Posted on 07/08/2016 8:33:02 AM PDT by w1n1
Many hunters have talked about what to carry for bear defense while out in the woods. Here are some conversations on 1911forum and Reddit.
BPHORSEGUY: There have been increasing small bear sightings in my and my dogs hiking area. I am considering carry a .45ACP instead of my 9mm and solids instead of HP.
magazineman: I'd guess .44 mag or better. + running shoes. But for your purposes I'd see what handgun bear hunters use. I'd be surprised if 9mm or .45 were on the menu for that job. Big revolvers are probably the preferred item.
AtheistInfantry: As a life long Alaskan that has seen these animals up close on numerous occasions I would rather have bear spray or a Mossberg 500 with Brenneke Black Magic Magnums. Unless you get lucky and make a CNS hit it's going to run off or eat you(or both) before it bleeds out. Oh, and there's a whole bunch of hide, muscle and fat between your bullet and the spine. Read the rest of conversation here, what are you all carrying for bear defense?
I’m calling the Humane Society on you right now!
Save the last round for yourself. I heard being eaten alive by a bear is no fun.
Seriously, I did see in a gun magazine several years ago where some gunsmith was converting M1 Garand rifles to shoot either 5 rounds of (I think I remember) .375 H&H, or 3 rounds of .458 Win Mag, specifically for Alaskan Bear Country. Always wished I could afford one of those. :-)
What kinda bear? Brown bears will laugh at your .45 and your 9. Even the .44 Mag is not a sure bet with a Grizzly.
/s
I believe a wrist band that says, “Don’t Eat Me” also works very well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M72_LAW
..........I spend weeks on the Yukon River each summer alone. In 2017, I will have traversed the river from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory to the Pacific which is some 1,700 river miles. I just got back this year. I’m about halfway after this year.
Each night I camp out by myself and of course bears are on my mind although not too much because at 68, after all day on the river, I’m more interested in food and rest. For defense when I’m asleep, I have non electric bear alarms (don’t trust them) and my hand is inches from a .500, S&W x 8 3/4 barrel 5 shot revolver. And, lol, generally speaking, I have one eye open most of the night.
Walking around the campsite I carry my Remington 870 5 shot pump loaded with the 3” Magnum Shell and Triple ought buck (my preferred weapon/ammo against bear attack) . I also carry around camp a large bear spray can and buy new ones each year.
I do not have in my mind to use the spray against a large, life threatening grizzly. I have used it once against a small, unaggressive brown bear. Against a grizzly, particularly a large one, I fear a mal-function on the can and I fear the wind blowing it in my face and immobilizing ME if I’m not careful. Ken Cates, a super experienced Alaska Bush man, found out that large bears are so fast decisions must be made in nano seconds. And, he paid with his life.
Thus, if a Grizzly is in my camp, and doesn’t back off, he will get the Magnum Triple ought greeting. If he is in my tent at night, I pray I can employ the S&W pistol quick enough. Finally, I would say that shooting a bear, grizzly or not, is something I hope I NEVER have to do. They are magnificent animals and we are in their home when we are IN THE BUSH.
Just for interested parties information, I would also like to say that just because a small to medium sized brown or black bear is in or near your camp it does not automatically mean you have to shoot him. Generally speaking, they are much more interested in food and not inclined to attack you. So, odds are good you will have time to think in this type situation. Grizzlies are a whole nuther matter. Fortunately, I have not had to deal with one of them.
When I go out into the deep woods, I usually carry a Stainless Steel Astra Terminator snub nosed 44 Rem Mag. or a Ruger Blackhawlk in 45 Long Colt with hand loads comparable to 44 Rem Mag.
ok I am not talking about polar bears. They are not usually found in woods. And Grizzly bears are not commonly found around human habitats. I am talking about the most common form of bears found near where humans live. Black bears. They visited my fathers farm in India occasionally. We were more afraid of cobra’s & vipers because you can’t see them from distance. They even came into our 6 bed room house because the doors were always kept open during day light hours to moderate the heat. The pump room in my parent’s house had black scorpions hiding under things. The bears? We could spot them a mile away and never heard of any unprovoked attacks by those bears, which are not huge in size.
You had a handgun in Canada? Fortunate.
In Alaska maybe, but against black bear in lower 48 more than adequate. .357 with right load works against black bear. I personally have carried .357 S&W model 28 with hot hunting loads for bear. Now I carry . Virginian Dragoon in .44mag.
In Alaska I agree, 45/70 guide gun or minimum .44mag. for sidearm.
Do you still have any Plott hounds?
...........good observation! No, that year I only took my shotgun for the approximately 500 miles I have gone downriver through Canada. Upon arriving in Canada, I handed them my PAL paperwork at the border and they non-chalantly and almost sleepily stamped it, asked for 25 bucks and let me go. Two minutes total.
My most recent reading of the Canada gun laws though informs me, I think, that handguns are possible to own in Canada if you want to jump through all the hoops. My gun is not on the prohibited list but I did not feel like the hassle. Fortunately no bears stuck their nose in my tent either.
Nope...I sold my last three about 1993....
U234 Space Modulator!
Bells and pepper spray — old joke.
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