Suggestions for a bear defense shotgun

[sillymike]

A dog

Or a bell for that matter... But if I needed a gun, I would chose a shorter-barrel SxS with slugs.
- Pumps are "fun"... but unless you train a whole lot (which most people don't), when stress kicks in, people will be short stroking them...

 

[Arcosdad]

I worked and hiked in grizzly country in BC for a number of years and carried a Jungle carbine... when I got smarter, a Cooey single shot sawed off to 18". When I got really smart I switched to bear spray.

 

[Licensed to kill]

I worked and hiked in grizzly country in BC for a number of years and carried a Jungle carbine... when I got smarter, a Cooey single shot sawed off to 18". When I got really smart I switched to bear spray.

Actual bear attacks are rare. I am certain that if a bear is making a bluff charge, that bear spray would deter it. Then. again, if it is a bluff charge, it isn't planning to actually attack anyways (although it is impossible to know at the time what the bears true intentions are). However, if the charge is REAL and the bear is intent on completing the task, I doubt that bear spray will do anything. In fact, unless you get a lucky shot that kills of cripples the bear instantly, a gunshot isn't likely to save your arse from harm although it may prevent the bear from finishing you off if the shot was lethal just not instant. The guy in this video would ahem been MUCH better of, IMO had he had his handgun with him than just the bear spray but guaranteed he would not have fair any worse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27e-pYDddDA When my Dad went sheep hunting2 he ALWAYS carried his Colt SAA .45 in a shoulder holster even though it is illegal in Canada to do so. It was not uncommon for a grizzly to stand up in the buck brush VETY close to them and if the horses spooked and threw him off, he would be left with his #### in his hand while the horse ran off with his rifle. He always said that the .45 would be like throwing rocks at a grizzly but would be better than nothing and he might just get a lucky shot.

 

[Arcosdad]

It's actually 95%+ effective in both clinical-style research and actual deployment reports. On the other hand, there's many a sad story from the gun/ bear chapters in BC at least. Can't speak for other places.

 

[Butcherbill]

Or took fentanyl? That might work better.

Better not take cocaine with you lol.

 

[bj23]

Actual bear attacks are rare. I am certain that if a bear is making a bluff charge, that bear spray would deter it. Then. again, if it is a bluff charge, it isn't planning to actually attack anyways (although it is impossible to know at the time what the bears true intentions are). However, if the charge is REAL and the bear is intent on completing the task, I doubt that bear spray will do anything. In fact, unless you get a lucky shot that kills of cripples the bear instantly, a gunshot isn't likely to save your arse from harm although it may prevent the bear from finishing you off if the shot was lethal just not instant. The guy in this video would ahem been MUCH better of, IMO had he had his handgun with him than just the bear spray but guaranteed he would not have fair any worse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27e-pYDddDA When my Dad went sheep hunting2 he ALWAYS carried his Colt SAA .45 in a shoulder holster even though it is illegal in Canada to do so. It was not uncommon for a grizzly to stand up in the buck brush VETY close to them and if the horses spooked and threw him off, he would be left with his #### in his hand while the horse ran off with his rifle. He always said that the .45 would be like throwing rocks at a grizzly but would be better than nothing and he might just get a lucky shot.

Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. I always thought that surviving a bear encounter had everything to do with luck. I now understand that one has to be able to read the bear's mind and have the insight to know if the bear is being truthful in the situation. After you determine the bear's real intent then you can move forward and select one, or a combination of tactical methods to deal with the animal. I can see that it would take several bear encounters, over several years, to hone this craft where you could be assured of a positive outcome every time. Nothing to do with luck at all.

 

[randyhub]

Mostly luck and some prep.

You will need luck if the bear is with cubs, injured, old/hungry, has a fresh kill, or is spooked/surprised.

 

[Brutus]

In Alaska fish and game authorities investigate wild animal attacks outside of hunting, as defense of life or property events (DLP) Number one factor is distance from attacking beast to the shooter at the moment of first trigger pull.

 

[0faustus0]

Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. I always thought that surviving a bear encounter had everything to do with luck. I now understand that one has to be able to read the bear's mind and have the insight to know if the bear is being truthful in the situation. After you determine the bear's real intent then you can move forward and select one, or a combination of tactical methods to deal with the animal. I can see that it would take several bear encounters, over several years, to hone this craft where you could be assured of a positive outcome every time. Nothing to do with luck at all.

If you want to get ahead of "luck" I suggest this book:

"Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance" by Stephen Herrero

You will learn some basics about bear behavior ..... and under what circumstances .... playing dead might work to survive .... and when climbing a tree will probably not help you one bit.

 

[sillymike]

While walking the woods, I seems to come across black bears once every few years.
- They seemed to be curious critters
- Making loud noise is usually enough to scare them away
- Only times I've seen them "stand their ground", it's usually in the spring, and there's usually some cubs nearby...

