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Should You Report a Grizzly Bear Self-Defense Shooting?
AmmoLand ^ | November 13, 2025 | Dean Weingarten

Posted on 11/17/2025 3:27:10 AM PST by marktwain

Decades ago, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established a regulatory requirement to report the taking of grizzly bears in self-defense in the lower 48 states.

From 50 C.F.R. 17.40(b)(1)(i)(B):

Grizzly bears may be taken in self-defense or in defense of others, but such taking shall be reported by the individual who has taken the bear or his designee within 5 days of occurrence… 

The penalties for failing to report to the authorities within 5 days are up to six months in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore Ammunition recently created a video about handguns for defense against wild animals. He has interesting experiences and views. At about 33:00 minutes, he puts forward his opinion about the requirement to report grizzly bear self-defense shootings. He talks about the Fifth Amendment. From the transcript:

“And another thing about these protected grizzlies, you know, if you shoot one in self-defense, okay, now you’ve got a certain number of I think it’s 2 days, 3 days to get somewhere to a fishing game department and and notify them.”

“Incriminate yourself.”

“Yeah. And that goes completely against the Fifth Amendment. There is no law that is legal that says you have to go self-incriminate. That’s what the Fifth Amendment is all about.” 

As Sundles mentions, reporting a self-defense shooting has risks. If the government decides to prosecute, it could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in defense costs and take up months or years of time. The risks have little to do with the penalties for not reporting. The risks are primarily from being charged with killing a grizzly without justification. The legal standard for justified shooting of a grizzly, even in the lower 48 states, is not high.

Sundles does not mention the risks of not reporting such incidents.

(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: banglist; bear; bearrepublic; bearsrepeating; fifth; report; righttoarmbears; thingsiworryabout; unbearable; wildlife
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To: marktwain
It's a grizzly!



Now, THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!
21 posted on 11/17/2025 5:10:02 AM PST by HombreSecreto (The life of a repo man is always intense)
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To: Omnivore-Dan
Then it seems to me that if it is so easy to beat the rap, the whole thing is pretty much moot.

Except fighting the charge in court is expensive. Lawyers cost hundreds of dollars per hour and for an adequate defense it could be hundreds of hours with depositions, appearances briefs etc. the government on the other hand have lawyers on payroll and a bottomless wallet that we all pay for.

When fighting a charge like this, the process is the punishment.

22 posted on 11/17/2025 5:22:13 AM PST by gunnut
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To: marktwain

The Wallen case seems fishy to me. A .22 long rifle round can kill a yearling bear especially a head shot through the ear. But it sounds like there were better ways to get rid of the bears. Bear spray, loud noises, shots in the ground near them, dogs, etc. But if they were seriously going to attack and a .22 is all you have, well too bad for the bears. A one year old grizzly weighs between 75 and 150 pounds big enough to do serious damage to a child but I don’t think young bears attack very often. Maybe the children were very young and the 3 bears very hungry. All I know is that if I lived in grizzly country, I’d have a couple large dogs, bear spray and a cannon.


23 posted on 11/17/2025 5:35:56 AM PST by Omnivore-Dan (have to )
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To: gunnut

I agree. Even if innocent it would be a royal pain. The law should be repealed.


24 posted on 11/17/2025 5:39:17 AM PST by Omnivore-Dan (have to )
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To: Chickensoup

Maine is absolutely horrible now- was fine back in the 70’s 80’s or so, but city fopk mov3d in and broguht their assinine godless nature worship with th3m.


25 posted on 11/17/2025 5:53:05 AM PST by Bob434 (Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana)
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To: marktwain

I was wonderi g about that. The person could say “th3 bear gave me the stink eye, and i knew i was in danger, prove he didnt”


26 posted on 11/17/2025 5:54:54 AM PST by Bob434 (Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana)
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To: marktwain

Should You Report a Grizzly Bear Self-Defense Shooting?

**********************

Well, yes! How else would the grizzly be arrested?


