This thing popped up on my browser just now, and listed among it's many potential uses is "for self defense." No more bear spray needed either I suppose? https://www.tredfashionss.com/collectio ... outube.com

I can't imagine being with 24.6" of any snarling animal and certainly not with only that in my hand for defense

I like the built-in bottle opener.

Yes, but that's a survival essential not a self-defense device. I guess you could throw the empty at said snarling beast as you high tail it away.

Gee, I could add that to my survival crowbar and African Kitchen Knife collection. I just love how adding the adjective 'survival' and 'tactical' makes everything better and more useful. BTW, the crowbar opens bottle and cans and pulls nails. I am just disappointed it isn't in camo. My crowbar is in night fighter black, as is the kitchen knife. The kitchen knife came in real handy in South America and Africa, you can watch plants grow before your very eyes there.

Back in the bolt action rifle days of the Great War, there where many stories of folks duking it out with shovels in the trenches. I dunno if I would be inclined to take on North American meat eaters, like bears, with it. Perhaps a variation of placing a shot in the calf of the other guy might be in order. A sound like a dooong, would alert the bear of a potential meal and ignore you.

Mapleflt wrote:Yes, but that's a survival essential not a self-defense device. I guess you could throw the empty at said snarling beast as you high tail it away.

I recon it's both. I'm a real mean drunk...

US Marines and soldiers used them ( E-Tool or entrenching tool) to deadly effect in close combat during both World Wars , Korea and Viet Nam . I have not read of any such use in the recent post 9/11 conflicts . One edge of the shovel blade is ground to be sharpened and either bent and locked at a 90 or locked straight out it is a very lethal weapon of last resort .

I was aware of the entrenching tool being used as a weapon in warfare, from at least as far back as dubya dubya one, and no doubt further then that, I wonder if the marketing whiz for this shovel was also aware, or thought he was the first to think of it?!

The bear might end up using it for silverware to eat you.

https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/this-is-how-the-shovel-became-a-deadlier-weapon-than-a-bayonet

Maybe not a preferred defense against a bear, but better than a broom, stick, kubaton, or rock.

I’ve used a shovel to dispatch a couple of porch-possums. Worked pretty good.

Would have used a firearm except I live within city limits.

Next time I think I’ll use my bow with a small game tip.

The next time I see my friend who has a large collection of WW 1 era original uniforms, hand grenades, (for real, from many different armed forces) and other memorabilia, I'll bring up the shovel thing, he no doubt has some and for sure would be aware of their uses.

For anyone else fascinated by the Great War, go see the movie 1917, quite the flick

But it does come with a man purse!

Does it come with a "tactical banana" also?

My neighbor got mauled by a grizzly bear while on a sheep hunt a little over a year ago. He was able to get one rifle shot into the bear before being overpowered. To hear his account of the event, I can't even conceive of facing a determined bear with any type of hand held weapon and it is probably irresponsible for the manufacturer of this shovel to imply that it is some sort of defense. I had another neighbor that had a similar experience -- one shot in the bear before being overpowered with his daughter while on a moose hunt. Neither neighbors had a chance for a second shot (bolt action rifle too slow and unwieldy at close quarters), but both were able to wound the bears hard enough to convenience the bears to break off the attacks quickly. Both were seriously mauled but made it home a few days later.

I live with a lot of bears in the summer time and would never try to face one with a sharp shovel.

Nizina...your neighbors have some serious bad luck.

I guess I don't see the down side of folks who actually believe they can fight a bear with a shovel giving it a try...preferably before successfully breeding.

Nizina wrote:My neighbor got mauled by a grizzly bear while on a sheep hunt a little over a year ago. He was able to get one rifle shot into the bear before being overpowered. To hear his account of the event, I can't even conceive of facing a determined bear with any type of hand held weapon and it is probably irresponsible for the manufacturer of this shovel to imply that it is some sort of defense. I had another neighbor that had a similar experience -- one shot in the bear before being overpowered with his daughter while on a moose hunt. Neither neighbors had a chance for a second shot (bolt action rifle too slow and unwieldy at close quarters), but both were able to wound the bears hard enough to convenience the bears to break off the attacks quickly. Both were seriously mauled but made it home a few days later.

I live with a lot of bears in the summer time and would never try to face one with a sharp shovel.

EXACTLY. There is no way a person could swing that shovel as hard as a big grizzly paw and those bruins are accustomed to fights like that often.

I might just save Mr. Bruin the trouble and beat myself into submission with the shovel since that's what hes going to do with it anyway I'm reminded of a joke told about a bear, gun and hunting but Zzz would have to sanction me if I put it in words

I think there's a thread titled "Selecting appropriate caliber handgun" that covers the field on what to carry in bear country.

Hammer wrote:Nizina...your neighbors have some serious bad luck.

I guess I don't see the down side of folks who actually believe they can fight a bear with a shovel giving it a try...preferably before successfully breeding.

Well, they are both Cub pilots...