NR for dangerous game in Ontario

BullOnParade

BullOnParade

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Eastern Ontario
So my wife and I are looking at a piece of property not too far north of Sudbury. We'll be camping and hunting on it for a couple of years, while we get a lay of the land and figure out how we want to move forward with the plot. I'll be on the market for a couple of bush guns that can handle any wild animal that may decide to give us a hard time. This should include coyotes and bears, and apparently wolves. I've never hunted dangerous game, and my wife is not a seasoned shooter, but reliable around firearms (has had her PAL for about a year).

This isn't for actively hunting dangerous game, but if something were to become a threat to us, we want to respond accordingly. In my opinion the ideal firearm for this application should be compact (very dense coniferous brush), lightweight and comfortable to carry (you won't carry the gun you can't carry easily). As for the mechanics, semi auto is a lot more appealing (simple manual of arms under stress is better), but comes with a minimum barrel length of 18.5". A lever action may be fast enough if we can train often (and offers potential for higher capacity).

Options which come to mind:

a mares leg style in .357 offers higher capacity than semi auto, fixed with a full stock and red dot will make for a fast bush gun. While .44 may be a little harder hitting, a lot more expensive to practice with, and the more we practice the better off we'll be.

a Tavor works around the longer barrel of most NR semis, and LAR magazines make for higher capacity over non stanag mag platforms. Is quality .223 going to dissuade a wolf (pack) or bear? Do we have a lead time on the Tavor 7 yet? At the price point, I could buy two of just about anything else we're likely to look at, with optics.

A lever action in a larger rifle caliber (leaning towards .308) will definitely take down the wolves and bears, if we do our part, but stress and low magazine capacity make me more stressed. Also the longer barrel is a draw back ... What's involved in having someone certified build a mag fed lever action in a short barrel?

Any suggestions welcome. Personal experience with wolves and black bear are valuable. What do you carry when you're beating around the bush?
 
460 weatherby.... It will handle anything its fired at.

But really a large stick or any center fire rifle (shot guns too) would be fine for protecting your yard or hiking with

I have a semi auto shotfun for my hobby farm. Mostly raccoons, skunks and the odd fox.

Although i have about 30 other rifles in the safe but arnt needed for protection. They are just my addiction.
 
Ontario - dangerous game defense - black bears and wolves.
Black bears especially sows with cubs and wounded bears can be dangerous and are nothing to sneeze at as are wolves.
Predatory black bears are rare but it only takes one when you don't have a gun to make you a statistic.
I carry a Chiappa Taylor Alaskan 44 mag takedown with a 16" bbl and am good to go in Canada and stateside.
Even with my old eyes I can easily see the Skinner high viz sights on that gun.
My 44 mag hand loads will take any blackie on the face of the earth.
The gun stores inconspicuously in a briefcase in the truck.
 
I have a short barreled 12 ga (14" bbl) which is also great for bush predator defense but it has border problems.
The rifle with the 16" bbl doesn't.
I spend a lot of time stateside.
 
Bobcats or fishers are about the only thing I worry about jumping on my back. I'm conscientious about bears too. But in my experience, the animals I mentioned turn and run anytime I've encountered them. My visits north are only once a year for a week or two though. (Caramat).
I feel good with a 12g. A mares leg in .44mag would be good too. But now I'm just fantasizing. Lol. I honestly don't overthink this or worry about it.
 
Agree with others. Most critters out there want nothing to do with humans and tend to bugger off pretty quick once notices. However, we have had some bears come in to camp , one instance was mid afternoon. I generally carry a short barrelled single shot 12 gauge as it's light and easy to carry.
 
I buy a black bear hunting license which covers me in my area for LEA/LEO hassle during the Ontario spring bear hunting season May 1-June 15 and the fall bear season Aug 15-Oct 31. The middle of the summer June 15-Aug 15 not covered by the license is too hot and too fly infested to travel the bush anyway.
Q: What are you doing packing a rifle?
A: I'm hunting black bear during the open season and have a license. Do you want to see it?
End of conversation.
 
my trapper neighbor says if you can find a 458 Hammer...not Socom...there is not much as far predatory/dangerous Bear/pissed of buffalo (which even grizzlies fear) That a Hammer wont stop..Supposed to be the baddest carbine out there...he thinks its by Wilson or something like that.
 
Geeze guys. Your answers were supposed to be "you need a sweet new rifle and high quality red dot, dude". I can't justify a new gun to my wife if you don't ride on the coattails of her fears ...
Honestly though, I realize the odds are that I will never see a wolf, and any bear I see will turn tail the moment it sees me, but I'd rather be prepared for the one who breaks bad.
My wife mostly shoots competitive Olympic trap, which is the elusive 7/8 oz 12 gauge load. She can handle some recoil, but she doesn't shoot a lot of high recoil guns.
 
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