Defense against BEARS.

I used to have Gary's website around, but misplaced it, it had more interesting info, and if anything his contact info.

If she is going to work in a situation where she might be at risk, then perhaps sending her to one of his workshops would make a nice gift.

That is if he still does them.

Gary (Shelton) retired from delivering bear safety several years ago now.
 
Don't sweat it M-1. Part of the measure of someone is how well they take it when others take the piss.

You got great advice from Boomer and Gatehouse. Others gave some decent advice and still others had a full on party over all the goofy stuff said - some of it at your expense. Be proud of your bear thread: it's a one stop shop from BS to Bear Safety.

Thanks, for the most part I’ve enjoyed it, its been a learning experience, I'm new here so I'm bound to trip up from time to time. I'm glad some people are having fun with it at my expense or not, But I guess I have just metaphorically driven a dump truck through a china shop here...oops.:D

Just tell her to bring you along! Just tell her if you see a bear to run! I'm sure the bear will be full after he eats you and she will be safe and sound.

Sorry but I cant resist! It's nothing personal M1 but this thread has been very entertaining. Really tell her to read the books there is lots of good suggestions.

That what bear threads are suppose to be, dumb fun that can perhaps save your life. for instance before you read my posts you may have been manically depressed on the verge of suicide. But now look, your as right as rain. by god I may have just saved you life. their now you see, that was my plan the whole time.:jerkit: AAANNYYWWWAAAYYY.
Yeah I intend hunt to down those books one way or another, thanks.
 
You've had lots of advice, you just dont' want to listen. You want to debate with people that have far more knowledge than you do about the merits of your selections.

Here is what you should do-

Get at least one of Gary Sheltons books for her to read.

Take the stupid pistol grips off your 870, and install the regular forend and buttstock.

Get some 2 3/4" trap loads

Take her to range and get her comfy shooting those, preferably at milk jugs or something reactive, so she can see what she is hitting.

Swap to 2 3/4" slugs and get her to practice a few of those, probably no more than 3 or 5 per session.

Track down some 2 3/4" Brenneke or Challenger slugs if you can, for her to use when she is working. They kill better than regular foster style slugs. 2 3/4" slugs will kill just as good as 3", but with less recoil.

Quit pissing around coming up with stupid tactical folding stock M-305 bulls**t solutions. If you want to play mall ninja, go for it, but not at the expense of her safety.

A simple shotgun that she has fired 100 times with trap loads and 20 slug loads will work better for her than any pistol grip ninja gun or combat stock 305 or whatever....

Sounds like a plan, I was thinking of dropping in 2-3/4 shells anyhow, my winchester holds one more of those than a 3" and it would tone it down a bit as you say.

But I'll let her decide weather to use the pistol grip or not, If putting the stock back on means the gun will be leaning against a rock, then I guess its better being off. however she will have to give both an honest try before she decides. in light of your considerations, I can see your point, I suppose I would strongly advise she keep the stock on, I don’t really like it for target shooting, but when it comes to only a few shots between life and death, its better to have maximum three point stability. ("OMG he actually gets it, I think I'm going to F'-ing die!!!")

As for the mall ninja remark, I'm not a mall ninja, I don’t wear cammo or surplus except when I'm playing air soft, and that’s only because the guys I play with are mall ninjas, well some of them anyway, and its their air soft dress code.

As for my rifles, I like tactical because its so compatible with any device under the sun due to its picatinny rails, and compact so I can move freely without hangups while hiking in dense bush, and also aids in carrying it in a small duffel bag or back pack, to keep pulses to a minimum. I’ve found the presents of any gun make non gun owners uneasy. I’ve even had on guy tell me "If a bear attacks me don't bother shooting it, I don't want to end up getting shot!"
To that I replied, " Okay, I'll just run away and let it eat you alive..." hell it works for me, I’m not complaining.

Calum and ykkid.
I would love to send her to defense training facility, but she’s a farm girl, and no doubt she would think she wouldn’t need it, with her competition shooting back ground and all. And her dad has a history with defensive firearms use from back when Canada was not a dull place to live. He's certian to have given his girls a few pointers. But thanks for the suggestion. I do appreciate it.
 
