Sheep Hunting Grizzly Bear Defense Measures

[Brambles]

I'm compiling information to better determine what would make the most logical sheep rifle.

This poll is to determine what the typical sheep hunter encounters for grizzly bear and if defense measures were needed and to what extent was the outcome..

Again this is a private thread and no names will be recorded so be honest.

There will be a Yes/No sort of question for grizzly threat and for those who voted yes you can also vote on what measures were needed to deter a threat.

[Brambles]

multiple votes allowed so if you've been threatened more than once vote accordingly so we can get accurate numbers

5 times 5 votes sort of things depending on the outcome.

Thanks

[gunpower]

I never have and never will hunt for sheep.
I have run into several grizziles over the years, have never had to do any thing,
they have left on there own accord!
But I still had to be carefull, you never know what will happen!!

[gerrygoat]

Yes it has happened sheep hunting but us getting aggressive, shouting and throwing rocks made it back down. Twice goat hunting it's happened once the same as the sheep hunt and the bear backed down the second time warning shots were also fired but we haven't had to kill one yet.

[Rattler]

Jeff,

You have the gun already man....your 280 AI! What does it weigh again...a measly 5lbs...

[swampthing]

I have had several close encounters with grizz. Each time, when they identified me as human, they ran as fast as they could away from me. The encounter you had was a rarity. I pee a circle around my tent and put my food downwind, hoping I will hear a maurading bear and be able to take action. I worry about bears but not enough to stop me from solo backpacking.

[Brambles]

Jeff,

You have the gun already man....your 280 AI! What does it weigh again...a measly 5lbs...

No its a tank at 6lbs 3 ounces with the scope. I might put a lighter stock on it and shave some weight down as the stock weights 25 ounces.

[elkdom]

you COULD get mauled by a Grizz just stopping along a Highway to have crap !,
or you can drive from end of the province to the other end,without having a crap ?

when in remote areas use some "common sense" seems very hard to muster up for lot of folks,be BEAR AWARE !,
but just the same, if you have an ounce of common sense and a rifle you will be just fine,

or you can stay at home where there ARE NO GRIZZ,,,, AND still CRAP YOUR PANTS,,,,:neutral:

and BY The WAY! farrrr! more people are killed by Black Bears in North America every year than GRIZZ ! better worry about the Blackies and Cougars also !:cry:

[Brambles]

I worry about bears but not enough to stop me from solo backpacking.


you COULD get mauled by a Grizz just stopping along a Highway to have crap !,
or you can drive from end of the province to the other end,without having a crap ?

when in remote areas use some "common sense" seems very hard to muster up for lot of folks,be BEAR AWARE !,
but just the same, if you have an ounce of common sense and a rifle you will be just fine,

or you can stay at home where there ARE NO GRIZZ,,,, AND still CRAP YOUR PANTS,,,,:neutral:

and BY The WAY! farrrr! more people are killed by Black Bears in North America every year than GRIZZ ! better worry about the Blackies and Cougars also !:cry:

I think you guys are reading more into this POLL then intended. Grizzly bears don't stop me from getting out hunting or backpack trips. This is to just complie information on how common encounters are during a sheep hunt and what the typical end resolve.

If guys are worried about not having enough gun to stop a charging grizz on a sheep hunt, but 99% of encounters were stopped by non physical means then it doesnt' make much sense to pack a gun that is geared towards grizz.

The flipside is what if the numbers come back that a good percentage of guys have to shoot at bears to turn them, maybe a bigger gun is a better choice......its all information gathering.

I repeat, this is NOT a " OOOOHHH I'm sooo scared to go in the bush" Thread.... Its an information gathering thread so I can make an informed and supported decision on What I believe is gonna be the best all round sheep cartridge. Lots of variables will be taken into consideration.

