Knife to carry in Bear country

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JC972 said:
Naw. These here around home might as well be tame compared to them big ones out there. The normal size here is 2-450 pounds. When I was about 18 a bunch of us was camping/partying up the river and a bear woke us up by getting in the cooler and eating our beers. If it was 275 pounds I’d be shocked. Me being a still drunk moron, I ran up behind it and kicked it right in its ass. It ran one way and I made out like I was chasing him. Now had there not been a lot of alcohol involved and my new girlfriend to show off for I probably wouldn’t have went that far. Being a drunk teenager didn’t help I guess. The best part was the bear taking off and running slap over one of the tents with other drunk people in it after I kicked it. They thought it was trying to attack their tent and I chased it away heroically in my fruit of the looms and cowboy hat! Those was good times!
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So I just checked the 2022 harvest report. The biggest black bear taken in my state last year was 722 pounds. I've heard of quite a few near that size or larger in the last few years.
 
Smithhammer said:
While I suppose this is a fun theoretical to kick around on the interwebs, I don't think many people commenting here have ever been personally close to a full-grown grizz. No one who has would deliberately choose a knife for defense.
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Really! Anyone considering an excursion into the wilderness and choosing their knife based on a possible encounter with a bear should stay at home with their video games.
 
If there’s some psycho bear running around attacking people and/or hikers I would just postpone my hike. But if had to pick it would be ether a fixed blade over 4-5 inches or a katana.
 
Bunker Hill Blades said:
Hey “honey“ I’m going into town, need anything while I’m out?

🤪🤣
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Her: "Where you going?"
Him "Oh just grabbing a quick bite."

master_nylo said:
If there’s some psycho bear running around attacking people and/or hikers I would just postpone my hike. But if had to pick it would be ether a fixed blade over 4-5 inches or a katana.
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Hmm, Sephiroth (Final Fantasy's) sword is like 7 feet long. That'll work.
 
master_nylo said:
If there’s some psycho bear running around attacking people and/or hikers I would just postpone my hike. But if had to pick it would be ether a fixed blade over 4-5 inches or a katana.
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Most park services do a decent job at posting notices online or on trail heads about people being frequently and recently being eaten by predators. The really progressive ones will even close the trails down for a bit. It's always best to check on trail conditions before going out anyways, in case a bridge has been wiped out or there's been some other calamity.


There are reasons why in surprise encounters, bear spray is more effective than guns. Panic fire is a thing, easy breezy days on the gun range don't prepare you very well for this, people get fumbly under stress, and bears might be kind of big and strong but they also have an extremely sensitive sense of smell. Just make sure to read and understand the bear spray directions before use. It's just embarrassing to be reading them mid-bear charge, with people around you screaming at you to do something.

www.backcountrychronicles.com

Bear Spray or Gun - Which is a Better Defense Against a Bear Attack?

Which should you use first to defend yourself against a bear attack? Bear spray or a gun? We gathered some statistics on pepper spray vs using a gun in bear country.
www.backcountrychronicles.com www.backcountrychronicles.com
 
Carry your standard knife (my preferences is 4” - 7”) out in the wild. Shit happens all the time but I personally don’t want to throw down on a bear with a knife. Bear shows up either out run your friend or die trying. Luck happens but not often in that case.
 
K.O.D. said:
On the hunt for a pack of Marlboro red's

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sgt1372 said:
Re: Bears . . . Never bring a knife to a gun fight. Who do you think you are? Davy Crockett? 🤷‍♂️
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James "Jim" Bowie** was the knife well known fighter at the Alamo from Louisianna. Although he was actually bed ridden when the battle took place. He was immortalized at the sandbar duel where he was shot multiple times, stabbed, and still managed to kill a man with his knife. That knife and several designs later became known as the Bowie knife.

Davie Crockett was a well known marksman. I don't remember any stories of him knife fighting off the top of my head.

In other news: When it comes to a knife for bear defense I would carry something along the lines of a CS Trailmaster ( ironically a large Bowie knife) and pray. The human will to survive is an incredible thing, although admittedly your chances would be incredibly slim, and one would most likely die.

I am a born and raised Texan and am very thankful for our gun and knife rights.
 
Well...


I guess I'm the ONLY guy who goes into "bear country" with a tiny knife... 🤷‍♂️




 
Talking to some, and taking care of some mauling victims is something that I consider an honor. For the people who think they are faster with a gun/knife/spray than some of the victims- most I have talked to never had a chance to draw anything.
One guy was simply in a spot on a trail between a sow and cub and she was on him in an instant. Another is a guy I know who has forgotten more about the Alaskan wilderness than I will ever know. A brown bear knocked him down and stood over him never biting him. He admits he shat himself. A close friend of his was killed by a brown bear a couple of years ago- his gun was out of its holster but unfired.
A woman and child were just killed by a polar bear recently in a village. Bears are part of the lands up here.
There is a huge difference between a curious bear and one that is protecting cubs or food. Also a huge difference between a young 150lb black bear and an old boar brownie pushing 1000-1500lbs.
I roam the woods near my cabin frequently (not generally) without a gun because I am doing chores and I feel safer out there than being in the city. Still, walking up to a steaming pile of poop while using weed whacker, or hearing one pop its teeth in the brush when getting to a desired tree to fell still makes you feel pretty small.
Seeing the bears on game camera all around our property is pretty awesome. Having one kill a moose not 50 yards away from the cabin is sobering. I have been around lots of bears, and stupidly surprised a couple which thankfully let me be. I have killed one bear and hope I never have to again.
Sorry for the rant- I love the woods and critters.
 
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