Flyangler, drop me an email.
You should bring a couple of bear bells to carry with you. Most times the bears will hear you on the trail and head in the other direction. “Sneaking” up on them and catching them off-guard is when you run into trouble. That and disturbing a mom and her cubs.
[This message has been edited by SheTies (edited 04 August 2005).]
Flyangler,
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=“1” face=“Verdana”>quote:</font><HR>Marco, …
(now I hestitate to post this, … but I figure y’all should know)…
As to Bear pepper spray, …
We had a problem in Eastern canada … Bear problems for forestry crews. Guns aren’t “allowed”, … so we TESTED sprays at the wildlife park here (no, … PETA wouldn’t approve).
A kindly ole bruin lumbered up to the warden (it’s a zoo) … and promptly got a 1 second burst. … poor thing took off like a shot.
The manufaturer was pretty happy. So I did a test. I jumped the (protective) fence, … picked up a cub and brought her back on to the “people” side of the fence.(cub was about 45 lbs)
I held the cub up to the fence and squeezed a pad under it’s foot to create a bit of discomfort. The lil guy bawled, … mommy bear came up to the fence and pawed at me through the fence… She got 2 x 10 second bursts and NEVER LEFT THE FENCE, … just kept shaking her head and pawing through the bars(and not too happily I might add). Not even really mad, … just persistent.
The “moral” of the story is, … Sprays, … imho, … are good deterents for curious or hungry bears.
In real problem situations, … mommies and wounded animals, … I would much rather put my faith on a Ford 250 4x4 and a locked door <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
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I have heard that spray has a 4 year shelf life…personal exper4ience shows that is less. I replaced an old can this year when I went to discharge it, the spray pattern didnt go near as far as a new can does. I would say replace after two years just to be safe.
Take care everyone and cya around. Mark
I travelled to Canada and back earlier this year with no problems, and a stop at the border of less than two minutes in both directions. You can bring bear spray into Canada if it is EPA registered (says right on the can if its registered with EPA). The cans of bear spray generally have an expiration date on the bottom of the can - seems to be approximately 3 years from date of manufacture. The cans also come with an instruction booklet that may answer most of your questions. I have only had to use the spray once, which was more than enough times for me, and it worked great to deter a confused and aggressive black bear. Bear spray, or even a gun for that matter, is certainly no excuse for lack of common sense and showing some respect to these animals. I’ve seen plenty of other bears, both black and grizzly, who have all run, hidden, or simply couldn’t have cared less that I was around.
You have gotten good advise so far. the only comment I will make is with respect to money. Your best option and exchange ate is at a Canadian bank. Any one will do just fine. Then i would try to put as many of my expenses on a credit card as possible. In general, from the Canadian side, they have very good exchange rates.
What I would not do is try to change money in the US, at an airport other than a small amount to get you through the first day, or at any business place. They will hit you hard.
I noticed that the exchange rate was 0.82 and a bit to day so if you get about 1.18 per US dollar you should be close to what is normal. In general they go about 2% either side of the posted exchange rates, depending if you are buying or selling.
Have a nice trip. Maybe one day you will get to western Canada (the island west of the coast that Vancouver is on 
). The area you are going to is just wonderful.
BTW, fernie to vernon is about a 6 to 7 hour trip, at least the way i drive.
My bank recently added a new fee for International transactions with a debit card: 3%. I noticed it after a 20 trip to Europe. I was fortunate to use the debit card only a couple times for small charges. My credit card company has a 1% fee added as well. Not as high as my bank, but nonetheless a nice charge. This has been my experience with traveling to Europe, Canada might be different. If I were you I would contact your bank and credit card company.
We will be in Canada, about an hour West of Edmonton for a few days at the end of the month. Looking forward to the fishing, although I believe I will need to do some driving for trout stream fishing. Any suggestions appreciated…
Alex
Hope you have a good time remember the sunscreen it’s been hot out here.If you fly into Kalispell you can pick up bearspray at the Sportsman ski Haus in whitefish or kalispell ,snappy’s sport center[kalispell] or the army navy in whitefish ask any of the locals they will point you in the right direction.on your way back into MT.you should try the Kootenai below libby dam
flows are high right now but they ramp them back down towards the end of august
beautiful place to fish whether you wade or float.
I just returned from BC (Terrace area) Sunday, so I’ll add a couple of comments here:
First - I exchanged money and got Canadian travelers Checks at a local AAA office. No fee for members, and at the going exchange rate. Banks will charge, and the airport money offices will flat rob you.
Second - A Driver’s License and Birth Certif OR a Passport are required to cross.
And most important - Don’t try to carry reels in your carry-on bags! I’m in the habit of always carrying on a bag with enough gear to get me through a few days in case they lose my luggage (which they did again on this trip). But Canada is the only country I know of that doesn’t allow fishing line in carry-ons. (Nobody move, or I’ll pull my WF10S.) They will strip the line and backing off the reels and leave it on the floor in a pile. So pack your reel bodies in your carry-on, but put the spools in your checked luggage.
Camera film, BTW, is just the opposite. The Xrays they use on checked luggage will ruin the film, so pack cameras and film in the carry-on, not the checked bags.
Sure is getting hard to travel these days.
Idlerick
Everyone’s input is much appreciated. Thanks!
Idlerick, how was the fishing?
Fantastic for kings to 65# (none that big on a fly, unfortunately, or maybe fortunately), sockeyes on 7 wts, a few pinks, the odd chum on flies (to 30#), silvers in the salt, etc, etc.
I’m already planning a trip for 2006.
Idlerick
Strangely, my husband, who applied for his passport a week before I did, has not gotten his yet. This after the lady at the counter warned me that my Walgreen’s passport pictures were too dark and would probably be rejected.His were taken at the passport office.
My theory is that mine was expedited for no extra fee. They saw the pictures, every bit as bad as my back cast, and said “get that thing outta here!”
He’ll probably have to carry his driver’s license and birth certificate instead.