Having lived in South Louisiana my wife wants to know if we're talking about

Cajun Bears

Or

Bare Cajuns?

Two entirely different things.

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John 3:16 .

There is only one way to go:

A knife taped in your right hand, and broken glass taped to the left.

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- The Federalist #46 -

I would dress in a meat suit like Lady Ga Ga so when the bear attacks it may be "filled up" before it gets to the actual you.

I was called one time to fix some cash registers in '68 at the Brookfield Zoo outside Chicago. It rained like never before for two days and one night 3 Kodiac bears swam across the their retention moat which filled to the brim. The damage done around the park was unbelievable. They didn't kill any animals because they broke in the restaurant, and snak shacks. I would opt for a Barrett .50.

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SOS USA

But what about the spoon!?!

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

Well this thread has served its purpose-provolking some thoughtful commentary as well as a few misguided barbs at the poster
St. Mary Parish is about hald a federal bear sanctuary. It seems that here and up in Tensas Parish are the two remaining hotspots for Louisiana Black bear. I remember when I was young, we had a season for them-the first week of October each year and you could shoot one per season. The black bear has stages a remarkable comeback down here to the point of becoming a pest right up there with the feral pigs. They can destroy a sugar cane field over night and they will trash stuff like deer stands. Very shy and will run away from human contact. Big problem is that from a coouple of hundred yards, they look just like the pigs and you got to be careful. If you DO shot one, he'd hetter have your arm in his mouth or you're gonna be in trouble.

Well, it seems this thread has about run its course-I'll start the Pit Bull thread tommorrow.

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Forum consigliere

Well... not everyone has the spoon, so I figured I'd list the next best thing. Obviously, the spoon is MY top choice.

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- The Federalist #46 -

I just read in article on one of my outdoor magazines and bear spray had a higher percentage that worked in an attack. Me bear spray an largest handgun I can carry

Not very sound advice...even bears have a sense of taste.

Mmmmmm beer spray Is that for the bear or for yourself?

I can't believe some one hasn't said this one yet.

I asked this question to a friend who was a guild in Alaska. He told me that what ever gun I choose, make sure you file the front sight off.

This confused me. Why? For a quicker draw? To force you to point shoot?

His answer "So when the bear takes your gun away from you and sticks it in your rear end, it's much easier to pull it back out."

After I stopped laughing, he told me his bear stopping technique was 12 ga slugs to the front legs and shoulders. He did not say how many times he used it.

Is it just me, or whenever you read one of Caj's posts, do you actually PICTURE that he looks like John Belushi?

This thread isn't over yet! LOL

John

Minimum caliber sufficient to stop a "charging bear" yet light enough for belt carry. Simple. S&W M-629 w/ 4" barrel or a Ruger SA with 4 5/8 barrel. Load either with whatever is the heaviest Buffalo Bore .44 Mag. load you can handle. Then load up and head for the woods! If needed, put his pumpkin on top of your fence post and fire away. Guaranteed to give him a real Excedrin headache... as well as giving you a chance to do the flatfoot shuffle till you can get up a tree... and reload.

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<><

Good article on bear hunting/shooting. Handgun Bear Hunting

Owner Wayne Bosowicz killed many , many BIG black bear with his Ruger Blackhawk .41 mag and Rem 210gr JSP factory loads.

[QUOTE=glwt06;136521076]I can't believe some one hasn't said this one yet.

I asked this question to a friend who was a guild in Alaska. He told me that what ever gun I choose, make sure you file the front sight off.

This confused me. Why? For a quicker draw? To force you to point shoot?

His answer "So when the bear takes your gun away from you and sticks it in your rear end, it's much easier to pull it back out."

That's good CCW advice for folks like the Mall Ninja who made that crazy video posted a couple of days ago.
Steve W

I think it was Peter Capstick who recommended in one of his African hunting books that the best handgun for defense against lions was a .38 Special revolver loaded with full-jacket ammo. He said you wouldn't get a chance to use it until the lion was already on top of you, and then all you had to do was reach up and make a brain shot.

