My lady and I are planning a hiking and overnight stay in the Smokey Mountains National Forest (Mt Leconte) next year. I'm asking for experienced hiking recommendations for Black bear and other possible predators. My initial thoughts are one of the following choices as follows:

Bear spray and a small caliber, light weight handgun (380 or 357).

Bear spray and a DW Bruin 10mm long slide in a chest holster (bullet wt ?).

Bear spray and a S&W 29 4" in a cross draw holster ( I have 180 & 240 gr. JHPs). I also have 320 gr. WLNGC wad cutters.

Bear spray and a 45 acp (my favorite) loaded with 230 gr. JHPs or FMJs.

Thoughts and thank you.

Forget the bear spray, bring the Model 29 (240gr.), or G20 (10mm with 200gr bullet)…. For where you’re going, I’d do the 10mm with chest holster.

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NRA Life Member

When recently on a four-day back trip near Rocky Mountain National Park, I carried spray plus my 638 with Buffalo Bore's 158gr .38 Special Outdoorsman load and a speed strip of the same. Weight matters when you are actually backpacking, and not just a day hike or walking out to the deer stand.

Hiked and camped the mountains from PA down to SC many times over 50 years. Black bears are NOT going to attack you!!! They may come looking for your food in the dark, so plan on hanging it out of reach if you’re not with your vehicle at nights. If you are camping with your vehicle, just lock your food inside.

Also, better check regulations before camping with a handgun in a National Park. Never carried one while hiking the Appalachian Trail but might not be legal in the National Park?

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2B1ASK1

You will never see the monstrous black bear. Usually it will be a yearling about the size of a big dog. You really need to realize your biggest threat is a human predator.

So whatever is your EDC.

4 in 27,28,29,57...or your favorite 45 auto chest carry forr all

Only on very rare occasions. So few recorded that I would not be concerned.

^^^^This. Black bears may come after food, but so will raccoons, possums, coyotes, fox, etc. Follow good food storage practices.

Carry the 1911 that is your favorite. Your more familiar with it. It has plenty of punch for self defense (bears and men) and is loud enough to scare off bears or signal for help. Don't bother with the spray for black bears.

Bear spray and the nastiest handgun you can carry with reasonable convenience and use effectively. My bear-big cat gun is a Model 58 loaded with Rhino Rollers.

I do a lot of hiking in the north Georgia/North Carolina area. My experience with black bears while hiking has been they run away when they see you. If they have cubs with them the cubs run up the nearest tree and you have to back off and wait for the mama bear to coax them down.

The only time I have felt threatened by a wild animal was when I came around a corner and surprised a feral pig nursing her piglets on the trail about 15 feet in front of me. She bobbed her head aggressively and stood her ground until the piglets were safe but ran off after them as soon as she could. More of a bluff than a threat.

The only times I ever see bears is when I am quietly hiking by myself. The trails leading to Mt LeConte usually have enough people that the odds of seeing a bear is small and if you and your lady talk while hiking the odds are even lower. As others have said the biggest problem with black bears is they like to raid camps at night. If you are staying at the Mt. LeConte lodge that will not be an issue.

Take what you normally carry would be my first recommendation. If your 45 is so big the holster for it interferes with your pack consider something smaller. When I carry a gun while hiking it is normally a Glock 43 or more recently a Sig P365, the same as I carry intown. The biggest threat is people but Mt. LeConte is not downtown Atlanta.

I hiked all over the Smokies for 40 years with nothing more than a walking stick and a knife as weapons. Saw 100's of bears in that time. All ran away as soon as they became aware of me -- and I always made sure they heard me coming.

Saving the weight will keep you alive longer than a gun will.

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Pisgah

#2 or #4, and forget the spray. Sadly you may have 2 legged problems rather than 4 legged problems.

Oh, another bear defense handgun thread, oh goody! I say carry nothing less than a 40mm grenade launcher, let that bear and any snake, squirrel, rabbit, or ant hill near it know that you mean business!

Seriously now, black bears are not of the same temperament as grizzly bears. Black bears would prefer to avoid human contact, but since we like to wander into their neighborhoods, contact can happen. Odds are pretty good that unless you mess with or get between a mother and her cub(s), the black bear wants nothing to do with you and, unless cornered, is going to retreat. I would actually be more worried about encountering a pack of wild dogs or a coyote or even worse, a two-legged predator.

I'd say a good, all-around carry handgun for hiking east of the Mississippi River would be a 4-inch barreled revolver in 357 Magnum, you can go with a larger caliber if that's what you have or makes you feel better, or a semi-auto pistol with a 4 to 5 inch barrel in 10mm Auto.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

...Ok for people. Not for bears. Take the .357.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

OP, you could try a forum search. IIRC this subject has been brought up before.
Good luck.

On the occasion I’m hiking thru Black Bear country here in VA, I carry what I always carry, a Glock 43, mostly for the 2legged variety of predators. They’re just black bears. Would be different in brown bear/Kodiak territory.

