Reg 3 & 5 - Do you carry bear protection? If so, what?

[whitespringer]

Let's carry this thread a little further with a discussion on shot placement on a charging bear... if you have the wits to even think about it.

[Wild one]

Let's carry this thread a little further with a discussion on shot placement on a charging bear... if you have the wits to even think about it.

Your target is center mass frontal shot on a charging bear. Get too fancy you are likely to miss. If you’re claiming self defence this is your option. Anything else you better be able to legally tag the bear or be saving someone from being mauled. A judge will not be your friend if it’s not a close range frontal shot

nothing wrong with shooting a gumpy black bear any way you want just be sure you have a tag and it’s in season so you don’t need to defend your actions

[moosinaround]

Most bears can cover the last 30 feet when charging you, in the blink of an eye. Measure this distance, and see what your reaction time is when a human charges you!! It's quick, very quick! A bear that decides to charge you, is going to kill you at ranges within 30'. That means, you better be ready to kill that bear in those final 30'!! A frontal shot is what you will likely get, but at this point you are just trying to hit it to kill it! The bear I killed years ago was at 25', and was in very thick brush, while doing silviculture surveys! 1 shot to the face, 3" OO buck shot! Killed him, which was a good thing, as the spent casing stuck in the chamber! I carry a marlin 444 with 265gr flat points, or a 7mm rem mag. I have a 12ga with OO and slugs in the tent or camper! Moosin

[Wild one]

Most bears can cover the last 30 feet when charging you, in the blink of an eye. Measure this distance, and see what your reaction time is when a human charges you!! It's quick, very quick! A bear that decides to charge you, is going to kill you at ranges within 30'. That means, you better be ready to kill that bear in those final 30'!! A frontal shot is what you will likely get, but at this point you are just trying to hit it to kill it! The bear I killed years ago was at 25', and was in very thick brush, while doing silviculture surveys! 1 shot to the face, 3" OO buck shot! Killed him, which was a good thing, as the spent casing stuck in the chamber! I carry a marlin 444 with 265gr flat points, or a 7mm rem mag. I have a 12ga with OO and slugs in the tent or camper! Moosin

I think most underestimate that a bear charge is really an adrenaline filled second that time and thinking about what you are going to do is not happen

Its truly an oh shit moment

[mpotzold]

Let's carry this thread a little further with a discussion on shot placement on a charging bear... if you have the wits to even think about it.

More on shot placement, plus

All 3 of Gary Shelton’s books should be read.

According to Gary
-Shoot the bear when it gets within 80 feet aiming dead centre on a straight frontal charge.
I would aim at the nose (eyes if using buckshot)





-Important to be proficient with the gun.

-A large calibre rifle or a 12 gauge using slugs can reduce the risk of injury or death to about nil. Don’t use buckshot since it may or may not work.(IMO –it will probably stop it if you have the nerve to wait till about 20 feet aiming in the nose/eyes area)

-if allowed a 44 mag handgun is minimum

-30-06+ for blacks & 338+ for grizz

-use a good quality rifle that doesn’t jam

Read “Bear Attacks The Deadly Truth”- the chapter “Without Warning”where 2 hunters, Bill & Shane were killed by a grizz during field dressing an elk. Apparently Bill’s push feed rifle got jammed after working the bolt 2x in a “life and death” situation.

Also there is a chapter “Death At Liard” that clearly shows bears predatory behaviour whether habituated or not. In this case it was a small black bear that attacked at least 4 people killing 2 before being dispatched with a tourist’s 30/30 preventing more deaths. It was not starving & started eating people while they were still alive.

Playing dead with a black bear is a no/no!

Using bear spray on the black bear would have been futile judging from the many failures.
Just recently a young woman was killed by a black bear in Alaska. The bear spray totally failed.

Black bears can quickly recover from being sprayed.
“I don’t know why,” said Stephen Herrero “but it showed up in the data.”

BLACK BEAR ATTACK Liard Hot Springs GUN SAVES THE DAY
Also see comment #8 by Lyn Hancock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02lSPlS5aSo

[moosinaround]

[Camp Cook]

In the grizzly pic above if your lucky you will have time for one shot.

Your aim point should be between the eyes and max 1" above - 2" below the eyes.

My defense firearms over the years were...

Started with an 18.5" barreled Rem 870 12 gauge loaded with slugs next was a shortened to 18.5" Lee Enfield in 303 British but stock cut to a pistol grip.

When I was working as a prospector I carried the following

Marlin 1895GS 45-70 18.5" barrel
LSI Puma M92 454 Casull 20" barrel
Rem 700 LSS in 375RUM shortened to 21" barrel

I don't go prospecting much anymore but after having had multiple bear encounters over the years I never head out into the bush without a firearm

I now on regular hikes pack super short 14" barreled T/C Contender carbines in 338JDJ #2 and 375JDJ.

338JDJ #2 180gr @ 2500fps



375 JDJ 225gr @ 2200fps

[Moose Guide]

Holy. Touchy subject I guess. Everything I've read suggests spray and a rifle are just as effective. Everybody needs to relax plenty of hikers every year use bear spray effectively. I take spray because it's lighter that is it.

How effective is a rifle or shotgun on your back when your sneaking through the bush with your bow in your hand?

With a bow in my left hand I can spin my 338 off my shoulder and fire it quicker than you can get that bear spray out!! Bear spray only works with the wind at your back, do you often hunt with the wind blowing your scent ahead of you? No bear will ever run through a solid, well placed gun shot, but many survivors have told about bears paying no notice to bear spray! I personally know of 5 Grizzly attacks, score-5 dead Grizzlies and 1 hunter bitten on the thigh! You go ahead and carry a can, I'll carry a 338 Win. Mag.

[IronNoggin]

[JAGRMEISTER]

I would carry lubricated TROJANS AS YOU DO NOT SOUND VERY CONFIDENT OR BUSH WISE!