I don't ever plan on going to lion country, myself.

Friends,

I am very worried about Caj -- I heard thru a source that he was taking a (horrors, in veritas, horrors) Kimber into bear country.

We must do an immediate intervention -- always, always remember:

"Friends don't let friends carry Kimbers into bear country".

A 500 S&W only because I can't find anything bigger.

Aloha,

I vote for the 22 and kneeing capping who ever is with you at the time.

Also, if the other person is carrying a gun, shoot his gun hand and hope

he can't shoot with the other hand.

i would have thought caj would be looking for a alagata gun ?

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

Let the record reflect, please, that I among you, with perhaps, and probably, much more experience in dealing with bears at very close range, have refrained from comment on this pointless topic ... Thank you.

I believe the selections in 416 Rigby are limited!

Wouldn't it depend upon how big his hips are?

And I suspect that anyone who faced a charging bear with a handgun (with smaller hips than Caj) won't be posting on this forum either.

Let's all bow to the bear threads!

On another forum, back in the 2008 election cycle one of our members had then candidate Fred Thompson as his avatar. EVERY time I read one of his posts I read it in Fred Thompson's voice in my head.

While out for an evening ride last night, looking for wildlife, my oldest daughter and a pal from Missouri (both along for the ride) got to see their first wild bear up close and in the flesh. +/- 350 live weight, I'd guess, just a few yards off the roadside. It charged all right....making haste in the opposite direction. Exactly what usually happens in other words.
These "bear gun" thread make me laugh. I know Sip is kidding and having fun, but in many other cases the OPs are not.
Something like 45 people have been killed by black bears in North America since the 1890s, when they began keeping records. Less than 1 every 2 years. Lightning kills more than that.
The 'griz is far ahead in the numbers, and a whole different ballgame. The black bear is an opportunist, while the grizzly is more of a predator.

I wouldn't rely on any handgun in 'griz country. A 12 gauge pump loaded up with Breneke slugs maybe. But in this neck of the woods, a .357 is plenty of gun on the trail.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

The record has been changed and now so reflects
Know how you can tell the difference between black bear scat and grizzly bear scat???
Black bear scat has berries in it and smell, well, like scat.
Grizzly bear scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper spray.

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Forum consigliere

Although I mostly agree with geoff40. "Offical records" are very lacking in telling the truth. There have been waaaaaay more than 45 people killed by black bears since the 1890's. Also the offical government records say the no one has been attacked by wolves, ever. Now with our over population of wolves, we have had several attacks in the last few years here in MT alone.

I do agree that most bear incounters are just the bear going in the opposite direction. My wife jogs several times a week and on Tuesday morning as she was leaving to go about 200 yards from our home, she came around the corner and ran right into a black bear on the road.

The bear took off into the woods, my wife, being surprised jumped a little in the opposite direction and continued on with her morning jogging. Yes, she had bear spary in hand. No she didn't have a gun.

We take a calculated risk when we go outside. She takes just bear spray when she jogs as encounters are not that common. If hiking in the woods I take bear spray and my 629. That is another calculated risk. If a bear encounter is likely, with grizzlies, I take my 870 with slugs and mag tube extension and slug barrel. And hope I do not have to use it. It is risk management.

If it were me, I would not be that concerned with black bears. Encounters are mostly like what my wife had on Tuesday morning. Grizzlies are a bear with a bad attitude. That is a whole different situation. Lewis and Clark were the first to write of an encounter with a grizzly and they lived to tell about it in thier journal.

John

So what is the best caliber handgun for protection against lightning???

I don't believe it no one mentioned the S&W 500. I have a 44 for Black Bear with full Buffalo Bore or Garrett loads. And when in Grizzly country I carry the 500 with Lead Cast 440 grain bullets. I practice with both often and I feel I can get on target quickly (I hope). I fish so I have these guns just in case, but it's the practice (a lot) that keeps you accurate. I feel very comfortable carrying these two guns and so far (knock on wood) no issues.

everyone is talking what caliber, hit the bear between the eyes, etc. If you think you have enough time to aim between the eyes of a charging bear, then cover yourself with bbq sauce because your dead meat. If the bear is not charging, stand as still as possible ready to fire. Bears usually will walk away if they deem you as not a threat. Otherwise, good luck.

