Grizzly encounters -

[glennw89]

A question I'm curious about - I haven't yet (as an Ontario resident) had a chance to hunt in B.C. or Alberta. I have spent a couple months (cumulative) in the backcountry mountaineering, hiking, kayaking, etc. over the past decade and have not seen a single grizzly. Granted, I (and my partners) made lots of noise (not hunting so were not concerned about spooking game) and we did carry bear spray - but no firearms as much of the travel was in national/provincial parks.

How frequently do hunters actually encounter grizzlies while hunting in bear territory? What percentage of hunters experience an aggressive bear? Do most of you carry firearms even while not hunting while in bear country?

There's lots of info out there about what is best for bear defence (bear spray vs firearm), etc - but very little about how many hunters actually encounter an aggressive grizzly. I'm curious to hear about actual experiences.

[hunterjeff719]

I am curious about this too actually since I am thinking of venturing into grizz territory while hunting next season.

[markomoose]

Hunted over 25 years now & never seen this fabled critter although i have seen samsquatch & santa claus?

[warnniklz]

Had a grizzly wander into camp and steal my buddy's goat last september. Didn't even know he was there... except for the missing goat. Even then we spent a half hour thinking in floated down a creek. Until we found scraps on the bank leading to the thick bushes.

Had a grizzly come around the corner and chased us off the river while fishing in bella coola. That happened about 12 years ago. He was young from what I remember(I was 14 at the time), but he wasn't agressive. I think more surprised that we were there.

Never really think about grizzlies too much. The thought is always in the back of my head, but I don't really worry about them too much... when there's something dead or smells dead (about day 4 on a trip), then I consider them a little more.

I'm never really worried about seeing a grizzly, just more worried about jumping them while they're eating/on a kill.

[BCBRAD]

You can bump into one near anywhere, I haven't for a long time. Lots carry bear spray as you can encounter a black bear frequently, I like the idea of carrying a fire arm with enough power to do the job.

[longstonec]

Never see hunting. Often see fishing. Number of run in's? One. But we both ran away in different directions!

[BiG Boar]

On an average year I see about 10, I get pictures of most of them. I have never had an aggressive encounter as in a bluff charge or worse or even one popping its jaws. But, I have had one that sort of charged me, because it didn't know we were there, and it ran towards us. But it stopped once it figured out we were in its way on the trail. It was a great big 8 footer. I was actually hunting grizzlies at the time, however it had 2 cubs with it. This was on the coast. I have carried plenty of meat out on my back, and I am constantly vigilant in making noise. Be smart about meaty situations, know what to do if you encounter one, and pretty much hope for the best. There have been a couple of pairs of guys on this site who will tell you about the worst case scenario though.

[Drillbit]

How frequently do hunters actually encounter grizzlies while hunting in bear territory? What percentage of hunters experience an aggressive bear? Do most of you carry firearms even while not hunting while in bear country?


Bear encounters = Grizzlies, rarely. Black bears, quite often.
Aggressive bears = not yet, I always pay attention and have avoided a few. Could always accidentally run into one though.
Always have a firearm, Always. But being Aware is a better weapon, the firearm is for an accidental run in and even then, it may not help. Would hate to not have one and need one though.

[Stone C. Killer]

I hike all over BC and see one or more almost every time. So far they have mostly ran away or been far enough not to be a bother. One did require a couple of warning shots.

[Andy83]

I ran into one near Kelowna in 2008. Walked out of some Christmas trees 30 yards in front of us, sniffed the air and started walking towards us. I raised my rifle to fire a warning shot and it took off before I fired.

[headhunter2]

Been in camp when they have gone through at night - between the tents. Those were usually fall hunting camps. I have come upon a young griz years ago on a gut pile that took a while to get our scent and leave. We still BACKED out of there. I prospect on the coast and carry bear spray but depend on a firearm. The bear spray is mostly for blacks. I know there isn't much chance if a griz breaks out of the brush 3 or 5 feet away but the gun would work faster then the bear spray. Also consider wind direction when using the spray. If you surprise a bear it is often because the wind is coming from the bear. I do however feel safer in an area where bears are hunted than say a protected area where they are never shot at. They seem to show more respect.

[HarryToolips]

Never encountered a griz but lotsa blackies.. I always carry a gun when hikin through the bush cause you never know what or who your gonna have to administer the lead bullet medicine to... they say blackies are more unpredictable, and that I can believe..

[Moose Guide]

I've been charged by 2 black bears and one grizz, my cousin was charged by 2 grizz in 3 years and I know of 3 or four more locals that have been charged by grizz within a mile or two of my house. My brother and a friend were riding horse along the Besa or the Bucking Horse river when a grizz tried to catch them but they managed to out run it.

[adriaticum]

I've encountered a grizzly sow with cubs only once on the Columbia Icefields Highway while we were lunching on the side of the road. She was about 50 yards away minding her business.
There are many theories on how to defend yourself from bears. I believe, and some may disagree, the worst situation is predatory bear and defensive sow. Both require different strategy.
If you encounter a bear that wants to eat you, if you play dead, he will have a free lunch. You have to fight back and bear spray is not going to save you if he is real hungry. Gun might.
With a sow you should play dead. Her primary concern is not to eat you but to remove the threat. If you are not moving she may think, after a while, that you are dead and will leave you alone. Hopefully you will still be alive. Also I believe that bear spray will not deter a charging sow either.
Bear spray is only good for curious bears.
All this is theoretical knowledge from things I've read and watched to try and be prepared. Thankfully I haven't had to use any of it.
They say if it's black fight back. If it's brown lie down. Generally speaking.
I also believe it's better to over prepared (have a gun) and not need it than be under prepared and need it.

[lip_ripper00]

My hunting partners call me "death by bear" I have had 3 close encounter in the last 18 months, all while calling moose. The must either hate me or love me lol They can creep up so quiet,you won't see them until you move, or they bust you. I have had one bluff charge me 5 years ago but I scared him as much as he scared me. I don't take them lightly they can be mean and unpredictable.

[Mudzbogger]

I have had one encounter in the past few years hunting in the east Koot's up by panorama. Was seeing lots of sign a bear was around the area as a number of upturned boulders were on the slides we were hunting. We were extra vigilant for hunts and by doing so on morning on our hike in to the area we came across the sow and her cub not a hundred yards from us on the trail in the early light. She made a charge and the three of us spread out across the trail rifles raised she stopped not 30 feet from us and the two of them bolted up the mountain. We turned and called that trail done for the day...

[squamishhunter]

Worked with a guy who was moose hunting up north, three of them were walking spread out through the bush and a grizz popped out and charged him. He side-stepped behind a tree and got a shot off. He swears he hit it in the chest, but they couldn't find any sign.

[lip_ripper00]

Then their is the incident (I did'nt say story) by Ben in the Christian Valley about 3 years ago. Late season checking deer movement and had a sow and 2 cubs harass him, 4 rounds .243 killed the sow and mortally wounded 1 cub. CO and RCMP both attended and said it was self defence. The bears where hunting him...

[hunterjeff719]

see its the stories about them popping out and charging you, or stalking the game calls, or basically them hunting you. that scare the crap outta me.

[hunterjeff719]

I was planning on buying a defender style shotgun, either with stock or without and have it loaded with buckshot or slugs. a friend has one and it looks like it would strap onto a backpack well. his has no stock. would you say that's a good idea?

[lip_ripper00]

If you want another good read, check out the brambles/rattler thread....

[chris]

One of my distant relatives used to be a hunting guide around radium and that area. He got attacked by a sow with a cub while guiding a client. My wife and I always have a short shotgun when hiking or fishing in the backcountry because you just never know.

[Fella]

I personally haven't encountered one yet, but have close friends and uncles who have.

Buddy and and his dad were on a pack horse elk trip in the kootenays way back in the bush, had a grizz suddenly charge from an alder thicket. He said it looked like the bear was swimming over the tops of the alders that's how big/fast it was. His dad managed a shot over its head and it turned tail and ran.

Second story was my uncle was out for elk in the kootenays, it was a warm midday, nothing moving, so he laid down for a snooze in a meadow on the side of a valley, wakes up and there's a big old grizz working its way up towards him 40 yards away. Wind shifts and the bear gets wind of him, and gets cranky popping his teeth, huffing etc. my uncle had foolishly laid his gun against a tree 10 yards up the hill so he started making his peace with the world when the bear turns around and ambles off.

[hunter1947]

I encounter Grizzly bears every year at least two times in the calender year sometimes more last year out shed hunting I came face to face with a big brown grizzly boar I let him have it with my air horn the bear was coming towards me in a thick treed swamp.

I saw him first he was about 40 feet from me I took out my air horn and blasted the air horn 4 times this sent the bare running off to the left after he diapered I got my defender off my shoulder and took the safety off ready to shoot if needed.

I also pulled the safety clip out and was ready to go the bear did not return good thing for me I have used a air horn now for bears the last 4 years it works very good scaring bears away that's what I have found out I have had to use the air horn two times on grizzly bears over the last four years I always carry my defender loaded up with 6 , 3 inch 1,1/4 ounce slugs one in the pip and 5 in the mag.

I try to always be aware of my surroundings at all times this you have to do when your out there in bear country I have a picture of the grizzly tracks from the bear I had encounter an hour latter never had time time to film this bear because you think safety before you think filming a bear can move so quick you don't want to go for your camera you think survival..

I always go for the air horn first if this does not work and the bear keeps coming then the 12 gauge is my next defense against the bear the bear spray will be on my belt ready as well it more in the shed season that I encounter a black or grizzly bear.

Last year over shed hunting by the Saint Marries river near Kimberly I was walking through thick timber I had the shotgun in my right hand carry it I heard a snapping of teeth and a bunch of snarling I walked about 30 feet to my right to see a big sow black bear with two cubs up a cider tree about 15 feet up I always pull out my air horn and carry it when I am in thicker train as for carry the defender with my hand ready to use bears are as fast as lightning might only have a split second doing what you have to do in order to defend yourself if and when the time does come I always carry the same gear as for my defender when I am hunting with my bow a bow won't stop a bear in its tracks but a 12 gauge or 10 gauge shotgun with 3 inch slugs will stop a bear....

