.22 and bears

Peter Chapstick mentioned an odd incident in one of his books (probably In The Long Grass); a local farmer was trying to hunt varmint or game with a .22 when he heard a loud noise. He looks up an sees one elephant topple over and roll down hill, knocking over a second elephant; both of which perish in the fall. The cause of death turned out to be one of the farmer's .22 caliber rounds. he had missed his target and hit the elephant on the hill. The bullet lodged in a key pipe which dropped the first elephant. So one stray .22 had bagged two elephants.

n2s

Correction: The story appears in the chapter on Elephants in Peter chapstick's Death in The Dark Continent. The hunter was Federick G. Banks, who was a well known ivory hunter, and the bullet was a .256 Mannlicher (not much bigger then a .22). However, he baged three bull elephants with that single shot, the top bull elephant rolling downhill and taking out two others.
 
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In the sheriffs department I worked at, one of the deputies shot a german shepard in the head with a .45, bullet didn't even penetrate the skull. Follow up shot killed it. Odd things happen. But, in my opinion it isn't the size of the bullet, its the placement. Obviously I am not going hunting for a bear with a .22, but I lots of people that have killed lots of Elk with them. "Placement"
 
FTO_dude said:
a hunter friend of mine told me one of the greater threats in the aussie bush was packs of wild dogs!
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But you do have more than your share of poisonous snakes and spiders. And a few jellyfish that could do you in quite quickly.
 
Codger_64 said:
I think it was a freak accident. He must have hit a natural hole in the skull like the ear, nasal or eye. I've read accounts where .50 cal. muzzleloader balls did not penetrate bear skulls.
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I think this is a Unfortunate account those tales that this person or that person heard from three other people. I would see no reason that 10 aimed shots to a bears head should have little problem getting through regardless of .22 or larger. Does it have stopping power....not really. But this is the same thing with a personal defense round. I carry a 9mm. 9mm haters out there will always quote grains and weight and ballistic crap all day long. But what it boils down to in most situations is realistically how well the shot is placed. Will a .22 drop a bear where he stands, Most likely not but popping 10 rounds from a 10/22 into a bears head with me or other good marksmen??? = Dead bear.
 
not2sharp said:
Peter Chapstick mentioned an odd incident in one of his books (probably In The Long Grass); a local farmer was trying to hunt varmint or game with a .22 when he heard a loud noise. He looks up an sees one elephant topple over and roll down hill, knocking over a second elephant; both of which perish in the fall. The cause of death turned out to be one of the farmer's .22 caliber rounds. he had missed his target and hit the elephant on the hill. The bullet lodged in a key pipe which dropped the first elephant. So one stray .22 had bagged two elephants.

n2s





Correction: The story appears in the chapter on Elephants in Peter chapstick's Death in The Dark Continent. The hunter was Federick G. Banks, who was a well known ivory hunter, and the bullet was a .256 Mannlicher (not much bigger then a .22). However, he baged three bull elephants with that single shot, the top bull elephant rolling downhill and taking out two others.
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A .256 M-S is a far, far cry from a .22, more along the lines of a 6.5x55 Mauser than anything even remotely rimfire oriented. WDM Bell actually used a .256 quite a bit for elephant but found more consistent bullet performance with the .275 Rigby aka 7x57 Mauser...
 
First off I Know this thread has been dead so long even the dog wouldn't roll in it but I'm surprised that Bella Twin wasn't mentioned. She might have and I missed it but I thought just in case because her story Is worth reading. Im not going to go into much detail besides that she killed a massive brown bear with a .22 long single shot rifle and a whopping 29 grain projectile.
 
Stonetar said:
First off I Know this thread has been dead so long even the dog wouldn't roll in it but I'm surprised that Bella Twin wasn't mentioned. She might have and I missed it but I thought just in case because her story Is worth reading. Im not going to go into much detail besides that she killed a massive brown bear with a .22 long single shot rifle and a whopping 29 grain projectile.
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Yeah, I remember that one. It's all about shot placement.
 
