Best Defense Against Bears

[RangerJoe]

Hypothetical situation, being asked by a guy who doesn't find himself in _big_ bear territory very often (or at all):

If you were going on a trip - camping, fishing, etc, basically anything EXCEPT hunting - and you knew you were going to be in bear country (like Alaska, for example), what type of firearm would be best to have with you to defend yourself against bear attacks?

I ask for 2 reasons: One is that I am beginning research on a camping trip that will put me in big bear country for probably the first time in my life (I was in some remote parts of Maine but I don't know that even those bears were as dangerous as what I may be talking about). The second reason is that I just got finished watching one of those "I Survived" type shows about a guy who was attacked by a grizzly bear while hunting.

This guy was hunting deer, I think, and had what seemed to be a standard bolt-action deer rifle, probably a .30-06 or the like. He was surprised by a bear, which basically came out of the woods at what he said was 25 yards away. The guy got off one round, and thought he missed, and the bear was on him before he could cycle the bolt again.

It turns out that he did not miss - he hit the bear, but it simply enraged the animal. It lived long enough to maul this guy pretty bad and run off, and game wardens found it dead in the woods after the guy was rescued from a single gunshot.

The bear was a grizzly. They never discussed the hunter's rifle in any detail, so no mention of caliber was made, but they did imply that it was bolt action. I ask this question because I was surprised by the idea that this guy's rifle wasn't enough to protect him, and began wondering what WOULD be enough. I mean, do you need a Barret .50 cal., or would it be sufficient to have a smaller caliber in something that is semi-automatic?

For now, let's set aside discussion of what's legal to carry where and such; although it's not something you can ignore, for now I just want to make this a simple question of what has the power to stop and angry, charging grizzly. Obviously, there are things you should be doing WAY before you're relying on a rifle - like keeping a clean campsite, storing food in proper containers, eliminating/reducing food odors, cleaning fish away from camp, etc.

[Flynmoose]

If I were to go to Alaska again, I would take a Marlin Guide gun in 45-70.
Faster action than a bolt and the 45-70 has taken large animals for over
100 years. Think Buffalo Bore loads of something similar, then study the
anatomy of a bear. Better to be prepared and not need....
FM

[Thebear_78]

Ive said this time and again......."one thimble full of common sense and situational awareness is worth all the firepower in the world!"

Your best chance to avoid an encounter with a bear is to NOT SMELL LIKE FOOD.  It doesn't sound very difficult but sometimes can be tricky.  a clean camp will not attract a bear like one that smells like food.  Don't burn your trash, don't eat in or near your tents, don't store food in your tents.  It isn't that diffult to cook, clean your dishes and eat a ways from where you set up your tent.  Leave foods at teh cook site in bear proof containers or hang from tree.

Second most important thing is to not suprise a big bear.  99% of the  time a bear will avoid you at all cost, the only real exception is maybe when they are fishing a river full of salmon, and then they usually just ignore you completely.   When traveling in low light or particularly "beary" areas like bear trails along a river or berry patches with lots of sign, its a really good idea to whistle, sing, talk to friends...basically just make your presents known and keep your eye open for tell tail signs that a bear might be near,  a lot of time you can smell them before you see them, but also tracks, feeding signs, or particularly good cover should be observed.   The one time I was charged by a bear was when walking back to my truck after salmon fishing thru some heavy brush on a trail, I was dead tired and carrying a stringer full of salmon.    I wasn't making any noise and bumped into a sow with cubs coming down the trail theo ther direction.  Thankfully it was a false charge and nothing came of it.  I had lapsed in my situational awareness.  Its amost always the persons fault when there is an altercation with a bear.

[Thebear_78]

well now that my rant is over.......weapons for bear defense.