The tree the sow was up she was not happy with me being there she was snarling at me and snapping her teeth at me I got the hell out of this place real fast here are the things I carry when I am out there I spend about 10 months out there in the bush 5 months shed hunting and 5 months scouting ,,putting trail cams salt blocks out as for hunting..


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/01712.JPG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-Yop24CepU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXazZh9CCI8
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/0158.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/1148.JPG


I carry the I spot just incase I get malled or hurt its my life saver if needed..

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/00267.JPG

On my trail cam notice what this forestry surveyor is packing in his back pack ,,I have seance put a but stock on my defender I get a better aim with holding the shotgun to my shoulder thanks to Everett for selling this stock to me ,,thank you Everett for giving me a good deal on this stock..

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/x12.JPG

[hunter1947]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/1320.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/40_.jpg

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I've been charged 3 times while hunting(2 were on grizz hunts) and a hunting partner was also charged on our sheep hunt and killed the grizz.....single shot rifle.

Charged once by a black sow with cubs.

Shots were fired in every single encounter. "Most" were warning shots.

SSS

[GotaGun]

I was planning on buying a defender style shotgun, either with stock or without and have it loaded with buckshot or slugs. a friend has one and it looks like it would strap onto a backpack well. his has no stock. would you say that's a good idea?

I got a pistol grip defence gun and keep loaded with buck shot ( 00 or 000 )not slugs, You can miss with slugs. And at point blank range they will damage like a slug.

People say a slug to the heart drop a bear ,ya in time they can still attack for a bit while they bleed out , but buckshot to the face/eyes/mouth is a fast deterent.

Option #2 always hunt/hike with someone who runs slower than you. :)

[limit time]

I was lucky enough to bump one in a clear cut just before dark, luckily he just bolted. it was my first encounter and it was pretty cool! Now black bear...I've had to fire shots to get rid of them.

[genockous]

U have to get off the pavement

[panhead]

Hunted over 25 years now & never seen this fabled critter although i have seen samsquatch & santa claus?

Isn't that spelled Squasnatch?

[two-feet]

Haha some guys are like magnets for bear encounters, they seem to have a few incedences every year while others never do. I see many bears every year but have never had one act poorly towards me, just lucky i suppose.

I had a mining exploration contract in southern Yukon a couple of years ago and had my good friend working as foreman for me and he had a grizz shadowing him for a while getting closer and closer so he let it have it with the spray from about 10'. He said the bear just rubbed its face on the ground "looking cute" before moving off 50 yards and started eating blue berries.

I have several times tried those "bangers" on bears and have yet to see the bear even blink.

On another job I had a couple of workers walk through a recent kill sight so after that we started packing shotguns. However, having a firearm as well as all the other riggin needed for our work just was not practical and it did not last. I personally have always felt comfortable with bear spray and my dog. For every story of bears walking through spray there is a story of bears walking through bullets.

[NorBC]

I'm a bear monitor on a shell site in kitimat, I just walk around with my shotgun all day. Only seen a few in person so far. There's 4 on site often in the fall ( not including cubs ) and I'm sure come spring they will be a lot more active on all our spur roads. But no charges yet, bunch on the trail cam. Drills are pretty noisy and keep them away I'm guessing. But like said before some guys must be magnets, because I'm here 12 hrs 6 days a week in grizz country with little amounts of sightings haha

[GoatGuy]

few shootouts, few warning shots, few rocks thrown at grizzlies, and a few other issues. Depends on when/where you're hunting, what's around for food and how many g bears are around. Some places you'll see multiple grizz/day others you won't see anything for weeks at a time.

Generally I would say people are way better off with bear spray than a gun. Misses at point blank ranges, short stroking the action, jammed guns - can turn into a cluster real quick. Never used bear spray on a bear, but strapped to a belt it's quick, easy to use and the spray accounts for the excitement.

[glen8221]

I was attacked by a big boar grizzly in 1982 near the Sikanni River. He came over a rise and thru some buckbrush and then ran about fifteen feet and just smoked me in the head with his paw and knocked me down. Then bit thru my boot and into my lower leg and shook me around some, finally took off. Usually always see one or two on a two week hunt. Most that I've seen on a trip was eleven. Have been hiking and had one crouched down next to a steep bank at about twenty feet, not a problem once I got my rifle off my pack, he eventually just turned and walked up the steep band and took off. We had three in our open tarped kitchen two years ago at about four in the morning. I now have a 12 ga defender in camp but rely on my 300 win mag in the field and feel safe. Have had trouble with black bears when we have meat hanging too. Bears can be everywhere. Be safe.

[Fred1]

Many bear encounters! A couple long off bluff charges - but nothing really serious or scary. I think Im charmed!?! I have found myself in the most absolutely worst places for bear encounters several times and walked away without incident. I have walked right up on fresh grizzly kills a few times by accident and gone " oh shit! Im dead... where is he!?!?" and then walked away. Only to see the bear minutes later come check out the kill. I scattered three black bear cubs and ended up standing between all three with mom... "oh no..." she turned and bolted at the same instant I greased my shorts. I walked right into a buried moose once - well about 10 feet... nobody home. Last fall - knowing there were grizzlies around us, I was driving bush for clients and walked within 15 yards of dead moose where a sow and three cubs were feeding. I couldn't see them - didn't see them until I walked the 150 yards and got up into the tree stand. Holy crap!! Whew...
In most instances I was not really being quiet. I believe noise is the key - if those critters know you are there they almost always tend to move away.
Charmed? Lucky? or maybe just working around well fed bears? Who knows? But like said maybe some are magnets? It sounds busy but these encounters, for me span over 25 years and a life of bush work and play. I believe if those big bears want us, they will and would be getting us far more regularly.

Be smart, be safe out there! (and a little luck doesn't hurt...) ;)

[Mudzbogger]

Oh forgot one incident a buddy had years ago hunting Alberta. He had to do his business so he jumped out the truck while he was on his way to town decided to do it just on the other side of a small line of trees separating the road from the power lines. Thankfully he took his rifle with him as when he cleared the line of trees he came right between the sow and two grizz cubs. The sow charged and he was able to get a shot off and she dropped but the by the time he turned the cubs were also in full charge. Fortunately he had a semi-auto and was able to drop both of them too.

He reported the incident to the CO's as soon as he got to town who came out to the scene to verify everything but the sow was gone, Must have just winged her and knocked her out cold. Anyway he ended up getting a small fine because the cubs were 2 year olds and no proof of the sow separating them could be determined go figure.. We went back two years later and spent some time looking for the some of remains of the sow which we did find and brought to the co and cleared his record.

[BiG Boar]

I got a pistol grip defence gun and keep loaded with buck shot ( 00 or 000 )not slugs, You can miss with slugs. And at point blank range they will damage like a slug.

People say a slug to the heart drop a bear ,ya in time they can still attack for a bit while they bleed out , but buckshot to the face/eyes/mouth is a fast deterant

Probqbly the most uneducated post on here for bear protection. Don't listen to this guy.

Pistol grips are for movies, not for accurate shooting, otherwise they'd be using them in trap competitions. Terrible choice. But hey, if it makes you feel tough. That's half the battle.

00 buckshot is for deer, not for stopping power on charging bears. Little penetration, and you can miss just as easily. A shot to the face is probably just an even madder bear even if you take out one eye and an ear.

Hard cast bullets or solids, and a shot gun or lever action with a butt stock you can put to your shoulder is you best defense. If you practice with it, and can use it accurately.

[albravo2]

personally, i can't shoot anything with a pistol grip shotgun. i like a good stock to help with aim and recoil.d

i load a couple slugs then three 00 buck. that way i'm shooting slugs if things get up close and personal.

there is a good thread on here somewhere about testing that was done years ago by the Alaska rangers about what works best for bear. surprisingly, 00 buck and slugs were not that effective. i recall that a 30-06 was one of the best, short of the really huge calibers.

me, i've only ever seen one grizzly. he tried to chase a bunch of us off our fish on the cranberry river but was convinced to go elsewhere after a couple warning shots then one into the rocks near his paws.

[Darksith]

seen many grizz, mostly when fishing the rivers when the salmon are running. One thing I can say is when you are in your chest waders in the river and there is a grizz on the shore behind you, that will raise the hair on the back of your neck, but never had a problem on the river. Usually the scary encounters happen off of the river as the bears will grab a fish and sometimes retreat to 10-20' into the bush to quickly eat it, so when you are walking to the fishing hole you have a better chance to startle one. When on the river its no big deal, they are there for the fish. Also seen many while working in the bush in grizz country, and have seen them from far in the alpine. Never had an encounter that made me wish I had a gun or was thankful that I did. I think generally unless you startle them or walk onto a kill site you have no worries about the bears. The people that are scared of grizz are generally the people that don't bump into them and its all in their head...same with sharks, I love scuba diving with sharks, its awesome.

[RiverOtter]

I've encountered one predatory black bear that pressed a charge and paid with his life. The one grizzly I've had come at me, thought I was a cow elk initially, but stopped then bolted when I yelled at her. Good move on her part, as the duplex was locked mid forehead and the trigger was runnin' outta "slack"......:-D

If a shotgun is all you have, then by all means pack it. Given a choice though, I'll take a short barreled open sighted rifle every time, as my tolerance zone on an aggressive/predatory bear is a little outside of buckshot range.

[markt308]

As a lot of guys know the East Koot's don't have any shortage of the old Grizz. I didn't hunt there this year, but last year 3 of us went for ten days and had a total of 4 grizz scares. 2 of them were me, both were less than 50 yards, and both were pretty freaky. If you are calling elk, or moose for that matter, you're better to be in pairs, and you better have your head on a swivel and have your ears turned on. It can get exciting real fast haha

[REMINGTON JIM]

If a shotgun is all you have, then by all means pack it. Given a choice though, I'll take a short barreled open sighted rifle every time, as my tolerance zone on an aggressive/predatory bear is a little outside of buckshot range.

