Polar Bears
- Thread starter Thomas D'Arcy McGee
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
When it comes to bear guarding, a one size fits all approach to the gun you'll carry is a mistake IMHO. A shotgun has the advantage of firing less lethal ammunition such as cracker shells and rubber slugs, although personally I'm opposed to the use of both lethal and less lethal loads in the same gun. If you're close to town, one of the small cottage subdivisions or the CNSC, a rifle is not suitable due to concerns of overpenetration. If you are guarding a construction site where workers are spread out over a wide area, a shotgun or a low velocity iron sighted rifle renders you a spectator rather than a participant. Likewise guarding a large tour group invariably leads to people being strung out over a long stretch of ground; some participants are jocks and some are geriatrics. Its up to you to rein in the athletes so they don't get too far ahead of the flower sniffers, but like herding cats, the line tends to get strung out.
Since problem bears are typically sub-adults, big hard kicking rifles aren't essential, even though they might make us feel better. The trouble is you never really know what scenario you'll face. If you're on foot all day, you have to make the assessment of where you'll be working and gear up accordingly. If you are moving site to site by vehicle, you can literally have a golf bag full of guns. For hunting any North American game, I think a 6.5 that can drive a 140 gr bullet 2400 fps is a reasonable minimum, but for protection work a .30/06 is a practical minimum. Certainly less gun can work in the hands of a cool shot, but when lives are at stake and the range is short, its fair to say that "cool" is a subjective measure. Many swear by a 12 ga slug gun for bear protection. If you can shoot slugs from 12 ga competently, then you can shoot a .300 magnum competently, since its recoil energy is similar and rifle stocks tend to be more ergonomic resulting in less felt recoil. Should you find yourself in a situation where the range exceeds what you can manage with a 12 ga, a .300 magnum comes into its own.
These days I tend to carry a 12 ga more frequently than anything else. My bear guarding gigs tend to be with individuals or small groups, so reaching out isn't my immediate concern. Its also the gun I most frequently carry for personal protection. Now that's its cold though, a rifle will be my primary choice, except close to town. The reason is that I've had too many incidences of shotshells splitting when fired in the cold, and I can imagine that a split shell could tie up the gun, preventing a follow-up shot.
Since problem bears are typically sub-adults, big hard kicking rifles aren't essential, even though they might make us feel better. The trouble is you never really know what scenario you'll face. If you're on foot all day, you have to make the assessment of where you'll be working and gear up accordingly. If you are moving site to site by vehicle, you can literally have a golf bag full of guns. For hunting any North American game, I think a 6.5 that can drive a 140 gr bullet 2400 fps is a reasonable minimum, but for protection work a .30/06 is a practical minimum. Certainly less gun can work in the hands of a cool shot, but when lives are at stake and the range is short, its fair to say that "cool" is a subjective measure. Many swear by a 12 ga slug gun for bear protection. If you can shoot slugs from 12 ga competently, then you can shoot a .300 magnum competently, since its recoil energy is similar and rifle stocks tend to be more ergonomic resulting in less felt recoil. Should you find yourself in a situation where the range exceeds what you can manage with a 12 ga, a .300 magnum comes into its own.
These days I tend to carry a 12 ga more frequently than anything else. My bear guarding gigs tend to be with individuals or small groups, so reaching out isn't my immediate concern. Its also the gun I most frequently carry for personal protection. Now that's its cold though, a rifle will be my primary choice, except close to town. The reason is that I've had too many incidences of shotshells splitting when fired in the cold, and I can imagine that a split shell could tie up the gun, preventing a follow-up shot.
Boomer, ... hmmmm .... that is very interesting. Can you explain a bit more what you observed? How do those shells split? Like a cut shell and half of the hull is going out the muzzle? Or cracked length wise? Would you have pictures?
And how cold are we talking about when this happens? -10C? -20C? -40C?
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
No photos I'm afraid. The gun is a Mossberg 590 and the shells were RWS 3" Brenneke slugs. The shells split along their length from the brass to the case mouth, it happened quite some time ago, but it seems to me the temperature was -30ish. Now a single split along the length of the shell upon firing is probably not immediately concerning but when the gun is a life saving tool, its not something I'm prepared to tolerate. Particularly since I have suitable rifles. Perhaps my chamber is slightly oversized, but I've had no other issues with this gun which I've carried for more than 20 years.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Must be the year for it. Another bear wandered into Shamattawa a bit earlier in the season. Its not that these bears are so far south, since their range extends along the Hudson Bay coast well into Ontario, but its curious, though certainly not unheard of, that they chose to wander so far inland. Just speculating but, Shamattawa is straight south of York Factory on God's River, perhaps both bears wandered there first, then the second bear followed the winter road trail to Gillam.
It was the snow machine that did that bear in.
interesting to read the pamphlet about the 9.3 ... thank you for the history.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Slightly off topic: I seen a polar bear just once from deck of HMCS Protectuer Operation Boxtop/replenishment Alert. While underway from Montreal to Thule Greenland. Sighting from about 500 yards away.
Not dangerous, yet memorable.
I was just a lowly sea cadet 1978.
Not dangerous, yet memorable.
I was just a lowly sea cadet 1978.
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