Wind River Peak from Wikipedia, Chiffre01, 1 August 2010 CC BY-SA 4.0, Cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten Posted on 05/26/2021 5:24:50 AM PDT by marktwain
On the East Fork of the Wind River, near Lander, Wyoming, three bow hunters were walking to their hunting grounds, bows in hand. An old boar grizzly suddenly charged them from a few yards left of their approach.
The bow hunters had set up base camp the day before at the East Fork trailhead. The next morning, they rode horses six miles up the trail, turned west, and rode uphill until the terrain was too steep for the horses. At about 7:30, they dismounted and continued up the steep slope of the trail on foot, in line.
Wind River Peak from Wikipedia, Chiffre01, 1 August 2010 CC BY-SA 4.0, Cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten
The three men had covered about 500 yards from the horses when it happened. They heard loud crashing noises above them to their front left. The lead hunter started to reach for an arrow, thinking it might be an elk. He saw the grizzly coming at them. He dropped the arrow and bow and drew his Taurus .45 1911 semi-auto. He yelled at the bear and started backing away. As the bear saw the two other hunters behind the lead, it momentarily paused, giving him time to rack the slide and chamber a round. The Taurus had eight rounds in its magazine.
The pause was momentary; not a full stop of the charge. The lead hunter was able to start shooting from a range of six feet. The grizzly grabbed the lead hunter by the left thigh and the hunter went down with the bear on top of him.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Doesn’t it make you wonder how trappers of centuries past were able too survive and cover such great distances, often by themselves, in such wild territories. They must have been some very wiley, rugged, and savvy human beings.
Most traveled in groups.
Many did not make it.
How mamy just disappeared never to be heard from again.
How does a grizzly use a pistol? I guess the trigger guard was removed.
Why did it take a FOIA request to uncover a report on a simple bear attack? For what reasons is this incident kept under wraps?
Beau is an avid black bear hunter. He uses what I call his, ‘Hand Cannon.’ Not sure what it is, but it is a revolver, has an extra long barrel, holds 6 bullets and I can hardly LIFT the thing, let alone aim and fire it properly.
He’s had some close calls in the nearly 40 years he’s hunted bear, but that gun has saved himself, dogs and others.
Successful defensive firearm uses are not tales the Deep State wants widely publicized, for obvious reasons.
Most successful defense against bear attacks are not published in the media.
It is not considered news.
Law enforcement agencies do not release details of investigations when no one is charged, without a request to do so.
This incident took place in September, 2014.
Last time I was in MT backcountry, it was a .357 Python with Buffalo Bore.
I figured if I didn’t win within 6 shots it was over with anyways....
I read years ago that bowman Fred Bear always carried a .44 mag under his jacket when hunting record animals.
One bowman, it may have been Fred, while hunting record size animals in Africa actually had a rifleman standing ready, off camera “just in case.”
But I picked up a Ruger Redhawk 44 mag and just happened to have a box of magnum factory ammo. The recoil was so vicious that the gun almost recoiled out of my hand. (Smooth, small grips. Rounded frame.) I couldn't help but laugh.
But, heavy recoiling hand guns and fast reacquisition of the sight picture is always an issue. If the Kodiak is running toward you, I doubt you'll get a chance to shoot all six bullets anyway.
If I ever go into Kodiak country, I'd carry a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70. Solid points of course.
Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me to be on or off . And ping me is you see articles of interest.
There have been a few cases where people have reloaded.
Bears have been known to attack, leave, attack again...
Why didn’t he have a round already in the chamber?
It can work with training and practice.
It worked in this case.
It is a choice.
I don’t think these three were nimrods, the Bible says Nimrod was the great grandson of Noah and “a mighty Hunter before the Lord”, 😉.
“the middle and last hunters had seen the bear, dropped their bows, and drew their pistols, a .44 magnum and a 9mm.”
The guy with the 44 mag better hurry!
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