[elkdom]

my buddy used his 11 pound .338 Lapua to go on a sheep hunt, missed his first FC ram at 40 yards, broadside standing still, 2 days later got a shot another FC ram at 60 yards, knocked the Ram off the precipice, rolled about 400 yards downhill, an enormous hole, end to end on the Ram solved the problem of packing out a lot of meat,,,

when he got back to his quad about 10 km away with his heavy pack, the cape and the horns and a few pounds of meat and huge heavy rifle,,,,,???

a GRIZZLY had EATEN the seat completely OFF of his quad and took a big DUMP right beside his quad,,, he never did SEE the Grizz !:mrgreen: lmao

[REMINGTON JIM]

my buddy used his 11 pound .338 Lapua to go on a sheep hunt, missed his first FC ram at 40 yards, broadside standing still, 2 days later got a shot another FC ram at 60 yards, knocked the Ram off the precipice, rolled about 400 yards downhill, an enormous hole, end to end on the Ram solved the problem of packing out a lot of meat,,,

when he got back to his quad about 10 km away with his heavy pack, the cape and the horns and a few pounds of meat and huge heavy rifle,,,,,???

a GRIZZLY had EATEN the seat completely OFF of his quad and took a big DUMP right beside his quad,,, he never did SEE the Grizz !:mrgreen: lmao

LMAO :-D - is that ever friggin funny ! :-D:lol::lol: Isn't that a great storey -were you there and did you get any pics ? LOL

[elkdom]

LMAO :-D - is that ever friggin funny ! :-D:lol::lol: Isn't that a great storey -were you there and did you get any pics ? LOL

NO, HE is ACCIDENT Prone, and that is infectious, I refused to go with him up the hill,, crossing boiling , swollen mountain streams , I stayed in the valley and tried to catch some fish, watched all the city-dwellers roar by on their quads, day after day, I stayed warm and dry , in the monsoon weather, and played around base camp,

[Calamity]

Can't participate in this regarding the sheep hunting and bear encounters but hunting moose there have been a few hairy incidents in our family with bears...both blacks and griz.

Never underestimate a big carnivore that equates gunshots with gutpiles.

[REMINGTON JIM]

NO, HE is ACCIDENT Prone, and that is infectious, I refused to go with him up the hill,, crossing boiling , swollen mountain streams , I stayed in the valley and tried to catch some fish, watched all the city-dwellers roar by on their quads, day after day, I stayed warm and dry , in the monsoon weather, and played around base camp,

Thats Funny TOO ! :-D Huntin with you guys would be too FUNNY ! :mrgreen: LOL

[guest]

Yes, threatened by G bear's on Sheep hunts.
Had both, had to shoot one and another was deterred by warning shots on a sheep hunt. Two separate occasions. Nasty experiences though I hope not to repeat.

Answer to Buck below ..... 300 win mag ...... I don't really understand why the question though.

CT

[Buck]

Yes, threatened by G bear's on Sheep hunts.
Had both, had to shoot one and another was deterred by warning shots on a sheep hunt. Two separate occasions. Nasty experiences though I hope not to repeat.

CT

What caliber gun did you have?

Most any gun will kill a Grizz with a brain shot.But to use a sheep gun that has actual stopping power you have to get into some serious recoil unless you brake it.

[stoneguide]

Been involved with many many Grizzly bear encounters over the last 23yrs of mountain hunting. Some have been calm and others not so much. Been fully charged on a few occasions(sow with cubs once, half dozen off kills and one because a cook left garbage around) and each has had different out comes( a couple resulting in bears being shot which are regretable but it happens).
In my opinion 99% of the time bear encounters can be resolved without ever using a gun. And to pack a .30cal. gun instead of a .277cal for that 1% doesnt really make a difference. Most of the time when a bear charges some one its the shot that scares the bear off as most guys are so rattled at that point they cant hit it with any size of gun.
Almost all my bear encounters that have resulted in a shot fired at a bear or a bear dispatched have been more or less known situations. We knew we were going into a situation that could result in a charge and we were ready for that(even then ive never packed anything bigger than my .280).
I have shot some warning shots but almost all werent needed but were taken just to try and put a little fear into the bear.

So to me I cant see packing a larger cartridge or gun because there are bears around. Pack what you shoot well and try and stay calm if the situation arises. This will defuse a situation allot better than just carrying a larger gun.

Just my thoughts!!!

SG

[325 wsm]

calibre choice is simple...325 wsm

[REMINGTON JIM]

What caliber gun did you have?

Most any gun will kill a Grizz with a brain shot.But to use a sheep gun that has actual stopping power you have to get into some serious recoil unless you brake it.

What the hell ya talking about ??