Yup ! Agreed - Letting a Charger get in close is just asking to get mauled up ! My 45-70 18.5 " with 525 gr-ers is the deterrent to that happening ! :wink: RJ

[two-feet]

Ya had a bear eat up our kitchen tent two days in a row, then caught it shoulder deep in our meat cooler. The guy that was shooting had a 12ga with slugs and a pistol grip, he put it to his eye out of habit and got a sweet split lip when he shot. I would recommend a stock!

I showed up 2 days later and the guys had been eating peanut butter and captain crunch sandwiches cause the bear had got everything else and the heli could not make it in due to weather.

I maintain that I have had more dangerous encounters with moose than bears, maybe someone should start a thread about that

[Sofa King]

all it takes is one encounter of the wrong kind, inadvertently getting between a sow and her cubs, or unknowingly being too close to a grizz on a kill.
better to be safe than sorry.
I've seen them in Alaska, the Yukon, around chetwynd, in the Okanagan, and in the merritt area.

[hunter1947]

All I have to say is be ready and be aware of your surroundings at all times..

[Ambush]

I've had a number of grizzly encounters but the buggers almost always got away.

If I ever decided I needed to carry a dedicated gun for bear protection it would be a 30-06, semi auto carbine. Open sights and the stock shortened about 1 1/2" more than I would normally use.

[GotaGun]

Probqbly the most uneducated post on here for bear protection. Don't listen to this guy.

Pistol grips are for movies, not for accurate shooting, otherwise they'd be using them in trap competitions. Terrible choice. But hey, if it makes you feel tough. That's half the battle.

00 buckshot is for deer, not for stopping power on charging bears. Little penetration, and you can miss just as easily. A shot to the face is probably just an even madder bear even if you take out one eye and an ear.

Hard cast bullets or solids, and a shot gun or lever action with a butt stock you can put to your shoulder is you best defense. If you practice with it, and can use it accurately.
Ya I know not the best ,I got better guns , but very easy to carry a short pistol grip with a strap on your shoulder in bush when going for a hike. or as a back up.
FYI. I'm very good with trap with my other shot gun but not as easy to pack around in bush/hike..

[gcreek]

If a shotgun is all you have, then by all means pack it. Given a choice though, I'll take a short barreled open sighted rifle every time, as my tolerance zone on an aggressive/predatory bear is a little outside of buckshot range.

I'll second that.

[chris]

"The people that are scared of grizz are generally the people that don't bump into them and its all in their head." Since its off season and Im bored do you care to eloborate? As I mentioned earlier a relative of mine who was a hunting guide was with a client and had no firearm of his own when attacked so was it all in his head to be scared of bears?

[hunter1947]

Probqbly the most uneducated post on here for bear protection. Don't listen to this guy.

Pistol grips are for movies, not for accurate shooting, otherwise they'd be using them in trap competitions. Terrible choice. But hey, if it makes you feel tough. That's half the battle.

00 buckshot is for deer, not for stopping power on charging bears. Little penetration, and you can miss just as easily. A shot to the face is probably just an even madder bear even if you take out one eye and an ear.

Hard cast bullets or solids, and a shot gun or lever action with a butt stock you can put to your shoulder is you best defense. If you practice with it, and can use it accurately.


Dave I have to agree with you on the stock then the pistol grip you can't get an accurate aim on an animal when shooting I have practiced with the pistol grip and my aim was out to lunch that's why I put a full stock on my defender what a difference on my aim once I put the stock on the defender my thoughts are a slug has way more hitting power at 30 feet then that of buckshot my thoughts are that your just going to piss off the bear if you use buckshot do you see wildlife officers with pistol grip shotguns no you see stocks on there shotguns I wonder why ??? :roll:..

[jtred]

I've had one encounter with with grizzly bears while on foot and before I could really even realize what was happening they were gone. Luckily for me the cubs were pretty much as big as mom or the outcome may have been very different. I've had only one bear encounter(black bear) which really made me nervous as I was only carrying a .410 for grouse and a young bear kind of kept pace with me for a hundred yards or so from a distance of only 10-15m. As for off season hiking and backpacking I carry bear spray and tend to make lots of noise, well actually my family provides the noise. To tell you the truth cougars make me more nervous even though I've never seen one in the wild.

[hunter1947]

few shootouts, few warning shots, few rocks thrown at grizzlies, and a few other issues. Depends on when/where you're hunting, what's around for food and how many g bears are around. Some places you'll see multiple grizz/day others you won't see anything for weeks at a time.

Generally I would say people are way better off with bear spray than a gun. Misses at point blank ranges, short stroking the action, jammed guns - can turn into a cluster real quick. Never used bear spray on a bear, but strapped to a belt it's quick, easy to use and the spray accounts for the excitement.

I agree with you GG on using noise to scare a bear off the bear spray for a back up ready to use a person has to have the bear spray on there belt just like the old west holster with there shooting pistol ready to get at if needed having a good shooting iron makes a person even feel better you can never have enough tools when you are in bear country...

[hunter1947]

I made up a hook on top of my back pack I have a strap lower part that has a quick release on it for fast access to get at the defender .

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/100_0854.JPG

[RiverOtter]

I've had one encounter with with grizzly bears while on foot and before I could really even realize what was happening they were gone. Luckily for me the cubs were pretty much as big as mom or the outcome may have been very different. I've had only one bear encounter(black bear) which really made me nervous as I was only carrying a .410 for grouse and a young bear kind of kept pace with me for a hundred yards or so from a distance of only 10-15m. As for off season hiking and backpacking I carry bear spray and tend to make lots of noise, well actually my family provides the noise. To tell you the truth cougars make me more nervous even though I've never seen one in the wild.

Actually, that scenario can be much worse, especially if the cub(s) follow momma on a charge.

[Darksith]

this thread is almost getting comical. G Bears are not something to be fearful of, you shouldn't be looking over your shoulder generally speaking, and 99.9% of the time you won't have an issue even if you do see one. There is no need to carry a firearm for protection, especially a 2nd firearm, but if you feel that you are safer because you have it then by all means do it. For the thousands of days spent by people out in bear country and the lack of problematic encounters it doesn't warrant having any fear, be aware of course, but you also shouldn't text and drive or talk on the phone and drive either...

[RiverOtter]

Don't believe anyone is suggesting packing 2 firearms, but many have another rifle they use when just out hiking and not hunting.

Can't say I've ever wished I would have left my rifle at home, but there's definately been times when I wish I hadn't......

Prolly never need to use the fire insurance on my house either, don't mean I'll quit "carrying" coverage.

[GotaGun]

Ok me again, I got to stop writing in here on a saturday while drinking>> SORRY (coffee & Bailey's on a Sunday count??)

Just a bit more clear on this,
Ya it's best to avoid bears and be aware of what's around You, And yes there is better guns to carry for protection. and a shotgun you can shoulder is better for aim( I got one) .
Sorry this thread is about G - bears , I carry mine against anything, bears,cougar,wolves,

My short pistol grip is very easy to back pack on a hike (has a carry strap), holds 7+1 rounds without reloading (usaully put 5 or 6 in tube) and I usaully throw in 00 or 000 Buckshot , cause hard to hit stuff with slugs with a pistol grip.

And no I don't carry 2 guns hunting. just my rifle.

When out in bear country I'll have something over my shoulder . If i'm not hunting I usaully have a shotgun near by,( if it's out of shotgun range It's probably not a threat).

I know there is a self defence 12gauge roung that is a 1/2ounce slug and 6 "00" rounds in one shell, theory is if you miss with the slug one of the balls should hit, saw this ammo in states , I should find it up here and use it in my defence gun..

I guess in the end if I'm going to carry a gun on a hike for defence I want it to be short & rugged and have a bit of kick to it. If it is not easy and comfortable to carry around you might just want to leave it at home.

[srupp]

hmmmm this is one subject that you simply can't get wrong.... And that while I agree each time we go into the woods we can't be afraid to be torn asunder by a grizzly bear hiding behind every tree.. However they are there and need to be respected for their power and the potential for conflict. Every situation is different each beer is an individual with its quirkiness and characteristics and history with its encounters with mankind.. All lead to a situation when there is a close encounter the bear must instantly decide whether to fight or flee... And normally during daylight hours this is the situation.. Either man or bear or both get inside the comfort zone without either realizing the other is there... Most times in grizzly country carrying a bell or talking out loud will usually establish enough of a buffer zone to prevent the sudden encounters.... These type of situations are sudden and encounter with the bear usually brief and although horrible if contact is made the bear is usually trying to eliminate a perceived threat to itself, it's young or its food. Playing dead, protecting the head neck and vitals... And rolling with the punches usually convinces the bear you are no threat.
Encounters at night are usually predatory and need to be fought as if your life depended on it... The bear is treating you as a food source and your life truly does depend on fighting with everything you have.

I do not like the pistol grip on a shotgun for bear defense.. I use a full stock, and the best slugs money can buy... Pellets are for birds no matter what size... Full stock makes aiming and cycling the action much easier to do while keeping the barrel pointed on target . Slugs breakdown bone.. Have massive penetration with a tremendous transfer of energy... ideal with trying to stop a charging bear.

Avoidance is the best policy.. However as hunters seldom do we enter the woods whistling and singing while trying to hunt big game.. Our stealthiness is exactly what has the potential to bring us into conflict with bears ... So if we can't avoid them in all circumstances we must be prepared to deal with close encounters calmly, and with as many advantages as modern technology will allow to face a formidable foe that is allready armed to the teeth..

I highly recommend Mr. Gary James Sheldon.. As the expert on grizzly bears... His books on conflicts, attacks their cause and avoidance should be a must-read for every hunter in BC.

We are all entitled our opinions on almost every aspect of hunting in the outdoors.... This subject however needs special consideration... And someone on a computer somewhere that has never hunted a grizzly or been charged by a grizzly or stalked by a grizzly may not be the best source of information..

