My Scottie Angus and I want to thank you for saving his life and saving me from a serious mauling. In a crisis UDAP is a best friend. -- Richard Boulware

Its tail swishing angrily, the hungry lion began shadowing me on the same trail. When the big cat stalked to within 30 feet I sprayed it with UDAP Pepper PowerTM. The big lion hissed and immediately began pawing its face, then bounded away in a blur. I learned the wisdom of being prepared, I won't go into the woods without UDAP's pepper spray. It puts me at ease and I can enjoy the outdoors without worrying. My wife and my daughters all carry your pepper spray when outdoors, because you never know when something unexpected might happen.

And what about the video, Bear Attacks

The video offered good information and good advice that should be required viewing for hikers, backpackers, hunters, campers, or anyone else who ventures into bear country. -- Mark Henckel, Billings Gazette

For human attack testimonies click here