Not to step on the other bear/firearm choice thread I would like to add my families experience with bears, one brown bear, and several black bear experiences.
WWII-My Dad spent the war stationed on Kodiak Island while in the Navy. His rating was aviation carpenter. He did some patrolling in PBY's looking for Japanese shipping. He was in charge of the base sports facilities, issuing fishing gear primarily. He also had the base captains gig to take officers and other VIP visitors out fishing. Rough duty but he said someone had to do it.
The base captain decided he wanted to try brown bear hunting, so my Dad b arranged for a jeep, several M1 carbines, for himself and the captain, and one other officer. They went out to an area where an incoming PBY had reported seeing a big bear. They found the bear and got as close as they could. This made the bear stand up to full height. They get out and the captain looks at the bear
standing up, looks down at the carbines, and then at the jeep. My Dad said the bear looked much bigger than the jeep. The captain we had better out of here before this bear gets mad! So not able to reprt on how well a .30 carbine round works on brown bears?
Cousin- Mid-70s- My cousin Lonnie aquired a black bear rug. He hung it on the wall over his bed headboard. One night he was restless while sleeping, and somehow the bear rugfell off of the wall completely covering him. He said he awoke thinking a bear was
attacking and eating. He jumped out bed, but unfortunately tripped while entangled in
the bear skin. He broke his arm, and b required a trip to the ER for treatment. Never said if he rehung the bear skin rug, but the next time I visited I did not see the bearskin and he would not talk about!
So can't contribute much about the proper caliber for bears.
MERRY CHRISTMAS from muddy SE Iowa!
WWII-My Dad spent the war stationed on Kodiak Island while in the Navy. His rating was aviation carpenter. He did some patrolling in PBY's looking for Japanese shipping. He was in charge of the base sports facilities, issuing fishing gear primarily. He also had the base captains gig to take officers and other VIP visitors out fishing. Rough duty but he said someone had to do it.
The base captain decided he wanted to try brown bear hunting, so my Dad b arranged for a jeep, several M1 carbines, for himself and the captain, and one other officer. They went out to an area where an incoming PBY had reported seeing a big bear. They found the bear and got as close as they could. This made the bear stand up to full height. They get out and the captain looks at the bear standing up, looks down at the carbines, and then at the jeep. My Dad said the bear looked much bigger than the jeep. The captain we had better out of here before this bear gets mad! So not able to reprt on how well a .30 carbine round works on brown bears?
Cousin- Mid-70s- My cousin Lonnie aquired a black bear rug. He hung it on the wall over his bed headboard. One night he was restless while sleeping, and somehow the bear rugfell off of the wall completely covering him. He said he awoke thinking a bear was
attacking and eating. He jumped out bed, but unfortunately tripped while entangled in
the bear skin. He broke his arm, and b required a trip to the ER for treatment. Never said if he rehung the bear skin rug, but the next time I visited I did not see the bearskin and he would not talk about!
So can't contribute much about the proper caliber for bears.
MERRY CHRISTMAS from muddy SE Iowa!