Again I highly recommend THE expert on this subject as Mr. Gary James Sheldon.. And I think... No I know the information and how he drew his own conclusions will be of assistance to every hunter .

Cheers

Steven

[REMINGTON JIM]

Good Info there Steven ! Thks :-D RJ

[Darksith]

Can't say I've ever wished I would have left my rifle at home, but there's definately been times when I wish I hadn't......

Prolly never need to use the fire insurance on my house either, don't mean I'll quit "carrying" coverage.


But your still here, so you obviously didn't need it even if you wished you had it. Thats all I was trying to say. Do it if you want, but its not something that is truly needed, and if you wanna look at solid facts and statistics, its not. I probably wouldn't carry fire insurance either if the bank didn't make me, I don't need things to make me feel warm and fuzzy or give me a sense of protection against something that doesn't really exist, but Im also not gonna knock on anyone that does. Back to the OP


How frequently do hunters actually encounter grizzlies while hunting in bear territory? What percentage of hunters experience an aggressive bear? Do most of you carry firearms even while not hunting while in bear country?
Encounters with G Bears percentage wise I would say are slim. Percentage of aggressive bears slim multiplied by 1000. As far as people packing firearms, I would gander that lots do for hikes on this website, but as far as hikers in general, the majority of hikers (not hunters) would be unarmed.

[Steve W]

http://www.atigunstocks.com/img/p/282-3636-thickbox.jpg


Switched to one of these stocks a couple of years ago on an .870 (no extended mag). I found the the addition of the pistol grip made holding the shotgun a lot more stable in those "Oh S$#t" situations. Cost was not huge. The shorter fore-stock took a bit of getting use to, but with the adjustable stock I found the right length easily enough. Not real difference in weight and haven't notice any issues packing it in heavy bush with or without a pack on. Also went to a coarser aftermarket sight. Had trouble picking up the standard version with aging eyes. Made a big difference too. Practice is the key so that shooting is a reflex and not something you have to think about when things heat up.

[two-feet]

hmmmm this is one subject that you simply can't get wrong.... And that while I agree each time we go into the woods we can't be afraid to be torn asunder by a grizzly bear hiding behind every tree.. However they are there and need to be respected for their power and the potential for conflict. Every situation is different each beer is an individual with its quirkiness and characteristics and history with its encounters with mankind.. All lead to a situation when there is a close encounter the bear must instantly decide whether to fight or flee... And normally during daylight hours this is the situation.. Either man or bear or both get inside the comfort zone without either realizing the other is there... Most times in grizzly country carrying a bell or talking out loud will usually establish enough of a buffer zone to prevent the sudden encounters.... These type of situations are sudden and encounter with the bear usually brief and although horrible if contact is made the bear is usually trying to eliminate a perceived threat to itself, it's young or its food. Playing dead, protecting the head neck and vitals... And rolling with the punches usually convinces the bear you are no threat.
Encounters at night are usually predatory and need to be fought as if your life depended on it... The bear is treating you as a food source and your life truly does depend on fighting with everything you have.

I do not like the pistol grip on a shotgun for bear defense.. I use a full stock, and the best slugs money can buy... Pellets are for birds no matter what size... Full stock makes aiming and cycling the action much easier to do while keeping the barrel pointed on target . Slugs breakdown bone.. Have massive penetration with a tremendous transfer of energy... ideal with trying to stop a charging bear.

Avoidance is the best policy.. However as hunters seldom do we enter the woods whistling and singing while trying to hunt big game.. Our stealthiness is exactly what has the potential to bring us into conflict with bears ... So if we can't avoid them in all circumstances we must be prepared to deal with close encounters calmly, and with as many advantages as modern technology will allow to face a formidable foe that is allready armed to the teeth..

I highly recommend Mr. Gary James Sheldon.. As the expert on grizzly bears... His books on conflicts, attacks their cause and avoidance should be a must-read for every hunter in BC.

We are all entitled our opinions on almost every aspect of hunting in the outdoors.... This subject however needs special consideration... And someone on a computer somewhere that has never hunted a grizzly or been charged by a grizzly or stalked by a grizzly may not be the best source of information..

Again I highly recommend THE expert on this subject as Mr. Gary James Sheldon.. And I think... No I know the information and how he drew his own conclusions will be of assistance to every hunter .

Cheers

Steven

The books written by Mr. Shelton are by far the most informative on the subject and show that we need to respect the potential trouble a bear can bring us. Read the books but DO NOT read them in a tent at night in bear country unless you are wearing diapers.

[mark]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/102_0108-1_Small_.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20628&size=big&cat=recent&limit=recent)

Saw 5 grizz in an hour on a oct. alpine hunt

[NaStY]

My hunting partners call me "death by bear" I have had 3 close encounter in the last 18 months, all while calling moose. The must either hate me or love me lol They can creep up so quiet,you won't see them until you move, or they bust you. I have had one bluff charge me 5 years ago but I scared him as much as he scared me. I don't take them lightly they can be mean and unpredictable.

Wussy..............

[GoatGuy]

Mpotzold, you make some big assumptions about operator reliability. Experience tells me most people will either miss the bear or won't get a shot off at all.

Not a lot different than with the examples you used against bear spray, but at least with bear spray you have more than one projectile. If all else fails you'll be extremely spicy for any bear.

Overall, this shows the difference between what people are supposed to do and what they do when it comes to bear attacks.

[Foxton Gundogs]

I can truthfully say over the years I've seen 100s of G bears and to many Blacks to count. Ive had probably a doz encounters with nasty Blackies and a couple with G bears none of which caused me to pull the trigger but I sure felt better knowing I could. That being said 90% or better have been in the backcountry while packing or cowboying on horse back. The ponies usually take the presence of a bear way worse than I do and give you plenty of warning.

[Ambush]

Nonsense Mpotzold! You are so hellbent on your anti spray crusade that you refuse to even read anything that disagrees with your opinion.

During one of your anti-spray rants I posted a link to the latest and most in depth gun vs spray studies ever done. It was co-authored and contained input from several of the top large carnivore experts in NA, including Sheldon and Herraro. It studied the outcomes of over 250 aggressive bear encounters. But you dismissed all those experts because they didn't agree with you.

The conclusion was definite. Physical injuries were far less for the encounters where spray was deployed!! Neither gun nor spray prevented or ended all attacks, but the over all there were far less stitches needed when spray was used. A wounded grizzly is far more dangerous and more apt to press and finish it's attack. It would be small comfort for a grieving family that the shots you fired killed the bear after it killed or horribly maimed you.

You can dig up all the out of context quotes you want. You can quote obscure anecdotal excerpts hundreds of times. You are just like every other "anti" I've ever observed. Narrow minded and only willing to consider evidence that supports your singular view.

You freely admit that you've never had any experience with spray or ever had any experience with defending yourself from a bear with a gun and yet you are expert enough to offer advice:confused: :confused: Maybe keep your windows rolled up when you're road hunting with that diesel; the fumes are getting to you.

[yama49]

Nonsense Mpotzold! You are so hellbent on your anti spray crusade that you refuse to even read anything that disagrees with your opinion.

During one of your anti-spray rants I posted a link to the latest and most in depth gun vs spray studies ever done. It was co-authored and contained input from several of the top large carnivore experts in NA, including Sheldon and Herraro. It studied the outcomes of over 250 aggressive bear encounters. But you dismissed all those experts because they didn't agree with you.

The conclusion was definite. Physical injuries were far less for the encounters where spray was deployed!! Neither gun nor spray prevented or ended all attacks, but the over all there were far less stitches needed when spray was used. A wounded grizzly is far more dangerous and more apt to press and finish it's attack. It would be small comfort for a grieving family that the shots you fired killed the bear after it killed or horribly maimed you.

You can dig up all the out of context quotes you want. You can quote obscure anecdotal excerpts hundreds of times. You are just like every other "anti" I've ever observed. Narrow minded and only willing to consider evidence that supports your singular view.

You freely admit that you've never had any experience with spray or ever had any experience with defending yourself from a bear with a gun and yet you are expert enough to offer advice:confused: :confused: Maybe keep your windows rolled up when you're road hunting with that diesel; the fumes are getting to you.

And you have tested this first hand???? Ill stick with a gun

[Opinionated Ol Phart]

WOW! Talk about a thread that set off a bunch of flash-backs!! As a Fisheries research technician i spent 15 years on the central coast in griz and BB territory. I then spent another 15 years working in the Broughtons/mainland Inlets where bear encounters were expected. I have been chased, (truck was happily nearby) Bluff charged to within 30 ft. on the Kimsquit River Forced off a trail on the Phillips when mr griz was exercising his dominance, had to help dig a moose out of a cache when it was buried after being left for the night . Scared witless when I inadvertently got between a momma black and her cub on a salmon river.. but the one that scared me the most was a standoff with a cow moose when she perceived me as a threat to her calf. It was on a Kitimat River tributary when I walked across a wetland swamp to check on a makeshift fyke net smolt trap prior to the construction of the Kitimat hatchery. When I got to the chicken wire lead- in fish fence across the swamp, it had been trampled into the mud! All of a sudden I heard a calf bawl from a nearby thicket. Out came mommy -- ears back-- hump hair raised, snorting. She was about 40 yds away when she first charged. I froze and started yelling F##k O## as loud as I could and started slapping my chest waders with my hand. (no-- I didnt have a gun with me that time) By this time she was maybe 10 yds away-- I could smell her! But the noise I made saved me from being treated the same as the fence panels.... The calf started calling her... she kept turning towards it and then to me. Finally she decided that her calf needed the attention rather than killing the object that scared the calf! A couple of hrs later I stopped shaking...

But in case you feel you have to take the griz stories lightly-- dont underestimate them. A co-worker of mine named Bill Caspell was killed and partially eaten on a hunting trip when he and his partner disturbed a female gris with two 2yr olds that were guarding a buried elk kill. They didnt even have time to unshoulder their guns before the bears were on them. They are big-- they are much faster than you and they can kill you with a swat of one paw.

