Grizzly Bear Defense, Bryan Berg, 17 September, 2017, Bob Marshall Wilderness, MT

AmmoLand ^ | 15 March, 2020 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Image from Bryan Berg cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

In September of 2017, In the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, near Glacier National Park, Bryan Berg had to shoot a big boar grizzly. You may have seen the AP story where the federal investigators confirmed he shot the bear in self-defense.

Bryan got into trouble for not reporting the shooting, and for cutting off the bear claws as a memento. The plea bargain was under the Lacy Act, for transporting the bear claws across state lines.   From startribune.com:

Acting on a tip, authorities interviewed Berg in March 2018. He admitted he shot the bear in self-defense, handed over the claws and provided investigators with photos and videos of the scene, according to records.

“I was so (expletive) mad at it because he was going to eat me, I know he was,” Berg told investigators, according to the records. “So I basically said, ‘Hey, (expletive) you,' and I cut his claws off. I did. I wanted to keep them as a memento.”

Bryan's father and grandfather started him shooting as a young boy, about age six. He started hunting at a young age. His family has been hunting the Flathead river drainage in the Bob Marshall wilderness since 1940. He is an accomplished hunter, a competitive trap shooter, and an excellent long-range rifle shooter. He shoots several hundred rounds a week from a 9mm pistol. He does a lot of reloading to fuel his passion for shooting.

The Montana base camp Bryan and his family were hunting out of in 2017,

[marktwain]

A detailed account of the grizzly bear attack, and post shooting events.

[Pollster1]

There is a lesson there about shootings that might later be questioned: either (1) report events immediately and accurately, or (2) shoot, shovel, and shut up. Given how hard it is to go through something like a grizzly bear attack and not tell anyone, it’s probably best to deal with the investigation immediately.

[riverrunner]

There are several valuable lessons to be learn from this

[Ezekiel]

The plea bargain was under the Lacy Act, for transporting the bear claws across state lines.

There's a lesson here! Wipe the steering wheel of the evidence next time, okay?

[wny]

I suppose the “Grizzly Bear Free Zone” signs are not sufficient

[SaveFerris]

[ bear claws ]

Pair of bear claws please! /Newman

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/6fea7120-1125-4ee0-addf-8c89b4e2ab49

[SaveFerris]

Was this the guy who used the HiPower .45 or was that a different one?

[Alberta's Child]

[CommerceComet]

I learned that Bryan Berg has good sense about guns capable of dealing with a grizzly. A .338 Norma magnum is more than capable of stopping a grizzly instantly if the shooter does his job. The .44 magnum pistol with special bear loads is a fine choice for defense against a bear as is the .45-70 mentioned as a backup camp rifle. All three will get the job done but if I knew I would only get one shot, the Norma would be my choice of the three.

[LibWhacker]

Wow, hair-raising story.

I’m talking about his encounter with investigators, not his encounter with the bear.

LOL, just kidding.

Thanks for posting. It proves the importance of practice, practice, practice.

[Savage Beast]

"he was going to eat me"

In a sane world, that would be the end of it.

[SaveFerris]

Was this the guy who used the Hi-Point .45 or was that a different one?

Oops, LOL

There used to be a HiPower or HyPower chili and canned tamales. Of course, that could have taken down a bear, too.

[IncPen]

SSS ping

[Iscool]

These politicians are brilliant...It would never have occurred to me to make it illegal to transport a bear claw across State lines...

[Eagles6]

Reminds me of Bernie Goetz!

[marktwain]

Good historical reference.

But Goetz was treated far worse.

[Glad2bnuts]

Another case of over reach by the FedGov. America is really no different than Feudal England in the fictional days of Robin Hood. It is the Kings animals, the Kings land, and you must answer to the Kings Courts, of course paid by the Kings pilfered monies.

[IncPen]

Pay homage and justify the whims of Men with Badges.

The permit state is without bounds.

[Bringbackthedraft]

“he was going to eat me” ........................... No need to run, you can stop a bear with Human Feces, but you must get it on his nose. You might ask where would you find some at that moment, fear not, nature will provide. You will find enough immediately as soon as the grizzly runs towards you.

[Eagles6]

Yes, by far.