This thread has been a thoroughly entertaining read!

A charging bear is something to be feared...a charging grizzly would really be a problem. A griz can do the 100 yard dash in UNDER 6 seconds! I sure can't.

Years ago while on a fly-in fishing trip, I startled a good sized black bear eating blueberries in thick brush. We looked at each other eye to eye at about 25 yards for what seemed like forever....and I got the hell outta there!

My choice (limited to handgun) would be 44Mag with 300gr. and try to avoid contact.

The Alaskan guide referred to earlier was Phil Shoemaker & his daughter Tia, she carries a 357 maggie with Norma solids I think. Phil has changed over to a 44 maggie with hard cast.
What ever you carry it has to be on you at all times, also you have to be able to shoot it accurately, heavy recoil won't help because a bear isn't impressed with a shot in the dirt. Shoot for the head if its a charging bear because thats all you will see.
Its always a good idea to draw your gun as soon as you see a bear, they are incredibly fast, figure 40 yds in around 3 seconds. Can you draw & shoot in under 3 seconds?

Dick

As told to me by an Alaskan guide:
The Smith and Wesson Survival kit gun with the Orange grips, that way they can find your remains once the Grizzly poops you out.
Joking aside, when I was teaching in Artesia all the Game and Fish/BLM officers swore by a 12 gauge with slugs.

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Hold my beer and watch this!

Years ago while camping in southern Colorado a griz stuck his head into our tent around 2am, I fired 3 shots from my .357 mag, never hitting him but scaring him back across the small stream, we both ran out of the tent into the truck, looking back on it we escaped because we were running on clean ground,......he had to be slipping and sliding a bit!!!! The next morning we got out of the truck and found our campsite totally destroyed, that dude had an attitude!

Something with rubber grips so you can be grounded?

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Vaya con Dios

I like the sign, can I use it sometime?

East coast SC. Had about three black bear sightings in the area in the last 30 years. I think the bears were more scared than the people were. Maybe I should carry something heavy.....just in case.

That's the main reason I have a handgun now, is to scare or kill black bears coming in on our sheep or house. Preferred method is 12 g shooting slugs but the game warden also said a .357 or a .40 smith and wesson or a 10mm would do it. So I'm carrying a .357 or will be once I practice more. Right now I'm only using .38 special in it. There are already reports of early spring bears coming out and coming around sheep.

Questions about the status of Louisiana black bears prompted me to retrieve some records, which confirmed my recollection, which was that: In 1991, Dr. Michael J. Claire, M.D., of West Monroe, Louisiana, was the recipient of the very prestigious Chevron Conservation Award, Citizen Volunteer Category, honoring his efforts as "... instrumental in the protection of the endangered Louisiana Black Bear, which number less than 100 today. He helped to preserve the bear's (sic) habitat --- the Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge ---and worked diligently to ensure the bear a place on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife threatened species list."

So, if Dr. Claire's efforts were ultimately successful, there may still be some surviving native bears in the wilds of Louisiana, and I don't mean the French Quarter...

Something like a 1 iron. Even God can't hit a 1 iron...

With thanks to Lee Trevino.

THIS, BY FAR, IS THE BEST PLAN/DEFENSE !

From what I can see it took 50 posts to use the words "bear spray", and that is not a good thing. I do a fair amount of bow hunting in bear country, and always carry both bear spray and a .45 colt Blackhawk with Buffalo Bore +P Ammo.