[Brambles]

Been involved with many many Grizzly bear encounters over the last 23yrs of mountain hunting. Some have been calm and others not so much. Been fully charged on a few occasions(sow with cubs once, half dozen off kills and one because a cook left garbage around) and each has had different out comes( a couple resulting in bears being shot which are regretable but it happens).
In my opinion 99% of the time bear encounters can be resolved without ever using a gun. And to pack a .30cal. gun instead of a .277cal for that 1% doesnt really make a difference. Most of the time when a bear charges some one its the shot that scares the bear off as most guys are so rattled at that point they cant hit it with any size of gun.
Almost all my bear encounters that have resulted in a shot fired at a bear or a bear dispatched have been more or less known situations. We knew we were going into a situation that could result in a charge and we were ready for that(even then ive never packed anything bigger than my .280).
I have shot some warning shots but almost all werent needed but were taken just to try and put a little fear into the bear.

So to me I cant see packing a larger cartridge or gun because there are bears around. Pack what you shoot well and try and stay calm if the situation arises. This will defuse a situation allot better than just carrying a larger gun.

Just my thoughts!!!

SG


No, that all makes perfect sense and very similar to where I"m going with this. Thanks for taking the time to post up a worthwhile statement

[TyTy]

Maybe add some see through scope rings for that close encouter charge to your mountain hunting rig,

[gerrygoat]

Maybe add some see through scope rings for that close encouter charge to your mountain hunting rig,

See through rings suck you will be much better without them :-D

[wildcatter]

and BY The WAY! farrrr! more people are killed by Black Bears in North America every year than GRIZZ ! better worry about the Blackies and Cougars also !:cry:

That's true, but just imagine if we had as many grizzlies as balckies, I bet that would change the outcome.

[bridger]

I have gone on more than forty sheep hunts and have had only one close encounter with the many grizz bears we have seen. That was when we surprised a sow with cubs in a creek bottom. Have never had any trouble with them raiding our camp etc. in my experience sheep hunting and grizz trouble rarely occurs. On the other hand we have had several serious encounters with them moose and elk hunting. The most serious was on the tuchodi a few years ago when we had six of them in camp at one time trying to pull some elk off the meat pole.

[Hunt'n Guide]

I voted no. But it all comes down to how an individual perceives the encounter. What one person views as seeing a bear and no big deal can feel like a life threatening encounter to someone else. For instance sitting glassing for rams with a client on a nice sunny hillside with good thermals drawing the air nicely upward a grizzly feeds across the hill a couple hundred yards below us. Dangerous? I'd say no, but the client gripping his rifle with white knuckles who has never seen a grizzly before would likely say yes.

That being said, shit happens, sometimes bad shit; even to experienced and careful woodsmen. Just because I have never run across a grizzly with a kill in the buck brush, or accidentally wandered between a sow and cubs doesn't mean it can't or won't.

So far I'd say Stone guide has nailed it with his post on page 2, especially his last sentence.
"So to me I cant see packing a larger cartridge or gun because there are bears around. Pack what you shoot well and try and stay calm if the situation arises. This will defuse a situation allot better than just carrying a larger gun."
Very well said.

[REMINGTON JIM]

See through rings suck you will be much better without them :-D

Do they even make them things anymore ? LOL Use qd rings or just iron sights ! jmho Jim

[leadpillproductions]

I just got a 7mm saum should be a good sheep gun

[bigwhiteys]

But it all comes down to how an individual perceives the encounter. What one person views as seeing a bear and no big deal can feel like a life threatening encounter to someone else.
I've always been told if I am going to kill the bear in self defense I best have some bite marks on my a$$ for proof :)

The worst danger we've experienced on a sheep hunt is probably the mountainhouse farts. Or maybe the climbing on ridiculously steep bouldered slopes, scaling up and around waterfalls while climbing up/down drainages, walking through miles of slippery or icy creek bottoms with loaded packs, crawling on your hands and knees through scree so steep you get vertigo when you look down, crawling around car sized boulder fields, When you factor it all in, bears are usually the least of our worries, but still never forgotten about. My .270 seems plenty enough for me, and a partner or 2 makes it a little safer.

Carl

[BromBones]

The worst danger we've experienced on a sheep hunt is probably the mountainhouse farts. Or maybe the climbing on ridiculously steep bouldered slopes, scaling up and around waterfalls while climbing up/down drainages, walking through miles of slippery or icy creek bottoms with loaded packs, crawling on your hands and knees through scree so steep you get vertigo when you look down, crawling around car sized boulder fields, When you factor it all in, bears are usually the least of our worries, but still never forgotten about. My .270 seems plenty enough for me, and a partner or 2 makes it a little safer.