[Ambush]

And you have tested this first hand???? Ill stick with a gun

Over 250 people did it for me with aggressive bears. But yes I have tested spray on real live bears and accidentally on myself.

How many charging bears have you killed, at close range, with a gun in self defense?

[yama49]

Over 250 people did it for me with aggressive bears. But yes I have tested spray on real live bears and accidentally on myself.

How many charging bears have you killed, at close range, with a gun in self defense?

You sit here and slag on someone, because they quoted something, than you you turn around do the same thing:confused:
I havent had to kill any bears in self defence, hopefully dont have to neither.. I have had the spray tested on me though..:mrgreen:

[bcmulie]

Interesting thread. I've seen 20-30 grizzlies while hunting or hiking, but have never really felt threatened. The closest encounters were with a sow and 2 cubs at 18 paces up in the alpine, and a boar at about 20 yards in the timber. The sow and cubs bolted as soon as I yelled, and the boar as soon as he saw me. I had bear spray with me on the latter occasion, and I would say that that bear was a good 50-75 yards away before I got the spray out of the holster - had he decided to charge he would have been on me before I had a chance to spray him. Until you've seen a bear running up close, you don't realize just how fast they are and how little time you have to get into action before they're on you.

I've had more frightening encounters with black bears. While working for a forestry company marking a boundary near Prince George years ago, I spotted a bear sitting on his haunches 20-30 yards away. I ignored him and continued marking the boundary and the bear got up and started paralleling me. I stopped and turn to face him and he took two jumps towards me, swatting the bushes with his front paws. At the time I almost always carried bear spray - "almost" because for some reason that day I didn't have it. I backed away from the bear, which followed me for a couple hundred yards before I lost sight of him. That was it for working in that area for the day! I still wonder if that bear was protecting something (a kill/cubs), or if that was a predatory encounter.

My other two encounters with bears were on a bowhunt for Roosevelt Elk along the Conuma River on Vancouver Island. On one day I decided to do a brief still hunt through the timber where there was a lot of elk sign. As I prepared to leave the truck my dad asked me if I was taking my bear spray. For some reason I was overcome by a stupid macho urge and said, "Nah, I've got my bow". Well let me tell you, when a big boar jumped out of his bed onto a tree 10 feet in front of me with a big "HUFF!!", that bow felt pretty worthless! To top it off, I had one leg on each side of a downed tree that I was climbing over when he jumped up. Thankfully, I was able to back safely away and he turned and went the other way.

On that same elk hunt we had a bear come into our kill site when we'd almost finished packing out the elk. We still had the hindquarters to get, so we yelled at the bear and threw sticks and rocks at him until he backed off enough for my brother to grab the quarters while I covered him with my bow and the lone can of bear spray that we had. Looking back, it might have been the wiser play to just let the bear have the meat...

Hopefully that's it for bear encounters for me for a long, long time!

[snow]

here is my grizzly encounter :-) we met while i was hiking at Wells Gray, armed with a bear spray in my pocket. It was so nice of him to leave!
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y373/snowbc/IMG_1739_zpsdfed056f.jpg (http://s1031.photobucket.com/user/snowbc/media/IMG_1739_zpsdfed056f.jpg.html)
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y373/snowbc/IMG_1738_zps85070d78.jpg (http://s1031.photobucket.com/user/snowbc/media/IMG_1738_zps85070d78.jpg.html)
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y373/snowbc/IMG_1740_zps14902609.jpg (http://s1031.photobucket.com/user/snowbc/media/IMG_1740_zps14902609.jpg.html)

[Wild one]

Depending on where or what I am hunting depends on if I am likely to run into grizz. Never had one get aggressive only curios.

Seen 0 in a year and most would be around 15 in a year. All depends on if you are in an area with a good population in the terrain they like to be in.

You could go a life time in BC and never see a grizz if you don't go into the areas they are in.

[Ourea]

I've had a couple encounters that I wish to forget.
One was up by the Prophet River years ago.
The other was cutting trail in the West Kootenays.
The WK experience really shook me......false charged three times....jaws popping and stomping at close range.
I can honestly say I have never been so scared in my life.

All my other encounters and sightings have been a thrill. Something about seeing an apex predator that stirs a very primal feeling in oneself.

This is the best Grizzly I've seen. We watched him for about ten minutes and then we bailed when he started heading our way.
Truly magnificent bear .......he was absolutely HUGE. Far bigger than any other grizzly I've seen.
My dear friend and mentor was with me as was Elk-oholic.

When back at camp that night we reflected on the days events. My friend asked us if we could sum up our experience with one word.
That word............ "privileged".

Here's a few pictures of that king of the mountain.

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/browndog100/griz2.jpg


http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/browndog100/griz3.jpg

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/browndog100/griz5.jpg

[BCrams]

I've had a few grizzly / black bear encounters. A few hair raisers. One thing I can safely say, is that for most of you (us) is that you probably had far more grizzlies following you and monitoring you and you'll be unaware of its presence and if in those circumstances, the grizzly decides he wants to attack you, you probably won't have much time to use a gun or a bear spray although you or your partner may, depending who the bear gets to first! Camera data can be pretty conclusive in this respect and made my blood run cold a couple times.

For those who like to read.

Firearms

http://www.arcticwild.com/blog/efficacy-of-firearms-for-bear-deterrence-in-Alaska.pdf

Bear Spray

http://www.bearsmart.com/docs/Smith-bear-spray-efficacy.pdf

[GoatGuy]

Hahahaha, there's the range and then there's real life.

In this case, can't cite much other than personal experience. Seen bears missed, shot in the ear, the head, the foot, right through the eyeball, guys just pulling the trigger without loading the gun, you name it. Yes, by 'proficient hunters' who under normal conditions on deer/elk/moose/sheep/goats are more than capable. Seen guys who have harvested hundreds of critters miss at 20 yards, never mind charging or problem bears. For some reason people seem to get funny around bears.

You only now how you'd react to a bear problem after you've had a bear problem. Personally, I'd rather be around someone with bear spray than with a cannon.

[Drillbit]

Darsith
"this thread is almost getting comical. G Bears are not something to be fearful of, you shouldn't be looking over your shoulder generally speaking, and 99.9% of the time you won't have an issue even if you do see one. There is no need to carry a firearm for protection, especially a 2nd firearm, but if you feel that you are safer because you have it then by all means do it. For the thousands of days spent by people out in bear country and the lack of problematic encounters it doesn't warrant having any fear, be aware of course, but you also shouldn't text and drive or talk on the phone and drive either..."

Haha, I guess you don't wear a seatbelt either, just drive carefully. No fire extinguisher in the kitchen.....

I do share your logic with ATV helmets, however :)

[Big Lew]

I, like the majority of wilderness users, don't normally carry either a gun or spray unless actually hunting. I realize I likely have been quite fortunate in my bear and cougar encounters when considering my 58 years of prowling around in their territory. I have seen far more black bears then I can possibly count or remember, one big old boar as close as the length of my hunting bow. I've had several blacks 'pop' their jaws, rock back and forth with agitation, or make short bluff runs toward me. Usually I've seen or heard them before they've noticed me, but I have unexpectedly come upon them at close range about 10 times. In 4 of those incidents I thought I was going to be attacked. In all those encounters I would have had time to shoot or spray if I was so armed. In one of those incidents I was very slowly cycling uphill near Summit lake and I was convinced the bear was predatory. A couple of drivers saw the bear coming toward me and intervened with their vehicles long enough for me to get away. Although I've also seen several grizzlies, none were very close or acted threatening toward me. I strongly believe that being very aware of your surroundings and making noise greatly reduces bad bear encounters.

[Ambush]

Mpotzold, did you take the time to read both of the studies, in their entirity, that BCRams linked?

And yes they include every one of the incidents that you bring up as your proof. You see that is the difference between a scientific study with mathematical conclusions and your desire to find evidence to support your bias.

You hate bear spray and you will not miss a chance to deter others from using it. And that is a fact.

[Moose Guide]

Hahahaha, there's the range and then there's real life.

In this case, can't cite much other than personal experience. Seen bears missed, shot in the ear, the head, the foot, right through the eyeball, guys just pulling the trigger without loading the gun, you name it. Yes, by 'proficient hunters' who under normal conditions on deer/elk/moose/sheep/goats are more than capable. Seen guys who have harvested hundreds of critters miss at 20 yards, never mind charging or problem bears. For some reason people seem to get funny around bears.

You only now how you'd react to a bear problem after you've had a bear problem. Personally, I'd rather be around someone with bear spray than with a cannon.

I don't know who you hunt with but it sounds like a comedy of errors! I didn't miss at 12 yds. and the charging sow died at 12 yds., my cousin didn't miss at 20 yds. and the charging boar died at 6 yds. or so, two years later he was stalked by a sow that was in full charge only 10 ft. away when he got his first shot off! Even after her spine was broke she tried to catch him on her front legs only. There is a hunter from Lardeau that didn't miss a charging boar at 30 ft. , and another acquaintance
was broadsided in the brush, picked up by the thigh and shaken 8 ft. in the air. he didn't miss either when he placed the muzzle of his .338 WM against its head and shot while it chewed on his foot! These were all grizz attacks and I do know of one or two more but the outcome on those was the same, the hunter didn't miss! I only know of one instance where bear spray was deployed,(black bear) but the wind was wrong and only the hiker got sprayed! His twitching and convulsing obviously convinced the bear he had just died as it left after sniffing him for a few minutes. As you can see my experiences differ from yours, I will carry a rifle when I can and Bear Spray when I can't!!

[Boner]

I see more than my share because of work. The ones that I seen up close while on foot were not agressive at all. That being said, I know 2 people that have had bad encounters with them while they were working.

[Walksalot]

I have never, to my knowledge, seen a Grizzly Bear in the wild but I have encountered my share of Black Bears popping their jaws,huffing,slapping at trees with their paws and been bluff charged once. Unless you have seen it with your own eyes you have no idea how fast they can move. I didn't have time enough to put a decent charge in my bloomers.

