Grizzly

[Drillbit]

Had to fire warning shots last year for the first time ever. Younger bear just being an asshole but still got our attention. This year will be the same or worse, dry year no berries equals hungry bears.

Warning shots? You should brush up on the Mozambique drill with your 45-70

[cassiarkid]

I hate to disagree with some of you guys, but I think there is just as much of a chance of a gun screw up than a bear spray screw up. I'm not just talking mechanical error, also talking human error as well given the circumstances. Plus, it's a lot harder to put in a kill shot at a grizzly charging you at 45kms/hrs then one thinks.
One of the leading experts on bear attacks, James Gary Shelton, has said that there is more of a chance of coming into contact with a charging bear when you are armed with a gun, than when you have bear spray. Meaning statistically speaking, bear spray works better than a gun. His information comes from years of documenting factual bear encounters and attacks from all over North America.
Lots of things to take into consideration, like never test your bear spray, then think it's going to work fine the next time, once it's used its done. Secondly, when it has expired, use it to practise then buy a new one.
When carrying a gun, is it loaded all the time, bolt action vs semi-auto, etc. If shotgun, Slug vs SSG. Then there is reaction time and adrenaline and fear. Lots going on in the seconds you have to react.
I personally carry both. When I hunt alone, I always have one in the pipe with the safety on. When I hunt with a friend, magazine is loaded, not the chamber. I would also shoot first and reach for the spray second if I had the option and the time.

[BChunter]

We processed an elk in the Kechika surrounded by fresh grizzly rose hip turds two years ago. Before field dressing and de-boning we immediately started a fire and left guns on three corner trees with a chambered round. Stoked up the fire, left for two hours and the remains had not been visited. Just my advise, coast Indians used fires according to Clayton Mack to keep away griz.
I have had Gary Sheldons bear course twice and read his books. He's the man on bears, buy his books, I've read everyone else's and Gary is top drawer info all from experience.

[Edge]

We always make a fire next to our kills before starting to field dress. Other advantages is that if another hunter sees "something" messin round a kill, he/she will know not to shoot cause of the smoke. I don't know if a substantial fire will be permitted in our forests/mountains this hunting season. I am especially skeptical during bow season Sept 1-Sept 10. my $.02

[BRvalley]

we shot a moose in 7b last august, it was 30 degrees out and my usual spots were not being productive so we took a drive to find new ground for the next morning, drove into higher elevation, brand new area to me....totally road hunting, came around a bend and saw a moose....when we shot, I wondered why it didn't take off at the sight of us, we were well under 100 yards close to him, and he was 20 yards from an old growth tree line and thick bush to escape too...in hindsight, it was more concerned about something else...upon inspection we saw that somebody had taken 2 head shots at it, one hit the rack and one passed through his snout, just below his eyes

we took pics and had rifles laid against a log near the moose, 1 of us was starting to field dress and 2 of us were looking at where it was bedded down, fair bit of blood from his wounds....that's when we heard the huffing and the heavy beating of paws hitting the ground...look up and there is a very angry grizz about 15 yards away...a shit your pants type of moment lol

told my new hunter buddy to not run, back away together and don't turn our backs...a brief stand off for 5 seconds that felt a lot longer and he back off into the timber....all 3 rifles immediately loaded, used rope, chain and aircraft cable to drag the moose to the trail....built a big fire and ran the truck with headlights...he circled us until midnight when we finished with the moose, could hear him every now and then, 1 person always with rifle in hand....didn't care about grabbing chain and rope at midnight, so when we went back to retrieve that stuff the next day, the gut sack and bones were dragged off the trail and we caught a quick glimpse of him when he took off

not an expert but he looked like a young bear, the bear was obviously on the scent of moose blood and his fresh wounds, we were likely minutes away from seeing a grizz on his own kill...with a mature bear I think we may have had a different outcome

always cautious when camping in bear country, but we let our guard down with the excitement of pictures and my buddy involved on his first moose hunt...lessons learned

