Gargoyle
Finder Outer
I'm picking up what you are throwing down!
I read a bear attack stats that spanned 20yrs or so and I was surprised to see so many bears repelled by 9mm.
Hiking in bear country?!?
- Thread starter Daddymac
- Start date
I read a bear attack stats that spanned 20yrs or so and I was surprised to see so many bears repelled by 9mm.
ronsatspokane
Gold $$ Contributor
You guys are painting a frightening picture. The reality is that bad bear encounters are rare. Black Bears are really only a problem if it is a female with cubs. They are more afraid of you than you are of them. Griz, Brown and Polar, well that another story but the likelihood of an encounter is low and a bad encounter even lower. That doesn't mean that it can't happen. People are out picking berries in Alaska all the time and those Brown Bears love berries. People are hiking in Glacier Park all the time and it is notorious for Griz. Yeah, people do get hurt and even killed but it is a very low percentage. Still it does not hurt to be prepared.
Now what gives me the willies are Cougar (aka Mountain Lion). My grandfather was stalked by one while out hunting. He had the pelt from it up until the day he died. Ever get those hairs standing up on the back of your neck while in the back country? Probably being watched by a Cougar. I think the bastards communicate telepathically.
Now what gives me the willies are Cougar (aka Mountain Lion). My grandfather was stalked by one while out hunting. He had the pelt from it up until the day he died. Ever get those hairs standing up on the back of your neck while in the back country? Probably being watched by a Cougar. I think the bastards communicate telepathically.
Personally I don’t take my family into bear areas. There’s other options in the mountains that only have black bears, lions, crap like that. Grizzlies are not afraid of people because they’re not hunted. The odds of even getting a shot off, much less a well placed one, is near zero. I couldn’t live with myself if I put my family in that situation so I don’t. I know tons of people that “ain’t scared”, or have a “proven” firearm. Cool story bro, there’s a bear that goes 0-40 in two steps that’s 25 feet away in the willows, good luck. It’s a risk/reward thing, and I won’t do it. Plus how enjoyable is it to be on a super heightened state of awareness on vacation? Talk to some people who have had close calls or have been mauled. The only way I’d do it is if there’s a squad of seals with rifles at the ready in 360 degrees like they’re clearing a building. Not fun.
The biggest threat we face when hiking in bear country is getting there safely and back in our vehicle. Other more likely dangers are a heart attack, a dog attack, or a cow attack.
That said, I FULLY support the idea of one using the exceedingly rare bear attack risk as a reason to acquire a bear defense firearm..........
There was a USAF enlisted guy that stopped an Alaskan Brown Bear near Galena (I think) a few years ago with a 10mm. The 10mm with hard cast bullets seems like the most sensible choice because you will het off many more shots than you can with a big revolver.
To be safe, you should buy both a larger revolver (454 Casul to 500 Smith) AND a good 10mm and conduct intensive testing to see which would be better....
That said, I FULLY support the idea of one using the exceedingly rare bear attack risk as a reason to acquire a bear defense firearm..........
There was a USAF enlisted guy that stopped an Alaskan Brown Bear near Galena (I think) a few years ago with a 10mm. The 10mm with hard cast bullets seems like the most sensible choice because you will het off many more shots than you can with a big revolver.
To be safe, you should buy both a larger revolver (454 Casul to 500 Smith) AND a good 10mm and conduct intensive testing to see which would be better....
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ronsatspokane
Gold $$ Contributor
A friend of mine and his girl friend with their dog encountered one while hiking near Priest Lake in Northern Idaho. Fortunately the bear went after the dog which was a big dog nicknamed "bear". Dog got away and so did my friend and his girl friend but from his description it was close. Lady got mauled in the area shortly after. Not sure if it was the same bear.
People don't realize how fast bears are. I had one cross in front of my truck while I was going up to a friends house out in the country. It was running at full tilt (I hope that was full tilt and it didn't have another gear). I was blown away by how fast the big ball of blubber could move. If it were after you it'd be on you before you could sneak out a very humid fart.
And don't climb a tree if chased.
scasa
Silver $$ Contributor
I heard this on rescue 911
If the bear is black , fight back
If the bear is brown , lay down
If the bear is white , good night
Was after a call from an atv driver who crashed ,had a broken leg and could hear a bear near him. 911 was trying to locate him and he was almost out of cell phone battery. There is several lessons in that.
If the bear is black , fight back
If the bear is brown , lay down
If the bear is white , good night
Was after a call from an atv driver who crashed ,had a broken leg and could hear a bear near him. 911 was trying to locate him and he was almost out of cell phone battery. There is several lessons in that.
Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
I live a couple hours from Yellowstone. Theres grizzlys in every range around here. And usually one of two people do get attacked each year it seems. When you consider the amount of people out in the mountains its pretty rare but it is still something to take serious. If your a good shot with the 9 carry it. Your only going to get a shot or two. The 10mm guys talk about capacity vs a 44 but every attack I remember hearing about or reading about, that bear was on them so fast sometimes they didnt even get one shot off. A guy that got tore up in Lima a few years back got one shot off but didnt have time to cycle the bolt for a second. One well placed shot is what the focus should be on in my opinion. Have the family carry spray as well.
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Exactly. It’s a personal choice but I know what I think. If a person doesn’t mind not being top of the food chain or being hunted, go nuts. People can go swimming with sharks, bungee jump in Mexico, run blindfolded across the interstate, pet Buffalo in Yellowstone or whatever. Just don’t act surprised when it ends poorly.
One thing I’ve noticed since living in Bear country is the old stumps get torn up around the base as they grub for food and generally on a sunny slope I can see signs they are in the area.
I’m not a expert by any means rather an observation.
Having hunted in Bear Country and Now residing in Bear Country or damn close to it . Words of wisdom
STAY ALERT head on a swivel ,eyes on your 6 . Rarely do Bears come head on ,it's surprise and ambush that is generally fatal !. Make Noise stay as large as possible better hiking in groups and talking ,than silent stalking .
Don't know who posted Grizzlies are protected but bottom line ,SO SHOULD YOU !!. 9mm 10mm .40 .44 .45 whatever you've got with exception to rimfire .22's that just pisses them off .
Bear spray may or may not be effective ,however as previously posted ( Better to have on you than not ) .
IF time permits a round in the ground for deterrence , IF necessary bear spray in one hand pistol in the other
YOU will know immediately if the charge in a bluff or it's time to become ambidextrous !.
Regardless what some laws or regulations may say , I fully intend on being upright as well as ambulatory ,should it become necessary for a court appearance ,rather than My spouse and an attorney haggling over the proceeds of a wrongful death suit !.
As the man at the circus says , You pays your money ,you takes your chances . So Don't blame the clowns for a bad show ,rather blame yourself for going too the circus .
I'll rely on My shooting skills outside or inside State or National parks . Rangers carry guns ,therefore SO DO I !.
STAY ALERT head on a swivel ,eyes on your 6 . Rarely do Bears come head on ,it's surprise and ambush that is generally fatal !. Make Noise stay as large as possible better hiking in groups and talking ,than silent stalking .
Don't know who posted Grizzlies are protected but bottom line ,SO SHOULD YOU !!. 9mm 10mm .40 .44 .45 whatever you've got with exception to rimfire .22's that just pisses them off .
Bear spray may or may not be effective ,however as previously posted ( Better to have on you than not ) .
IF time permits a round in the ground for deterrence , IF necessary bear spray in one hand pistol in the other
YOU will know immediately if the charge in a bluff or it's time to become ambidextrous !.
Regardless what some laws or regulations may say , I fully intend on being upright as well as ambulatory ,should it become necessary for a court appearance ,rather than My spouse and an attorney haggling over the proceeds of a wrongful death suit !.
As the man at the circus says , You pays your money ,you takes your chances . So Don't blame the clowns for a bad show ,rather blame yourself for going too the circus .
I'll rely on My shooting skills outside or inside State or National parks . Rangers carry guns ,therefore SO DO I !.
Hiking, climbing and camping in Montana and Wyoming, we carried a small coffee can with rocks and shook it when we were in poor visibility areas.
Edit: to be clear, once she popped her head out, everything went into slo-mo until the full adrenaline rush, which took about three seconds to hit. I then turned and ran.
Came face to face with one in Quetico in Ontario while on a portage. She was ripping bark off a tree, sounded like chopping wood. I walk up to the tree and say, "Bob, what the hell are you doing chopping wood here?" Out pops her head from behind the tree. Looking at her eyes, I think she was as surprised as I was. I started screaming, she just turned and waddled away. Had I been between her and her cubs, I'd have been scat on the forest floor.
Edit: to be clear, once she popped her head out, everything went into slo-mo until the full adrenaline rush, which took about three seconds to hit. I then turned and ran.
