what to do if im in this situation again?

[Jswiney9]

this year i was hunting I got a warning from an acquaintence of mine that he had ran into and gotten trail pictures of a very large, very aggressive black bear near where i hunt. I also had a group of loggers tell me that a very large black bear had tried to bust the windows in a truck and come in on a man. (i didnt believe that he probably just looked in there to see what was going on) i didnt really care since i see them all the time but something was different with this one apparently. A black bear......... yes, a black bear those big goofy things i usually scream at or clap my hands and they run off..... climbed my tree almost completely up to my treestand. I couldnt tell if it was rabid or what but ive never been that scared in my life. when it first came up i just hollered at it and it paused then came on up anyway. i pulled out my pistol and shot up into the air and it didnt phase him at all. He eventually got right under my stand off to the left side and i was afraid it was coming on up with me.

Before i say this next part i just want to say that ive NEVER had the desire to shoot an animal I didnt plan on eating or giving to someone to eat and i definitely didnt want to kill this thing with my bow. (which i should have probably done and called the game warden) I ended up shooting him in his front leg with my 9mm I had round nose bullets, it paused......... looked up at me for literally about 10 seconds, then just climbed down the tree like nothing happened. I got pictures of it a month later so I knew the big guy survived. I just panicked and shot it, Ive never felt so badly about anything in my life but i definitely didnt want to be lunch either. That is NOT typical black bear behavior but i still wish it didnt have to happen. I guess my best bet would be to invest in some pepper spray for next season. I have some pictures of this big guy if anyone wants to see them, taken almost exactly a month after our first encounter. When i killed my big buck last week the loggers said they still see him and say he is still extremely aggressive, they all get into their equipment and wait out him to leave. (again, i cant confirm this its just heresay) Has anyone ever heard of or seen a black bear act like this? I could understand if he was already injured or hungry but this is a very very large very healthy male.

 

[zercool]

this is a very very large very healthy male.

I think you nailed the issue right there. You're on his turf.

As a side note, and admittedly Monday-morning QB'ing, why shoot up in the air when there's lots of 100%-safe backstop underneath you?

 

[Bob R]

Maybe he just figured out those pale, hairless, bipedal animals aren't anything to be scared of, just soft on the outside and crunchy on the inside.

If he is "that large" it means he is getting on in years most likely. It could be he appears healthy but is not getting enough food due to dental or other issues.

It is obvious you can carry a firearm while bow hunting so if it were me, I would have a magnum class gun or 10mm when I went out there from now on.

There are plenty of people who have seen how aggressive it is, it it comes down to it, kill it, have people back you up on its aggressiveness and call the game people.

I would be concerned about other people who may happen upon the bear and not know anything about it and they get attacked or possibly killed (and eaten).

Start laying the groundwork now in case you do need to kill it. Report it to Fish and Game and make sure they talk to the loggers.

bob

 

[Kanewpadle]

There are some places where a bow hunter cannot legally carry a sidearm.

I would carry one anyway.

A 44 magnum revolver or bigger.

I've been in that situation a few times in Alaska. I draw an imaginary line and once the bear crosses, I shoot him.

It's not something to worry about but should be planned for. It's a simple matter of survival.

 

[srgvaz]

If he starts climbing the tree again urinate on him if that just pisses him off shoot it in the eye with that 9mm or get a BIGGER gun.
If you don't want to shoot him take some snacks with you and just throw them down. He's probably just hungry for human food (blood?).

 

[LVSteve]

If it has more teeth, claws or guns pointing at me than I am comfortable with, it dies. Predatory animals of all types can be deadly, so sometimes you need to be deadly first.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

That's a pretty scary encounter, my friend. I live in bear country and they can shimmy up a tree like it's nobodies business.

I've got cans of 'bear mace' (5 million SKU... more than 'riot' spray in many cases) but am always concerned about drift. I caught a tiny wiff once when test spraying, and I'm certain I'd never want a face full of it.

I'm with you on not wanting to ever kill an animal in 'cold blood', but you were in some real danger there.

Do get some bear mace (REI has a good product), but I'd much rather explain an illegal kill to a ranger (iiiiiiiiiiiif it came to that) than get munched on.

I've seen enough bears, bobcats, etc to start keeping my .45 as part of my kit when camping ....

I can't even imagine the adrenaline pumping when you've got a bear lookin' at ya from the bottom of a tree! Glad you're still around to make your post, those things are scary as hell when behave abnormally.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Not trying to derail your thread, but whats your bow set up?