[Edge]

we shot a moose in 7b last august, it was 30 degrees out and my usual spots were not being productive so we took a drive to find new ground for the next morning, drove into higher elevation, brand new area to me....totally road hunting, came around a bend and saw a moose....when we shot, I wondered why it didn't take off at the sight of us, we were well under 100 yards close to him, and he was 20 yards from an old growth tree line and thick bush to escape too...in hindsight, it was more concerned about something else...upon inspection we saw that somebody had taken 2 head shots at it, one hit the rack and one passed through his snout, just below his eyes

we took pics and had rifles laid against a log near the moose, 1 of us was starting to field dress and 2 of us were looking at where it was bedded down, fair bit of blood from his wounds....that's when we heard the huffing and the heavy beating of paws hitting the ground...look up and there is a very angry grizz about 15 yards away...a shit your pants type of moment lol

told my new hunter buddy to not run, back away together and don't turn our backs...a brief stand off for 5 seconds that felt a lot longer and he back off into the timber....all 3 rifles immediately loaded, used rope, chain and aircraft cable to drag the moose to the trail....built a big fire and ran the truck with headlights...he circled us until midnight when we finished with the moose, could hear him every now and then, 1 person always with rifle in hand....didn't care about grabbing chain and rope at midnight, so when we went back to retrieve that stuff the next day, the gut sack and bones were dragged off the trail and we caught a quick glimpse of him when he took off

not an expert but he looked like a young bear, the bear was obviously on the scent of moose blood and his fresh wounds, we were likely minutes away from seeing a grizz on his own kill...with a mature bear I think we may have had a different outcome

always cautious when camping in bear country, but we let our guard down with the excitement of pictures and my buddy involved on his first moose hunt...lessons learned

thanks for that. always a good lesson

[j270wsm]

Second had story told to me by one of the people involved.

Dan and his friend went up north sheep hunting. On the hike in they spotted a big grizz( Dan figured 8.5'+ ) about 500yds away( down hill, 5-8% slope ). They watched it for a few, then the wind changed directions. ~30 seconds later the bear stands up in his hind legs, looking around like he's testing the scent of something. Dan said the bear dropped onto all 4 and then started walking towards them into a small pocket of alders, 20yds later he came out at full speed headed straight towards them.

When the bear hit 150-200yds they fired the first shot. When it continued coming Dan fired 2 more shots, one caused the bear to stumble, his friend fired one shot then his rifle jammed. Once out of ammo, Dan started grabbing for his bear spray. Dan got the bear spray off his hip and ready to use when the bear was ~ 30-40yds. When the bear stopped he was being sprayed in the face at close to 10yds. After a few moments the bear left only to go 200yds away. Dan re loaded his 338 and helped his friend get his 300wsm un jammed and re loaded. While sitting and trying to calm down they continued watching where the bear was hoping that it was gone. Unfortunately the bear charged again. Dan said he hit it once and it collapsed, rolled and then continued to charge. after emptying both rifles the bear finally left. Dan thinks they hit him 2-3 times during the second charge. And at least 4 times total.

Dan said his friend harassed him the whole drive up north because he was bringing bears spray, but kow he won't go in the bush any more with out bear spray. Dan figured one if not both would have been attacked if he didn't have the bear spray.

[BChunter]

So I have to assume you contacted a CO about a dead or wounded grizzly left in the area? Other hunters or just locate the bear you probably left for dead! Read about false charges too! Not that I'm brave enough but you may have had options.

[cassiarkid]

Never once did I express an opinion that spray is "better than a gun". What I did say was that you have a better chance of not coming into contact with a bear when using spray compared to a gun. I just stated a "statistic" from a reliable bear expert. I also said that I personally would use a gun over spray if I had to choose. I think that having both on you is best case scenario. Hope I never have to find out which is better!!

[albravo2]

So I have to assume you contacted a CO about a dead or wounded grizzly left in the area? Other hunters or just locate the bear you probably left for dead! Read about false charges too! Not that I'm brave enough but you may have had options.

You weren't there.

If I ever shoot a charging bear and someone tells me it was probably just a bluff charge the least I'll do is tell him to go pound sand up a donkey's *ss. A charging bear doesn't give much time for mulling your options or really parsing the bear's behaviour.

And yeah, we all assume he contacted a CO. Why even make that point?