Carl

Pretty much hit the nail on the head. Bear trouble is low on the list of potential dangers for me.

I've had grizzly trouble before, but the outcome was always good - the bears got chased off and no one got hurt. Since I started hunting with a packdog, it hasn't been an issue. The dog has sniffed out a few bears that I never would have seen until we had a head-on, and I was able to steer clear and let the bear carry on it's way. I'll have 2 dogs up in the mountains this year, they are pretty good to have around.

[wsm]

i dont care what your packing. is anyone ever really ready for a grizz encounter? they can happen pretty quick. staying calm as has been said is most important. in an ideal situation both parties go on their way, which happens more often than not. i personally cant see packing a cannon just cause im in grizz country. just be sure u can shot whatever u pack. now for the guys who have had lots of encounters good, bad , and ugly most of us will NEVER have an encounter , so for their first one staying calm is highly unlikely. by the time they get to their 5th or more , which will probably never happen. they will be pros at handling the situation and both parties will have a better chance @ walking away in one piece. having said that, im not taking a 243 stone sheep hunting TYVM. ILL PACK MY 7MM

[pappy]

Staying calm is the best thing to do for sure, I have seen grizzly when sheep hunting and never had a worry. They were always a good distance away. I have shot a black bear at 12 feet after bear spraying it twice at 15 feet. Bear spray slowed it down but didn't stop it. I waited till it started to come at me after I was out of bear spray. It only took one shot. It definatly wasn't afraid of me, I think a more mature bear would have got me before I knew what was happening or it would have spooked and ran away. The black bears in northern B.C. I find are smaller than the ones on the island but they seem to be alot more agressive. I didn't really appretiate the seriousness of this close call till all was said and done, then I got the adrenaline rush that comes from being spooked like that. I'm more worried about a slip and fall than I am about predators, I have been hunting for quite a few years and have only had a couple of small incidents that weren't near as bad as the one blackie that was too close. With that said I plan to sheep hunt this year with my 30-06, last year I dealt with the black bear using my 7 mag. I feel comfortable being able to load heavier grain bullets when hiking through thick stuff and when sleeping. Like 175's or larger and having my gun sighted in for more flat shooting rounds for when I'm in more open sheep country. I still have lots to learn about sheep hunting as I've only gone twice so this has been part of my learning curve.

[bcmulie]

I've never been threatened or charged by a grizzly, but I did have one steal a ram from me while I was sleeping. I managed to recover the horns but the meat and cape were long gone. I usually take my 7mm instead of my .270 when I go up north, but the most important thing is to take a rifle you shoot well and in which you have confidence.

bcmulie

[Crossfire]

Having witnessed some pretty crazy cougar takedowns in the mountains, while sheep hunting, I would and am more concerned about cougars more than grizzly problems. The reason being, a guy probably wouldn't even know what hit him.....way to steathly and quiet. I guess like others have said, you cant worry about it, just enjoy your time out there and dont let it ruin your trip. :)

[BlacktailStalker]

Cats aren't going to track you down while you're packing meat, come to a gun shot and won't walk 20 kms to the smell of blood...

[SHAKER]

LOL........... Keep your gun loaded at night there Brambles! Lead is a great defence.

[houndogger]

With your gun strapped to your pack it ain't gonna matter what your packing really.

[kootenayelkslayer]

How are you planning on packing you rifle while hunting Brambles? You should look into those Kifaru Gunslingers. I always keep my gun handy in the Kifaru while sheep hunting. It's completely hands free, but you can have you gun un-holstered in a second if you need it.
A rifle strapped to a backpack isn't much good for a grizz encounter, and packing the gun on your shoulder blows in sheep terrain.

[ryanb]

The best thing you can do for bear safety when it comes to camping at night is to stay away from travel lanes and food sources. As far as putting down a charging bear, any sheep calibre will work, as long as you hit it in the right spot, just like any shoulder cannon won't work if you hit it in the wrong spot.

[leadpillproductions]

One threw the chest and he is done

[bighornbob]

One threw the chest and he is done

True but how much chewing time on you is still too much???

BHB

[leadpillproductions]

Get him before he gets you

[kootenayelkslayer]

The best thing you can do for bear safety when it comes to camping at night is to stay away from travel lanes and food sources.

Did you hear that Jeff? Stay away from those well known grizzly migration routes this time!

