Another Griz Incident - Not Sure Having a Gun Helped

[Wyo]

So here’s another incident with a griz over in the NW part of the state. This hunter had a 10mm pistol of some sort and he used it too - but I’m not sure it was the best use. I suppose this sort of thing could happen any time you’re kicking and shooting at the same time. Don’t know if the bear was wounded but it might not be a good scene if it was. These stories just get more and more interesting!

Wyoming Hunter Shoots Himself While Trying To "Kick Grizzly" Off Of Him; Life-Flighted To Utah | Cowboy State Daily

 

[Rudi]

There were areas in Alaska where you simply did not go. Even with a .300 Win. mag. They will shred you if you come up on them.

 

[lihpster]

Any landing you walk away from.......

 

[Narragansett]

I am not that much of an adventurer that I would need to hunt where there are bears and wolf packs. I also would not swim in shark infested waters. If you go out into their habitat, you have got to expect it could turn ugly quick

 

[SuperMan]

...and where would he be now if he had not been armed?

Saw one that happened a few years ago where the defender shot himself in the foot while trying to kick the bear off and shoot at the same time...

If it gets to the point the griz has hold of you, you do the best you can...

Bob

 

[bigwheelzip]

There were areas in Alaska where you simply did not go. Even with a .300 Win. mag. They will shred you if you come up on them.

Reading the local paper while waiting for the ferry in Haines AK, I read about an AK moose hunter with a major caliber rifle who got mauled by a grizzly.

Said he was stalking through low brush when the bear just appeared in front of him. He aimed the rifle at the bear but it grabbed the muzzle and yanked it from his hands. He went for a handgun on a shoulder holster and the bear grabbed that shoulder in it's mouth and lifted the hunter and shook him like a rag doll. When the bear dropped him to the ground, the still holstered handgun rotated around to the middle of his back, out of reach.

Now essentially unarmed, he curled up, covered his neck, and played dead. The bear stayed next to him, sniffing him. It grabbed his leg in it's mouth, lifted, shook, and dropped him again. Still, the hunter stayed coiled up, playing dead while the bear stayed next to him, sniffing him. Then, just before the bear lost interest and left, it chewed off one of the hunter's ears.

Though seriously injured, the moose hunter got himself out of the forest, and speaking from the hospital said that the next year he would start bear hunting.


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[mmb617]

When the bear gets the drop on you it doesn't matter what gun you have if you never get the chance to use it.

Though seriously injured, the moose hunter got himself out of the forest, and speaking from the hospital said that the next year he would start bear hunting.

I can just hear the bear saying "Come at me bro."

 

[venomballistics]

When the bear gets the drop on you it doesn't matter what gun you have if you never get the chance to use it.



I can just hear the bear saying "Come at me bro."

in other words ... it's on.

 

[bigwheelzip]

When the bear gets the drop on you it doesn't matter what gun you have if you never get the chance to use it.

I read that story on November 4, 1980, and the danger in that stealth made a huge impression, because just a couple of weeks before, we'd crossed paths with a grizz in Denali National Park. It was on our trail coming toward us, it stopped when it heard us, then left the trail and walked around us when he saw us.

Walking on all four feet, it fully disappeared into the tall brush the moment it left the trail. We intensely scanned the low brush until we saw it passing by at a break in the cover, blending in perfectly with the surroundings. We were only armed with hand-launched emergency flares, and very lucky.

 

[Narragansett]

I read that story on November 4, 1980, and the danger in that stealth made a huge impression, because just a couple of weeks before, we'd crossed paths with a grizz in Denali National Park. It was on our trail coming toward us, it stopped when it heard us, then left the trail and walked around us when he saw us.

Walking on all four feet, it fully disappeared into the tall brush the moment it left the trail. We intensely scanned the low brush until we saw it passing by at a break in the cover, blending in perfectly with the surroundings. We were only armed with hand-launched emergency flares, and very lucky.

Wow what a majestic looking animal, and blonde too. You know, and this is just me talking about me, but I could not see myself shooting an animal like that. I understand conservation, and square miles of territory per animal etc. etc, and if somebody else wants to, that would be their choice and fine by me. I have not hunted since 1981, and I do not miss it. I like to shoot. Paper targets, tin cans and trap do it for me. If I were to hunt, it would be upland birds.

Again, this is me talking about me and my choices. Not me talking about you and your choices or condemning your choices

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Like to know what sort of shoulder holster he had, sounds like it wasn't properly anchored.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Like to know what sort of shoulder holster he had, sounds like it wasn't properly anchored.

Been a while, but I'm sure that info wasn't part of the article. Just that he received severe tooth punctures on the holster shoulder (may have gotten his gun hand simultaneously) and leg where the bear lifted him.

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[SuperMan]

Like to know what sort of shoulder holster he had, sounds like it wasn't properly anchored.

Sounds like a Tanker or bandoleer type holster that didn't have a waist strap or belt tie down...

 

[keith44spl]

In the heat of battle, anything can happen.

Hope the feller comes out okay

///

 

[6518John]

In the heat of battle, anything can happen.///

There are the words of a true warrior. Like Mike Tyson said, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

"No plan of operations survives first contact with the enemy." Helmuth von Moltke

 

[BSA1]

You know, and this is just me talking about me, but I could not see myself shooting an animal like that. I understand conservation, and square miles of territory per animal etc. etc, and if somebody else wants to, that would be their choice and fine by me. I have not hunted since 1981, and I do not miss it.

Pete I don’t think you fully understand the situation. It is not about you hunting the bear…

Its about the bear hunting you.

 

[bigwheelzip]

It is not about you hunting the bear…



Its about the bear hunting you.

No kidding!! After we passed that bear at a place called Polychrome Pass, we hiked back to our tent about eleven miles away at the otherwise empty Igloo Creek campground, in the closed for the season national park.
We were awoken in the middle of the night by something heavy, walking repeatedly around our tent, sniffing loudly.
Trapped and scared to death, we each grabbed a flare to launch, in-case, tried best as possible to move away from the tent wall, waved our flashlights and hollered for all we were worth. Unimpressed, the heavy sound continued circling the tent, sniffing. Finally it got quiet.
As expected, the tent had bear tracks around it in the morning, and we broke camp fast for the 20 mile hike back to the park gate where we left the car.
I am certain that hubby's strict rule avoiding having any food odors on us or in the tent saved us that night.
Also, I've never wished so hard to have a firearm nor put ourselves in that much jeopardy again.
So yeah, I wouldn't hunt a bear either, but it definitely could be the bear hunting you.



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