Posted on 10/26/2025 6:24:28 AM PDT by marktwain
“The use of handguns to defend against bear attacks has been shown to be effective 98% of the time. “
Knowing my luck, I’d be in the 2%................š«
“The use of handguns to defend against bear attacks has been shown to be effective 98% of the time. “
Knowing my luck, I’d be in the 2%................š«

Grizzly bear shot in self defense at 10 feet by Jimmy Cox with a 10mm, Sept. 18, 2018, AK
Here are three of the four failures. It is not hard to understand why they were failures.
https://www.ammoland.com/2022/04/lessons-from-handgun-defense-failures-against-bears/
The fourth failure was a failure of warning shots to drive off polar bears. No one was injured.
I’d be interested about their effectiveness against wolf pack attacks.
I’d bet it isn’t so good. Gonna happen.
Always take a slow person with you in bear country.............
Thanks for posting these. Got tired of hearing “never shoot a bear with _______, you’ll only piss it off.”
Even a .22 will work if used right, and just about anything is better than bear spray.
Attacks by wolf packs are far less common than bear attacks.
What I am seeing is when one wolf is shot, the pack stops attacking. Not what Valerius Geist expected, but it is what I see. I recall four cases, two in Wisconsin, and one in Washington State, one in Oregon. In all four, wolves were acting very aggressively. Then one wolf was shot, and the rest backed off.
Even with the Russian wolf attacks, the wolves seem careful in their choice of victims. Most of the victims of wolf attacks are children and women.
It is far more common for bears to run off when shot, than to continue attacking.
The most persistent cases seem to be when the bear is defending a food source, such as a moose carcass.
On the other hand, “center of mass” (since there’s so much of it) might provide some wiggle room . . . .
The only good bear is a dead bear. Kinda like a commie.
Very good article. Lots of valuable info and answers many questions.
Obviously. I was speaking of the past as indication of the future. As wolves become more numerous, depletion of prey and habituation to people will cause them to become more brazen. The best records of wolf attacks on people are in Will Graves' "Wolves in Russia."
Still 49 times better odds than bare (no pun intended) hands.
As Americans, I understand that we are supposed to believe that there isn't a problem a gun can't solve, but do you know this to be factually true (supported by evidence)?
I'm asking a serious question, because I am hearing two equally compelling arguments.
Yes, wolves are social, they’ll pause to take a vote and if there’s a dead voter, that’s usually decisive.
Would a .357 Magnum be enough? Against a Grizz?
I like those odds.
A friend who hunts Elk in Idaho also carries a 10mm Glock in case of grizzly. He’s never had to use it.
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