[BCrams]

Did you hear that Jeff? Stay away from those well known grizzly migration routes this time!

You're gonna take that shit from him?? :mrgreen:

A grizzly education:

migration routes = travel routes = terrain features = travel lanes = path of least resistance

Grizzlies do not like using roads in mountain valleys to travel and instead prefer to travel through thick timber!
Grizzlies prefer to climb the steepest terrain to the height of land instead of low saddle, pass areas!
Grizzlies hate travelling along rivers or river bars with fish in them!
Grizzlies do not like using hiking trails!

Just kiddin' :-D

Have had quite a few dealings with black bears and grizzly bears. Lots of inherent dangers out there other than bears that can result in injury or worse but always expect the unexpected when it comes to predators such as grizz.

[Buck]

I have only had to kill one Black bear in self defense First shot went in the chest at 15 yds or so bear instantly wheeled around and took off back where it came from and i got 2 more into it within 30 yds as it was running away.The chest shot came out the back leg below the knee as it looked to me.This was a 30-06 with 165 gn corelocks.I would like a nice ultralight accurate semi auto at about 6 and and half pounds scoped for sheep hunting .Stick 5 into a bear right away better chance for a brain shot.Anyone make one of those?

[91Jason91]

wow 11 ppl have shot a grizz well on a hunt, thats alot I think. Didnt think it would be that bad
300RUM works well for both

[shuswap kid]

I've had encounters with both. Only had to shoot once to scare a large black bear away. Sprayed it's face with sand/gravel as it approached nose to the ground following my footsteps. Acting like a idiot didn't work. It was with a 22lr that I shot at the ground, which was all I was carrying, not my choice as a defense gun. I was being stalked, which I must say was creepy.

[shuswap kid]

to continue, I'd pick a 7mag for sheep hunting. As for using it for defense, Gary Shelton of Bella Coola authored the book Bear Encounter Survival Guide, which I highly recommend and is educational. It covers the use of firearms for bear defense as well as bear sprays. Taken some flack for his stand for using firearms as a means of defense against bears. http://www.amazon.com/Encounter-Survival-Guide-James-Shelton/dp/0969809905 Sells for about $20

[olharley guy]

wow 11 ppl have shot a grizz well on a hunt, thats alot I think. Didnt think it would be that bad
300RUM works well for both

Howdy, only if you have seen a lot of grizzlies in your lifetime and "DON'T PANIC" when the unexpected happens! Later

[sako_300]

Howdy, only if you have seen a lot of grizzlies in your lifetime and "DON'T PANIC" when the unexpected happens! Later

Agreed - I suspect some of those bears didn't have to die...

[MattW]

I had a run in with a grizzly while hunting elk on the Muskwa. It was right at dusk as I was coming back down to our camp on the river. We had gutted an elk about 10 days earlier on the next ridge over about 1 km away. I was coming down off the mountain and just above the point where the wide ridge I was following narrowed to about the width of a footpath I met a grizzly. There was patchy brush about 6 ft high and he stood up about 50 yards away and stood a couple feet above the brush. I pulled out my rifle and just watched him. He dropped back down and was no longer visible and I thought "he's seen and smelled me and will go on his way". I proceeded to walk backwards down the ridge. Then he popped out of the brush just above me on the ridge, probably 30 yards now so I yelled and when he didn't leave I shot in the dirt in front of him, spraying him with dirt. He whirled around and headed back in the brush and I continued backing down the mountain. Then he was right above me on the ridge again, I could see the brush moving but not him, I fired another shot high through the brush where I was sure I wouldn't hit him but it made a pretty good noise wacking through the brush, this time I saw him tear out of the brush well above me and continue away and out of sight. I took the time to reload and backed the rest of the way down the mountain. This all took place in the space of a minute or less and at some point in there I radioed my cousin where I was and he came as far as the base of the ridge and then was scared to come any further for fear of getting mauled or shot.
Anyway as far as rifle selection goes, if I think there will be grizzly I take a 300 Magnum of some flavour (currently 300 H&H), I shoot it just as well as any of my other guns, it doesn't weigh that much more and I'm not undergunned no matter what game I encounter. I'm a lousy sheep hunter anyway because I'm easily tempted to go from hunting sheep to hunting caribou, goat, elk or even moose if there's a good head around. The extra power of the 300 over the 270 I'd carry for sheep sure doesn't hurt with those animals.