Never had to put one down.
- Had scarier encounter with bull moose...

 

[brybenn]

For those in the western provinces what is the terrain like where you most likely find black bear encounters? Ontario it's berry patches most often in my experiences. Mostly secluded boat access berry patches surrounded by thick forest

 

[Brutus]

While walking the woods, I seems to come across black bears once every few years.
- They seemed to be curious critters
- Making loud noise is usually enough to scare them away
- Only times I've seen them "stand their ground", it's usually in the spring, and there's usually some cubs nearby...

Never had to put one down.
- Had scarier encounter with bull moose...

Of all the too numerous times I have bumped into black bear in northern Alberta only once was I possibly in danger.

We were building tree stands on friends private property in boreal forest. I was hefting the lumber to the building crew in the tree.
It snuck up behind me yet ran off when his teenage son seen it and started the chainsaw.
Was the only time I neglected to bring the lever carbine strangely enough.

 

[bj23]

If you want to get ahead of "luck" I suggest this book:

"Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance" by Stephen Herrero

You will learn some basics about bear behavior ..... and under what circumstances .... playing dead might work to survive .... and when climbing a tree will probably not help you one bit.

Always interested in having an edge over luck. Thanks for the suggestion on the book. It seems to me that a survivor is usually involved in telling a story about a bear attack. I'd use the guidelines presented in the book, if the bear also reads the book. If we can mutually agree on game rules, I'm in. Until then, it's going to be one of those deals involving whatever it takes to stay alive.

 

[0faustus0]

Always interested in having an edge over luck. Thanks for the suggestion on the book. It seems to me that a survivor is usually involved in telling a story about a bear attack. I'd use the guidelines presented in the book, if the bear also reads the book. If we can mutually agree on game rules, I'm in. Until then, it's going to be one of those deals involving whatever it takes to stay alive.

The bears don't need to read that book ..... the bears came up with those rules .....

You just need to know those rules .....

 

[Licensed to kill]

If you want to get ahead of "luck" I suggest this book:

"Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance" by Stephen Herrero

You will learn some basics about bear behavior ..... and under what circumstances .... playing dead might work to survive .... and when climbing a tree will probably not help you one bit.

A very informative book. I had a copy and read it years ago but lent it out to someone ad never got it back. Don't remember who has it as I lent it to a few people. Not long ago I was thinking about getting a new copy.

 

[Butcherbill]

If you want to get ahead of "luck" I suggest this book:

"Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance" by Stephen Herrero

You will learn some basics about bear behavior ..... and under what circumstances .... playing dead might work to survive .... and when climbing a tree will probably not help you one bit.

I’d like to read that one, I’ve got copies of Shelton’s 3 books but he mentions that book as well. Although iirc it’s from a preservationists standpoint and not a hunter/conservationists view as is Shelton’s, which I prefer.

For those in the western provinces what is the terrain like where you most likely find black bear encounters? Ontario it's berry patches most often in my experiences. Mostly secluded boat access berry patches surrounded by thick forest

I see black bears on logging roads, cut blocks, power line cuts where there’s an abundance of food. Tall lush grass or berries in the spring and in the fall anywhere you find late season berries or fruit trees.

 

[Brutus]

Here in North East Alberta the single best area for bears is in the Esso oilfields boreal forest. Behind the Wolf (Mahikan) gas plant is a chain of swamps that attacked moose. Therefore also attracted black bears that preyed on thier young.

 

[time4t]

,,,,,,,

 

[9.3mauser]

Professional hunters in Africa who deal with dangerous game traditionslly have used a double barrel double trigger SxS gun. Never a pump. Why? First, because you have access to the fastest second shot. Second, because each barrel is operated by a separate trigger and lock. If one is broken the other will still work. YMMV.

Double barrel guns have their drawbacks. There's no chamber empty/magazine full option. Either it's loaded and ready to go or it's empty. The safety typically only blocks the triggers, it doesn't do anything to prevent the hammers (internal) from falling if the gun gets a hard jolt. It would take a fair bit of practice to thumb back both hammers of an external hammer gun. If you only #### one at a time you've lost your speed advantage over a pump.

 

[canvasback]

Double barrel guns have their drawbacks. There's no chamber empty/magazine full option. Either it's loaded and ready to go or it's empty. The safety typically only blocks the triggers, it doesn't do anything to prevent the hammers (internal) from falling if the gun gets a hard jolt. It would take a fair bit of practice to thumb back both hammers of an external hammer gun. If you only #### one at a time you've lost your speed advantage over a pump.

Well I suppose you could get a double with intercepting sears. That was standard on most English and Continental hammerless doubles until decades worth of in the field experience made a strong case that the intercepting sears were overkill. Strong jolts, like a fall, don't set them off.