Allowed to carry my shotgun?

[troutseeker]

It makes me sick people even have to ask if it is legal to carry a firearm to defend themselves. One day things will be better.

Nope, it's only gonna get worse. Why on Earth things get better when we elect more and more edjumacated city folks???

As far as bear defense, an empty shotgun is useless. Bear spray is an option when nothing else is allowed (like in National Parks), but check the Provincial Parks, in many of them it is permitted to carry a firearm.

 

[Mat_890]

Good info, I had been wondering the same question myself.

While I fully support people defending themselves don't kill the damn thing because your scared of the lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), common sense should be plan A, keep the shotgun for plan B. Bear attack are really rare, google it.

What you do need to be worried about is spiders. I walked through group of fishing spiders last year and have never been the same.

 

[noelb]

Shottie, shottie , shottie, blah, blah, blah!! I don't care what ya' call it. It sure beats a seasoning as far as I'm concerned. As for myself, I carry a marlin Guide Gun in .45-70 with handloaded speer 400 gr flat nose bullets. I don't recall the recipe right now, but the're pushing around 1600-1800 fps if I recall. I'm pretty sure I can get a few off quick enough to deter a threatening bear. If he's too close that I don't see him in time....he wins, but, no pepper steak for him. End of the day, it's worth the risk to just be out there.

 

[haha49]

However that being said pepper spray is much more effective and a heck of alot cheaper and lighter though nowhere close in cool factor.

In most cases its more effective.. but I know people that have used it and still had a brown bear beat them up/ keep coming even after been sprayed 4 times.. 4 sprays stopped 4 charges from the same bear.. in the end the lady fled in a truck. when animal controll came to check it out they shot it with a 12ga shotgun and found that it was 200lbs under sized and had a dead moose near by so it was guarding its food. since the bear was smaller then it was suposed to be it was ready to kill anything..

 

[ciphery]

Too bad we could'nt carry a 44 mag revolver here in Canada. A 4 inch barrel Ruger would sure be easier to carry than a 870 pump.

"Rolls eyes" C'mon now! Everyone knows a 44 Rem Mag is only used to make punks ask the proverbial question of whether they feel lucky.
Pfft! Bear defense.

And as for cityot edjemicated politicians making bad gun laws;
That'll never change. We could elect the former corporate head of Winchester for prime minister and we'd still get shafted. Why? Because Joe(anti)Public out numbers us and in a democracy majority rules.

 

[collector67]

Timesink, I hate to seem argumentative but the only "studies" I have seen that claim spray is always better than lead are ones from spray manufacturers and government groups. The spray makers want you to buy their product and the government departments care more about the bears than about you.

That said, spray is better than nothing, if firearms are not available or legal.
In a perfect world the happy outdoorsman is armed with firearm, spray and bear knowledge.

We were camping in a private campground (Tyax Mountain Resort) here in BC, and I was talking to a horseback tour guide about using pepper spray against bears. He said, and I quote: "If they are close enough to you to use that stuff, they are too damn close, you will likely just piss them off even more than they already are." (By the way, he had a rifle in a scabbard on his horse.) If I am camping, I always have a backpacker 12 guage or my pump action close at hand.

 

[collector67]

hell, why not do what the Ontario MNR suggests and just carry a long handled axe...for bear protection when walking in the bush in bear country.

I saw a guy in the gun store this summer asking for bear bangers because as he told the clerk "the bears were getting brave, coming too close... and he was worried about his grandkids"

Honestly if I was that worried about grandkids regarding bears coming around too close, and took the time to go to the gun/outdoor store, I'd just be buying slugs.

Wow, really? What's more humane, a slug or a long handled axe?? I guess the MNR wants to even up the odds for the bear?
From what I have heard, the sound of a gunshot is like a "dinner bell" to bears, a bear banger may have the opposite effect....

