Closest a bear can get...

Cordur

Cordur

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What do you guys (and gals) think the closest you can let a bear get during a charge before even a well placed shot will not save you? Obviously it would be different based on the weight of the bear and maybe what you are packing.

I might feel a lot less guilty about shooting a blackie at 10 yards than I would about a grizz at 25 yards when it was comming at a full charge. Still would it be just as effective to shoot a grizz at 5 yards with say a .375 or "your caliber of choice here"?
 
Cordur said:
What do you guys (and gals) think the closest you can let a bear get during a charge before even a well placed shot will not save you? Obviously it would be different based on the weight of the bear and maybe what you are packing.

I might feel a lot less guilty about shooting a blackie at 10 yards than I would about a grizz at 25 yards when it was comming at a full charge. Still would it be just as effective to shoot a grizz at 5 yards with say a .375 or "your caliber of choice here"?
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At the velocity of a charge, 5 yards may not afford you the time to actually shoot before he's on top of you. Even if you do manage to fire at 5 yards, the grizz may still end up on top of you, DOA. It would give you a hell of an adrenaline rush though!
 
If the bear does a false or bluff charge, how close does it get before stopping? It it easy to tell the difference?

I would hate to fire upon it if the situation could be avoided. I mean, when in the woods, we are in it's territory. It would not stop me from pulling the trigger, however, if I was sure my life was in jeopardy.
 
jackenape said:
If the bear does a false or bluff charge, how close does it get before stopping? It it easy to tell the difference?

I would hate to fire upon it if the situation could be avoided. I mean, when in the woods, we are in it's territory. It would not stop me from pulling the trigger, however, if I was sure my life was in jeopardy.
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I don't agree with that principle myself. Sure, you don't walk up to a sow and cubs, but we have every right to be there as he does. Or you should, or else your trespassing :D
 
Depends what I'm packing, and it depends on the topography. Having yogi running downhill towards you is quite disconcerting, but if he's acting ugly, 25 yards is as good a range as any to any deal with the issue. On the other hand if he just pops up out of the willows at 15 yards, I wouldn't necessarily rug him either. If we can mutually retreat I'm just as happy.
 
15 yards would be my magic number if the bear was aggressive regardless of what I was packing. that range could be stretched to 50 if the bear was threatening someone else or if I had young kids with me.
 
Herd that a heart shot to a grizz will not kill instantly so I would want to put as mush range as possible between us to increase the chance of death. Even twitching mussles/nerves a few seconds after a fatal hit is normal. Just enough time to maybe finnish a bite or a swat with their paws. A longer distance will also increase the chance of follow up shots.

So, what is the majic line ? It all depends on the person [personal choice] and the situation [maybe kids, others].
 
In a real charge situation I doubt if anybody would pay attention to the exact distance. For myself - once I have assesed the situation and I'm sure its a charge I will shoot but you have to be sure you'll hit it where it matters. So the animal has to be close enough but you also want enough time for a second shot if the first one does not disconnect the battery.
 
Johan22 said:
In a real charge situation I doubt if anybody would pay attention to the exact distance. For myself - once I have assesed the situation and I'm sure its a charge I will shoot but you have to be sure you'll hit it where it matters. So the animal has to be close enough but you also want enough time for a second shot if the first one does not disconnect the battery.
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Johann, my experience is somewhat different, in that I was very aware of the smallest details, not the least of which was the rapidly diminishing range.
 
If I am packing my defender with a mag full of slugs than I actually will charge the bear!:rolleyes:

Seriously, though, it would depend on the bear's behaviour but my comfort range would be 20- 25 yards. I've seen first hand how quickly a bear can cover that distance so at that range you wouldn't have a lot of time to waste!
 
jackenape said:
If the bear does a false or bluff charge, how close does it get before stopping? It it easy to tell the difference?
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Interesting question. Often with a Griz, a "bluff" charge doesn't stop short at all. They will charge you and swerve around you at the last second, sometimes bowling you over in the process. They don't always stop dead in their tracks and turn around.... It is somewhat dangerous and a tad foolish to try to apply catch-all rules to bluff charges.

Any bear charging you, bluff or not, is agitated enough to kill you....
 
A bluff charge is slower, he makes himself look bigger (like a gorilla) and clamps his teeth/mouth .

If I see a bear stalking me (not being afraid of me- while knowing what I am, walking parallel paths with me or giving me the "cheater squint" ) I would shoot even @ 50m. Next time I'm not so sure I'll be a to see it coming... afterall they successfully stalk animals a lot more wary than humans are.

If I had a tag.... well.....
 
eltorro said:
A bluff charge is slower, he makes himself look bigger (like a gorilla) and clamps his teeth/mouth .
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These can all be defensive posturing that may or may not apply in all situations... It is a mistake to say that the above will always happen. I have seen bears bluff charge on first sight, no posturing whatsoever.... Just like people, all bears have their own personalities and varying levers of aggression and agitation. Throw any two bears into the exact same circumstances and each will act differently. It is best to avoid relying on generalizations about bear behaviors.
 
I'd say inside of 50 yards I'd be shooting if it was even a tad aggressive.

I have no interest in being eaten, and personally would have no qualms about killing a bear if it was even moderately aggressive. You can't necesarrily stop a human from 25 yards with a pistol, so how are you gonna stop a bear from 15 with a rifle?
 
krausb said:
These can all be defensive posturing that may or may not apply in all situations... It is a mistake to say that the above will always happen. I have seen bears bluff charge on first sight, no posturing whatsoever.... Just like people, all bears have their own personalities and varying levers of aggression and agitation. Throw any two bears into the exact same circumstances and each will act differently. It is best to avoid relying on generalizations about bear behaviors.
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You are correct krausb. Your last sentence sums it up well.

A bluff charge is slower, he makes himself look bigger (like a gorilla) and clamps his teeth/mouth .
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Eltorro, how many grizzly bears have you been charged by? I have been on the sh!tty end of a pissed off grizzly more than once and have also had bluff charges and they did nothing like what you explain above.
 
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