TacticalTeacher
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Georgian Bay, ON
Bear defense threads are cool! 
Cheers,
Barney
Cheers,
Barney
Looking for a bear defense gun
- Thread starter Rifter
- Start date
In the 80s and 90s I was still working in remote exploration camps in Canada and unfortunately bears had to be shot if they persisted in coming into camp. The majority of these were shot at under 25 yards with either 12 gauge pumps with Forster slugs or .303 British with soft points.
Camps nowadays are much better run with ki5chen waste more effectively burned so the bears coming into camp are.less of a problem than they were 30 years ago.
I have killed 2 polar bears in my 40 some odd years up here. One went after my dog and I was not going to let that happen.One came after me and at the time I had no where to go it ended badly for the bear. I have learned a lot since then and , am a lot better at not getting into those situations. The bear will always decide the outcome of any encounter. Learn to read the bear. Draw your line and stick to it. Practice with your firearm a lot and do not second guess yourself if TSHTF. The hardest thing to teach new bear guards is when not to shoot. Any body can kill a bear but it takes skill not to have too.Just my 2 cents worth. Get a gun that fits you (this is important ) and you are comfortable with be it shotgun or rifle.
Stay Safe and practice practice practice random targets at bear range.
pounder
Stay Safe and practice practice practice random targets at bear range.
pounder
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Interesting approach - if you haven't seen it, it clearly doesn't happen enough to be concerned, by that rational no one ever needs to lock their car, since most folks have never had their car stolen. Or, it's not possible to get shot at by scumbags in Canada, because most people don't experience that - except I've been shot at twice (tough neighbourhood - Surrey) Your chances of survival are greatly reduced if you don't take into account the possibilities of bad things happening
G.Mitchell
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Grande Prairie Alberta
Well said.
Was it Tuesday ? Anyway, the idea that a dealer would come on here and suggest a single shot shotgun is not only ridiculous but potentially dangerous should someone take that as advice. Shame on you W.R. Anything to make a sale should be your new name.
I have said it before and I guess as long as these threads come up I will repeat myself. You need a light on your shotgun or whatever gun, if you plan on using it for self defence against things like bears etc. Tritium sights are next to useless if you can't identify a black target in the dark. Inside of a cow dark if you are in the bush. And the ability for at minimum 2 shots but more is a welcome option. Anything else is less than optimal. And never a single shot "truck gun" unless you are safely inside that truck. YMMV.
I have said it before and I guess as long as these threads come up I will repeat myself. You need a light on your shotgun or whatever gun, if you plan on using it for self defence against things like bears etc. Tritium sights are next to useless if you can't identify a black target in the dark. Inside of a cow dark if you are in the bush. And the ability for at minimum 2 shots but more is a welcome option. Anything else is less than optimal. And never a single shot "truck gun" unless you are safely inside that truck. YMMV.
I have a feeling there is more to this story.
Surely we don't all have to go out to the driveway with a 12.5" DA grizzly every time we hear a bump in the night.
Was there a bear you'd already had a run-in with? Do you live in Coquitlam? Did your neighbours have unsecured garbage or fruit on the ground?
Was there a female with cubs seen recently?
Live in isolated area, when something doesn't sound right outside I investigate. Grab an SG, put some rounds into it. Opened the door & hit the flashlight toward the noise. Bear started running directly toward me. Started at 15 paces dropped it at 9.
No prior run in, no cubs, bear was a male. Neighbours don't have loose garbage around to my knowledge, they are not real close anyway.
Investigated what bear was doing and tried to get into a shed that has vehicle supplies in it like motor oil and transmission fluid etc.
A bear starts moving at me quickly from close range I ain't screwing around to ask him what he's doin' there.
Not much more to tell.
No prior run in, no cubs, bear was a male. Neighbours don't have loose garbage around to my knowledge, they are not real close anyway.
Investigated what bear was doing and tried to get into a shed that has vehicle supplies in it like motor oil and transmission fluid etc.
A bear starts moving at me quickly from close range I ain't screwing around to ask him what he's doin' there.
Not much more to tell.
Got a DA kodiak and a DA grizzly. Will put some rounds through both and then decide which to keep and which i may sell. Likely keep the grizzly due to being parts compatible with the 870. But the Kodiak is lighter to carry thats for sure. Hope to get out to get some shooting in before the snow starts.
- Location
- NFA country
Bear defense threads are cool!
Cheers,
Barney
They're a lot like pulling a well fed bulls tail.
It isn't long before the BS starts flying.
I have bears and raccoons and bobcats in my yard regularly which is exactly why I don't go wandering around in the yard at night whenever I hear weird noises. I assume its one on the critters mentioned eating my apples or fish in the creek. If I'm really concerned I can go out on the balcony or peer through the window with a strong flashlight. Seems reasonable.
I carried a shotgun in my airplane for 20 years. Never needed it , but it was there.
I talked to a fellow who had 2 bad encounters with bears. he was a geologist and both time the bear stalked him while he was working, and the first thing he knew about a bear was when he got hit, hard, and knocked off his feet.
So a fight might not be 'fair". he had a handgun and used it. He said that in his experience the odds of surviving an attack like his, if armed, was 50-50 at best.
So, if you decide to carry a shotgun, make it a light one that you have a good chance of actually having on while working, as opposed to in the ATV or truck.
I talked to a fellow who had 2 bad encounters with bears. he was a geologist and both time the bear stalked him while he was working, and the first thing he knew about a bear was when he got hit, hard, and knocked off his feet.
So a fight might not be 'fair". he had a handgun and used it. He said that in his experience the odds of surviving an attack like his, if armed, was 50-50 at best.
So, if you decide to carry a shotgun, make it a light one that you have a good chance of actually having on while working, as opposed to in the ATV or truck.
I realize this, i have had a bear encounter before, time is not on your side. This will be carried in my hands when im in the woods hunting/scouting, with my bolt gun in a scabbard on my pack when its not in my hands, either way im always going to have available firepower in my hands. Any type of defensive weapon is useless unless you are holding it at the time you need it, or at the least can deploy it in less than 1-2 seconds, any more than that and you might as well leave it at home.
Been slinging a DA Grizzly 12.5" since they arrived in 2008.........my round count is over 60K rounds and only failed part was a firing pin that broke earlier this year.
Hogue Stock, Magpul MOE Grip,S&J +1 mag extension/sling plate/no jam follower, has had bluing removed long time ago as a bare metal gun then sprayed with olive green krylon.......3-4 years ago and I haven't bothered to touch it up as I really like how it looks.
Goes everywhere with me in the bush pretty much......been in all weather many times from -40C winters up north to nearly +40C summers in Osoyoos/Shuswap/Kootenays/ect.
Here's a picture from a few years ago proudly displaying the wear and tear the gun has received.
The actions on these guns can be pretty gritty out of the box, I filed a few little things down originally then just shot the ever living piss out of it and its still one of my most trusted guns.
I see you are in Surrey.......there is a chance you could inspect my gun to see how it feels to you if you are interested.
How is the rear sight hold up ? Mine come loose after 20 rounds of slugs, all screws are stripped after try to tighten them up.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
You will likely get tired of humping two guns around in he bush, the last thing I want to do while hunting is have a grizzly in my hands and my hunting rifle in a scabbard. Then again my hunting rifle is chambered in .303 Brit and if a bear came into the pic it would be adequate as long as I can put it on target, if I'm walking or sitting it's got a round in the chamber and 9 more in the magazine with the safety on.
Weight is always a factor when out hiking or hunting, pack+2 guns is a lot more than I want to carry around unless one is a pistol and we all know that isn't happening for most joes in the bush.