 

[mwjones]

I think with a little bit of practice you will probably be faster with a gun than a can of spray. A slug in the brain is 1000% more effective than some seasoning. Plus, what's the range on the slug? I've seen 8" plates shot at 300 yards with a short barreled shotgun. How close does the bear get before you can give him a blast of tobasco? I'm guessing that, in the heat of th emoment with a bear charging, many would let off half of the can before the bear was even in range.

Take a look at this video. Granted, it's a lever rifle, but illustrates an appropriate sling carry and how the gun can be brought up and fired in abotu 2 seconds. Practice more, get faster...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-AVr7gNmrU[/youtube]

for some reason i can't get it to embed with the [youtube] tag.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-AVr7gNmrU

 

[Bland]

Usually wilderness bears are more predictable therefor less dangerous than bears that are used to people. A dog is a good thing because a surprise attack is an improbability when dogs are with you. Pepper spray can and has been very effective. If you manage to climb a tree it will help keep a bear from attacking. Two friends have been attacked by grizzlies in the past. Both were surprise attacks. There was no time for shots or spray. In one instance the guy's brother shot the bear right off of him as he was being mauled, in the other the bear threw him around and then ran off. A shot of spray will deter a bear but the amount of nerve it would take to wait for the proper distance raises a few questions. Shot=gut pile searching bear is becoming a factor. Carcass defence particularly with grizzlies is the most dangerous situation you will find yourself in. To my way of thinking a dog is the first line of defence, I don't care if you have a full auto whatever it won't do you any good if you do not get a shot off. Polar bears are another issue entirely.

 

[frogger]

When walking the trails at deer camp in the summer I carry a rossi R92 carbine in 44mag - the pipe is empty but the tub mag is full with 240gr soft points - I am in NWO and only have to contend with black bears so feel pretty confortable with the 44- it has no sling and is always in my right hand - I have deer hunted for 20 years and feel I can get it loaded and to my shoulder pretty quick if I have to. I think a cool head and being aware of our surroundings is a good start to bear defence - last weekend my family and I were on the lake and stopped at a small beach to have lunch - after getting a towel out and ready to eat I heard scratching behind me - I look back to see my lab had treed 3 cubs 15 yards behind me (I have to get her to bark when she see a bear!) - as I realized what was going on a young mother ran from under the tree horizontal to us - I gave a LOUD holler and in the next 3-5 seconds we were in the boat and had the outboard running - I do not feel were in a real danger at any point but it sure got the blood pumping - when we got to the beach I did a quick look around and did not see any food - garbage - or bear sign - this is just and example of how quick things happen - maybe we need a new tread - What do you carry for your boat gun?? I carry a Ste.Coix with a Flugger spin caster lol

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

You'll never be fast enough if Yogi is within 100 yards either.

100 yards? Really? Jesus, how fast can a bear run?

 

[roberto mervici]

However that being said pepper spray is much more effective and a heck of alot cheaper and lighter though nowhere close in cool factor.

read hiesterday, re woman and 2 young nices stalked by juvenile grizzly, she use pepper spray... but did not repell the bear.

I would rather give my explanation to a judge than to the guy at the pearley gates.

 

[popcan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by timsesink
. When you think of having to get your shotgun off your back, take off the safety, point, aim and shoot most guys would be lucky to do it under 20seconds. Pepper spray 3 seconds. However if you're well trained, practice lots going through those procedures ( and against a charging target not a static one) then it might work a bit better. IMO

reply:
20 seconds?! Are you kidding me. Maybe if you were carrying it Toronto-style(in a case and trigger locked). Shoulder slung in the conventional manner(barrel pointed up) may take a few seconds, but try carrying it slung barrel pointed down. The fore end will be by your hand, grab it and bring the gun up to shooting position. The sling (if adjusted properly)should be wrapped around your arm for a very steady hold. Very fast method.

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In your hands or slung. 3 slugs in the tube. Hammer down on an empty chamber. Safety off.

Otherwise nuke em from space. It's the only way to be sure.