Griz hunt- a rifle quandary *hunt update*

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This spring I will once again quest for the mighty Ursus horribilis, this time in NW BC just below the YT line. But here-in lies my dilemma, which rifle?

a) my 1958 M70 in the classic 375 H&H? A rifle given to me by a friend who can no longer hunt due to age and health issues.

b) a newly acquired TC Prohunter in 45-70? Rapidly becoming a personal favourite just because.

c) my inline TC Prohunter .50cal muzzle stuffer? 250 grains of fun pushed by 150 grains of bp.

or do I really go wild-hair and try to put 730 grains of bamboo, launched from my recurve, into a bruin?

What are your thoughts on this awful predicament? :)

RC
 
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Me personally, when I haven't harvested an animal before I like to take tried and true ( ie I don't want to miss due to no second shot) but if I've been there done that ( ie not my first deer, bear etc) than I like to try something with a little more challenge (ie bow, muzzle loader, single shot etc) that being said I've never hunted grizzly so outside of the 2 mentioned center fires I can't offer much as to what would work. Nice predicament though, good luck on the hunt!!
 
I like the challenge of archery gear for deer, but when it comes to something that can kill and eat me, I say "go big or stay home". .375 H&H all the way. Your friend will appreciate it :)
 
Carry the .375 for someone who no longer can. You will make his day if you are successful and hopefully you will have more opportunities down the road for your other options.
Honour your friend while he can appreciate it.
 
What weight do you shoot for your recurve? Also, do you know the area that you will be hunting? What are the methods you will use? If the country is fairly open and you will be spot and stalking, then your recurve will severely hamper your chances of successfully anchoring a bruin... if this is your first griz, in those circumstance, you might want to take the .375 H&H...
 
I would go with the 375 H&H, nothing under 300 gr and a good bullet like an Swift A frame.

If you are hunting in the thickets maybe a quick handling 45/70 .........
 
I have seen the bears you speak of, I wouldn't even consider anything below a good bolt gun in .375 H&H. That country can be very thick and the bears there are immense. I have seen 11 ftrs in that country that would go well over 1000 lbs, they also tend to be some of the most aggressive bears in NA. A friend of mine had a fishing camp on the Taku river and had a lot of problems with the bears there.
Although I have been an avid bow hunter, I wouldn't even consider using sharp sticks on those bears, especially propelled from a recurve. The range you must be at to successfully stick a bear with a recurve leaves zero room for defensive action if required, and my understanding of the bears in that area is that defensive action is a very real possibility if you do not immediately anchor one.
Forget honoring your buddy, honor yourself and come back in one piece with the 375 under one arm and a 10 ft bear hide under the other. The same advice goes for a single shot or BP firearm, these bears are not to be trifled with, they are very capable of making you unrecognizable in a few seconds, and from what I have heard of them, are willing to do it at the drop of a hat.............TAKE THE .375........SERIOUSLY !!!!!
 
c-fbmi said:
I have seen the bears you speak of, I wouldn't even consider anything below a good bolt gun in .375 H&H. That country can be very thick and the bears there are immense. I have seen 11 ftrs in that country that would go well over 1000 lbs, they also tend to be some of the most aggressive bears in NA. A friend of mine had a fishing camp on the Taku river and had a lot of problems with the bears there.
Although I have been an avid bow hunter, I wouldn't even consider using sharp sticks on those bears, especially propelled from a recurve. The range you must be at to successfully stick a bear with a recurve leaves zero room for defensive action if required, and my understanding of the bears in that area is that defensive action is a very real possibility if you do not immediately anchor one.
Forget honoring your buddy, honor yourself and come back in one piece with the 375 under one arm and a 10 ft bear hide under the other. The same advice goes for a single shot or BP firearm, these bears are not to be trifled with, they are very capable of making you unrecognizable in a few seconds, and from what I have heard of them, are willing to do it at the drop of a hat.............TAKE THE .375........SERIOUSLY !!!!!
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My advice was "theoretical..." Douglas' advice is "experienced," I would take that to the bank....
 
I always figure instead of taking the gun that you can kill the bear with, take the one you want with you when you have to go into the alders after him. Good luck on your hunt!
 
Of your listed choices take the .375. If you are just looking for a handicap or novelty, pick whatever handicap or novelty appeals to you. I've often thought that hunting bare-foot in Canada would add a suitable degree of challenge, difficulty and hardship but for some reason it hasn't achieved the popularity that it should. You'd think the purist/challenge crowd would be all over it.
 
Nipigon Jack said:
Carry the .375 for someone who no longer can. You will make his day if you are successful and hopefully you will have more opportunities down the road for your other options.
Honour your friend while he can appreciate it.
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My thoughts exactly, imagine the joy he would feel when you tell him about your adventure with his old rifle?
 
Nipigon Jack said:
Carry the .375 for someone who no longer can. You will make his day if you are successful and hopefully you will have more opportunities down the road for your other options.
Honour your friend while he can appreciate it.
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Absolutely, honour your bud as a way of saying "thanks again" ... and take lots of pics if you're successful to show him !
 
Dogleg said:
Of your listed choices take the .375. If you are just looking for a handicap or novelty, pick whatever handicap or novelty appeals to you. I've often thought that hunting bare-foot in Canada would add a suitable degree of challenge, difficulty and hardship but for some reason it hasn't achieved the popularity that it should. You'd think the purist/challenge crowd would be all over it.
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LOL. Barefoot and a blowgun next season.....
 
.375 H&H IMHO honours your friend, you and the bear. Not saying that the other choices can't or haven't worked but the decision should be based on your hunting experience with the game, terrain and abilities. Are you hunting by yourself? How much shooting practice (not target practice off a bench) have you had? If you can shoot the 45-70 with proper loads more accurately than the .375 then use it instead. A bow can certainly put a grizzly down, but not necessarily as fast, how are you at avoiding a bear charging and hitting major nerves with arrows? Interestingly enough, I've read on this site and others, inquiries about shotgun recommendations for carrying during 'bow season'.
 
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