A good self defence round against bear?

[RedbeAR15]

Back to the OP's original question...


Would a .44 do it? .50? What would kill him even if you got him in the neck or chest a few times? Rifles aren't allowed to be carried in those areas, so it'd have to be a handgun. I'm sure .454 would do it, but that's expensive. Could you get away with a .357?

 

[Mountainman38]

Which handgun are you going to buy and practice with -- lots -- so you are able to achieve good shot placement in a sudden, unexpected crisis? (Mr. or Mrs. bear can cover 100 yds. in Olympic-class speed.) Anything else just contributes to unjustified confidence.

Practice is crucial, but so is a proper weapon. A .22 that you're fully at ease with isn't gonna save your bacon.

"Calebklyne: 'bearspray your hand gun will likely just piss it off.'

This is, on the face of it- untrue. People hunt bear with handguns."

Comment: Indigs hunt Polar Bear and Brown Bear with .22 rifles. Again, practice and placement.

A few anecdotal stories notwithstanding, the idea that Eskimos go out with their little .22's to hunt polar bear or grizzly is ludicrous.

While a bear may have been brought down with a .22 LR when someone was surprised and had to take a quick shot, the indigenous people of the north are smart enough to use an appropriate weapon for the task at hand. You don't go after the biggest bear on earth, and the only one that will actively hunt humans, armed with a squirrel gun.

Bear spray has been shown to be an effective and extremely viable option in man vs. bear encounters. According to this Forest Service report, a firearm is a difficult weapon to use properly against a bear, and is about half as effective as bear spray.

Bear spray is something that can be carried in places a gun can't, which is something to consider. In places with a likelihood of bear encounter, I'd carry both a canister of bear spray within reach, as well as a powerful handgun. Which I used would depend on the situation.




.44 mags come in autos too. Less felt recoil. Feels like a .45 1911 to some. But heavy things to carry around.[/quote]

 

[DWK2]

I'm not advocating smaller weapons for bear and I'm not saying the practice was commonplace, but there's a PhD treatise done at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and published in book form called "Hunters of the Northern Forest". I haven't read it in many years but if I recall correctly it recounts quite a few instances in which bear were intentionally hunted with guns/ammo that you and I would consider squirreling weapons. They sometimes used the only firearm(s) they had.

I agree that it is nice to have the option of spray or lead. If a pesky bear is persisting around camp but not acting aggressively, the spray would be a good option. I also carry some rubber slug shotgun rounds from S&B, although so far I have been able to run bears off without using them.

DancesWithKnives

 

[Ed Fowler]

DWK - Thanks for the reference, forgot the name of the book. As I remember the 22 Hornet was a favorite. Just ordered a copy.

 

[DWK2]

My pleasure---I owe you one for all the knives!

My recollection is a bit fuzzy but I recall some indigenous people hunting denned up black bear with .22LR. I think there was also a story about a fellow who hunted griz with a single shot 20 ga. firing bird shot. He would bait the bear in close, wait until it was distracted with the bait, then dart out of cover and pop it in the side of the head. I think his balls were bigger than his brain!

If my memory is off, you can tell us after you re-read the book.

DancesWithKnives

 

[RedbeAR15]

My pleasure--- I think there was also a story about a fellow who hunted griz with a single shot 20 ga. firing bird shot. He would bait the bear in close, wait until it was distracted with the bait, then dart out of cover and pop it in the side of the head. I think his balls were bigger than his brain!

DancesWithKnives

I think I saw that guy on You Tube

 

[Thomas Linton]

Practice is crucial, but so is a proper weapon. A .22 that you're fully at ease with isn't gonna save your bacon.[/quite]
I strenuously agree. But the biggest hand cannon on earth that you don't practice with is not a great option.

A few anecdotal stories notwithstanding, the idea that Eskimos go out with their little .22's to hunt polar bear or grizzly is ludicrous.

Here's an anecdotal story (Are there any other kind?). In nothern Alberta, I handled the five bear hides they said they harvested with a .22 rifle. They described tracking the one brownie for three days after shooting him twice. Yes, quite a surprise for the bear, I would think. I should have told them it was ludicrous.

As for Polar bear and .22's, I have only read about that practice many times. It could all be a myth.

 

[LMT66]

Were I live black bears can be more agressive than Griz most times. If they dont run scared they get very mean very fast. Skam

This is very true and a direct result of campers being careless with food and leaving garbage behind.