Replies

Hmmm, he let the dogs go out and find a bear essentially hunting out of season.”that he wasn’t hunting”. Then ended up getting in a position where he had to shoot it.

It’s as normal as drinking water for a hunter to take his dogs out and let them get some practice in the off-season.

There are some states that allow you to train your dogs out of season...North Carolina is one...I don’t know about New mexico...

Working your dogs and getting them in shape is not going out hunting. The dogs hit on a scent trail in an unexpected location and did what they were trained to do. Carrying a firearm for emergency protection does not indicate that you are hunting either. Packing indicates he actually knew he had to provide for his own safety and security.

My primary bear protection gun is a tubular magazine 12 gage loaded with 10 375 GR slugs, if I don't have that slung across my back then it is a short barreled Winchester 94 stoked with corbon 45LC +P 225 Gr DPX ammo.

I have not hunted bear in decades but have killed two in the last twenty years because they were bothering my livestock or would not leave our home.

The last one I killed came into our home grounds and tore the door off of my garbage shed and refused to leave. Dead bear.

The one before that was during a family horse/mule packing camping trip in a large designated federal wilderness area. We were many miles from the trail head or vehicle access.

This one came to the edge of our camp, and decided to fight my big dogs. The dogs stood him up and I took him down. The bear died, my family, dogs, and livestock were a little worked up but safe.

We live out with the critters and most of the time there is zero threat to us or our domestic animals.

When a threat from a bear or cat comes up we survive and they do not. I've had more big cat problems than bear problems over the years.

No problem. I keep us safe and there are sudden and quick consequences when the big predators become a direct threat to us or our livestock. I'm at the top of the food chain/pecking order and fully intend to stay that way. These situations are rare but real and come with where we live and our lifestyle. This is not the city nor even the "rural" city people think about. This is an area that is far from any civilization that most of our state and country doesn't even know exists. Our home sits 50 miles from any medical provider and 85 miles from the nearest hospital. We are responsible for our own security from both two and four footed animals.

I agree. It would seem that a little bit is missing from the story. Glad he’s alive to tell it though.