While I cannot claim to be an expert on the issue, most bear will make a false charge or two prior to attacking, thus shooting "the charging bear" is a guarantee of death to the hunter, the bear or both. The spray on the other hand is formulated to take out the eyes and nose of the aggressive Ursus horriblis (great name) giving one time to get the heck out of dodge. While I know park rangers carry .375 H&H or .338 when they are out looking for a problem bear, they normally move around in grizzly country with bear spray and .40 S&W Sig. (side note most of the folks I have spoken with have more concern about big cats than bears)

About 8 or 9 years ago I met a couple in Waterton AB who had, the day before, come across momma griz and cubs lunching on the remains of a elk. They reported two false charges and hit her with the bear spray on the third aggressive move. The fact I was chatting with them over a beer should tell the rest of the story. That said I think if I had to leave one at home It would be the Blackhawk.

Final note I do not think you can transport bear spray via airplane under any conditions. I have made it a habit on my trips to Glacier to purchase spray upon arrival and drop off the can (along with any un opened beers) at a ranger station on the way out of town. They have always been quite thankful for the donation, as I think they give a fair amount of the stuff away to folks heading into the back country with nothing but "bear bells".

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always trust your cape...

I live 15 miles west of glacier park. The park service gives nothing away to anyone. They do to thier employees though!!!

You are right Dominus_Lex that bear spray is the first line of defense. But do not run after spraying. When the bear recouperates from the spray, and it doesn't take long, he will give chase. If you hold your ground the bear will see that you are not afraid and will back off unless that is one of the 5% of the bears that is going to get you anyway, then hit him again with the spray and put him down with the gun you are carrying.

One thing I must correct you on it the use of the name "bear bells"! They are not bear bells they are know as "dinner bells"

Once again a pic of three of several griz that make my front yard "home". I keep a 12 ga with slugs loaded all the time by my sliding glass door. Even during the winter, then it there when and if I should need it.

John

Attached Images

10-3sow& cubs #3.JPG (64.6 KB, 42 views)

When in bear country, which for me is often, I carry a bear spray and as a last resort my old Transition 1926 .44 Spl.

I've read a number of studies that indicate that bear spray is as or more effective than a firearm.

Guns not safer than bear spray in grizzly country, study finds

It helps to really be aware of your surroundings and, honestly feel fortunate when you see a bear. I've seen a momma grizzly charge a bore looking to lower the competition by killing a cub. You have no idea how fast a bear can cover 100 plus yards until you see it. Gun or spray if a bear is upset at you you only have split second; so, pay attention to your surroundings when in bear country.

I've only had one bear surprise me, a grizzly in Yellowstone. It was feeding on some elk afterbirth in a slight depression on a sage brush flat. I was amazed that something that big could vanish in the sage brush. He gave me fair warning when I was maybe 50 yards away. Little three step charge with a little jaw popping. I and my camera backed off and he went back to feeding but he checked my distance every few minutes. I took a few pics and then gave him more distance.

thank god for 600mm glass



don't be this guy.



my pic taken at a safe distance with big glass





BTW, in our local wilderness areas we now have something I worry about much more than bears, Mexican cartel pot growers. A much better question is what do you carry in illegal pot farm country. My choice is still the old .44 spl.

Taken last Fall in the canyon behind my home where we hunt grouse.

A abandoned camp...just a guess those pony pack plant holders didn't have tomatoes in them.

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Bill Bates

FWIW, on Alaska State Troopers and Northwoods Law the LEOs always seem to carry 12-ga slug guns when they go into bear country on foot.

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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72

A10 As you will learn from the following, regardless of what you end up it is vital that you have the front sight removed from the pistol..... Several seasons ago I was in Idaho deer hunting when a fellow came into camp with a dandy new .44 Mag., as he spoke about "being ready for anything that came at him" the outfitter told him he needed to take the pistol over to Bob in the work shed... he made clear he was not going to let the guy out of camp until Bob took care of the pistol.... As the new guy headed over to the shed... one grizzled veteran of the camp asked what the outfitter was up to..... the reply was simple... "Bob is going to pull the front sight off so when the bear takes it away and sticks it up his...... it won't hurt as much."

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always trust your cape...

I suggest a .999 Magnum-slug-000-pepper spray defense round.
olcop

Consider carrying a Bengal tiger in a shoulder holster.