Posted on 11/26/2022 4:31:43 AM PST by marktwain
On October, 21, 2022, Wyoming dentist, Dr. Lee Francis, 65 years old, was hunting elk with his 40-year-old son, in the area near Rock Creek, in the Sawtooth Mountains, east of Bondurant, Wyoming.
In this video from KSAL-TV, he gives an interview and explains what happened.
Dr. Francis is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He successfully collected a large grizzly bear with bow and arrow in 2013, during a hunt, perhaps in Alaska or Canada.
Image of archery bear from facebook.
Several attempts to contact Dr. Francis have been unsuccessful.
Dr. Francis had separated from his son when he unintentionally stepped in front of the entrance to a bear den. He saw the fresh dirt, had drawn his Glock 10mm, chambered a round, and was backing away when the bear charged at him out of the den from 10 feet away.
The best interview about the encounter appears to have been in an article at cowboystatedaily.com. The article says Dr. Francis used 130 grain hardcast bullets in his 10mm Glock.
“He came right at me, and he came on full blast,” the elder Francis said.
Counting the cartridge already in the chamber, he had 14 rounds loaded with 130 grain hard cast bullets in his Glock.
“I just remember shooting three or for times, right before he hit me,” he said. “Then I went down on my back.”
(snip)
Hard cast bullets will punch through a bruin’s body, instead of
rapidly expanding and expending their energy in massive, shallow wounds
the way that hollow point bullets do, he said.“Hollow points are meant for stopping people, not bears,” he said,
adding that it was also fortunate for him that his weapon was loaded
with hard cast bullets.“A hit from a hollow point would have probably just exploded my whole foot,” he said.
He also said he favors the high-capacity, semi-automatic Glock over magnum revolvers.
130 grain hardcast bullets for a 10mm would be unusual. Perhaps it is a typo or misreading of notes, where another weight of bullet was intended. Buffalo Bore has a 220 grain hardcast bullets loaded for bear in the 10mm.
Dr. Francis was attempting to fend of the bear with his feet when he accidentally wounded himself.
In the over 123 documented cases where pistols were fired in defense against bears, this correspondent recalls only two where the person firing the pistol wounded themselves.
Coincidentally, both were with 10mm pistols. Both happened as the defender fell on their back and attempted to fend off the bear with their feet.
The first case was with Kim Woodman who had to shoot a grizzly sow at bad breath distance in 2016. Kim was backing away from the bear when he tripped and went over backwards. He continued to fire, and shot the tip off of the middle toe of his left foot as he shot the bear and attempted to block it with his foot at the same time.
Peace officers train to be able to back up without falling, and failing that, to avoid shooting their legs or feet if they fall backward.
Those techniques can be handy for people who carry pistols as a potential defense against bears. Here is one video on shooting while moving. Here is one for shooting from your back. The important thing to practice is not to point the muzzle at your own body, obviously a more difficult task in the middle of a fight for your life.
He says the bullet wound was preferable to being mauled.
He survived, he recovered, betting he learned valuable lessons - this is a win.
Guy sounds pretty experienced an well prepared. But yeah, the Buffalo Bore 220 would have been my choice, but perhaps recoil was a factor for him. He’s lucky to be alive.
“Bad breath distance” — LOL. I get the picture real clearly.
There are no common 130 grain lead bullets for the 10mm.
Outside typical personal defense ranges (10 feet) as established by the USMC, 10mm out performs the .45 acp, and the nugget of wisdom pertaining to hollow points is worth noting. I carried a .357 in Alaska opting for a better 2nd shot. The only 44 mag available was a single action. The ergonomics of a “cowboy” style frame is unsuitable for my hand.
Good shooting doc, wishing you a speedy recovery and a successful physical therapy experience.
The 10mm happens to be my favorite cartridge. The .40 S&W (Short and Weak) had to be developed because the FBI agent chicks could not handle the 10mm.
Huh? I just love the evolution and abuse of the American language. /s
I thought I was still resisting the term ‘harvest’ when referring to hunting. Animals are not crops. Animals are not coins. There’s nothing wrong with the good old fashioned term ‘kill’. Kill is a fine word. It’s simple to spell and say. It’s direct and to the point. It means exactly what it means. There is no ambiguity.
When the company of ladies, we simply should not discuss such things if their feminine sensitivities would be bruised. However, I am partly a modern man, I have no problem with women hunting. Just don’t expect me to field dress their successfully collected harvest. You can call me a feminist if you like. 😂
It’s pretty hard to fault someone out in the wilderness for tripping when backing up while being occupied with trying to save his life by shooting at a bear.
Granted, LE are trained to shoot and back up, but I’ll bet it doesn’t include this kind of scenario in the out of doors with uneven terrain and rocks and sticks to trip over.
Ouch !!!
That would make sense.
If deer exist on Your property. Then You have the right to Harvest them. On state or federal land you kill them.
I wouldn’t enter bear country without my Karelian Bear Dog and being armed.
I used to own a 10mm, a Springfield Armory Omega.
I sold it because, at the time, ammo was expensive for it and hard to find.
It handled great, wish I still had it.
“Dr. Francis was attempting to fend of the bear with his feet when he accidentally wounded himself.”
Uhh, don’t use him as a dentist!
“If deer exist on Your property. Then You have the right to Harvest them. ...”
I can’t do this on my property in Montana without a permit.
They also tried the G32 Glock .357SIG, and couldn’t handle that one either. I had one many years ago, didn’t like it and sold it.
He looks very distinguished walking with a cane, now.
I don’t think bears have a lot of empathy for people who shoot themselves...... but it’s one way of dealing with a bear attack.....
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