Debate: Gun Vs Bear Spray

The world is getting more stupid by day.
Every time a hiker, or a biker was killed by a cougar or bear etc, the experts, including game wardens, will tell us that we should make ourself look bigger, blow whistle, stare straight at the animal, blah and blah. They will never advocate that you should carry firearms.
 
Depends what I'm doing. Guns are heavy and a pain in the ass to carry in thick brush or technical mountain terrain, if I happen to be hunting those areas I'll pack a gun, if not, then I probably won't. I rarely pack a gun outside of hunting, I have never found a sling I find comfortable and usually have a hell of a time keeping the sling from sliding off my pack strap and then off my shoulder. If I throw it in the rifle scabbard on my pack then I might as well have bear spray because it'll be quicker to deploy(though I live in a very windy area and do often give thought to where that spray is going to go if I use it, too often the wind seems to be in my face). Guess I just don't spend all that much time dwelling on something that probably has a very remote chance of happening.
 
elker said:
The world is getting more stupid by day.
Every time a hiker, or a biker was killed by a cougar or bear etc, the experts, including game wardens, will tell us that we should make ourself look bigger, blow whistle, stare straight at the animal, blah and blah. They will never advocate that you should carry firearms.
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To say nothing of the fact that in some instances appearing more threatening to a bear will provoke an attack. Learning something about bear behaviour is the most powerful weapon we have in our inventory.
 
We have had clients that want to bring bear spray with them,they are told to leave it in their hotel room. It is too unpredictable on bears and in the wind. If we are responsible for other people's lives we would never relie on bear spray.
pounder
 
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9.3mauser said:
FMJ (solids) are intended for straight line penetration on the largest game, elephant, hippo, rhino, and occasionally buffalo. They are poor performers on lesser game, and a soft point would be a wiser choice.
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Would that not work fantastic on a grizzly bears skull? Guess I'm putting a lot of faith in that id be able to hit one in the head. Well I guess I'll start looking up some loads for my .300gr Nosler Partitions and Swift A-Frames I've got.
 
elker said:
The world is getting more stupid by day.
Every time a hiker, or a biker was killed by a cougar or bear etc, the experts, including game wardens, will tell us that we should make ourself look bigger, blow whistle, stare straight at the animal, blah and blah. They will never advocate that you should carry firearms.
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They also tell teachers and kids to hide in the corner in a school shooting. They even tell girls to piss themselves if someone is trying to rape them. Again like you said, never advocating to carry a firearm. Finally, they even tell us to use a fire extinguisher to put out a small house fire. Still advocating that we should not simply just shoot the fire all to save house fire lives.
 
Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
I was given a few boxes of .300gr solid .375 H&H ammo that is advertised on the box for the largest dangerous game of Africa. So I'm thinking if a .300gr FMJ Solid is meant for the largest dangerous game of Africa, I'm sure is suitable for grizzly bears. Although I could be wrong. I do have plenty of other choices on hand such as .300gr Swift A-Frames, .300gr Partitions, and .300gr DGX.
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shoot the 300 FMJ s for practice and use the Swifts or Parts or DGX for KILLING a BEAR ! No expansion on the fmjs unless you hit BONE your not gonna have much of a wound channel ! I killed a couple of Blackies with my 375 KING H&H using the Hornadys and shoulder shots Broke down the bears on the spot ! DRT ! jmo RJ
 
Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
I was given a few boxes of .300gr solid .375 H&H ammo that is advertised on the box for the largest dangerous game of Africa. So I'm thinking if a .300gr FMJ Solid is meant for the largest dangerous game of Africa, I'm sure is suitable for grizzly bears. Although I could be wrong. I do have plenty of other choices on hand such as .300gr Swift A-Frames, .300gr Partitions, and .300gr DGX.
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I'd get rid of those FMJs as fast as you can. Through a practice target is about as good a way as any. There's a reason why solids are illegal for hunting in practically every civilized nation in the world. The only thing they are good for is animals that require so much penetration that they are willing to trade everything else a bullet can do to get it. That pretty much leaves you with elephant. An cow elephant could use a bear for a tampon.
 
I just carry both... It'd be nice if I could carry my Toklat in my chest holster but I have to go to other countries to do that legally...
 
Idea; big bore rifle, pepper spray mounted like a bayonet under the barrel. Might be a market for something like that??
That way your always pointing the defensive end towards the threat. I'm thinkin lever action .45cal but anything would be better than a stick and profanity. Lol
 
finstr said:
Idea; big bore rifle, pepper spray mounted like a bayonet under the barrel. Might be a market for something like that??
That way your always pointing the defensive end towards the threat. I'm thinkin lever action .45cal but anything would be better than a stick and profanity. Lol
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I like that a lot! Use a mosin and you would be free and clear of the spray cloud!
 
gorby said:
Given the choice, I would go with Bear Spray simply because when I go in the woods I do not want to be walking around with a gun in my hands if I am not looking to shoot something. I can deploy the spray on my belt much quicker than the gun on my pack.

Matt
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I'm sure I could get a can of bear spray out of a belt holster much quicker than I could get a can of bear spray out of my pack.
 
Dogleg said:
I'd get rid of those FMJs as fast as you can. Through a practice target is about as good a way as any. There's a reason why solids are illegal for hunting in practically every civilized nation in the world. The only thing they are good for is animals that require so much penetration that they are willing to trade everything else a bullet can do to get it. That pretty much leaves you with elephant. An cow elephant could use a bear for a tampon.
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A bunny rabbit wishes she would.
 
I think a lot of people underestimate the degree of skill required that unslinging your 375, 338, 45/70, 12 gauge etc, etc and sighting on a fast moving, erratic target coming at you from a dozen yards away and making a good vital shot (and it will only be one shot).

Add to that a mix of fear and adrenaline and the fact that most people don't practice diligently and it is difficult to imagine many people stopping a bear dead in its tracks using a firearm.

It's easier and quicker for most people to draw a can from its holster and lay down a wall of mist directly in front of the advancing predator. It may not work, but a wall of spray is far better than a shot that never gets off in time. I realize that this point of view is unpopular on a gun forum but I'd advise anyone who wants to use a firearm to try it out at the range (with backpack) and then use your practice can of expired bear spray and compare the two results.

You might find that the can is quite a bit handier to get at and faster, particularly in a chest rig.

That and the fact that carrying your gun off season in the bush is the same as hunting for many authorities where as carrying a can of spray is normal.
 
Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
One person points out that the study doesn't tell us that the successful encounters of bear spray on a grizzly is on grizzlies that are digging though garbage or wondering around a neighborhood and not being charged at in the woods. That person points out that a similar study in Alaska in 2008 shows that bear spray on a charging bear has very poor results compared to a gun.
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On the last course I took the instructor explained about the different scenarios (aggressive bear vs defensive bear) and how to handle them. Afterwards he said that this is really only good for black bears. If its a Grizzly you're f*cked.
 
There are a few guys that say something on reloading, I listen. Eagleeye, Ganderite, Douglas before his latest ban. When it comes to bears...I listen to Boomer.

Personally, my family has a history being chased by bears. I doubt I can do the deadfall hurdles like I could as a teenager.

Between a gun and spray. Shoot near a bear....if it doesn't work, you could always shoot it. Spray a bear with pepper spray.....if it doesn't work, you could always spray yourself. Hoping you taste bad.

Seems a simple choice to me.
 
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