Have you killed a bear?

[Greenman1867]

After a little research here is what I came up with:
http://www.hybschmann.net/origin.html
Loaded for bear
Meaning: To be aggressively seeking a confrontation.
Example: Presidential opponents are typically loaded for bear waiting for missteps in office. Clinton provided many opportunities to load up.
Origin: Old muskets were loaded by pouring gunpowder down the barrel, followed by the shot. The power of a given charge could be adjusted by adding more or less gunpowder.
When hunting large animals like bear, a large and powerful gunpowder charge would be loaded into the musket. Hence loaded for bear is to be hunting with a powerful charge ready.

But thanks for your comments, I appreciate it, honest.

 

[leftent]

Buckshot for a Cougar?
Not sure how you would make out with that.
Short of Grizzlies (and Hedy Fry) the Cougar is the one BC animal that scares the crap out of me

 

[shadowvas]

p

I been see bears but I keep away from them.

 

[toadyo]

I have

I'm a big game guide and have killed a bear in self defense. Well kind of.
A hunter had shot a large boar from about 150 yards away. The shot was alright but a little high. First shot punched the top of the lungs but not bad enuf to put him down. After 20 min i circled around from the top of a clump of thick willows that the small blood trail lead to. On the up hill side of the 100 foot square clump of willow, i hear a woof. At the same time a large back head emerged from the thicket. At a good run, up hill the bear was closing a 80 foot gap between us. I fired three 1 1/4 oz, 3inch slugs from my 870 express mag with a 18.5" barrel with rifle sites. The first two went between the shoulders under his chin as he ran towards me. The only effect was that he swung his head down to snap his teeth at the spot the bullet had entered. After the second shot with the same result i put the third into the lead edge of his shoulder blade. The force of the bullet and the breaking of the shoulder in half caused him to nose dive into the dirt with a loud wailing. He then rolled about 20' back down the hill. After getting my hunter together he still had to shoot the bear in the back of the neck to kill him.
On inspection the first two bullets tore a large hole from his breast and exited out the pelvis traveling the entire length of his body causing extensive interior damage. The third actually cut the shoulder in half traveling lengthwise down his body sending lead and bone into the heart, lungs, liver and guts. The final shot brought him to a skidding stop about 20' from me.
Before this i felt safe packing the 12 gauge with the biggest rounds i could find, thats changed. Ive seen and heard many stories in my line of work about the sheer determination and power of a wounded bear. This experience however,gave me a whole new respect for bears. Personally i would avoid contact even if armed. Your bullet placement is crucial and a running target with adrenaline pumping is not easy, and dam there fast.
The reason i said kind of self defence was we went looking for him. We started the fight. All he was doing was fighting back like any of us would have. Thats not really self defense.
I've got the skull the hunter gave it to me as a gift for not letting him get eaten. Would post pics but can't.