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If you have a bear that close, use the 500. You won't notice the trigger pull weight, recoil, or noise. Your mind will be otherwise occupied. You will most likely only get one shot. Better go for the horsepower one.
You Have a Grizzly 20 Yards Out...
- Thread starter Bill Lear
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Pointblank2U
US Veteran
Nothing, because I wouldn't sleep where grizzly bears live.
scooter123
Member
I would quietly get my 18.5 inch 870 out of it's backpack slot and flip off the safety. 2 rounds of #1 Buck followed up by 3 slug rounds should discourage even a Mama Bear. Truth is that Arthritis in my wrists rules out shooting a Magnum handgun and years of shooting Skeet has me shooting at expert level with a shotgun.
Yet, you live and sleep in Cleveland and there were 346 homicides in NE Ohio last year. Interesting choice in the face of the fact that Grizzlies killed a total of 8 people in Alaska, Canada and the lower 48 in the last 3 years
Do you sleep where there are trees? Reason I ask is because in the entire history of Yellowstone park, where there is by far the greatest incidence of human/ grizzly interaction, exactly 1 more person has died from a grizzly attacks than from falling trees.
I often camp and hunt where there are grizzlies. Not really very high on my worry list. I do check the trees near my camp however.
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Lions and tigers and bears, Oh my!
Well Bill, your first two mistakes- 1) not having a couple of cans of bear spray readily available; 2) going somewhere (including bear country) with guns that you haven't trained with and know are dependable. If the bear is 20 yds away and not charging, you have plenty of time to lay down a fog of bear spray that should convince the sow and cubs to go elsewhere. There is no justification for killing a bear sow and orphaning her cubs when you had other options. However, if things go badly, you might be their breakfast! Your third mistake was not taking a rifle or shotgun with you in the tent, just in case. As far as handguns, you may have read in other Threads here on the Forum that the current choice for guides and hunters in bear country is the 10mm pistol with 15+ rounds.
I understand that this is a whimsical Post to generate some funny responses (which it did!). I just threw in some common sense thoughts.
Well Bill, your first two mistakes- 1) not having a couple of cans of bear spray readily available; 2) going somewhere (including bear country) with guns that you haven't trained with and know are dependable. If the bear is 20 yds away and not charging, you have plenty of time to lay down a fog of bear spray that should convince the sow and cubs to go elsewhere. There is no justification for killing a bear sow and orphaning her cubs when you had other options. However, if things go badly, you might be their breakfast! Your third mistake was not taking a rifle or shotgun with you in the tent, just in case. As far as handguns, you may have read in other Threads here on the Forum that the current choice for guides and hunters in bear country is the 10mm pistol with 15+ rounds.
I understand that this is a whimsical Post to generate some funny responses (which it did!). I just threw in some common sense thoughts.
Inusuit
Member
Keep calm and carry bear spray.
oworthsr
US Veteran
This chatter reminds me of discussions among a bunch of lawyers...debating how many seconds to wait before pulling the rip cord.
Proper response is, "Ready, fire, aim, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, click, click, click. Next, grab the handy-wipes and clean up body hygiene issues."
Proper response is, "Ready, fire, aim, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, click, click, click. Next, grab the handy-wipes and clean up body hygiene issues."
I'm going backpack camping with my fiancé next month in bear country and I'll be carrying a M&P 4 inch 10 mm in an appendix gun pouch on my backpack belt. I'll have the Sig 180 grain flat point ammo in it because it's 100% reliable and I can shoot it fast and accurately and my fiancé shoots it very well also. A long gun is too heavy but we will have a little air horn and of course a bear proof food container that will be 80 feet away when we we're camped. I was within 40 yards of a grizzly and her three cubs once when I was hiking, and I had a no protection of any kind and I was a bit nervous, but she just walked right on by.
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At 20 yards you need a precise aim because it is about to get real if griz decides to charge. No thought as to the loaded ammo because you already made that decision when you loaded the guns. No thought to a gun you have never shot before. If you are loaded with rounds you have never fired before, shame on you. Dump the first 6 from the 357 and then grab the 500.
Mama bear is just taking the kids for a walk and helping them enjoy your food sacks.
The food will run out in a little bit and she will take them off to look for other things, that they might find on their stroll.
You need to learn to tie better knots !!
The food will run out in a little bit and she will take them off to look for other things, that they might find on their stroll.
You need to learn to tie better knots !!
Marshal Tom
Member
Hoping you woke up from your dream and realized that you weren't ever there in the first place!
Mike-AK
Member
That's a lot like asking "Which car do you take to Indy? Your Prius or your McLaren?"
That said, an 870 with 3" Black Magic slugs would be a better choice for campsite bear protection.
That said, an 870 with 3" Black Magic slugs would be a better choice for campsite bear protection.
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Hair Trigger
US Veteran
I kind of expected that guy to go rolling backwards after the first round (Newton's 3rd Law).
Back to the guy in the tent. Make up your mind quick, because when the bear sees you, you'd better have the gun aimed and cocked, you'll only get one shot. My guess is the caliber won't matter much, even if you hit the bear. She'll be close enough by the time you hit her that either cartridge would kill her (assuming you hit a vital spot), and even then, she's not going to drop immediately.
In the face of a charging bear, and you're penned inside a tent in your skivvies, can you contain your instinct to rip out the back of the tent and calmly face her, knowing you'll at least get shredded, if not become her Happy Meal?
Zip up the tent and go back to sleep.
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
I was in Alaska this spring. The grizzlies were not interested in me.
I'd grab Mike, stuff him in his wheelchair, hand him his 500, get safely behind him, and shove him out the front of the tent.
Guns guns always guns, Did you try taking to her first,?? offer the kids a snack?
Your food stash was to close to camp!
Your food stash was to close to camp!
I lived, worked and hunted in Alaska. In addition to bear spray, I always carried 4" 500 and 375 H&H for hunting and had a 12 ga loaded with 000 buckshot and slugs for camp. Never contemplated carrying a 357; even the 500 seemed too small. Kodiaks and coastal brown bears are about the size of a VW Beetle.
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