Archery hunter needs a companion in bear country

M

masivatak

Joined
Jul 15, 2009
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I carry a 57lb. back pack 7 mi. to 8 mi., usually up 4000 ft +/- of elevation.
Must be light weight and nimble for cleaning fish but resilient and large. (fixed blade at least 6")

At present I carry a re-profiled CS Bushman, I wrapped the steel handle w/ hockey stick tape.
Additionally, I hated the sheath from the factory. I did make a cut out on the front if it and added a retention strap but I'm still not lovin' it.

Please can any one help w/ sheath modification ideas or suggestions for production line knives. Please keep in mind no firearms are allowed on your person while bow hunting (I can't afford much, hard time w/ the recession and all)

It may be that something else I own might be better suited please give me your opinions.
I also own :
CS Kukri Ltc currently building it a kydex sheath
CS Peacekeeper
BM Nimravis (spelling?)
 
Take a gun and not a knife. A 12ga with slugs on a short barrel would work great. keepem sharp
 
I'm not sure of the reason for the knife. Is it for cleaning fish, camp chores? Your title tends to make one think that you want it for protection. I certainly hope you're not planning on knife fighting a bear?! Believe me, he carries more sharp and pointy objects than you do, and I'm going to go ahead and say he knows how to use his better than you do yours.
Take longbow's suggestion. I'd rather be in trouble with the law than in trouble with a bear. Also, I know in certain areas that while bow hunting, personal side arm protection is allowed.

Please don't knife fight a bear.

mike
 
masivatak said:
I carry a 57lb. back pack 7 mi. to 8 mi., usually up 4000 ft +/- of elevation.
Must be light weight and nimble for cleaning fish but resilient and large. (fixed blade at least 6")

At present I carry a re-profiled CS Bushman, I wrapped the steel handle w/ hockey stick tape.
Additionally, I hated the sheath from the factory. I did make a cut out on the front if it and added a retention strap but I'm still not lovin' it.

Please can any one help w/ sheath modification ideas or suggestions for production line knives. Please keep in mind no firearms are allowed on your person while bow hunting (I can't afford much, hard time w/ the recession and all)

It may be that something else I own might be better suited please give me your opinions.
I also own :
CS Kukri Ltc currently building it a kydex sheath
CS Peacekeeper
BM Nimravis (spelling?)
Click to expand...


Wait...so...you bow hunt...and carry a 57 lb pack?

What in the world do you have in that thing?
 
I think what you currently carry should work just fine. Is your problem that it is too much weight? Too big and cumbersome for delicate tasks such as cleaning fish?

You could add a Mora knife for $10-$15 to handle all your delicate tasks and use one of the bigger knives you already have for chopping and other heavier work.

If you wanted to lighten the load then I have to wonder if everything that you carry in that 57lb pack essential?
 
It's probably food, tent, clothing, emergency kit, etc... it all adds up.
I took an overnight backpacking course once, it's pretty hard to keep your pack under 50lbs.

To defend against a bear, I wouldn't use anything less than a 9" double edge sticker (if my hands were tied about having a 1911). The Entrek Ranger would be my best bet.
For a deep woods utility knife... An SAK should do all your food prep pretty well, I'd probably carry something from the Spyderco Salt series though.
 
Where I hunt I can't easily scout so I generally spend more than 4 days out. Most of my weight comes from bivouac gear. I visit the bivy around lunch everyday to change socks (and such),wash, hydrate, resupply on food and fish if possible.
I use a knife for a variety of general camping tasks, but every night I sleep in a deer bed. The worst thing that could happen is Mr. Bear gets the idea in his head he might want to chew on my little piggies.
It's nice to have something at hand to convince him I'm not an easy meal but I don't want to carry a Rem. 870 w/ slugs. Although, I certainly agree that is more effective than a handful of arrows and a knife.

Thanks to all for your responses so far!
 
given weight includes trekking poles boots everything for emerg.,pretty much everything in total I guess I wasn't totally clear about that sorry.
 
What about a revolver .44mag and up?

If a knife is going to help you defend against a bear I would think it would be in making a hardened spear primarily, last ditch would be using a knife to fight a bear for me.

I would really prefer the high caliber hand gun. If light weight is really important a 10mm glock comp.

I really dont know jack about fighting a bear, so dont quote me on it.
 
Wait, if the dept of fish and game sees a bullet hole they'll keep the remains... I guess I could just deter it from rushing me with a few warning shots then take him with a well placed arrow.
 
I've been livin on the cheap for the last four months, my work has been a little scarce.

I did make a walking stick last time I was out and attached my bushman to it before bedding down at night. It does gives you a little piece of mind to have a pole arm and a good head lamp close at hand.

That's not bad advice Mr Gov.
 
your peacekeeper will handle the knife work.put a 44 special tarus in s.s. is a 5 rd. revolver with enough punch for black bear.i like the 180 gr. at 1000 f.p.s.i've never had a warden or forest service search my pack.carried in yellowstone, yosemite, & devils post pile in sierras.just do'nt be trying your aim on chipmonks.
 
For a knife consider looking at:

-Scrap Yard Knives or Swamp Rat Knife Works: Extremely tough knives and retail at fair prices, but most models can only be purchased on the secondary market at higher than retail prices. You can find them in the for sale section of these forums.
-Bark River Knife & Tool
-Fallkniven A1
-RAT RC-6

Have you considered bear pepper spray?

Welcome to the forums:). BTW, the title of this thread looks like a singles ad:D:thumbup:
 
ieraseu,
My issue w/ the bushman is the sheath. the blade carbon V which I've never had any bad experience using. The complication I have is there is no hilt for me to make a kydex replacement sheath.

I wonder if anyone out there has tried to make a kydex replacement sheath for that knife. If so what do you think of its lock up.
 
Yeah I bring a small canister of pepp. but sometimes the wind won't cooperate and you actually make things worse for yourself.
 
:thumbup:Have you considered bear pepper spray?:thumbup:

That is the best option! Bears noses are so sensitive one squirt in the air will send him running. And any handgun in a 9mm plus caliber will make a bear think twice about chewing on you as long as you aren’t hunting in AK.. Grizzly bears as I understand are a different animal. (No Pun intended) I hunt and have a cabin in the rocky mt in Colorado and pepper spray will send a bear running..... a few hot ones form a side arm will send him running with his tail between his legs. (If it doesn’t kill him ;))
 
Fällkniven is very good and highly valued knife as is RAT Cutlery's RC 5 and RC 6. It would serve you well as work knife. But against the bear, the pepper spray against bears is much better.
 
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