Bear defense question...

"...Will it take down a charging Grizzly?..." Absolutely nothing will guarantee a one shot stop. Not even a head shot with a .45-70. Assuming you have time to make any shot. Yogi is extremely fast. If he wants you (he doesn't), he'll have you. Yogi will avoid you like the bad smell you are.

A brain shot from a 243 will take down a grizzly...a 45-70 should work, too.:p

Bears are fast, but more often than not, you have a few waring signals to get ready before a charge, and defense is certainly an option.

Yogi is a cartoon. In the real world, bears do stalk and attack humans- and although infrequent, it does indeed happen.

I was stalked by a black bear 2 days ago, and happened to a friend of mine last week.

A knowledgeable person would know that bears do attack humans, and humans can defend themselves from them....But, as usual, you have no real knowledge.:jerkit:
 
Bears

Well our tour season is winding down and I thought I would just share a few of my bear encounters from yesterday and the day before. We have a deck out the back door of our house on the deck we have a steel cage over the door and sensors that let us know when a bear is getting close to or on the deck. The sensor goes off so my wife and I step out into the cage to see whats up, a small subadult polar bear ( about 3-4 years ) maybe 400 pounds sees us and boom 3 steps he's on the deck hissing at us no warning at all.I hit him with a cracker shell and off he goes.Then yesterday same thing sensor goes off we step into the cage and in the same place is a Sow and 2 second year cubs, she see's us gives a huff and takes her cubs and walks away no fuss no muss no shots fired. We find that if a female and cubs has a way out they usually take it,and that the small subadults are a lot more trouble. Remember never worry about the one you can see.
take care
pounder
 
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Whatever you choose make sure if you use reloaded ammo that it feeds and extracts easy after each shot. Stretched casings and/or hot loaded ammo loves to stick!!! Then you'll be in all kinds of trouble! mmmmmm! Tastes like chicken!
 
Whatever you choose make sure if you use reloaded ammo that it feeds and extracts easy after each shot. Stretched casings and/or hot loaded ammo loves to stick!!! Then you'll be in all kinds of trouble! mmmmmm! Tastes like chicken!

That is a good comment, but I would extend it to factory ammo as well. Any combination of rifle and ammunition you intend to stake your life on should be proven prior going afield.
 
If a bear is charging you, it's not nearly so important what caliber you got, as how well and fast you can get your 1 shot off into its brain. In Jack O'Connor's book, I think it was the one he wrote on hunting (read it many years ago) he tells of a fellow who took at least a dozen Grizzlies with a .22 rimfire single shot. All of them were one shot kills in the brain. He would lie behind a mound or rock, stick his fist up to imitate a Marmot (if I recall correctly) and when the bear got close enough, he'd pop it one with his .22.

So, it's not so much what kind of caliber you got. The important thing is how good you are with it with the single shot you manage to get off ... if you have time. Much better to be very aware of your surroundings when you are in the bush (or the city) so you can avoid problems, or at least have a little more time to respond.
 
In Jack O'Connor's book, I think it was the one he wrote on hunting (read it many years ago) he tells of a fellow who took at least a dozen Grizzlies with a .22 rimfire single shot. All of them were one shot kills in the brain. He would lie behind a mound or rock, stick his fist up to imitate a Marmot (if I recall correctly) and when the bear got close enough, he'd pop it one with his .22.

I'm surprised he could lie down with balls that big. :eek: :D
I look forward to someone trying to replicate that for a youtube vid. :D
 
I'm surprised he could lie down with balls that big. :eek: :D
I look forward to someone trying to replicate that for a youtube vid. :D

Can you imagine having to walk with balls that big! Or even driving, steering wheels would be a pain!

I hate to say it but load that pushfeed with something you can shoot with no problem and go to town, er I mean the bush and corner a bear. Should be no problem.

Just one thing, we all want to see pics!:D
 
The best Bear protection against any Bear is a DOG or DOGS with attitude....
Then shoot it.:50cal:

IMATT:)

The bear or the dog?

I recall a story I read years ago. A fellow in BC had a dog that ran off after a grizzly, when the grizzly turned the dog ran back to his master for protection and the old guy had to scamper up a tree. The bear sniffed around at the bottom of the tree for a while then disappeared. As soon as the old guy was back on the ground the dog takes off and returns a couple of minutes later with the bear in tow. This happened 3 times, and the guy who was being told the story laughed and said, "Bet you kept him tied up after that!" The reply, "Hell no, I shot the SOB, a dog like that could get a man killed!"

I've been pretty lucky with my dogs over the years, but I've had one that was pretty timid around bears. The best bear dog I ever had was a little 60 pound lab cross. She was completely fearless and lived to die of old age.

P1000311.jpg
 
Good morning Boomer I'm looking out my front window in south western BC right now with my 8 month son on my lap thinking how cold it is this morning and then I see this pic... Brrrrrr... :D

Anyway stories like the one you just told about have sort of a urban legend theme too them here...

All my life which is now getting kind of long I have heard this same story with a slightly different twist too it...

Shooting the dog is always the same in every story though...

Me I think I would personally like the dog to bring the bear back cause I haven't tried my shortened 454 Casull out with 405gr WLNGC's on one yet... :dancingbanana:
 
Thank God i live in Ontario, I dont have to buy a new rifle!!
But if i needed one i would take my M 70 350 Mashburn Mag, loaded with 225 nosler Parts and tickling 3250 fps,, I am sure it may work, a small but likely chance! I would go for it lol
 
Good morning Boomer I'm looking out my front window in south western BC right now with my 8 month son on my lap thinking how cold it is this morning and then I see this pic... Brrrrrr... :D

Anyway stories like the one you just told about have sort of a urban legend theme too them here...

All my life which is now getting kind of long I have heard this same story with a slightly different twist too it...

Shooting the dog is always the same in every story though...

Me I think I would personally like the dog to bring the bear back cause I haven't tried my shortened 454 Casull out with 405gr WLNGC's on one yet... :dancingbanana:

That pic was a taken in the fall a few years ago, it's alot colder than that here now, -33 wind chill. For the last couple of days the Bay has been ice to the horizon, although the horizon is dark from fog coming off open water.

I won't vouch for the truth of the story I related, it was from a book I read when I was a kid about an old guy that lived up on Knight Inlet. I'm sure lots of folks remember the book, but like all stories the author may have taken some editorial licence.

Where are you getting the 405 gr slugs? I've been thinking about a .475 Linebaugh again (seems to happen every fall when the bears are thick) but with bullets that heavy a .454 might make more sense.
 
By gum you guys!!! Pretty much any gun will do for a brain shot, and a brain shot is what you need if it really is an attack. I would be just as comfortable with a 32-20 as a 45-70. It's not what caliber you have, but how well you have trained yourself to use it.
 
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