27 posted on 11/17/2025 6:01:48 AM PST by The_Media_never_lie (NO rooftop security at the Charlie Kirk assassination event? Did we learn nothing from Butler, PA?)
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To: Bob434

s0 w@tz wlth aii th3 w33rd sp3ii g?


28 posted on 11/17/2025 6:24:28 AM PST by JusPasenThru (Democrato delenda est.)
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To: Omnivore-Dan

The Wallen case seems fishy to me. A .22 long rifle round can kill a yearling bear especially a head shot through the ear. But it sounds like there were better ways to get rid of the bears. Bear spray, loud noises, shots in the ground near them, dogs, etc. But if they were seriously going to attack and a .22 is all you have, well too bad for the bears. A one year old grizzly weighs between 75 and 150 pounds big enough to do serious damage to a child but I don’t think young bears attack very often. Maybe the children were very young and the 3 bears very hungry. All I know is that if I lived in grizzly country, I’d have a couple large dogs, bear spray and a cannon.


I should have been more precise. I wrote “yearling”, but should have written “sub-adult”, generally a bear less than two years old. The bears seem to have been about 150 lbs or more.

Many large animals have been killed by .22 LR to body cavities. Shoot a bear in the thoracic or abdominal cavity with a .22 LR, and the bear will probably die within minutes to days.


29 posted on 11/17/2025 6:42:48 AM PST by marktwain
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To: Jonty30

They bring claws, we bring a gun.


30 posted on 11/17/2025 7:12:38 AM PST by sasquatch (Do NOT forget Ashli Babbit! c/o piytar)
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To: marktwain
Yeah, if I ever witness a Griz shooting a hunter in self defense, I'll definitely dial 911. I read about a dog who shot his master in the back.

Antifa. Deep state. messycan cartels. Now we gotta worry about animals getting guns?

It's a world gone mad!

31 posted on 11/17/2025 7:18:03 AM PST by LouAvul (The Old Testament is merely history. We only follow the New Testament, as well we must. )
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To: marktwain

Better to do what farmers in Central California do - shoot, shovel and shut up.


32 posted on 11/17/2025 7:38:27 AM PST by Bon of Babble (You Say You Want a Revolution?)
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To: marktwain

Yes, a .22 LR is more deadly than many people think. I have heard though, that it might not penetrate a full grown grizzly’s skull, so good to know a belly shot could do the trick, although I’d prefer a much larger bullet, like a 30-06 not that I’m going out bear hunting. I kind of like bears. Plenty of black bears here in NW Jersey, I’ve seen a couple around.


33 posted on 11/17/2025 7:38:53 AM PST by Omnivore-Dan (have to )
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To: Omnivore-Dan

Except if the bear is aggressive, you will probably die a lot sooner than the bear will after you shoot it in the belly.


34 posted on 11/17/2025 8:48:43 AM PST by EnderWiggin1970
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To: EnderWiggin1970

That’s why I’d prefer a 30.06.


35 posted on 11/17/2025 8:54:40 AM PST by Omnivore-Dan (have to )
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To: marktwain
The prosecutors *bear* the burden of proof

But the burden on them to charge you only involves your own admission, right?

36 posted on 11/17/2025 9:07:37 AM PST by fruser1
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To: marktwain

37 posted on 11/17/2025 9:09:37 AM PST by fruser1
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To: Jonty30
It might not be a bigfoot:


38 posted on 11/17/2025 9:16:36 AM PST by PLMerite ("They say that we were Cold Warriors. Yes, and a bloody good show, too. 😁 " - Robert Conquest )
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To: fruser1

The prosecutors *bear* the burden of proof

But the burden on them to charge you only involves your own admission, right?


If you confess to shooting a grizzly bear without being in fear for you or other peoples immediate safety, then you have confessed to a crime.

If you do not admit to a crime, and you say you were in fear of imminent death or severe body injury, you have not confessed to a crime.


39 posted on 11/17/2025 9:27:24 AM PST by marktwain
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To: marktwain

It has certainly gotten out of control. How long before we have to report “I killed a June Bug”?


40 posted on 11/17/2025 10:52:18 AM PST by Racketeer
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