A serious bear thread ...

[BearBio]

Or assuming they can outrun such a big, lumbering animal.

And, they WILL lose! Disregarding the fact that it will go through (!) whatever you have to go around or over, they can still outrun a race-horse for a 1/4 or 1/2 mile. I have video of a grizzly chasing a cow elk (she catches and kills it).

 

[jlrhiner]

Well then, I guess we better ask the question that's on everybody's mind.

What gun is best for being surprised by a bear while hiking?


Ps. I had to!

 

[Mule Packer]

Unfortunately, there's a good portion of the unsuspecting American public who have been raised on the Disney false interpretation of bears.

Even their film "documentaries" show playful cubs getting into mischief. And now, they have something like this:

These animals are big, strong, and dangerous. Whenever we'd stumble upon one in the mountains, we always gave it a wide berth...no matter what caliber we were packing. If there was going to be a confrontation, we made sure it was the bear who was going to start it....not us. And if the bear decided to "kick the lid off," like Dave said, we wanted to make sure we had something big enough to knock it down and keep it down.

 

[Salty RI]

You don't have to run fast, just faster than whom ever your with.

It pays to shoot him in the leg first.

 

[k22fan]

What this thread needs is more bear stories.

Behind grandmas' house is a rough lawn that stretches 25 yards to the forest which starts at the top edge of the bank that falls off to the creek. Chickens still wander the lawn today as they did before WWII when this family story took place. Two women were yakking near the back door when a black bear walked out of the woods onto the lawn. An aggressive rooster attacked the bear trying to jab its ankle talons into the bear's soft nose. It almost succeeded in stabbing the bear's tonsils. The bear opened wide, chomped down on the rooster, turned around and lumbered back into the woods with a snack.

 

[BearBio]

Well then, I guess we better ask the question that's on everybody's mind.

What gun is best for being surprised by a bear while hiking?


Ps. I had to!

You FOOL! The worms will get you!

 

[finesse_r]

No doubt they can sue the cell phone manufacturer for not putting a warning on the phone to not take pictures of bears in the wild, since it is obvious no young person these days has the will power to not use the camera feature of their cell phone at every opportunity. I mean you cannot expect a college student to understand that a bear can and will kill and eat you.

 

[keith44spl]

Keith, did you by chance weigh him out? The one that killed the hiker was about 300 pounds. Looking at the choppers on the one you shot, I can't imagine what it would be like to be bitten by a bear of that size. Claws on the one that killed the hiker also were involved, as tissue was found on them. What about the claws on yours -- length?

.
Nah, I didn't weigh it out....It probably weighed 300 or less.

The bear boil'd outta the brush purty quick....I distinctly
remember I could see the pads of his hind feet as he came charging up the
slight incline of a hill, huffin' and popping it's teeth.

If I had not shot it....It would have knocked me down and
gained the advantage in a wrestling match right quick.....



.

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

New generations are clueless about nature today

 

[schgsd]

.
If I had not shot it....It would have knocked me down and
gained the advantage in a wrestling match right quick.....

They look like a big lumbering beast but apparently can cover some ground right quick if they get a mind to come visit with you.

 

[rwsmith]

I took some griz vids.....

We were in Yellowstone in '12 and I seem to remember you had to stay 100 yards from bear or wolves, 25 yards away from all other wildlife. We came across a crowd of people just off the road, watching a grizzly sitting on an elk carcass. Two ladies kept inching closer and closer, trying to capture the perfect "Kodak moment", even as people were telling them not to get any closer. I told my wife to get her picture (from a safe distance) so we can get out of there without seeing what happens next.

Later, we were on a hike and had to go around a small herd of bison. We got within about 50 yards and I was uncomfortable even at that distance.

I was on the other side of my car and they were not TOO close when I realized that while I had the cubs in the viewfinder the sow could have been charging me. I was stupid from excitement, but I came to my senses.

 

[ironhead7544]

Well then, I guess we better ask the question that's on everybody's mind.

What gun is best for being surprised by a bear while hiking?


Ps. I had to!

12 ga pump with Dixie slugs or TriBall loads.

 

[BearBio]

12 ga pump with Dixie slugs or TriBall loads.

Beware of low-flying jokes!

 

[Jinglebob]

When a lady shoots a bear

1961 Sierra Bullet ad.

 

[smokey04]

Some folks will not obey State Conservation rules, regs, and game laws. Even dumber ones will not obey the laws of nature either!
I have killed a 300+ pound Black Bear with a .44 Mag.[.45-70 jammed] but I wouldn't go hunting bear with one.
If I were in a place that would not allow a firearm while hiking ,I would re-consider where I hiked. In spite of the well known joke, I would have a noise maker[maybe not a bell!] and TWO cans of bear spray. I'm just sayin' Nick

 

[Shootbrownelk]

Pepper Spray & a Remington 870 stuffed full of slugs, and a handgun to use on yourself when the other stuff doesn't stop him.

 

[just jim]

They say pepper spray is just seasoning before they eat you. Liking spicy food myself I understand what they are saying. Lol lol

 

[GatorFarmer]

1961 Sierra Bullet ad.

With a Krag no less! The Krag will never die. Solemn nod.

 

[JoseyWales2]

I always say, if you give nature half a chance to kill you, she just might. It's not just limited to animals, there's also weather and putting yourself in situations where if something goes wrong, you don't have the necessary survival gear or supplies.

In this particular case, when the other couple said a bear appeared to be following them, that's a HUGE red flag. Even if I had a firearm with me, I'd be doing a 180 and making tracks out of there.

 

[roundgunner]

And then there was Bob...