Anti-gun spin: Study claims carrying a gun in bear country doesn’t make you any safer

Bluegrass Pundit ^ | Sunday, March 11, 2012 | Bluegrass Pundit

[flatfish]

I think the bears might tend to disagree...JMHO

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[Mariner]

If you are going to shoot a brown bear, you better damn well be sure you are using serious lead, velocity and CONTROL. You still have to hit vitals to stop them...and they need time to bleed.

You have to kill the brain, either with a head shot or by bleeding them out and denying oxygen.

Same with humans.

There was an incident in Seattle 9 years ago. Two gang-bangers shooting at each other over the hood of a car. Each fired more than 10 shots. Each took AT LEAST 5 fatal wounds...and each emptied the clip.

Both died at the scene.

Now the FBI and many state agencies teach officers to shoot AT the hip or the head...drop 'em on the first shot and keep shooting to ensure they bleed out. Even someone shot through the heart can keep shooting for over 3 seconds.

[grey_whiskers]

Cheers!

[finnsheep]

The even more interesting thing is that to use pepper spray effectively on an attacking bear, the bear is supposed to be inhaling when you spray it. There are only a few seconds of spray in the canister. I’d much prefer something a bit more effective.

[susannah59]

I agree that the "study" seems designed to reach a pre-determined conclusion. Very poor "science."

I'd be embarrassed to be either the author of the "study" or the publisher.

[TsonicTsunami08]

This may be true if you have trouble acquiring the target.

[Boogieman]

Even if bear spray is 92% effective, like this guy claims, it still stands to reason that you should carry a gun for the 8% of the time that it is not effective. Otherwise, if the spray doesn’t work, you could be SOL.

[Boogieman]

You left out:

c. Eat the evidence!

[Boogieman]

“Get a good picture of this, they will kill you and eat you.”

Though, not necessarily in that order.

[ogen hal]

These same “scientists” probably spent the past few years “researching” global warming. Fools.

[Typelouder]

check out the photos of this bear from a similar thread the other day. (Post #50)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2856693/posts

[aMorePerfectUnion]

BYU????

Mormon scientist????

Ha! Good one!!!

[editor-surveyor]

Yea, and neither does walking on the sidewalk, instead of the middle of the street.
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[samtheman]

this study seems to have taken a predetermined conclusion and then interpreted the data in such a way as to support the conclusion

Holy Hide-The-Decline, Batman!

[jaydee770]

>>...claims carrying a gun in bear country does not make you safer...<<

Not sure about that study, but (to borrow a phrase), if a bear ever gets me, it will have to do so through a hail of bullets.

[CodeToad]

I live in bear country, even have them sleeping on my porch on once in a while. No way I would expect pepper spray to be effective on anything but a bear not intending me harm in the first place. A charging bear or a pissed off bear trying to get to my fresh baked apple pie in the window will need the force of a heavy firearm. I keep a 44 magnum for home and hiking defense.

[PapaBear3625]

or b: Get the hell out of there and say nothing to nobody.

Sounds like a good policy when having to draw on two-legged predators, when the outcome did not involve actual bodies on the ground for police to have to account for.

[Still Thinking]

You don’t need a 44 Mag or any of those large calibers. When I go to Grizzly country I take a 22 and a Liberal with me. If I encounter an angry Griz, I shoot the liberal in the knee cap with the 22 and run like hell.

I disagree -- a .44 should be just fine for knee-capping a liberal!

[roofgoat]

I’ve hiked in MT grizzly country. My question to those that support bear spray. Does wind stop while a bear charges?

My gun’s ammo, regardless of caliber, is not affected much by wind direction 30 yards and in.

[familyop]

Very dishonest. Very few people carry firearms that will put down a bear or develop the skills and anatomy study needed. I live in bear country. The old timers were right. For a revolver, it’s big bore, hardened, wide, flat-nosed, heavy lead traveling at near 1100 fps or faster. A Ruger Blackhawk with such a .45 Colt custom load described above (if you are an experienced and conscientious handloader) or something like this Buffalo Bore load.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=41
(only safe in Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, and certain other pre-2005 models only—read the info!)

The truth about ballistics and bear defense:

Shooting Holes in Wounding Theories:
The Mechanics of Terminal Ballistics
http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/wounding.html

(need at least a long, .60-inch hole through a central nervous system/major circulatory area—something capable of blowing all the way through such and animal)

And folks, don’t try to depend on pepper mace in the mountains. It will blow downwind fast. It’s windy up here much of the time. And don’t get that close to any bear.