Effective Against
WendigoFlare guns are a practical solution to the problem of delivering fire at range. For creatures whose sole weakness is fire — principally the wendigo — a flare gun offers a way to strike from a distance rather than engaging in close combat with something faster and stronger than any human.
Usage
A standard marine distress flare gun fires a burning phosphorus projectile that ignites on impact. Against a wendigo, a single well-placed flare shot can be sufficient — the creature's desiccated flesh catches fire readily. Dean Winchester used a flare gun to kill the wendigo in Season 1, and it has remained the weapon of choice for wendigo encounters.
Flare guns are limited to a single shot before reloading, have very limited range compared to firearms, and the projectile travels slowly enough that a fast-moving creature could potentially dodge it. They are a weapon of last resort and opportunity, not a reliable primary weapon.