Many Successful Defenses Against Bear Attacks are Recorded as Harvested During Legal Hunting

AmmoLand ^ | June 2, 2023 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Many successful defenses against attacks by bears on people are not recorded/reported as attacks because the bear is killed and reported as a legal hunting harvest. People who want to minimize the danger of bear attacks point out few people are killed by bears. Very few people are killed by bears because people are more effective killers than bears if people are allowed to keep and carry weapons. People have a natural affinity to keep and carry arms. The renowned bear researcher, Stephen Herrero, speculated as to why so few people are killed by black bears. Herrero, as reported in the adn.com, May 11, 2011:

“Given the strength and opportunistic predation by black bears one can ask why bears do not prey on people more often,” they wrote. “Part of the answer may be that bears that try to or do prey on people are usually killed and removed from a population’s gene pool, decreasing the frequency of any genes the individual might have had that could contribute to predatory attacks on people.”

When aggressive bears approach people who are hunting, they are often killed by the person who is hunting. This has been documented in a number of cases. For example, Kim Woodman was forced to kill a grizzly bear with his 10mm Glock in 2016. It was recorded as a defense of life and property in Alaska. While I interviewed him, Kim recounted having to kill a grizzly who was stalking him in 1992.  He had a bear permit, but he wanted to get a moose for meat before he went bear hunting.  The bear made the choice for him.  He was stalking a moose when it happened.  From Kim:

[marktwain]

One of the main reasons so few people are killed by bears is people are very good at killing things which threaten and attack them.

[riverrunner]

Armed humans are the most effective predator out there.

Other wise we would not need all the laws protecting the other ones.

[absalom01]

“Woodman was forced to kill a grizzly bear with his 10mm Glock”

That is quite the testament to the terminal performance of Col. Cooper’s 10mm Auto Cartridge design. Grizzlies tend to be very hard to kill.

We can also assume that Mr. Woodman did his part as well, and remained calm while paying close attention to shot placement.

[FreedomPoster]

I recently did an Alaska ATV day tour. The confirmation email said the trip included things like water, trail mix snack, and *bear repellent.*

I told my wife I was uninterested in bear repellent that wasn’t a firearm in a caliber beginning with a 4.

Morning of, we’re the first to arrive, and me and my son walk up to the guide who is prepping the ATVs. He turns around and has a big stainless .44 magnum revolver with a set of reloads in a chest rig.

APPROVED!

[MtnClimber]

I wonder what bullets he was using in the 10mm. When I lived in Colorado my house was in the mountains NW of Golden and right next to the Roosevelt National Forest. I usually had one or more black bear encounters every year of the 22 years I lived there. I spent much time outside cutting and splitting firewood during the summer. I looked for several years trying to find an acceptable bear defense gun for doing outside work where almost all of my neighbors were liberals who had moved out of Boulder and external carry of my 44 mag would be a problem. I finally settled on a Kahr MK40 stainless 40 cal that was small enough to fit in my front pocket in a pocket holster. For ammo I used Double Tap 200gr Wide Flat-Nose Hard Cast lead bullets that tested at 1000 fps in my barrel length. Recoil was not intolerable and the bullets should have had plenty of penetration and bone busting capability. I am pretty sure that same bullet was available in 10mm loadings and would make a great bear defense load. At the time this bullet may have been available in .357 mag, but 40 cal was the smallest caliber for semi auto and why I picked it. The Glock 29 10mm would not fit in my pocket.

Today the Underwood Defender solid copper bullet would be my choice and are available in 9mm which would give more rounds in a pocket carry size.

[marktwain]

The ammunition that he was using was the HPR 10mm 180 grain JHP ammunition made in Payson, Arizona.

[MtnClimber]

Interesting. A JHP is not what I would pick for a bear defense round in a handgun, but it looks like it got the job done.

[Bonemaker]

“..and external carry of my 44 mag would be a problem..”

It would be neighbors problem..not mine!😎

[Big Red Badger]

Picked up some “ Barnes .357 180 gr.
Original FN” for my 4” Ruger GP 100.
Is this sufficient for my Backwoods hikes
in Arizona bear country???
.
My Patron Saint is Bella Twin and I’ve got my eye on some Buffalo Bore hard cast but
I want to be sure I’m prepared .
.
Payson is also an option ...
Thanks

[MtnClimber]

It would be neighbors problem..not mine!😎

If you lived in the jurisdiction of Jefferson County, CO you would not say that. Soros has been funding DA races and, though they have not won that I know of, the DAs that have won are just as far left. You would get better treatment robbing a bank with a 44 mag than working in your yard with one. That is why I don't live there anymore, though I loved the mountains there.

[Bonemaker]

I thought CO is pretty much open carry?

[marktwain]

No grizzlies in Arizona, yet.

The .357 should be plenty for black bears at close range.

[Big Red Badger]

I’m good...

FOX Phoenix showed a Brown bear at the Safeway market here in Prescott Valley!!!
Passing through from Mingus Mtn. To the Bradshaws.
Just seen it...
Funny how things work.
.
Great story but bad shot on his Boot!

[riverrunner]

Looking at the picture it is a brownish phase colored black bear.

Not a BROWN bear.

[Big Red Badger]

Content of Their Character
Not color of the FUR!
.