I know 22/250 was poular in Igloolik.
The guns of Polar Bear Town
- Thread starter Gatehouse
- Start date
I know 22/250 was poular in Igloolik.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
A friend of mine is a guide for polar bears. He uses a 257 Roberts. His 25-06 is his "big rifle".
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The three trappers I spoke to in Inuvik, one used a 22 Magnum almost exclusively. (for ptarmigan and caribou)
The other two tended to bump into polar and barren ground grizzly more often on their long distance trips and much preferred the 243.
Why the small calibres up there? Wouldn't be any harder or more expensive to just use a 30-06 or any normal chambering I would think? People really want to shoot a polar bear with a .223 and have the bullet not even make it to anything vital?
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Back in 1991 I had the privilege of working in Churchill, MB with a Climate research team affiliated with my University. We were based out of the Northern Studies Centre from May to August, which I understand has been rebuilt and moved... but I digress. I spent many a day out in the Tundra collecting all sorts of measurements and data. I carried a Remington Marine Magnum which was loaded with both cracker shells and slugs. While thankfully I never had to use the slugs, I did use the cracker shells to keep a few big-a$$ bears at bay. I once stumbled upon a VERY large female bear with her cubs as I was climbing out of a small steam wearing a clumsy pair of hip waders, a mosquito net, and a circa 1989 laptop (read: heavy) hanging off my back. She was as shocked to see me as I was to see her. If you have ever stood within 15 yards of a large polar bear, unprotected, you will know EXACTLY what fear is!! I never had to reach for the shotgun (not that it would have done any good as there wouldn't have been enough time) as she decided to simply stroll off in a nonchalant manner with the cubs in tote. However, from that day forward, I grew an extra set of eyes and "bear-dar".I started my long tundra strolls with an old Lee Enfield sporter, however a few test shots at an old oil drum from 50 yards revealed that it couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. The 12ga Marine Magnum instilled much more confidence. I still own one today, and consider it an essential part of my field kit.
I was in Juneau Alaska in spring 2000. Local gun nutters at Ray's Gun Shop informed me that just a few years prior, the scientists studying global warming were in this area. They employed summer students in forestry to provide perimeter protection. These younger folks had to qualify with Remington 870s and 375 H&H rifles, at a state approved facility. Some of few scientists that could actually qualify with a S&W Model 29(629?) were also permitted to carry them on their person.
I am having a brain fart at the moment, I can not remember her name for the life of me right now, but she was famous for taking many many Grizzlies in BC (Prince George area) with a 22 Hi-Power.
We all get caught up in today's hype about speed, weight, B.C. , bullet construction, etc... If it used to work, it still will work. However one must remember that "back in the day" losing an animal once shot wasn't as big of a deal as it is today, nor politically correct.
We all get caught up in today's hype about speed, weight, B.C. , bullet construction, etc... If it used to work, it still will work. However one must remember that "back in the day" losing an animal once shot wasn't as big of a deal as it is today, nor politically correct.
I read about this lady in Barkerville , she dropped a few big bears with the .22 HP in a Savage 1899.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Right, now part of the Barkerville historic site, a couple of buildings up the main street on the right, just past St. Saviors church. We moved to Barkerville in '55 and Mr. & Mrs. Wendle lived there at that time. We were some of the last resident families that resided there, and rented a home that was owned by my Dads sister further up the street on the left.
This was just prior to Barkerville being changed to a historic site. I was in their home on a number of occasions and on the stairwell to the upstairs, Mrs. Wendle had four grizzly capes hanging. I've posted an old photo I have access to in previous posts of her and her husband, Joe, following one of their hunts. Mrs. Betty Wendle was well known for her hunting Grizzly with her .22 Savage High Power in a 99 Savage.
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
When you live on the cheap, it only makes sense to use what's readily attainable. That said, the .22LR & .22mag have accounted for more game than most folks will admit to.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Varmint rifle cartridges have been popular with subsistence hunters in the arctic since they discovered the .22 Hornet, and the fact of the matter is that these things have worked just fine for the folks that use them for seal and caribou hunting. In the old days, when the sled dogs kept the polar bear at bay against a pressure ridge, they could plink away at him till he got tired of it and finally expired. This has nothing to do with sport hunting, and the vocation of the subsistence hunter doesn't bear much resemblance to the diversion of the sport hunter. I was friendly with a young guy from Coral Harbor who thought highly of the .25/06, and Pounder sold a .458 to a Narwhal hunter a few years ago, so maybe things are slowly changing for the better. Even around here though, the .22-250 is thought of as a moose gun, and a even a bear gun by some.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
And I'll bring the scotch. Or rum.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
SOMA Movie Night!!!
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Nothing better than stitching up half-inch holes in the hide of an expensive furbearer. Unless he happened to have a 22 version.
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
He could've done the same thing with a Cooey .22 single shot. No biggy.
