Bear attack and reaction times

[Walksalot]

There is an article in the latest B.C. Outdoors to do with bear attacks and reaction times. The author set up some different scenarios at different distances. Those who have seen first hand how quick bears can move know all to well reaction times and at times how little time one really has.

[adriaticum]

I’m not a bear(black or grizz) hunter & never will be. Eve & I were charged by a grizz (July 2007) by the Gaspar Creek bank. We didn’t have a weapon handy(a bad mistake I know). We actually heard the thumping of the large bear’s feet before seeing it.

Had my 375 H&H or Eve’s GG been handy I think I would have had time to fire at least 2 shots. The charge started from about 40 yards. He did a 90 deg turn & jumped into the creek when only about 20 feet away. Both getting up from a sitting position & yelling in unison at the top of our lungs did the job.
You have 3 to 5 seconds to react & shoot. And soiling oneself is an old wife’s tale. One goes into a survival mode & one’s senses become amplified. No time to hit the panic button.

This is exactly why you should be a bear hunter :)

[M.Dean]

When we got our first quad years ago, the wife and I and 4 or 5 other couples went for a ride along the hills above River Shore golf course. Along the trail we ran into a big sow black bear with two cubs that were half way up a tree, we stopped to take a few pic's, so I decided to get a bit closer, with my camera, and not my 300 Mag which I carry on every ride. What a mistake! I was only about 30 or 40 yards from the group and my rifle, the sow was about 100 yards away when she decided to charge me! Holy Shit! Can they move when there pissed off! I turned to run back to my bike, and when I looked back she had made half that distance before I made 15 yards! Thank Christ she hit the brakes, Woofed, and turned to go back to the cubs. There was No bloody way I could have made to my quad, taken the rifle out, loaded it and fired before that bear started chewing on my ass! Got a camera now with a 18 power zoom, and now if I go to take pic's of little baby bears in a tree or a calf moose feeding off it's huge cow mum, I have a rifle on my back, loaded!

[Gateholio]

Last fall I was hunting up a FSR near my house. I came the closest I've ever come to shooting a grizzly in defense. He wasn't charging, but he would not stop coming towards me, despite me yelling at him several times. I had mentally drawn a line that if he crossed it, he was getting a 150gr TTSX to the brain. Just as he was about to cross it the wind changed and he got a full whiff of human scent. That finally deterred him and he made an abrupt right hand turn and charged off into the bush. It's not just the charging ones that can be spooky. I've had black bears stalk me too, and that is somewhat comical if you have a rifle, but not so funny if unarmed.

[mikeboehm]

That's why I loaded up 400gr Barnes busters out of my 45-70

[scoutlt1]

A charging bear can cover 50 feet in a second. That's a "one-one-thousand".

When I think of the many times I've seen, and been close to bears over the years, I'm glad they were all pretty damn "peaceful". :)

[Brambles]

Bears only attack the color blue!!

[scottwh]

Bears only attack the color blue!!

Would that be only "tent" blue? Or all blues? You lucky bugger.....

[zippermouth]

Would that be only "tent" blue? Or all blues? You lucky bugger.....

I think unlucky bugger would be more like it!

[scottwh]

I think unlucky bugger would be more like it!

Yes! Lucky to be alive is what I meant....

[zippermouth]

oh ya I hear ya!!

[shortrange]

I've seen bears when I'm out hunting them, but as soon as they see and smell me they always take off in the other direction. Not sure if that makes me lucky or not. It does remind me that hunting is more difficult than shopping... ;)

[xcaribooer]

Does anyone know if Gary Shelton is still doing his seminars on bear defense?

[180grainer]

I think if you look at official reports by police or game officials, you'll find a significant number indicate that when the firearm is examined, the safety is still on.

[HarryToolips]

Ya they move extremely fast, you basically have to react on instinct I find...just gotta make sure that instinct is not to run or your fudged..

[btridge]

Bears only attack the color blue!!

The bear I had a problem with must have been colour blind, not a stitch of blue on me and only half my pants when he died.

[Bugle M In]

I think if you look at official reports by police or game officials, you'll find a significant number indicate that when the firearm is examined, the safety is still on.

or unfortunately "Jammed"!!
Of all the times it never happens.....this is the time when it does!!

[Walksalot]

A charging bear can cover 50 feet in a second. That's a "one-one-thousand".

When I think of the many times I've seen, and been close to bears over the years, I'm glad they were all pretty damn "peaceful". :)

If I would have held a rifle in my hands, which I didn't, I would not have had time to bring it up to my shoulder. She stopped at 10 feet. She had 3 cubs she was concerned about.

[Ambush]

I once stopped a charging bear, on a dead run, with a 3006.

I got lucky and got him right in the back of the head at 150 yards!!

[tigrr]

Bears are faster than race horses in a short race. Not many people know enough to lead a moving target going 40 to 60 kms an hour. I really respect bears. Sows more than boars. They walk very quiet too. The ones that un-nerve me the most are the sneak up ones.
I hope to shoot 2 BB this spring.

[btridge]

A very well written document worth reading.
Why don’t you e-mail Gary -shelton@belco.bc.ca
Here’s latest on Gary(Jan, 2015)-on Bella Coola valley bear problems and……very interesting!
http://www.ccrd-bc.ca/files/library/C%28f%29_Shelton.pdf

The Gaspard Creek grizzly charge was reported to Gary as soon as we got back to Van. in July 2007.
After a lengthy discussion Gary was convinced that the attack/charge was more than likely predatory.
He convinced us to always carry a gun capable of stopping a grizz when in bear country, practice & become proficient using it , always be prepared for an attack/charge when least expected & to never let your guard down.

[Krico]

I almost got chewed once, had used a predator call and a young grizzly boar ran several hundred metres through the bush undetected, instead of stepping back out onto the road as I was hoping. He leapt out of the bush at about 10 metres directly across the old road from me. I heard a branch snap and there he was coming full speed.
The only reason I didn't get chewed is because I had a round in the chamber, safety off and rifle in my hands - not on my shoulder. Luckily instinct kicked in, also lucky I didn't miss!

[Trigger Happy]

Awesome scenerios and stories guys

[180grainer]

I once stopped a charging bear, on a dead run, with a 3006.

I got lucky and got him right in the back of the head at 150 yards!!

Yea that makes sense...:)