A good handgun is probably as good as anything else.  I personally carry a 10mm Glock but have also carried a 44mag.  In whatever you choose 357mag and up something that penetrates well is important.  It would also be much better if its something you can shoot well than something that is more powerful.  A central nervous system hit is what will stop a bear, that means placement and penetration.  I started carrying the 10mm because of how much better I was at quick and repeated hits on moving targets vs my 44 mag.   I carry in a chest holster and would highly recomend that to anyone else,  above the waiders, out of the way of the pack straps, doesn't rub our beat a hole in your armpit like a shoulder holster and won't drag your pants down like a belt holster.   Any handgun is a poor replacement for a long gun but there is a much better chance that you will have the handgun on you and not leaning against a nearby tree or back at camp.

For a long gun the 12ga with breneke black magic slugs is pretty decent and any big game load in 30/06 on up will also be good.   Premium bullets and heavy for caliber bullets are a plus.  The type of rifle doesn't matter as long as you are comfortable with it and its not too heavy.  If its heavy you will leave it in the truck .    It doen't get much better than the 375 H&H, 45/70, or 458 mag but if it kicks too hard that your scared of it it won't do you much good. 


Good loads
357 magnum with 180gr federal cast core loads
10mm with 200-220gr hard cast or FMJFP
41 magnum with 210-250gr loads, cast or jacked
44mag with 250-300gr loads once again the federal cast core load is a good one

Bigger and guns than this are great if you can shoot them and there are a lot of good loads in the 454-460,480 and 500 smith

[Thebear_78]

My personal carry weapon, Glock 20sf 10mm with 200gr JFP @ 1325fps or 220 hard cast @ 1150fps.  The 220 load is HOT, but safe in my pistol.

I also have a 6" lone wolf barrel so I can shoot hard cast in it.

[chefjeff]

I have some experience with black bears only. Coastal NC. They are not supposed to bluff charge as some other bears do.If they do charge ,they mean to kill and eat you. They won't scratch some dirt over you and come back to eat you later. So you can't play possum. I've had to take back some deer I have shot from blacks. One this season. Interestingly,it is typical for them to chew on the ears,then eat the testicles next,before starting to eat the hams nearest the anus. Some of our groups hunters carry large bore pistols. I try to have a good shotgun with buckshot in the truck in case a tight tracking job comes up,but normally my '06 dispatches them nicely. There is always the bear pepper spray. I tend to carry a full size fixed blade knife more often in the bear woods. Situations involving cubs or food can be touchy.

[SHOOTALL]

When I hunt Canada we always keep some 3.5 inch 00 buck hevi-shot and hevi-shot slugs loaded in an extra shotgun . It is either in the boat or blind which ever we are in at the time. We run thru. some very narrow channels in the swamps in the dark and the gun is always at the ready as often you can smell bears as you ease along. I have never shot a bear with this 00 load but have shot deer head on at under 20 yards and shot passed thru. the deer from stem to stern taking out meat and bone. The slugs I have not used on deer but if they work like other slugs I have used there would be little concern about them working if shot placement was good.
 We load a 00B then a slug . Sorta stop him then finish him if nessary. If I was going camping and was not restricted I would carry a 10mm also ( 15 shots are a comfort )along with a good shotgun. I would consider a pistol grip shotgun for protection if I was restricted to no pistol. The pistol grip gun would be easier to sling over a shoulder while fishing and be better to move around in a tent. Some will say you can't hit anything with one , well pratice and you can. Also when you see the bear it may be comming at you and your shot will be close. If by chance you see it way in advance you still should not shoot unless it charges or you may be in trouble with the law. So you need a gun that can hit hard and dump all its energy in the critter - hard to beat one and a half ozs of lead at over 1200 FPS at point blank range . Bear spray works they say . BUT wind can play heck on using it .

[drdougrx]

Oh noooo....not this again!!!!!   

The best defense against bears is not to mess with'm in the first place......


Just fun'n ya....couldn't resist...good advise given! 

[Land_Owner]

PIC-A-NIC BASKETS  
Neither Yogi nor BooBoo can resist...put 'em where you are NOT.

[Empty Quiver]

I think your last paragraph describes the best defense. Second would be a shotgun loaded with slugs, or a large bore rifle loaded with deep penetrating bullets. A clean tidy camp is going to go a long way, both to prevent calling in bears and justifying you shooting one if it came to that.