Also, the action mentioned by the OP takes place inside a tent. The bear may have been 5 feet away, but the round probably had just exited a rifle barrel held only inches away from its skull.

That bullet would have been driven into the skull like a nail gun.
n2s
 
not2sharp said:
....That bullet would have been driven into the skull like a nail gun.
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We can hope. I am comfortable with a 22 handgun around black bears. I would not choose a 22 with larger bears generally although I know black bears can get to 500 lbs. I suspect when they get this big, they have been feeding on people sourced food versus their normal food sources. I never want to find out if a .22 is enough.
 
22-rimfire said:
We can hope. I am comfortable with a 22 handgun around black bears. I would not choose a 22 with larger bears generally although I know black bears can get to 500 lbs. I suspect when they get this big, they have been feeding on people sourced food versus their normal food sources. I never want to find out if a .22 is enough.
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I would rather have a .22 than a bear banger. (it is cheaper, faster, more versatile)


n2s
 
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A 22 bullet into the eye like I used to shoot rabbits works wonders. I had an uncle back in the early 1900's that was a guide for deer hunting in Mo and he killed a lot of deer and game by shooing them in the ear hole with a 22. I've always heard shot placement is key.
 
d762nato said:
A 22 bullet into the eye like I used to shoot rabbits works wonders. I had an uncle back in the early 1900's that was a guide for deer hunting in Mo and he killed a lot of deer and game by shooing them in the ear hole with a 22. I've always heard shot placement is key.
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Shot placement is critical with a 22LR. For the most part, 22's (rimfires) are illegal for hunting deer these days. But the 22 WMR is the choice of poachers and yes.... head shots. The 22 Mag is generally my personal choice for potential survival situations in general... powerful enough to take any medium size game with shot placement.
 
22-rimfire said:
"Shoooo Bear" works most of the time. More concerned about two-legged brutes.
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Bingo. I lived in an area for years where the police had to close schools down now and then, to lure a bear into a transport trap. Or shoot it. I rarely to never (maybe see a distant dark streak running) saw blackies. As soon as I got on site I started to yell "hey bear, hey bear" every now and then. I gave them, and they gave me, a wide berth. I watched where I was going in spring to avoid mothers with cubs. I also kept an eye out for track indicators, super fresh ones gave me a tight hoop and a feeling that I should go elsewhere. If you have a .22, then you likely have a shot gun. Load it up with slugs if you have to be in with them. I personally tried to stay far away from bears. This didn't stop me from tromping the Boreal forest though. A black bear is stronger than me, and can run faster than me, so I don't mess with them. I read a historic Fur Trade journal for a post once (in the area that I was living). One of the journal entries described the health status of one of the men that was attacked by a black bear. He killed the bear, but died several days later himself. I don't have the guts to face a black with a .22, I'd take different precautions. But then there are tougher people out there than me.
 
I lived a substance lifestyle in the Alaska wilderness for 30 years. I've killed half. a dozen bears and moose with a 22. So It is in fact do-able, on purpose. I killed only 1 bear with 22 long rifle. I was new to Alaska, 18, form the city did not understand firearms and was only familiar with a 22. I moved up to 22 magnum. Thinking at the time, "Magnum wow that's gotta have power!" I learned to be accurate. Most important perhaps is to know how to stay calm. Hitting a dime from within 100 feet is not a great feat. I first went for temple shots. But decided heart shots work better. I of course later learned to move up, settled on the 270. But still like my 22 hornet (still a 22 caliber.) It's quiet. I do not like the entire animal world for 5 miles around to know I have arrived. I find the wildlife accepts the soft crack of the hornet. I can shoot a grouse duck etc while out moose hunting if i am hungry and not scare the game off. Or a bear. I killed 3 moose 3 years in a row with the hornet. No problem.
I admit many label me as insane. Not afraid of much. (except women) I also prefer my 357 over all pistols and have killed moose and bears with it. I do agree, well I shot a bear point blank between the eyes and the bullet did not break the skull. So heart shot is good, however, a bear has a slow heartbeat and sometimes does not know he is dead for , well a few minutes. That can be a very long time if he sees you and hates you because you shot him. Is all I do 'suggested?' Well, if you think you shouldn't, probably it is best to listen to your inner voice. I don't suppose I have an answer. I like to think I know what I am doing. I've been at it 60 years now. In truth, I feel sorry for the bear. He doesn't really have a chance against humans who are armed. I mean, I can deliver my blow from a very long way off. The bear has to get up close and personal. It's not fair. I leave bears alone if I can, but the choice is theirs. Whatever opinion you have, what you think about me or my behavior bla bla, the bottom line is "Yes you can attack a bear with a 22 and kill it." In way less than 10 shots. My average is 3. I've written 8 books on the subject. It could be balls, it could be stupidity, something missing others have, a fear factor or something. Whatever. My comments seem so out there and i do not understand why so many people are afraid in the woods they hunt and live in, I don't get it.
 