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I can't believe I just read 223 posts tonight. Quite entertaining ;) Something I noticed in a few threads and I think Boomer may have mentioned was the use of a hand gun. I had to shake my head and tell myself NO.......... This is Canada. Am I missing something here, since when can someone other than a Bonafide trapper or miner, law enforcement etc. carry a Hand gun :confused:
 
I can't believe I just read 223 posts tonight. Quite entertaining ;) Something I noticed in a few threads and I think Boomer may have mentioned was the use of a hand gun. I had to shake my head and tell myself NO.......... This is Canada. Am I missing something here, since when can someone other than a Bonafide trapper or miner, law enforcement etc. carry a Hand gun :confused:

Anyone in Canada who can legally own a handgun is free to apply for an authorization to carry (ATC). Unfortunately at this time you have no chance if you are in the back country only for recreational purposes. The folks most likely to have ATC granted are bear researchers, prospectors, helicopter pilots, guides, and in my case blasters. Trappers can get an ATC for a trapline gun to kill animals in traps, but I'm not sure how well they would do applying for an ATC for defense from wildlife. Other occupations would be considered if you can prove need, and if your employer signs off on your application. Basically you need to be able to expalin why you cannot protect yourself with a long gun while doing your job. The initial application could take a couple of months to process, but this will be different from province to province. A couple of years ago the CFOs got together and decided that auto-pistols were unsuitable for use as ATC guns, so now its revolvers only.

The title of the authorization is curious, "Authorization to Carry Restricted Firearms or Prohibited Handguns" and one wonders why it refers to restricted firearms in a general sense and prohibited handguns in a specific sense. Not that it matters, I don't intend to carry an AR-15 for bear work. The information on an ATC includes the dates the authorization is valid for, in my case its year round. It gives the geographic location, which in my case extends from just north of Thompson, MB to Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. If I was going to work outside of that area or in another jurisdiction I could apply for a temporary ATC issued specifically for that job. Because I'm self employed, the employer information is left blank. The purpose of the authorization is described as: Applicant works in a remote wilderness area and firearms are required for the protection of his or her life or the lives of other individuals from wild animals. The second page lists the gun(s) covered by the authorization, which in my case is a .44 Ruger SA and a S&W M-27.

It goes on to state the standard and special conditions attached to the authorization which include; if more than one gun is listed, only one gun can be carried at any one time. The gun must be carried in a holster. Earlier authorizations stated that the gun must be secured in the holster and that the holster must be worn in a manner that it is not concealed, but I don't see that on this one. The authorization must be carried on the person and presented to law enforcement on demand. The special conditions include that the firearm cannot be carried in settled or inhabited areas, and that the transportation of the firearm(s) are in accordance with the storage, display, and transportation regulations blah, blah, blah. Finally, the holder of the authorization shall not discharge the firearm except where he/she believes it is necessary to the protection of life or to kill trapped animals in a safe and humane manner.
 
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Finally, the holder of the authorization shall not discharge the firearm except where he/she believes it is necessary to the protection of life or to kill trapped animals in a safe and humane manner.

So you're not allowed to practice proficiency in wilderness areas where you'll need your shooting skills at their finest. Seems a bit counterproductive if you're out for 6 months and forgot how to fire the thing. Where do they get these strange ideas from?
 
I can't believe I just read 223 posts tonight. Quite entertaining ;) Something I noticed in a few threads and I think Boomer may have mentioned was the use of a hand gun. I had to shake my head and tell myself NO.......... This is Canada. Am I missing something here, since when can someone other than a Bonafide trapper or miner, law enforcement etc. carry a Hand gun :confused:

If you are working in the bush and you can justify your ned, you can get a wilderness ATC for a handgun.
 
If you are in a remote area and unlikely to see any law enforcement officials, you can carry all the handguns you want. You just have to decide if you can sleep with the knowledge that you are ignoring the law. If the added peace-of-mind outweighs the guilt, the problem is solved!
In reality, a guy might be as well off with a spear. If you can't spear the bear, he isn't close enough to bite you. If he is biting, you probably have just as good a chance with the spear as with the pistol. A gun of any sort does offer the opportunity for a pre-emptive strike and that's probably a good technique to employ.
As to the Wyoming bear; those old-timers never did let the truth stand in the way of a good story. Regards, Bill.
 
