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Posted on 06/07/2025 6:37:17 AM PDT by marktwain
Few studies have examined the effectiveness of firearms in defense against bears. This may be because early experience with modern firearms against bears showed them to be incredibly effective compared to muzzleloading firearms, which were far superior to bows and spears.
Before Christopher Columbus pioneered a regular and profitable way to travel to the Caribbean and the New World, Amerindians had difficulty defending themselves and their food against grizzly bears.
Grizzly bears migrated into the area occupied by the 48 contiguous states a bit after humans, about 12,000 to 16,000 years ago. The bears originated in Europe and Asia, and had colonized what is now Alaska and some of far northern Canada. Glaciers prevented them from migrating further south. They had co-developed with men in Europe and Asia, and had evolved strategies to deal with humans. In the Americas, Amerindians did not have firearms or horses. They had a difficult time dealing with grizzly bears. Grizzly bears are much more aggressive than black bears and tend to be larger. A closely coordinated group of men could kill a grizzly with bows and spears, but they were likely to suffer casualties.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
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I have heard that Mt. Diablo got its name from being thick with Grizzlies, back in the day.
Every Mountain Man wanted a Hawkins rifle because it could take down a Grizzly.
A human armed with a modern fire is the top predator.
Other wise we would not need all the laws protecting animals.
When Gunpowder speaks, the beasts listen.
Great painting. Can you provide a link?
Never mind! Sorry
Amerinds took out the mastodon, giant cave bears, huge cats, dire wolves, 4 ton sloths, but were stymied by a cuddly bear.
It’s at the Denver Art Museum. It’s on my list.
Poor ol’ Mister Grizzly bear...
His time is nigh...
Early Spanish explorers used an Escopeta musket, firing a .58 caliber ball. It took 8-10 shots from close range fired from mules. The local Indians celebrated.
The relationship between bears and Indian tribes in California has been seriously misunderstood for various reasons. I have an account as to why here.
Only in California. The reason is that grizzlies didn't hibernate here. Makes them harder to kill.
BTW, killing a mastadon is easy. One gut shot, follow it for three days, and it dies of peritonitis.
Amerinds took out the mastodon, giant cave bears, huge cats, dire wolves, 4 ton sloths, but were stymied by a cuddly bear.
I suspect the reason for this is men and grizzly bears developed together in Europe and Asia. My suspicion is grizzly bears have encoded in their DNA behaviors which are protective against humans. While not certain, and not all the time, grizzly bears are far more aggressive against humans than are most other bears. The other bears which come close are the sloth bear in India and the Asian black bear.
You notice, both those other bears developed with humans.
The megafauna in the Americas did not develop with humans, and did not develop defenses against them. Grizzly bears probably aided in the demise of short faced bears and others in the Americas, by providing direct competition to them.
Grizzly bears did not appear south of Canada until about 12-16 thousand years ago. Humans had already been here for thousands of years.
I’ve got the accounts from Juan Crespi’s diary of the Portola Expedition. So if you want quotes...
There is a quote in the article from Crespi’s diary. I purchased a copy because of your information.
The Amerindians the Lewis and Clark expedition encountered on their way to the Pacific all feared the grizzly bear, and had great difficult in killing them, except if they caught them on the plains. Then they could use horses and bows to kill the bears.
Sighting down the barrel of a rifle to hit an 8 foot rattle snake does not work the best. You need a pistol with snake shot.
All depends of ones skill level.
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