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Some Might Say.

They’re busy stuffing themselves with 20-30,000 calories a day this time of year ,so practice safe food handling.I’ve been walking a local greenbelt on the edge of my city of several million people almost daily and there’s a young one hanging around in there judging by the size of his poo.They’re out and about in the fall.I’ve lived around bears and mountain lions all of my life and have never felt threatened by or carried for them .Moose on the other hand are a different story, especially in the spring.

Eastern black bears are not hostile or aggressive. They generally avoid human contact. As earlier stated they would be more interested in eating your food than you. Making noise or acting aggressively is enough to scare them off if needed.

...Madura was backpacking in the park. His remains were found on Sept. 11, 2020, near the remote Hazel Creek area where he had been camping. Backpackers first found an unoccupied tent at Hazel Creek Campsite 82, then discovered what appeared to be human remains across the creek with a bear scavenging in the area and alerted park rangers. An autopsy concluded that Madura had been killed by the bear.

This was in the Great Smoky Mountains N.P. All other Black Bear fatalities were out west.

In Florida 2014

Frana walked out of her house to check on her children who were bicycling in the area when she spotted two bears in her yard. Once outside, she saw three more bears standing inside her garage eating trash they’d pulled from it. Right after, one charged and attacked her. She was able to get away and make it inside and contact 911. She survived the attack, her injuries including 40 stitches on her scalp and cuts, scrapes, and bruises across her body. Frana’s residence is beside a nature preserve, where bear spotting’s have long been a regular occurrence.


In Virgina 2015:

Cooksey was hiking with her son when they were attacked by a female black bear on the Blue Suck Trail in the Blue Ridge mountains. The duo attempted to get away by going down the side of the mountain, but the bear came after them. Cooksey kicked it, and the bear slipped on the wet ground, allowing them to escape and reunite with her other two children who been on the trail behind them. The bear found them once more, but the group made loud noises to intimidate it. Cooksey survived with injuries; her children unharmed. She didn’t have any food with her and there were no cubs present at the time of the attack. It’s believed that the bear was hunting.

Tennessee, Appalachian Trail 2016

Veeder, a thru-hiker on the Appalachian trail, was sleeping outside of the Spence Field Shelter one evening when a bear bit through his tent, putting two puncture wounds in his leg. The bear ran off once Veeder began yelling and punching at it through his tent. Veeder and the other campers in the area moved to the shelter to wait out the rest of the night. The next morning, they found that the bear had returned during the night and tore through Veeder’s and another camper’s empty tent. Veeder’s wounds were non-life-threatening.

There were a few others, but they involved dogs getting the bear riled up. Hard to blame the bear for those.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Personally, I know from experience that wild animals are entirely unpredictable, and therefore it frustrates me to see folks making statements to the effect that black bears will never attack a human and therefore can just be completely overlooked.
Such are the words of a very fortunate man who never happened upon one that did attack, as obviously black bear attacks can and have occurred.

So here is what I would recommend, when it comes to carrying a firearm out in the woods where black bear may roam, make it something at least moderately powerful. (As in, something with at least more oomph that a .380 ACP or .38 Special.) That way no matter if you should encounter some misanthropic maniac out on the woods all hopped up on Marijuana or a black bear that for whatever reason decides to attack you, you've got a weapon that can stop the attack and hopefully leave you in a state in which you're capable of making it back out of the woods on your own.

For best results, carry the most powerful pistol that you own, loaded with FMJ for maximum penetration.

Personally, as someone who lives in an area surrounded by woods and commonly finds bear scatt around, I just carry .40 S&W. Nothing too crazy, but a proven man-stopper which saw over a decade of ongoing use in many Law Enforcement Agencies including Fish & Game, so clearly it is effective against both man and beast alike.
Have I ever encountered a black bear face to face? No, but I have heard one grunting off somewhere in the woods, and that was already too close for comfort if you ask me.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

I live VERY close to the Appalachian Trail,,
The discussion has always been that it is illegal to carry a handgun on national forest property,

(hunting season is the exception)

I am not an authority,, but, Hmmmmmmmmmm,,

I am positive it is illegal for bear hunters to carry a gun when training dogs,,
I think they are crazy,,

Maybe, some day,, I will actually look into the REAL rules,,

Agree with Pigsa, leave the gun in the car and enjoy the hike.

I would definitely check those rules. I can walk around all day with several handguns in the National Forests here. I often do. In fact, I wouldn't if I couldn't, if you understand that.

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The best I can with what I got

I went fishing for a week in Alaska back in August. It was my first trip so I did a lot of reading.
I settled on a Glock 20 10mm carried in a Diamond D chest holster, mostly because the 44s that I own are too big and heavy plus Glock 20s are popular up there.
I never did see a bear but did see fresh tracks. A wolf came out of the woods about 75 yards from me.
You would be fine with a 10mm or a .357. I don’t think I would go any lighter. Be sure and carry hard cast ammo. You don’t want hollow points with a bear.
If you decide to carry Buffalo Bore or Underwood be sure your gun can handle it.
I carried Federal Premium Solid Core because the bullets are coated and better for use in Glock barrels.