I'll take my 45/70 guide gun. If aloud I would also bring my .357 magnum loaded with 180 grain federal hollow point hunting rounds. But this is canada so i'll just be bringing the 45/70....
 
So you're not allowed to practice proficiency in wilderness areas where you'll need your shooting skills at their finest. Seems a bit counterproductive if you're out for 6 months and forgot how to fire the thing. Where do they get these strange ideas from?

You can't make sense out of this stuff, its just how it is . . . for now. On the other hand, I have to get a range officer to send the CFO a letter for the annual renewal, which is considered proof of proficiency, which again is somewhat pointless. If I can hit a paper target this year, chances are I'll be able to next year as well. That has nothing to do with knowing how to shoot to save your life.
 
I have not seen any bears yet. What is all the fuss about. There are no damn bears.

They're moving around quite a bit here. The females with cubs have left their dens and have headed for the sea ice. A few of the big males have come inland to kill cubs. Last week I saw 6 different fresh tracks, heading north, and one large single set heading inland. I've been watching for them on the sea ice, but the've eluded me thus far.
 
They're moving around quite a bit here. The females with cubs have left their dens and have headed for the sea ice. A few of the big males have come inland to kill cubs. Last week I saw 6 different fresh tracks, heading north, and one large single set heading inland. I've been watching for them on the sea ice, but the've eluded me thus far.

Do you have a 458 Lott by chance? One day I will venture to see the polar bear. Amazing animals.
 
You can't make sense out of this stuff, its just how it is . . . for now. On the other hand, I have to get a range officer to send the CFO a letter for the annual renewal, which is considered proof of proficiency, which again is somewhat pointless. If I can hit a paper target this year, chances are I'll be able to next year as well. That has nothing to do with knowing how to shoot to save your life.

I don't get the range connection either. It's probably just to have someone else sign off on you.

At one point I went to security to get 12 gauge ammo for training a bunch of new geos. The officer gave me four or six boxes (edit: we had bird shot for practice for some weird reason - just occurred to me LOL!) and told me he didn't want to see any of it back. IMO, people new to firearms need a thorough course and lots of practice. Dry handling for at least an hour with corrective pokes and prods before the first shot is ever fired. Then hand them a shotgun every day for at least a week to inspect safety habits. Proper instruction with the action type involved is also important. I like to see everyone carry with mag full and chamber empty, and rack the slide when trouble knocks. Teach them how to unload without cycling rounds through the chamber.

The Canadian Firearms Safety Course is adequate for basic handling skills. There are very few accidents involving firearms, but I would like proficient employees as well. I would like to see companies institute at least a 50-round minimum practice session, with a follow-up 50 round session a week later. Philosophy of safe handling and manual of arms should be ingrained at this stage. Investigation of a dead bear is preferable to investigation of a mauling.

One persistent challenge with firearms in the workplace is the varied experience and attitudes to them. There are many who can't stand the sight of them and would rather not have them in defense of their persons in bear country, to the point of freak-outs, emotional meltdowns and genuine abrogation of professional responsibility. Some people just aren't rational. Baggage is attached to working around firearms that doesn't come into play with helicopters, saws, hammers etc. Boats and skidoos can garner some fears of inattentive joy-riding but are rationally dealt with, without all the hoopla.
 
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If you are in a remote area and unlikely to see any law enforcement officials, you can carry all the handguns you want. You just have to decide if you can sleep with the knowledge that you are ignoring the law. If the added peace-of-mind outweighs the guilt, the problem is solved!
In reality, a guy might be as well off with a spear. If you can't spear the bear, he isn't close enough to bite you. If he is biting, you probably have just as good a chance with the spear as with the pistol. A gun of any sort does offer the opportunity for a pre-emptive strike and that's probably a good technique to employ.
As to the Wyoming bear; those old-timers never did let the truth stand in the way of a good story. Regards, Bill.

A spear sounds more and more viable!
 
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