bear defense ammo

All I had to do is look at the statistics of spray vs. bear and gun vs. bear. Can't find the link right now but the data is out there.

You will get all kinds of tough guys saying a gun is better. For some people that just might be true. For most people, it isn't.
 
Spray often will work better apparently by the stats, and it weighs less. However it's useless in a tent, and I can't fly with it at work. So pick your applications.

While hunting grizzly Dogleg and I were camped this Sept in an area we encountered seven grizzlies in a few days within a rifle shot of camp. One visited our camp one evening, zero issues or drama other than having to get out of the tent in the rain with rifle and flashlight in hand. If you needed to get rid of a grizzly from inside the confines of your tent I'd really think hard about letting the spray go. Fellow outfitter had to shoot a grizzly inside his wall tent a few years ago. Now, bit of a different application we're purposefully seeking out the grizzlies and camping amidst the salmon washed up into the bush.

I think for most users, spray likely is better, especially as if for you popcan you're not up on your bear anatomy and practice. But hey, who here doesn't enjoy carrying a firearm in the bush? I know I still enjoy that particular freedom. And if you're going to carry one, I'd suggest a rifle.
 
I've used spray enough to know that it's another tool in the toolbox, but won't take the place of a firearm. The effectiveness of spray varies from excellent to useless, from my experiences.
 
popcanhunter said:
can you summarize what i should infer from it?
im at work and it looks rather big
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IIRC, Ike came in first with an 870 pump and Camp Cook came in second with a 45-70 Guide Gun lever.

It boiled down to either pump or lever in the hands of a skilled, well practiced shooter with a reliable gun that they know well.
 
Gatehouse said:
The effectiveness of spray varies from excellent to useless, from my experiences.
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The exact same statement can be made about guns, and the statistics show that spray has a better chance of being useful in most people's hands than a gun.

I always have both on hand, but I am way faster and more confident in the spray than I am in my ability to put a round (2 in the best case scenario) into the CNS of a charging predator, all things considered.

Shooting at paper quickly at 25 yards is a complete joke. It doesn't come close to simulating the reality of a charge. People can disagree all they want, but this guy will not be convinced to fool himself.
 
i have never sprayed a bear.
i have never shot a bear.

if i had to step our of my camper van to fend off a bear threatening my fam, i would feel sooooo much better steppin out with a gun than a spray can, despite the stats.

no doubt thats probably the wrong choice... but somethin about a firearm instills confidence in a way a spray can never will. at least for me, anyway.
 
It's all opinion and very little consensus, but when real-world events are tallied up and analyzed, yes that order seems about right.

Exception: If you are an incredibly skilled shooter who practices on close, moving targets on a regular basis, the gun may be your best bet. All the rest you will hear on the subject is just noise.

popcanhunter said:
seems the consensus, given whats in my cabinet, is;

1. spray
2. 303
3 12ga benneke

accurate?
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popcanhunter said:
i have never sprayed a bear.
i have never shot a bear.

if i had to step our of my camper van to fend off a bear threatening my fam, i would feel sooooo much better steppin out with a gun than a spray can, despite the stats.

no doubt thats probably the wrong choice... but somethin about a firearm instills confidence in a way a spray can never will. at least for me, anyway.
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Then choose the gun, but practice the scenario as often and as realistically as possible. (i.e. not on stationary targets). Otherwise, you are far more likely to kill a family member than a bear in that scenario.
 
ironsighter said:
Then choose the gun, but practice the scenario as often and as realistically as possible. (i.e. not on stationary targets). Otherwise, you are far more likely to kill a family member than a bear in that scenario.
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i hit airborne clays with my pistol grip shotgun training for "zombies"

not sure what moving target i could smack with 303s?
 
Gatehouse said:
I've used spray enough to know that it's another tool in the toolbox, but won't take the place of a firearm. The effectiveness of spray varies from excellent to useless, from my experiences.
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Agreed, that's why I carry bear spray as well as a revolver when I need to ATC in the field.

S5000007-2.jpg
 
The best is what you actually have in hand. Since the OP is not hunting, for me it is my short barreled Beretta 303 loaded with slugs. I am not going to run or climb well. Any Bear at all aggressive that i cant back out on, simply gets a ride in a P/U.

Hunters from back East, even one today in the 9.3vsH&HvsRuger thread make comments like. What are you hunting in NS, houses? A 30-06 is enough for anything in Canada, hunting. The issue is when a 4 legged hunter disputes ownership of the kill, or your cooler. One of the reasons that 338 WM are popular as Elk guns.

I would have to agree that Boomer is probably one of the experts here. Experience probably lets him walk away more. My choice is always to walk out. I dont hunt bears, and have actually only ever shot two. Some pretty hairy experiences and encounters.
 
trying to learn bear behaviour and anatomy.

here s a few links for you on the anatomy side.

h t t p://w w w .triplecoutfittersalaska.com/sitebuilder/images/_Bear_Shot_Placement_big_one-510x630.jpg
taken from info given by the state of Alaska long time ago

h t t p ://w w w .hunt101.com/data/506/BlackBearShotplacment.jpg that one clearer but same as above

h t t p s://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b7/71/9d/b7719d5d0ce716ea953c5b94e460adf7.jpg worth thousand words.

enjoy.
 
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