milesofalaska said:
I lived a substance lifestyle in the Alaska wilderness for 30 years. I've killed half. a dozen bears and moose with a 22. So It is in fact do-able, on purpose. I killed only 1 bear with 22 long rifle. I was new to Alaska, 18, form the city did not understand firearms and was only familiar with a 22. I moved up to 22 magnum. Thinking at the time, "Magnum wow that's gotta have power!" I learned to be accurate. Most important perhaps is to know how to stay calm. Hitting a dime from within 100 feet is not a great feat. I first went for temple shots. But decided heart shots work better. I of course later learned to move up, settled on the 270. But still like my 22 hornet (still a 22 caliber.) It's quiet. I do not like the entire animal world for 5 miles around to know I have arrived. I find the wildlife accepts the soft crack of the hornet. I can shoot a grouse duck etc while out moose hunting if i am hungry and not scare the game off. Or a bear. I killed 3 moose 3 years in a row with the hornet. No problem.
I admit many label me as insane. Not afraid of much. (except women) I also prefer my 357 over all pistols and have killed moose and bears with it. I do agree, well I shot a bear point blank between the eyes and the bullet did not break the skull. So heart shot is good, however, a bear has a slow heartbeat and sometimes does not know he is dead for , well a few minutes. That can be a very long time if he sees you and hates you because you shot him. Is all I do 'suggested?' Well, if you think you shouldn't, probably it is best to listen to your inner voice. I don't suppose I have an answer. I like to think I know what I am doing. I've been at it 60 years now. In truth, I feel sorry for the bear. He doesn't really have a chance against humans who are armed. I mean, I can deliver my blow from a very long way off. The bear has to get up close and personal. It's not fair. I leave bears alone if I can, but the choice is theirs. Whatever opinion you have, what you think about me or my behavior bla bla, the bottom line is "Yes you can attack a bear with a 22 and kill it." In way less than 10 shots. My average is 3. I've written 8 books on the subject. It could be balls, it could be stupidity, something missing others have, a fear factor or something. Whatever. My comments seem so out there and i do not understand why so many people are afraid in the woods they hunt and live in, I don't get it.
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You must have a lot of very interesting experiences buddy. I also shot/killed/ate deer with a .22 Not something I was proud of as it was illegal, but I was very young and needed the meat. I don't really discuss it. Game accepting the soft crack of your Hornet ? Cool. I remember one year when rabbits were on a peak and I was dropping them left and right with .22 shorts. I went for head shots but nailed one with a bad shot, and the rabbit started squealing. It got about 2-3 loud squeals out before I could grab it and whack its head across a tree a couple of times, blood flying around. After the screeching that spot evaporated for rabbits.
 
if true, a lucky freak accident for the boys and their pop.

A .22 or a .44 magnum into the brain will kill just about any bear on the planet. Hit him or her anywhere else with one, your most likely just going to piss it off more .... if it even notices you shot it ...
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