 

[JcMack]

You "held off" longer than I could have under that situation. Maybe bear mace for ground level use if your upwind. Up a tree I think not. My thought is a Glock 20 10mm. You can try to find a used one. Even new it's cheaper and lighter than a large bore revolver. A big added plus is you can lanyard the thing to your belt.

 

[Jswiney9]

You "held off" longer than I could have under that situation. Maybe bear mace for ground level use if your upwind. Up a tree I think not. My thought is a Glock 20 10mm. You can try to find a used one. Even new it's cheaper and lighter than a large bore revolver. A big added plus is you can lanyard the thing to your belt.

well, Ive had a very small bear stand at the bottom of my tree for a long time and never come up. she was just curious and I never felt threatened.

My bow set up is a hoyt powerhawk set to 68 pounds i have a fuse 5 pin sight.

here are pictures of the big bear below where i hunt, and yes, thats a 24 oz pepsi bottle. ive never seen one that was perfectly round with no neck and that tall, he looked like a fourwheeler coming through the woods.

 

[BUFF]

If the seasons overlap, buy a bear license or tag. Carry the big pistol AND the pepper spray.

I'm glad you can carry a handgun on archery hunts there. You can't where I live.

 

[n4zov]

I can't see shooting to wound and then leaving him for somebody else to deal with who might not be armed at all. I'd have popped him right between the eyes and considered myself fortunate to have have had a handgun. I don't understand your hand wringing over this situation.

 

[Jswiney9]

I don't understand your hand wringing over this situation.

I hunt, a lot, its pretty hard to shoot something you have a lot of respect for. even if i didnt shoot it to kill it and it probably just left him with a little sting its still a hard thing to do. I dont regret protecting myself at all, im moving my treestand next year so that if he stays in that area a lot i wont have to deal with him again. There is one bear on the mountain where I hunt (a mommy bear) that has both ears tagged AND a neck collar, id hate to know all the crap she has gotten into

 

[scooter123]

I think you should report this to our State DNR, with a few "edits" of course, don't mention that you had to wound it to drive it off, say it took all your bear spray and kept coming and it only retreated when you jabbed it with an arrow or a stick. I'd also tell them how to contact those loggers. This is VERY atypical behavior for a Black Bear and they'll probably set some traps for it. Most likely it's been fed by humans in the past and has lost all fear for humans, probably some idiot who put food out for it when it was a cub or yearling. Quite simply, let the state know there is a problem bear in the area and let them deal with it.

In addition, you really need to re-think your choice of a sidearm, 9mm really isn't a good choice for dealing with an aggressive bear, males of this species can hit 400 lbs or more easily. BTW, the current record is 880 lbs., taken in NC in 1998. For something that big, you really want a bigger gun, a much bigger gun.

As for shooting an animal your not hunting, keep in mind this is Defense NOT hunting. Most states understand this concept and won't pursue charges in the event of a defense shooting. However, you will face some tough questions and it will be extremely helpful if there have been prior reports of an atypically aggressive animal in the area. Thus the reason I suggest you report this, you'll not only be providing some vital documentation for yourself but also help some other hunter who might be put in the same "pinch".

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
That is a BIG bear!
In that situation I would have throw fresh feces down on that bear.
Jimmy

 

[roarindan]

"If he starts climbing the tree again urinate on him"....
mister yer a better man than I am if you can "make water" when a big bear is checking me out as a snack!!!!

 

[Texas Star]

"Bear" in mind that most predatory bear attacks in North America are by black bears. He may well want to eat you.

I'd kill him and not have your odd moral issues. It's not like you'd be shooting something just for the thrill of it!

BTW, a shot into the nose might be more likely to reach the brain than one bounced off of the sloping, thick skull.

I'd suggest at least a .357 Magnum with 158 grain bullets. And I'd make a point of studying bear anatomy. The zoo or natural history museum may give you some tips on bullet placement, if they aren't big-time animal huggers.

This bear is probably going to hurt or kill someone if no one takes it out.

T-Star

 

[venomballistics]

"shoot at nothing you do not intend to eat"
this is a good rule.
but like every other rule there are exceptions.
if not for understanding these exceptions .. I'd not be here to post this reply, and you might not have been here to read it.

 

[venomballistics]

"If he starts climbing the tree again urinate on him"....
mister yer a better man than I am if you can "make water" when a big bear is checking me out as a snack!!!!

I suspect that the OP did .. he just isnt admitting to it

 

[gregintenn]

Assuming I was able to keep the presence of mind to do so, I'd have shot the bear until I ran out of ammo and arrows. There isn't enough room in a tree for a bear AND me.