[Walksalot]

I have always carried the rifle I am familiar with but if I were to select a different weapon it would be a semi auto shotgun. No worry about short stroke just point and shoot. With the plug removed and loaded to the nuts with slugs there could be a fair amount of lead in the air. It would have to have a stock on it.

[GoatGuy]

I don't know who you hunt with but it sounds like a comedy of errors! I didn't miss at 12 yds. and the charging sow died at 12 yds., my cousin didn't miss at 20 yds. and the charging boar died at 6 yds. or so, two years later he was stalked by a sow that was in full charge only 10 ft. away when he got his first shot off! Even after her spine was broke she tried to catch him on her front legs only. There is a hunter from Lardeau that didn't miss a charging boar at 30 ft. , and another acquaintance
was broadsided in the brush, picked up by the thigh and shaken 8 ft. in the air. he didn't miss either when he placed the muzzle of his .338 WM against its head and shot while it chewed on his foot! These were all grizz attacks and I do know of one or two more but the outcome on those was the same, the hunter didn't miss! I only know of one instance where bear spray was deployed,(black bear) but the wind was wrong and only the hiker got sprayed! His twitching and convulsing obviously convinced the bear he had just died as it left after sniffing him for a few minutes. As you can see my experiences differ from yours, I will carry a rifle when I can and Bear Spray when I can't!!

Definitely been to a few rodeos.

You can't fix stupid, I guess.

[adriaticum]

I have always carried the rifle I am familiar with but if I were to select a different weapon it would be a semi auto shotgun. No worry about short stroke just point and shoot. With the plug removed and loaded to the nuts with slugs there could be a fair amount of lead in the air. It would have to have a stock on it.

This is what I was thinking as well. 12 gauge semi is the best, however, there is this remote chance that it might jam.
3 or 4 400 grain slugs ought to do the job.
Wasn't there a case recently in BC where a guy got mauled by a bear after they sprayed it?
I believe it was someone from this forum?

[BRvalley]

when I moved from ON to BC I landed a job at a wilderness resort, stayed there 2 years, early summer it was common to see grizz almost daily, certainly 3-4 times a week....I saw them often while fishing and mountain biking or hiking from 3000-5500 feet, didn't see them below 3000 to often, only up high in the hils...the grizzlies we encountered wanted nothing to do with us, once you got to within 100-200 yds they would take off...they would eat the new grass right from the hillside at the lodge

I had one sniff the air and huff from about 100 yds away, he snuck up on me while I was wading the shoreline of the lake, he seemed curious more than predatory or defensive, he stuck around for about 2 mins sniffing before he wandered off

I was bluff charged by a black sow with cubs, my own fault for pressing too close to her...I came around a corner and saw just the sow up on the road and gave a yell and threw rocks but she refused to leave (in hindsight I now know that was a big warning I missed), unsure why she wouldn't leave I approached closer and kept yelling, throwing rocks but she still wouldn't get off the trail...then I heard scratching sounds from above and looked up, I saw 2 cubs up in a tree....soon as she saw me looking at her cubs she became much more aggressive...I watched her forearms flex and muscles bulge....I can vividly, crystal clear remember seeing her claws dig in the ground as she lunged forward before I turned and screamed like a baby LOL....I'm sure I broke NCAA 40 yd records, but when I looked back she had stopped about half way...I decided to hike the very long way back to home

[adriaticum]

when I moved from ON to BC I landed a job at a wilderness resort, stayed there 2 years, early summer it was common to see grizz almost daily, certainly 3-4 times a week....I saw them often while fishing and mountain biking or hiking from 3000-5500 feet, didn't see them below 3000 to often, only up high in the hils...the grizzlies we encountered wanted nothing to do with us, once you got to within 100-200 yds they would take off...they would eat the new grass right from the hillside at the lodge

I had one sniff the air and huff from about 100 yds away, he snuck up on me while I was wading the shoreline of the lake, he seemed curious more than predatory or defensive, he stuck around for about 2 mins sniffing before he wandered off

I was bluff charged by a black sow with cubs, my own fault for pressing too close to her...I came around a corner and saw just the sow up on the road and gave a yell and threw rocks but she refused to leave (in hindsight I now know that was a big warning I missed), unsure why she wouldn't leave I approached closer and kept yelling, throwing rocks but she still wouldn't get off the trail...then I heard scratching sounds from above and looked up, I saw 2 cubs up in a tree....soon as she saw me looking at her cubs she became much more aggressive...I watched her forearms flex and muscles bulge....I can vividly, crystal clear remember seeing her claws dig in the ground as she lunged forward before I turned and screamed like a baby LOL....I'm sure I broke NCAA 40 yd records, but when I looked back she had stopped about half way...I decided to hike the very long way back to home

Lol, I'm theorizing, that running away from the sow is a good option especially it it's away from the cubs.
She won't really pursue you too long as her primary focus is to stay close to the cubs. They never wander too far away from them especially if they are young.
The tough part is remembering what works when it happens.

[adriaticum]

North Carolina.
My brother's colleague got a 750 pounder.
Some massive bears in that state lately.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/SAM_0924.JPG

[DawsonCreedmoor]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1/1534328_10153806152550602_1374582525_n.jpg

[hawk-i]

I see a lot more grizzly bears than I did say 10 years ago...last year during moose hunting season I was running into them pretty much daily in some areas. Not only am I seeing more but they also seem to be less concerned about human presence.

[emerson]

So as far as I read this thread, spray doesn't work that well, shooting works great, but people are able to use spray better with less training and practice than a firearm??? So use the easy tool that only sometimes deters curious bears because you are probably incompetent with a firearm? I don't understand how spray users are expected to be competent under pressure but firearms users not so? The "you probably don't need it" reasoning with regards to firearms would be silly if applied to seat belts, safety glasses, steel toes, etc. Or am I missing some great truth?

[donnareid]

If you have the firearm as a means against bears, do you walk with it loaded? Otherwise what can you do if a grizzly surprises you? There might be only seconds before he is at you, so I am just curious what's best to do!!!

[.330 Dakota]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1/1534328_10153806152550602_1374582525_n.jpg

:-d lmao,,,thats awesome

[wlbc]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1/1534328_10153806152550602_1374582525_n.jpg

First off this picture is great!

I don't know why bear threads get so strongly opinionated with folks sharing their views. I'll offer my views and experiences - other folks may have different views and experience.

Black Bears
I don't think I can honestly count how many hundreds and hundreds of black bears I've seen and I trust these less than grizzlies. I've had sow and cub encounters, ornery boar encounters, young and stupid encounters, several charges (cause I put holes in them), and several predatory stalks. My opinion, I think black bears are less predictable and more likely to be predatory towards humans.

The worst encounter was about 34 years ago on the coast, up an inlet, logging; I was bucking a big Cedar up near the top of a setting in a box canyon. My 2100 was howling, buried bar deep, when the hair on the back of my neck stood up. A sow and cub came right up behind me. What was weird was she kind of slunk up to me with her head down and her ears back. I pulled my saw out and revved it up in her face. That stopped her, but not for long. So we're standing there eyeballing each other and she's making that clicking noise with her teeth. I would back away facing her with my saw and she would advance. So I would advance on her with my saw and she would back up. Anyway, went on for a few minutes with the cub watching us. Then finally she went away.


Grizzly Bears
I have seen quite a few Grizzlies, again too many to count. My experience with Grizzlies has generally been that the only time I saw them was when they didn't know I was there. They are the devil himself to hunt because they are smart and generally try to avoid you. Exceptions to predictability: sow with cub(s), any g bear on a kill or wanting your kill, and the odd, odd one seems to have this f---- you attitude.

I do feel that Grizzlies are by far more intimidating than a Black Bear. I've had several sub 100 yard stare downs that ended peacefully but felt pretty tense at the time. They are just so bloody big and powerful...


Weapons
My best weapon is my brain. I do try to avoid all bears when I can if I am not hunting them.

I don't have that much faith in bear spray. It may or may not work, I prefer a more certain solution. A vast variety of firearms will work but the thing with firearms is to be very familiar and proficient with what you have. All the rest is campfire talk.

I do generally keep my rifle in reach when gutting and skinning an animal these days. Not sure if it is just me but I have never seen so many bears and wolves as the last few years. A partner had to shoot at a wolf 4 years ago while we were gutting an elk.


As a couple of posters have mentioned, the Gary Shelton books are a great source of real and useful information.


donnareid, if I'm walking with a rifle it is loaded but does not have one in the chamber. The only time I chamber a cartridge is when I am about to shoot.

[hawk-i]

If you have the firearm as a means against bears, do you walk with it loaded? Otherwise what can you do if a grizzly surprises you? There might be only seconds before he is at you, so I am just curious what's best to do!!!

If I'm hunting on foot in an area that I know the probability is high of seeing Grizzly Bears, yes my gun is loaded and the safety on. I've had Grizzlies that I've thought it best to back away from but never really had a life threatening situation...I have had two incidences in the last 40 years where I've had to shoot black bears though.

[donnareid]

If I'm hunting on foot in an area that I know the probability is high of seeing Grizzly Bears, yes my gun is loaded and the safety on. I've had Grizzlies that I've thought it best to back away from but never really had a life threatening situation...I have had two incidences in the last 40 years where I've had to shoot black bears though.

If you do shoot the bear in defence, do you have to report it to the CO?

[wlbc]

That is what the regulations say you are supposed to do.

[donnareid]

So let's say this happens on day 1 of your hunt, but you wanted to go for a week looking for elk. Are you supposed to abandon your plans and report the incident, or can you report it after you come back?

[hawk-i]

If you do shoot the bear in defence, do you have to report it to the CO?

Both times I've had to kill black bears in defence I just tagged them, it was during regular hunting season.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Had a sat phone when my partner killed one. Didn't have a number for the closest CO so I called a friend and told him to relay the message that we would be in on a certain date after the plane picked us up.

SSS

[E.V.B.H.]

