One of the most important pieces of knowledge to carry with you in a survival setting is how to protect yourself against wildlife.
While a vast majority of animals in the forest are peaceful creatures that are more scared of you than you are of them, there are plenty of animals that pose a serious threat if you happen to stumble into their territory unprepared. One such animal is the black bear.
Though they rarely attack humans without provocation, black bears are incredibly dangerous. If you accidentally step between a bear and its cub, it could mean certain death — unless you’re adequately prepared.
Take Josh Bowmar, a survivalist and hunter from Ohio, for instance. Having recently released a video showing him fatally wounding a black bear with a seven-foot spear, Bowmar has proven that it’s completely possible to defeat a bear with a homemade spear.
The video has been the source of controversy for a number of reasons, mostly due to the fact that Bowmar lured the bear close to him with food in order to strike the creature dead — an often frowned upon hunting tactic. In regards to modern hunting, many advocates look down on this form of baiting; viewing it as disrespectful to nature.
But in a survival setting, it’s more than appropriate to take out a threatening creature by any means necessary. Depending on your preparation skills and your location when the inevitable collapse occurs, you could find yourself without an available firearm for protection. In that situation, it could be vital to craft a spear similar to Bowmar’s in order to ward off and defeat any threats that come your way.
While spears may seem like an archaic tool, there’s a reason they’ve existed for hundreds of thousands of years. And as Bowmar proved in his controversial video — they’re extremely deadly, efficient and reliable.
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