Agreed -- that's if you're even ready, or if your side arm is accessible for the draw and you're quick enough. Watching the video above, from the moment she turned, the grizzly sow took only 11 seconds to reach the base of the tree that the black bear was climbing, covering what could be as much as 300' in that time. The threat is imminent, it's a freight train, and I hope you remain calm...
wedgy
Gold $$ Contributor
I live in Los Angeles county and have had 2 grizzly encounters inside 15 yards, both while recovering elk in Wyoming, luckily the bear went the other way. The more time you spend in bear country the greater the odds are of meeting one. I would have been able to get one shot off shooting my rifle from the hip had the bear charged as I was off to the side. My buddy and GF startled the bear, it turned and growled, you could feel the sound in your chest like a speaker at a concert. He yelled "bear bear bear" while backing up and tripping over my GF who was behind him so they would have been toast. The other time I was fumbling with my pistol, a DA semi 9mm with mono copper solids, barely getting it out of a chest holster in time had I needed to shoot. In both cases the bear(2 bears in one the the meetings) ran the other way and sounded like a car crashing thru the brush.
There is a video from Yellowstone of their remote "bear" vehicle where they put it at 20 yards and tell you to deploy your pepper spray as it charges from 20 yards and most cannot get it out before the RC bear reaches them even though they know it is coming. Starts at 19 minutes into the video;
My girlfriend is a large animal vet and works with a few kodiaks for size reference she is 5' 7", I'm not going near those things but she's kind of a social media ham.
There is a town just north of LA County named Lebec in honor of Peter Lebeck or Lebecque, a French trapper killed by a grizzly bear in 1837 back when CA had them. I wish they would bring them back and thin the herd here.
There is a video from Yellowstone of their remote "bear" vehicle where they put it at 20 yards and tell you to deploy your pepper spray as it charges from 20 yards and most cannot get it out before the RC bear reaches them even though they know it is coming. Starts at 19 minutes into the video;
There is a town just north of LA County named Lebec in honor of Peter Lebeck or Lebecque, a French trapper killed by a grizzly bear in 1837 back when CA had them. I wish they would bring them back and thin the herd here.
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Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Bear in the top pic is pulling a biden on her
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
People say attacks are rare, but I bet you any amount of money everbody who has been killed or mauled thought" not gonna happen to me".
Problem is G-bears are showing up everywhere anymore, island on Flathead Lake, golf course in Stevensville MT etc.
You hike or hunt in MT, Wyoming or Idaho its best to be prepared for an encounter and really think if you have young children and how would they react if you do encounter any kind of bear, Mtn Lion or wolf or could you live with yourself if something happened.
I trust no bear wether black or brown or any predator for that matter, ive been charged twice by blackies.
Problem is G-bears are showing up everywhere anymore, island on Flathead Lake, golf course in Stevensville MT etc.
You hike or hunt in MT, Wyoming or Idaho its best to be prepared for an encounter and really think if you have young children and how would they react if you do encounter any kind of bear, Mtn Lion or wolf or could you live with yourself if something happened.
I trust no bear wether black or brown or any predator for that matter, ive been charged twice by blackies.
Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
That's the event I mentioned in post #16 above.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
I wear tennis shoes in bear country if im with other people
Mulligan
Silver $$ Contributor
When I was last in Fairbanks, the local Fred Meyer had a huge rack of rifles and shotguns for sale.
Every rifle was the same... Marlin lever-gun chambered in 45-70. Every shotgun was the same, stainless 870 12 gauge. The only ammo I seen, slugs, 00 Buck, and big slow heavies for the 45-70.
I'm thinking Sherm is correct.
CW
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Alaska is where i got my 460es. Every store there only had huge revolvers with a 44mag being the smallest ones
STS
Silver $$ Contributor
I took this one on the shore of Hebgen Lake where I fish quite a bit in the summer. My wife did NOT approve of my choice of our fishing place for the morning. I spend a lot of time in, and just outside of Yellowstone, about 6 months of the year. Bottom line is that if you think you are going to defend yourself with a handgun against a grizzly attack you are playing against the odds. Most attacks happen so fast, and from such close range, that there is little if any chance to get off an accurate shot under near impossible conditions. I take my wife fishing early in the season in a couple of small creeks near the park. It's an area dense with willows and I always go in there with a shotgun loaded with buckshot, a 9mm pistol and 2 cans of bear spray. Only 1 of those 4 items do I have any confidence in as a deterrent to a bear attack. The other 3 are to deter a wife attack on me because she thinks I don't have enough protection.
In a 24 month period there were 9 grizzly attacks within a 75 mile radius of my house. Out of that 24 months, the bears were hibernating aproximately 8 months. You can do the math on the rate of attacks per unit of time. Don't be paranoid to the point of ruining your vacation, but definitely pay attention to your surroundings.
In a 24 month period there were 9 grizzly attacks within a 75 mile radius of my house. Out of that 24 months, the bears were hibernating aproximately 8 months. You can do the math on the rate of attacks per unit of time. Don't be paranoid to the point of ruining your vacation, but definitely pay attention to your surroundings.
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ronsatspokane
Gold $$ Contributor
Bear in the bottom two pics is wondering what blonds taste like.
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