Individuals must be in possession of the permit or license at all times while in possession of a handgun in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

In national parks, other than buildings, etc., you follow state laws.

This little fellow (673#) was harvested in October 2017 in the valley below our home in Rabun county, Georgia. Forage is adequate in the area, obviously, but nourishment has to be better in areas frequented by hikers and car cruising tourists.

Attached Images

IMG_0390.jpg (91.4 KB, 61 views)

If it's legal for you to carry in the state where the park is located, then it's legal for you to carry in the park. The exception is within any buildings. This includes stand alone restrooms as well as visitor's centers.

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Or something like that . . .

Impressive. Easily over twice as big as any I've encountered.

All I will add to the conversation is I have spent a lifetime in the woods hunting, fishing, camping, backpacking, and photographing wildlife, particularly black bear and moose. Only NEEDED a gun one time, while kayaking up in Maine. Glad I had it, probably saved my bacon. Maine F&G classified it as a predatory black bear encounter. They do happen. I happened to be carrying a .45 1911, loaded with WW hardball.

Larry

It looks like Grizzly.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

So if you are out hiking and away from your car you need to leave your gun outside if there is a restroom you want to use. I suppose I would keep my gun and take a **** in the woods, just like the bears do.

Bear: "Psst. Hey fella. Can I have some of your toilet paper?"

According to the TV commercial bears do use toilet paper., as long as it's not the cheap, thin stuff.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

So, I actually just had a scare today while getting a bit of yardwork done...

I heard a scratching sound followed by a low, deep grunt coming from the woods at the edge of my yard. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but it had me reaching for the M&P40c on my belt. I just stood there for a long while, staring at the woods and listening hard, but whatever it was remained quiet and still until I decided that it was about time to finish up and head back inside.

It's always remarkable how after you're in a situation in which you feel that you're in danger, whatever you're carrying suddenly feels completely inadequate for the task... So as this was happening I'm thinking like; "All I've got on me is this M&P40c loaded with 165gr Ranger T... Will this penetrate deeply enough? Probably not. I wish I had it loaded with 180gr FMJ. Heck, I wish I had my Mossberg 590 loaded with 3" Brenneke Slugs!"

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Last year while I was out riding the 4wheeler in the mountains here behind the house I was taking a break and enjoying an adult beverage and a pack of cheese crackers, feet kicked up on the bars and resting on the pack on the back, fantastic day.

I had been there about 10 minutes when I heard movement at my left at about 10 o'clock, a black bear that would go about 350+/- looking and walking straight towards me.

I just sat there watching him for a bit, already had the 10mm XD-M in hand.

He got about 15 yards from me, I don't think he knew I was there. Once he realized he was walking straight towards a human his eyes kinda bugged out and did a 180 and took off, he was outta there.

That's happened a few times to me in the last few years, similar circumstances.

99% of the time they don't want anything more to do with you than you of them!

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Life Member GOA and NRA

Pocono mountain resident here. Black bears are generally not a threat, but I’ve encountered a few somewhat aggressive or overly curious types over the years. I’m comfortable with my EDC while hiking but I do prefer a .357 . Black bears are usually easy to scare away and are not as hard to put down as western bears.

While not probable it is certainly possible that a black bear could attack. The trick is to be prepared for anything. Even the improbable. Any combo that you listed would be sufficient in my mind. So take the one that packs the easiest.

Wild animals are "wild animals", and as others have said- they can be be unpredictable. Bears tend to live away from people in protected areas (National and State parks, etc.), and it's their home. But they do tend to wander looking for food. My kids live in Central Florida near the Wekiva Springs State Park (and associated management areas)...which is black bear country. They have to be careful with their trash, and when walking their dogs in the evening, because the bears are always scavenging. They've had their trash cans demolished, and their chain link fence's top crossbars are bowed from 500 lb. bears climbing over them to get into their backyard. My son keeps a 12ga. Mossberg handy, but fortunately has never had to use it. There are folks in their area that have been attacked in their garages or carports after startling a foraging bear, but rarely are the attacks fatal. When hiking in the wilds, I would certainly be packing a serious handgun...but it would be more for 2-legged critters than 4-legged ones!

I wouldn't carry any more than bear spray. Not east coast, but I've been backpacking, hunting and camping in the Sierra Nevadas for over 40 years and have only seen one black bear, a cub. Although probably not necessary, at night we hang our food in a tree a short distance from camp. I do carry a gun, but only because I don't want to leave it in the car at the trailhead.

That said, I worked and hunted in Alaska. Coastal Browns and grizzlies are different beasts all together. When hunting, I packed my 4" 500 and 375 H&H.

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