So let's say this happens on day 1 of your hunt, but you wanted to go for a week looking for elk. Are you supposed to abandon your plans and report the incident, or can you report it after you come back?

You are supposed to write in your licence or on other paper that you intend to self report, signed and dated. This will help prove you intend to as soon as possible.

[E.V.B.H.]

This is what I was thinking as well. 12 gauge semi is the best, however, there is this remote chance that it might jam.
3 or 4 400 grain slugs ought to do the job.
Wasn't there a case recently in BC where a guy got mauled by a bear after they sprayed it?
I believe it was someone from this forum?

Last summer in Fernie, two guys, one sprayed while being attacked by sow with cubs. His partner shot it with a shotgun and it turned and attacked him after being shot and sprayed. Bear ran off, co's never found it. So in this case it was a draw between methods.

[Drillbit]

First off this picture is great!

I don't know why bear threads get so strongly opinionated with folks sharing their views. I'll offer my views and experiences - other folks may have different views and experience.

Black Bears
I don't think I can honestly count how many hundreds and hundreds of black bears I've seen and I trust these less than grizzlies. I've had sow and cub encounters, ornery boar encounters, young and stupid encounters, several charges (cause I put holes in them), and several predatory stalks. My opinion, I think black bears are less predictable and more likely to be predatory towards humans.

The worst encounter was about 34 years ago on the coast, up an inlet, logging; I was bucking a big Cedar up near the top of a setting in a box canyon. My 2100 was howling, buried bar deep, when the hair on the back of my neck stood up. A sow and cub came right up behind me. What was weird was she kind of slunk up to me with her head down and her ears back. I pulled my saw out and revved it up in her face. That stopped her, but not for long. So we're standing there eyeballing each other and she's making that clicking noise with her teeth. I would back away facing her with my saw and she would advance. So I would advance on her with my saw and she would back up. Anyway, went on for a few minutes with the cub watching us. Then finally she went away.


Grizzly Bears
I have seen quite a few Grizzlies, again too many to count. My experience with Grizzlies has generally been that the only time I saw them was when they didn't know I was there. They are the devil himself to hunt because they are smart and generally try to avoid you. Exceptions to predictability: sow with cub(s), any g bear on a kill or wanting your kill, and the odd, odd one seems to have this f---- you attitude.

I do feel that Grizzlies are by far more intimidating than a Black Bear. I've had several sub 100 yard stare downs that ended peacefully but felt pretty tense at the time. They are just so bloody big and powerful...


Weapons
My best weapon is my brain. I do try to avoid all bears when I can if I am not hunting them.

I don't have that much faith in bear spray. It may or may not work, I prefer a more certain solution. A vast variety of firearms will work but the thing with firearms is to be very familiar and proficient with what you have. All the rest is campfire talk.

I do generally keep my rifle in reach when gutting and skinning an animal these days. Not sure if it is just me but I have never seen so many bears and wolves as the last few years. A partner had to shoot at a wolf 4 years ago while we were gutting an elk.


As a couple of posters have mentioned, the Gary Shelton books are a great source of real and useful information.


donnareid, if I'm walking with a rifle it is loaded but does not have one in the chamber. The only time I chamber a cartridge is when I am about to shoot.

I agree for the most part.

Being aware is the most valuable weapon.
I don't trust bear spray with my life, but I like to think it would be better than nothing.
Use your rifle, handle it, shoot it, mag changes, load, unload. Should be like driving a standard after awhile.....extension of you.
Keep your rifle handy when skinning, not only a bear, but a cow moose might get you too

The part I don't agree with
donnareid, if I'm walking ALONE with a rifle it is loaded, with one in the chamber. I make sure the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction at all times. Walking with others the magazine is loaded, nothing in the pipe.

Lots of mauled hunters with loaded guns in hand. A little luck goes a long way.

[trapperRick]

This year I saw two grizz both within 100' and had to shoot one round in the ground to detour one from coming any closer

[HarryToolips]

If I'm hunting on foot in an area that I know the probability is high of seeing Grizzly Bears, yes my gun is loaded and the safety on. I've had Grizzlies that I've thought it best to back away from but never really had a life threatening situation...I have had two incidences in the last 40 years where I've had to shoot black bears though.
Ya exactly I always carry a loaded gun when hikin in the bush, year round don't matter if huntin or not gotta be prepared for anythin that might f#*k wit ya and give it a dose of lead bullet medicine:-D round in chamber safety on and always pointin the thing in a safe direction.. oh ya and test your safety once in a while..

[hunter1947]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg-MsHN04oI&feature=player_detailpage

[webley]

This is the bear that charged me a few years ago, I was deer hunting and had my dog with me as she is my ears as I can not hear very well anymore my dog is a Chesapeake retriever and is trained not to chase anything and is very well behaved.
I had been hunting for about an hour and seen a few deer but nothing I wanted to shoot, My dog was about 10 yds in front of me as she always is unless I tell her to heel when all of a sudden a large grizzly bear came from my right out of nowhere and was going straight at my dog the bear passed by me at about 5 yds, I grabbed my rifle off my shoulder and levered a round in the chamber as I always carry my rifle with an empty chamber I have carried that rifle for many years and is part of meI do not have to think to put it into action, The rifle is a 444 marlin
This all happened so fast that I did not have time to think all of a sudden the bear is where my dog was, I hollered at the top of my voice HEY HEY HEY and the bear stopped in its tracks turned and looked at me with those pig eyes and it,s hair went up on it,s head and back and ears went down and turned and came straight at me I fired a shot at his front shoulder and all hell broke loose it went down and thrashed around and got back up and was facing to my left sort of by this time I had another shell chambered and fired again at the mass of the bear and it took off in the thick bush to my left.
I ran back away from where the bear entered the thick stuff about 10 yds or so and chambered another round, Then my dog come running back to me and stood beside me looking more to the left than where the bear went in and I was not sure where it was now, So I stood there for a few minutes trying to hear it, I did not know if the bear was dead or what My mouth was so dry like I had not drank for a week, I finally lost my nerve and got the hell out of there and went home. I had aa cup of coffee and told my wife what had just happened then phoned the CO,s Office and told them what had happened and the asked me to come in and see them, I went and gave them a statement and they asked me to meet them the next morning to find the bear.
I met the two Co,s and took them to where the area, they asked me to bring my dog with me it,s a good job I did bring my dog as we could not find the bear finally my dog took us to it and it was dead as we thought it would be but you never know. The bear went about 50 yds from where ai shot it.
The co,s estimated the bears weight at about 550-6oolbs and was 7tf inlength. We could not drag it we had to roll it to where they could work on it.
The tow Co,s were very professional and did not intimidate me at all they said I was very lucky I was carrying a large calibre and new how to shoot and stayed cool, I don,t know about cool It all happened so fast you don;t have time to think about cool I was in survival mode.
The Co,s put the attack down to a near miss and said I had no Joyce but to shoot the bear or they would of been carrying me out in a body bag, The Co,s did comment that my dog was well trained and behaved well.
I have had a couple of years to think this over the Co,s said the bear was probably following me thats why my dog did not smell the bear, But the way the bear acted I don,t think it new I was there and thought the dog was a small deer and was going to have it for lunch and when I hollered at it and it saw me that I was too close and it attacked out of self defence but I guess we will never know.
I still walk and hunt in the area and continue to see grizzly bears in there and have not had another problem with them. Webley!




470047014702

[BiG Boar]

webley, its not working

[Hombre]

WOW! Talk about a thread that set off a bunch of flash-backs!! As a Fisheries research technician i spent 15 years on the central coast in griz and BB territory. I then spent another 15 years working in the Broughtons/mainland Inlets where bear encounters were expected. I have been chased, (truck was happily nearby) Bluff charged to within 30 ft. on the Kimsquit River Forced off a trail on the Phillips when mr griz was exercising his dominance, had to help dig a moose out of a cache when it was buried after being left for the night . Scared witless when I inadvertently got between a momma black and her cub on a salmon river.. but the one that scared me the most was a standoff with a cow moose when she perceived me as a threat to her calf. It was on a Kitimat River tributary when I walked across a wetland swamp to check on a makeshift fyke net smolt trap prior to the construction of the Kitimat hatchery. When I got to the chicken wire lead- in fish fence across the swamp, it had been trampled into the mud! All of a sudden I heard a calf bawl from a nearby thicket. Out came mommy -- ears back-- hump hair raised, snorting. She was about 40 yds away when she first charged. I froze and started yelling F##k O## as loud as I could and started slapping my chest waders with my hand. (no-- I didnt have a gun with me that time) By this time she was maybe 10 yds away-- I could smell her! But the noise I made saved me from being treated the same as the fence panels.... The calf started calling her... she kept turning towards it and then to me. Finally she decided that her calf needed the attention rather than killing the object that scared the calf! A couple of hrs later I stopped shaking...

But in case you feel you have to take the griz stories lightly-- dont underestimate them. A co-worker of mine named Bill Caspell was killed and partially eaten on a hunting trip when he and his partner disturbed a female gris with two 2yr olds that were guarding a buried elk kill. They didnt even have time to unshoulder their guns before the bears were on them. They are big-- they are much faster than you and they can kill you with a swat of one paw.

Bill Caspell's death is detailed in Gary Sheltons book , Bear Attacks The Deadly Truth. Not quite the same as you depict it!

[Big Lew]

Anyone read about the bear attack resulting in deaths at Laird Hotsprings several years ago? It happened in a gun prohibited area a couple of years before I planned to tent camp there when I rode through there on my bicycle. I often wonder if bear spray would have deterred that obviously predatory black bear (that's of course if they were to carry it).

[white moose]

Haven't read the book, but there was a tv show about it. Can't remember the name. I painted that bridge up there several years ago. We saw lots of black bear and a few grizz. No problems. The tower portion of the bridge is up for tender this year, I hope our company gets it. Great fishing up there and I shot a 50 inch bull moose up there. It was 727lbs on the hook. I got it butchered at Al radfords and he told me it was one of the bigger bulls he'd cut up. It filled a 22 cubic foot freezer.

