With the internet, and this forum ,as well running amuck with hypothetical bear defense guns, I thought I would relate a true story. A local rancher held in great regards told me a true bear encounter he had and I thought the forum would be interested. First off, the rancher has been in the area for generations, is a former county commissioner and is known to be an honest man. Years ago he was checking his cattle on their summer range when he noticed the cows running amuck. Seeing a black bear chasing his cows, Frank reached behind his seat to retrieve his 30-06. Wouldn't you know it, it was not there. The previous day he had removed it to give it, its first cleaning in over a decade and had forgot to put it back in his truck. With no other options, Frank chased the bear across the field with his pickup. He ran the bear over, 4 times, but did not kill it. Finally the bear was hurting and going slow, so Frank PARKED the pickup on the still struggling bear. With the only tool he had, which was a lathing hatchet, Frank used it to open the skull of the bear. Frank boiled the skull and has it in his house. I have never seen it but am going to photograph the skull this week. His kids, now my age, swears dad is telling the truth. So instead of worrying what gun you should pack, just worry what brand of truck and hatchet you should buy.

Different from what we mostly hear. I'll bet that poor bear was sorry he messed around in THAT guy's field.

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Need breeds invention. Use what you got.

__________________
Just a shooter

Different kind of bear thread.

Ford vs. Dodge vs. Chevy?
Council vs. Estwing vs. Tru Temper?
or do we like Japanese trucks and German hatchets? Tomahawks?
Double or single blade? Radial or bias ply tire? 2WD or 4?

I was kinda baffled at your comments but then I caught on.

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

It's illegal to take bear with anything smaller than a Cummins turbo Diesel.

Use enough truck!

Old ways, old school, caveman stuff still works.

__________________
Plant garlic in the fall

They got the suv, but forgot the hatchet.

You forgot to mention what caliber that hatchet was!

But when they retaliate ....

When trucks were trucks and men were men!!!!!!!!!

When the bear turns around to chase the truck, that's when the ejection seat on the passenger side comes into play

__________________
Some collect art; I shoot it!

Was pulling a 30 foot 5th wheel with a chevy pickup in Yellowstone about 15 years ago. I see a bear heading out of the treeline on my left front trying to cross the road. When I see he's not going to stop l lay on the breaks hard, he keeps coming head down not looking at me. I'm skidding to a stop when he bumps his head against my left front tire, as I was almost stopped he wasn't hurt. He still didn't look up, just ran around the front of the truck and continued across the road. When we checked the inside the camper it was a mess, everything flew out of the cabinets. It was a great trip, my wife and I really enjoyed touring our great country.

__________________
Semper Fi until I die

Find his zipper and take his coat. Pass the Russian potato vodka first.

__________________
Plant garlic in the fall

This begs the question-

Is my Prius enough car to stop a bear?

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Can a jeep be considered precision guided munitions?

__________________
Common sense isn't.

Speaking of hatchets, Jim Corbett ran down a Himalayan black bear and killed it with an axe borrowed from a native villager. His rifle wasn't at hand when the bear appeared, and the Indians wanted it for meat. It took several blows from the axe and Corbett was lucky to survive. Those sloth bears are very dangerous.

BTW, who here knows the difference between Gerber and Fiskars hatchets and axes? Both have hollow synthetic handles that enclose the head (as do Buck hatchets) , and both are made in Finland. (Yes, I know the answer. Just wondering who else may.)

If you have a good quality Hudson's Bay style axe, you're probably better equipped to deal with a bear than a cave man was when using a stone axe. Just be sure it's sharp.

A few years ago, a Norwegian scientist had to kill an approaching polar bear with his S&W .44 Magnum. Readers of, National Geographic went ballistic and wrote letters demeaning him for hurting that poor bear. It was, after all, only going to eat him!

Can you imagine the reader response if the magazine had described the bear hunt in the OP? How would that fare on those game warden shows on, Animal Planet ?!

Hmmmm. I think you've got me there, Texas Star. Doesn't Fiskars own Gerber? I always thought Fiskars were made in Finland and Gerbers were made in China. But, if they're both made in Finland, the only difference I can see is the color of the handles.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

You got it: the handle color. And the brand name, of course.

Maybe 20 years ago, Fiskars bought Gerber and I understand that Fiskars axes are mainly sold in garden and big discount stores like Home Depot. Gerber is marketed more to sportsmen and costs more and is sold in sporting goods stores. Or, so I've read. Supposedly, hunters and campers will pay more for an axe than will other users.

However, I think that some Gerber items are now made in China, like their Bear Grylls stuff. That line may include some axes or hatchets. But their basic, better ones are Finnish. I hope they still make those. If not, just get the Fiskars versions.

Was moving an Angus bull from one pasture to another one day with a 3/4 ton chevy 4x4. Things were moving along just fine at a slow walk until crossed the line of a bit too close. He turned around with a look of contempt and hit the p/u a couple of times with that big ol' head. The last time he got it under the front wheel well and picked that corner of the p/u up and then dropped it. He stepped back and looked at us and we just said okay, we're gone.

Unless it dies of laughter probably not.
If it did, the smugmobile might make a decent AED.