 In the bush if possible mimick a Scout troop plenty of noise and motion. Maybe bring a rag soaked in kerosene or chainsaw gas, you don't here of many loggers being attacked.

[corbanzo]

So first of all, like others have said, be aware of you surrounding and make them unlikeable to bears and you are better off, but that's already been said.  So the next thing on the docket...

Bring a handgun.

Bring a handgun.

Bring a handgun.

Not a huge one.  Don't go a buy a full sized x-frame.

So let me explain myself.   (Entire life Alaska, lots of bears, yadda yadda)
First of all, you are going to want to have something you will have with you at all times.  The only time you are going to get attacked by a bear is if you did something to piss it off - aka you didn't know it was there, got in its way, etc.  I carry a shotgun sometimes, I do, I admit it, and I set it down a lot, I admit it.  I carry a rifle sometimes, I admit it, and I set it down a lot, I admit it.  That is why I always carry a handgun.  A taurus ultralite titanium .44 mag to be exact.  Why?  Because it weighs 28 oz's and I don't mind carrying it.  It is always there on my waist.  If I have no pants on (swimming, yadda, dont judge me) its easy to carry in the hand still in the holster wherever I do. 

I have a 6.5" 454 casull that I don't want to carry all day.  More stopping power?  Yes.  More likely to not be strapped to me?  Definitely. 

So look at the ruger alaskan series of handguns, they really are what they say.  Small to carry all day and with you at all times, and powerful enough to whack some mean critters.  The taurus and smith titanium .44's take a look.  10mm, also a good one.  .460 rowland, good one.  Desert eagle.... you aren't gonna want to carry it.

So you know how everybody says in hunting... shot placement is key?  I can hit a bear in the ear with a .50bmgt and its still gonna gnaw on me.  If you can't hit with it, don't bring it. 

[Thebear_78]

this sums it up

[jamaldog87]

XM1060 40mm Thermobaric Grenade.

We don't have bear in FL but i had hunted hogs in close  quarters/thick woods. if it was me i would carry a GPG(general purpose gun) something that can be used both for hunting and Defense. It would be a  MODEL 444 ULTRALITE .44 MAGNUM or  RAGING BULL MODEL 454 with the Barrel Length of 5"or Marlin Guide gun in 45-70 or 450.  I have hunted many hogs with friends and seen hogs take a 12 slug and not go down  and have readed story's on them not stopping African big cats, so i don't trust them on bears.

what about a TASER X26C i hear they work on moose. http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/45602

[bigswede]

The best thing to do is always have a reliable hunting/fishing partner with you.  Make sure that he/she is slower than you and has a pocket full of Peanutbutter and Jelly sandwiches, preferably the jelly should be made with a wild berry, like Huckleberry or blueberry.   

[RangerJoe]

"You don't have to outrun the bear. You only have to outrun your friend."

[500 A-SQUARE]

The best defence for bears: The largest caliber of any firearm you can handle accurately.
I shoot my ruger #1 500 A-Square with confidence and pack it all the time in dangerous bear country without any second thoughts to packing a repeating rifle.
 If you do use a single shot, make sure its an adequate caliber, just a little extra insurance if the shot is not perfect

[Sourdough]

jamaldog87:  Got news for you buddy, you got bears in Florida.  Had one run across the road in front of me last November.  I was traveling from Ft Lauderdale to Tampa on highway 27.  Since I was riding a motorcycle I got real excited.

I have lived in Alaska over 40 years.  I carry a 12ga pump loaded with buck shot, too easy to miss with slugs.  I also carry a 460 Smith & Wesson, it's on my side all the time.  Two year ago when skinning a Grizzly, we had another one come in on us.  Two shots center of the chest was enough.

I've also killed a charging Grizzly with a .35 Whelen at 20 yards.  One shot. 

A friend who is a retired Bear Biologist likes to carry a .357mag  pistol.   He waits till the bear is almost within touching distance before he fires.  He wants to hit the brain, for an instant kill.  I'm sorry I don't have nerves of steel, I start shooting at 30 yards.