Posted on 04/22/2022 5:35:33 AM PDT by marktwain
As I collected documented incidents of handguns fired in defense against bears, a pattern emerged. The recorded incidents of pistols being fired in defense against bears overwhelmingly occurred from 1960 onward.
I’ve found 125 documented cases where handguns have been fired in defense against bears, from 1890 to present. Two of the 125 cases were considered to be indeterminate as to success or failure. An additional 20 cases, where handguns were used with other lethal means, are considered combination defenses. They are not included in this analysis.
The total numbers include indeterminate cases, but not the combination cases. 95% of all the documented cases occurred from 1960 onward. 76% of all cases occurred from 2000 forward.
First, while pistols were used against bears prior to the development of the cartridge firing handgun, (about 1840 – 1870) much of the use was in hunting. There the handgun was used as an ancillary device to long guns.
Bears tended to be hunted hard on the outskirts of settled areas. They were considered pests. Bounties were offered for them. Bears had no legal protection. Bears, of necessity, became wary of humans, and seldom attacked humans other than when hunted and wounded.
Second, few records were written of handguns being used against bears during this period. Some hunts were recorded, as were a few incidents involving bears. Most involved long guns. What few records there were are difficult to find. Records became more common after 1960, and much easier to find after the Internet information explosion in the 1990’s.
Third, while human populations continued to increase, bear populations declined, then started to increase, with the greatest increase from about 1960 onward.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
So what does that tell us? Is it a point worth making?
A couple of reasons I’d imagine. First, there are a lot more bears because the greenies have successfully lobbied for more restrictions on hunting them, especially with grizzlies in the mountain west which are more aggressive than black bears. Second is there are more people in wilderness areas and more of them are carrying sidearms for self defense than they did in the past.
In addition, much better record keeping and access to records thought the Internet.
I guess it’s time to arm bears.
Bear Lives Matter.
The key word in the title is “documented.”
“76% of Documented Handgun Defenses Against Bears Happened Since 2000”
Isn’t that when the 50 cal pistols became popular?
If they started documenting them at the end of 1994 and the incidents happened at a uniform rate, then yes, 76% of documented cases will have occurred since 2000.
5 found 1960 to 1969.
5 found 1970 to 1979.
5 found 1980 to 1989.
8 found 1990 to 1999.
30 found 2000 to 2009.
55 found 2010 to 2019.
Don’t mess with Winnie the Pooh, he is straped.
They already have the 2nd Amendment...The right to arm bears shall not be infringed.
That rate comports to the increased use (and documentations) of the Internet and computers in general.
All exponential trends hit limits.
Easier access and greater use of better, more powerful weapons?
By “easier access” I mean lower pricing.
I expect that is part of it. Mostly:
Better reporting and access to information.
More bears and more humans.
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