81 replies to this topic

[highz]

While I can sympathize with spraying the idiots who feed wildlife I really don't think its worth getting a assault charge over. Take a pic and give it to the authorities.

x2 on that, and get their license number if possible.

[idahoron]

I was at the scene with the fish and game officer. I was helping to remove the bears from the camp ground. He had a meeting with them the next day.  

[Stalking Light]

Small caliber ammo is a cruel way to kill a large animal. Mostly just wound them and then have to chase them down. I go with bear spray for bears and pictures of idiots for rangers. If you want a weapon for bears use a short barreled shotgun with slugs and 00 shot.

[Bwht4x4]

A shotgun with slugs is a solid weapon for bears for sure.  I however just bought a S&W Model 629 44 mag with a 5" barrel for ease of carrying.  I'm amazed at it's accuracy too.  I was hitting a 12" square metal plate at 100 yards 3 out of 6 times off hand!

[Stalking Light]

That's good shooting with a handgun. I usually practice at 10-20 yards at the range and can put most shots at center mass, but that's a paper target not a charging bear. ;-)

[Bwht4x4]

It was the first time I had shot it after buying it last May.  The long distance shooting was more for fun than anything.  The closer targets, 20-25 yards, was the main focus.  At that range the gun was easy to shoot tight groups.  I paid for it though from the recoil.  After 50 rounds my palm felt bruised!

[JaSAn]

I have a S&W 329 PD Alaska Backpacker IV in .44 Mag (name is longer than the gun).  It has a 2.5" barrel and I am suprised at how light the recoil is.  Much less than an Anaconda.  I can hit a 4" dia. circle at 20 yards with it.  Rifle or shotgun would be better for bear, but it is hard to carry a long gun and do other stuff at the same time.

 

I have a relative that is a fishing guide on the Kanai peninsula.   He carries a .50AE in a chest holster and a small boat air horn.  If you see a bear, blow the horn.  If the bear runs your fine, if it doesn't better have the gun out, it is probably going to charge.

 

Never been intimidated by a paper target.  Don't know how well I could shoot while soiling my pants 

 

jim

[pods8]

In my turf I don't really carry either unless I'm hunting and going back out to a carcass for meat hauling and then I carry a .357mag.  At that point I'm approaching a predator bait pile so I'd like to have protection/a noise maker.  Ideally if something was in the vicinity I'd hope a shot into the ground would spook them away so I can grab/go to get what I need out of there and leave them to thier thing with the remains.

[Stalking Light]

I have heard that in the greater Yellowstone area grizzlies will actually move towards the sound of a shot, expecting a gut pile - so a 'warning' shot can basically be a dinner bell for even more bears. Where bears are hunted it may be useful, though.

[pods8]

I have heard that in the greater Yellowstone area grizzlies will actually move towards the sound of a shot, expecting a gut pile - so a 'warning' shot can basically be a dinner bell for even more bears. Where bears are hunted it may be useful, though.

 

I too have heard instances of that.  You need to review the situation at hand and make your choices whether you abandon things (if your harvest is trashed/contaiminated you're unfortunately SOL, if not this would be wasteful/illegal), yell/make noise, wait things out, try a gun shot to spook, etc.  Always helpful to not be solo in that country too. 

 

Just to clarify I wasn't advocating taking a warning shot for no reason incase something was around, hope my first post didn't read that way.  Warning shot would be a consideration if something was spotted at the kill are and it was felt it was a good idea to try that to spook it off (keep in mind in addition to bears there are lions, coyotes, wolves in some areas, etc. too).