Posted on 11/14/2017 7:11:39 AM PST by marktwain
11 year old Elliot Clark killed this charging grizzly with a shotgun in Alaska in July of 2017. He used a 12 gauge shotgun.
The first shot was ineffective, with bird shot. The second shot was a perfectly placed slug in middle of the nose. The third shot was to the shoulder. It is likely both would have been fatal. There were powder burns on the bears mouth from the third shot. The fourth shot was an insurance shot after the bear was down.
PENDROY – A bird hunter shot and killed a grizzly bear five miles east of Pendroy Saturday. Pendroy is about 80 miles northwest of Great Falls.
According to Mike Madel of Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, the hunter shot the adult female grizzly in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun.
The bear ran off. Then next day, the bear was found, dead.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Pump action shotgun, four reloads is possible. But if the first were birdshot, did he load the second, third and fourth are slugs specifically because of the bear threat?
If so, good thinking. But would not the second be bird shot?
Kid at 11 is more man than most men today.
I’ve told folks for years to leave the spray at home and pack a 12 gauge for bear defense. Stories like this reaffirm my advice and choices.
Wow. I would have bet money that bird shot in the face would do squat to a charging grizzly bear.
Not sure I understand this. Photo kind of looks like a pump I used to have before stupidly taking up boating, which would seem to be needed for a charging bear. Does one regularly load shells of increasing strength just in case the 2nd and 3rd shots are for bear?
Being at extremely close range (less than 5 yards) to big game can be deadly.
:)
http://www.wideopenspaces.com/10-best-bear-defense-guns-pics/
A lot of us, myself included will load a spread round first and then load slugs. The idea is when a bear or other animal is coming at you, you may only get off a quick snapshot. You’re more likely to score a hit with the spread, and stun or slow the animal down enough to get aimed slug shots off after.
Very good advice!
He should change his middle name to “Lucky”.
Pump action shotgun, four reloads is possible. But if the first were birdshot, did he load the second, third and fourth are slugs specifically because of the bear threat?
The bear knocked them aside as it charged him. Maybe because he was the smallest of the group?
Interesting, first I’d heard of this. Thanks.
WOW.
In Kansas we dont have the “grizzly bear” option with our pheasant hunts. That Kid’s gotta huntin story for life.
“I would have bet money that bird shot in the face would do squat to a charging grizzly bear.”
If at 10 feet+ it would probably put its eyes out. Closer, it might as well be a slug.
But, yeah, I’d prefer a slug.
They can hold 4 in the tube and 1 in the pipe. If he was experienced he may have always kept those in there. Some bird hunting only allows 2 or 3 shots available and the extra space taken by a spacer or slug.
He may have been using the big stuff as a spacer and keep it in reserve for the Griz.
With practice, you can hit very small targets, very fast with a pump shotgun.
With a bit of adrenaline, the shots sound like a slow machine gun, less than a quarter of a second between shots.
I’ll bet their underwear didn’t make it...
He may have already fired once at something else.
Given how quick they are, and how close they might be before you have a shot, I carry over/under 20 Gauge (two triggers == two shots instantly, plus if one is misfire you still have one) with steel slugs (not lead, steel) when in bear country.
this is the same reason many alternate shot/slug rounds for home defense purposes.
In heavy vegetation, given rapid charge from close in, you may well have only time for one shot.
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