Are Extreme Speed and Accuracy Necessary to Defend Against Bears?

AmmoLand ^ | January 4, 2024 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

In the debate about effective defense methods against aggressive bears, some people claim extreme speed and accuracy are essential to stopping a bear attack with firearms. Here are some quotes.

From Efficacy of Firearms for Bear Deterrence in Alaska:

The need for split-second deployment and deadly accuracy make using firearms difficult, even for experts.

From cowboystatedaily.com:

 Many experts seem to favor bear spray. One drawback of firearms they cite is the inability of many shooters to make accurate, quick-kill shots under the extreme stress of a bear attack.

From backcountrychronicles.com:

If you shoot something as big as a grizzly bear and are not lucky enough to penetrate their skull or clip the spinal chord on the 1st shot, it might just piss them off. The average elk can run 100 yards after a double lung shot, so how long do you think grizz can continue to whip your ass before it dies? The bear will eventually die, but you will still die first.

This argument appears to be based on conjecture and myth, with very little data.  Most readers have access, over the Internet, to the same data as this correspondent. All cases where a handgun was fired in defense against a bear, which could be documented, are included. This was done to prevent selection bias. There are 174 cases which have been published so far. They are all available on AmmoLand, most with links to original sources.

To test the theory of the necessity of a central nervous system hit, delivered very fast (roughly less than three seconds) the incidents were evaluated to determine if both a central nervous system hit was required and the hit had to be delivered very rapidly.

[old curmudgeon]

You do not want expansion in ant-bear ammo.

You want penetration. Hollow points will expand before they reach vital organs.

[Hot Tabasco]

Are Extreme Speed

Absolutely if you intend to outrun the bear.......

[old curmudgeon]

I have never read any article you wrote that I did not like.

I hope to read many more.

This area, Piedmont NC and VA, is rapidly becoming bear country. The black bears in this area are as a rule not vicious, but as always there are exceptions.

I am too told to run or climb trees, so in the woods I carry either a Blackhawk .45 colt loaded with bear ammo or a Blackhawk .3357 loaded with hard cast.

I know the Blackhawks are slower for the second shot, but I have never had either one fail to fire.

The 9mm is for the street punks in town.

[Uncle Miltie]

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The only failure where a person was killed was the .22 pistol against a polar bear”

My favorite part.

[Uncle Miltie]

Somebody has to.

As a guy who is regularly in bear country, I appreciate the focus.

[jmacusa]

We have black bears in northern NJ. My brother lives in Sparta which is in Warren County.

He keeps his garage door closed at all times, his garbage cans are locked up tight.

He keeps his built in pool covered when not in use and since he has a fairly large piece of property and is a former Marine Lt. He never goes out walking his dog or around his property without his ,45.

So far as yet he’s never had to use it.

Only once he said he had to draw on a bear who he surprised.

For what ever reason , by the grace of God the bear ran off.

I don’t care what the movies show you folks who know this animal know bears can move with incredible bursts of speed and fully pumped up I’d dare say unless you’re behind an M2 “Ma Deuce a charging bear will be up on you in seconds.

[threefinger]

I wonder if AmmoLand has a full-time click-bait staff?