Montana Outdoors: Hunters dealing with bolder bears

The Billings Gazette ^ | November 08, 2007 | MARK HENCKEL

[george76]

Advice from FWP not always applicable.

If you're on a sight-seeing trip through the mountains while carrying your hunting rifle, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' advice regarding grizzly bears is great. But if you ever hope to actually fill a tag with an elk or deer, the advice has some problems.

Making noise

For example, one piece of advice to avoid bears is to make plenty of noise as you hike through bear country. Another is to hunt in pairs or groups. Yet another is to avoid cover that might hide a bear.

Unfortunately, most hunters would agree that the best way to spot an elk or deer before it spots you and runs off is to move quietly, hunt alone and, after opening day, to search through security cover where the animals are most likely to be hiding.

Grizzly bear numbers are on the rise and their range is spreading ...

Don Laubach... has hunted grizzly ...for the past 40 years. He has run into countless grizzly and black bears in all seasons during that time. But, he said, times have changed and so have the grizzlies.

"There weren't really that many back when I began hunting here," ... "Back when grizzlies were hunted, when you went into the backcountry, if you did see them and they saw you, they took off. They don't do that anymore. They weren't bold like they are now. I think it's from not hunting them."

Boldness among the bears...along with more bears in more places...

"I've always been alert to things going on around me, but I think you have to be more alert when you're traveling around the mountains now," ... "Most guys aren't thinking there's a possibility they'd jump a grizzly bear or a wolf.

I'm always on the lookout.

[george76]

Do Not forget the little brass bells...

/s

.

[Bear_Slayer]

THe heat and smoke brought many bears out of the woods. We seen numerous articles in the paper about some hit bears hit by cars, some bears attacking hunters.

There is talk that they might delist GRizzlies and open them up to a (hunt) drawing.

[Copernicus]

It seems like I have seen at least one hunting show in memoriam to a hunter who was killed by a grizzly while field dressing an elk.

In my neck of the woods you stay on the watch for coyotes when in the field with a fresh kill.

Best regards,

[wastedyears]

Should they use .50 cal now?

[george76]

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ hunting advice ...

[Stoat]

In response to concerns about bears, Smith and Wesson has been marketing a survival kit for the past couple of years which includes their model 500ES hand cannon, a book on bear attacks and other items all packed in a stylish and watertight case

Product Model 500ES - Emergency Survival Kit

[maine-iac7]

Do Not forget the little brass bells...

snicker - love that little 'caution' story

[Stonewall Jackson]

I couple of weeks ago, I had to help my brother-in-law carry a buck he’d gotten during bow season out of the woods. Before I headed out the door, I grabbed my 1911A1 and had it holstered on my hip the whole two mile trip down that muddy road. There are enough coyotes, wild dogs, and black bears in that neck of the woods that I didn’t mind that extra weight one bit.

[doc1019]

Yep, bolder bears call for bolder guns. LOL!

[Copernicus]

When I am out on the farm I always carry a pistol. Even when working on the tractor.

Too many possible surprises.

Best regards,

[Myrddin]

That's the CCW model with the short barrel. My version has the 10 1/2 inch barrel with the Picatinny rail on top. The bear isn't going to wait for you to open the pretty orange case. Get some good leather and practice shooting some of the 440 gr stuff. It's going to smack your hand pretty hard in that lightweight configuration. You don't want a bear encounter to be the first time you have that experience.

My plinking rounds for the 500 S&W are either 275 gr Barnes XTP (factory) or 325 gr Speer GoldDot (hand loads). Both are accurate and pleasant to shoot. There is a 500SPL lightweight "special" load for the recoil averse. It's makes for a more tolerable experience with the shorter barrel (lighter weight) versions of the 500 S&W revolvers.

[Myrddin]

If I was headed out to bear country for the purpose of hunting them, I would prefer to have a 450 Marlin lever action rifle with 405 gr or better ammo on hand. The S&W 500ES would be carried as a "backup". I have a T/C Encore with the 500 S&W barrel. I'm pretty confident that it would have sufficient knock down capacity, but the prospect of having to reload a single shot rifle with a wounded bear headed your direction isn't particularly pleasant.

[Stoat]

The bear isn't going to wait for you to open the pretty orange case

Agreed...I wouldn't buy that survival kit, I just posted it so that people could see that gun manufacturers are taking the bear threat seriously.  I suppose it would be good for pilots or to keep in your car trunk or under the seat as a secondary weapon in case you have an accident or a breakdown in bear country.  I suppose in such a circumstance you could remove your carry weapon and take the .500 along instead.

I regret that I haven't yet taken the plunge for a .500 myself....my biggest is merely a tiny, little S&W 629 .44 mag with the 8 3/8 barrel and an optical sight which is FUN to go plinking with...I live in the city and don't get out to bear country nearly as often as I would like.

[Myrddin]

I carry a 629 with 4" barrel in a Kramer holster when I'm hiking locally. PMC 240 gr JHP is my preferred ammo in that instance. We have black bears and mountain lions wandering the hills south of Pocatello. That is a great hiking area and firearms are permitted as it is national forest.

I would like a 500 with a 5 inch barrel. My 10.5 inch version was purchased with the intent of doing some silhouette competition at the local range. A 5" barrel has enough sight radius to use at a long distance, enough extra mass to cushion the recoil and is just small enough to find good leather to carry it in the field.

[Bear_Slayer]

I'm thinking Rem 870 with staggered loads, ie 00 buck, slug, 00 buck, &etc.

In my thigh holster would be the Ruger Alaskan in .44 mag loaded with 300 gr JHP.

Lastly, a single shot .357 to put me out of my misery if the above two did not work.

[Hydroshock]

Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 govt.

[Daffynition]

Thanks for this story from Montana's "Information Superhighway."

[Travis McGee]

Note: This photo was not taken in Florida.

[Gilbo_3]

that was one big damn bear, the pucker factor of suddenly coming face to face would be unreal...

[P8riot]

My .475 Linebaugh is enough for all but the biggest bears. I’ve taken a 900 pound Alaskan Brown with it.