An encounter with a wild bear can be terrifying for hikers or campers. If you plan on going to areas populated by bears, you should bring a bear repellent spray. You can purchase bear repellent sprays at any sporting goods store, but they can be expensive. Fortunately, you can make your own bear repellent using a few ingredients you can purchase at your local supermarket; the main ingredient is pepper. Homemade bear repellent spray offers a simple and affordable method of warding off bears during an encounter.
Items you will need
2 dozen large cayenne peppers
Knife
Mortar and pestle
Saucepan
2 cups clean water
Mesh strainer
Plastic gloves
Spray bottle or water gun
Slice two dozen large cayenne or habanero peppers into small pieces, discarding the stems. Grind them using a mortar and pestle.
Transfer the ground peppers into a saucepan. Pour in two cups of clean water and boil for 20 minutes.
Pour the pepper solution through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or container. Wearing plastic gloves, squeeze out any excess pepper solution with your hands.
Transfer the pepper solution into a spray bottle with a jet setting or a water gun. These types of spray containers will shoot out the solution several feet or more, keeping you a safe distance from the bear.