[Big Lew]

I actually wasn't fully aware of it until I rolled into Laird Hotsprings and as met by a Ranger. He filled me in and advised that they were still having problems with some black bears. He strongly suggested I stay overnight at the old motel by the river rather then camp out.

[Buckzilla]

Some people will have no issues, I have a predator magnet...
If you have a similiar magnet to me, you feel better with a rifle. I have since started carrying bear spray in my pack as well.
3 close encounters in 2 seasons. 2 were bluff charges that stopped just shy of me.( under 15 yards)
In 1 instance I came across a large boar burrying a carcass on a hill side in old growth. He charged very agressively... I soiled my panties
The other in very thick swamp off a river, I was charged and had no idea what was coming untill it stopped just shy of me to take a better look then exited as fast as it came in. But didn't leave. I could hear him the entire time I made the 300 yard walk back through knarley thick swamp alder back to get picked up on river.
Another I was still hunting in old growth hillside and spotted a large grizz about 100 yards below me wandering towards my exact location. I snuck outta sight, and boogied up to a road 1km above me and walked road back to my vehicle and hunted another location that day.
This fall, no bears, but was followed by a pack of wolves for the better part of a day. decided to put the deer on hold and tried to get a shot at one. Spent hours playing cat and mouse with only 2 brief sightings... No shot fired :(

[Buckzilla]

The above post was in response to Darksith. Forgot to quote..

[donnareid]

Is there anyone here who actually got mauled by a grizzly, survived, and can describe the attack?

[MB_Boy]

Is there anyone here who actually got mauled by a grizzly, survived, and can describe the attack?

Yup.....do a search for Brambles and Rattler's thread from a couple of years back.

[RiverOtter]

This is the bear that charged me a few years ago, I was deer hunting and had my dog with me as she is my ears as I can not hear very well anymore my dog is a Chesapeake retriever and is trained not to chase anything and is very well behaved.
I had been hunting for about an hour and seen a few deer but nothing I wanted to shoot, My dog was about 10 yds in front of me as she always is unless I tell her to heel when all of a sudden a large grizzly bear came from my right out of nowhere and was going straight at my dog the bear passed by me at about 5 yds, I grabbed my rifle off my shoulder and levered a round in the chamber as I always carry my rifle with an empty chamber I have carried that rifle for many years and is part of meI do not have to think to put it into action, The rifle is a 444 marlin
This all happened so fast that I did not have time to think all of a sudden the bear is where my dog was, I hollered at the top of my voice HEY HEY HEY and the bear stopped in its tracks turned and looked at me with those pig eyes and it,s hair went up on it,s head and back and ears went down and turned and came straight at me I fired a shot at his front shoulder and all hell broke loose it went down and thrashed around and got back up and was facing to my left sort of by this time I had another shell chambered and fired again at the mass of the bear and it took off in the thick bush to my left.
I ran back away from where the bear entered the thick stuff about 10 yds or so and chambered another round, Then my dog come running back to me and stood beside me looking more to the left than where the bear went in and I was not sure where it was now, So I stood there for a few minutes trying to hear it, I did not know if the bear was dead or what My mouth was so dry like I had not drank for a week, I finally lost my nerve and got the hell out of there and went home. I had aa cup of coffee and told my wife what had just happened then phoned the CO,s Office and told them what had happened and the asked me to come in and see them, I went and gave them a statement and they asked me to meet them the next morning to find the bear.
I met the two Co,s and took them to where the area, they asked me to bring my dog with me it,s a good job I did bring my dog as we could not find the bear finally my dog took us to it and it was dead as we thought it would be but you never know. The bear went about 50 yds from where ai shot it.
The co,s estimated the bears weight at about 550-6oolbs and was 7tf inlength. We could not drag it we had to roll it to where they could work on it.
The tow Co,s were very professional and did not intimidate me at all they said I was very lucky I was carrying a large calibre and new how to shoot and stayed cool, I don,t know about cool It all happened so fast you don;t have time to think about cool I was in survival mode.
The Co,s put the attack down to a near miss and said I had no Joyce but to shoot the bear or they would of been carrying me out in a body bag, The Co,s did comment that my dog was well trained and behaved well.
I have had a couple of years to think this over the Co,s said the bear was probably following me thats why my dog did not smell the bear, But the way the bear acted I don,t think it new I was there and thought the dog was a small deer and was going to have it for lunch and when I hollered at it and it saw me that I was too close and it attacked out of self defence but I guess we will never know.
I still walk and hunt in the area and continue to see grizzly bears in there and have not had another problem with them. Webley!



I'm quite familiar with that area, Webley. I can still vividly remember taking my wife and daughters down to the meadow at the bottom of the hill by the creek. It was Mothers day and we went down to have a fire and cook a couple smokies. I got the fire going while the kids played in the meadow. I had noticed some dark "piles"under the big spruce tree in the middle of the meadow and thought nothing of it, as the local rancher often went there with his horse. Once the smokies were ready and everyone was eating, I went for a short stroll over by the spruce tree, just enjoying the spring air. As I approached the first "pile" and realized exactly what I was looking at, every hair and nerve ending on the back of my head and neck was fully charged and I felt like I was gonna puke. The base of that tree was a king sized bear bed, replete with grizz hair and pad marks, where it had dug a wide hollow for comfort. I've seen enough grizzlies and grizzly sign to know it was no young bear who called that meadow home.

All I remember after that was hollering for my wife to get the kids in the truck and getting the hell out of there. Not very often I go anywhere any more without a rifle in tow, no matter what time of year or how brief of an excursion.

[sallovesbeer]

Nothing like the ol' 45-70 to stop pretty much anything dead in its tracks. Combined with 1895 guide gun you have great combo for hiking or hunting.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Some people will have no issues, I have a predator magnet...
If you have a similiar magnet to me, you feel better with a rifle. I have since started carrying bear spray in my pack as well.
3 close encounters in 2 seasons. 2 were bluff charges that stopped just shy of me.( under 15 yards)
In 1 instance I came across a large boar burrying a carcass on a hill side in old growth. He charged very agressively... I soiled my panties
The other in very thick swamp off a river, I was charged and had no idea what was coming untill it stopped just shy of me to take a better look then exited as fast as it came in. But didn't leave. I could hear him the entire time I made the 300 yard walk back through knarley thick swamp alder back to get picked up on river.
Another I was still hunting in old growth hillside and spotted a large grizz about 100 yards below me wandering towards my exact location. I snuck outta sight, and boogied up to a road 1km above me and walked road back to my vehicle and hunted another location that day.
This fall, no bears, but was followed by a pack of wolves for the better part of a day. decided to put the deer on hold and tried to get a shot at one. Spent hours playing cat and mouse with only 2 brief sightings... No shot fired :(

Holy CRAP ! 15 yard bluff charges :shock: my 45-70 or whatever i was packing would have Discharged in his direction before he got that close to me ! RJ

[.330 Dakota]

Is the 45/70 say with a 500 grainer adequate to STOP a charging griz? I know the velocity isnt really there but is there enough to do the job cleanly,

[REMINGTON JIM]

Is the 45/70 say with a 500 grainer adequate to STOP a charging griz? I know the velocity isnt really there but is there enough to do the job cleanly,



Fishing again Hey ! LOL :-D 525 gr Hard Cast Bear Tooth Pile drivers at 1650 fps will out penetrate just about anything including our 375 H&H ers with 300 gr-ers - i have shot them through 20" of fir wood ! :wink: RJ

[Beachcomber]

Probably a stupid question as I have not seen mention of them in is thread, but what about "bear bangers" vs bear spray? Always struck me as a bit dangerous as you would have to know the exact range. If one of those went off behind a bear it would be in your lap in no time. Views?

[RiverOtter]

Bear bangers are a joke, simple as that......

[sallovesbeer]

Is the 45/70 say with a 500 grainer adequate to STOP a charging griz? I know the velocity isnt really there but is there enough to do the job cleanly,
A lot of guides pack rifles chambered in .45-70 with them around " just in case". Most guys that are big into the caliber with tell you that the factory ammo is only "adequate" due to the cartridge being originally designed for a weaker trapdoor action a 100+ years ago but now with the stronger actions out there if you really want get performance you play with hand loading. Hornady has a 45-70 factory round at .325gr will move at around 2050fps without extreme pressures. Also an expanding 45-70 round will make an internal wound channel approx. 10-12 times larger than the original bullet diameter and produces excellent hydrostatic shock effects at 2500-1700fps. Without a doubt I'm sure there might be better cartridges out there for grizzly hunting but with a gun the size of a Marlin 1895 guide lever action it makes for good protection while hiking or mushroom picking.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Bear bangers are a joke, simple as that......

So is Bear PEPPER spray unless hes dead and your eating him ! LOL :wink: RJ

[Drillbit]

Bear bangers are a joke, simple as that......

They're fun drinking beer around a campfire though....I guess that is a joke:)

[keithb7]

I was hunting Northern BC last fall and there were several reports of local grizzly. One hunter told of the day earlier when he got in between momma and 2 cubs. No time to sight. 1 shot fired from the hip. No stopping her. Second shot hit the dirt near her feet at full charge. She stopped turned and ran. I spent lots of time solo hunting in tall grass and bush for the next week. Grizzly was on my mind. I kept one live round in the chamber and three in the clip when alone. I did come across a grizzly on a main road while on my quad. Grizz stared me down for a while and decided to move off the road. My hunting partner stayed up there after I went home. When he returned home he told me of his encounter. I will not share his story here but it was close. He's ok but the events had a lot of potential to go bad. His K9 probably saved his life. When I was hunting that week alone I was aware of the danger and very alert.

[aggiehunter]

luckily all my encounters have been watching gbears run away..goatguy touches on a valid point...I personally know few guys that shoot the pistol grip 12 guage accurately..I used to use one but switched to the Guide Gun with 550 grain Craters. We set up courses and practice and that's all I'll say...make it realistic...like IPSC...shoot lots.