Bear Trouble

   / Bear Trouble #141  
Society and predators don't mix well.

In Anchorage, there is a subdivision that is mainly upper middle class +. They complain about bears yet they don't want hunting. I would get in arguments/ discussion's all the time with residents there. The place was called bear valley for a reason
 
   / Bear Trouble #142  
 
   / Bear Trouble #143  
And that is reason for pump or semi shotguns with extended tubes loaded with slugs or at least buck shot after the 2 "warning" loads. Hope I'm never in that position and my dogs will do their job. No desire to kill a bear unless necessary but a normal door is nothing to a bear if they want in.
Around here it's just black bear and they will normally run if challenged and not cornered.
 
   / Bear Trouble #144  
My wife was a taxidermist for about 14 years in AK. She specialized in bears. She had quite a few empty coffee containers where she would put slugs, buck shot and bullets that were lodged in the hide and fat (hunters, for the most part do not know how to properly skin and flesh a bear)

Shot a small blackies outside of Valdez one time. Didn't want to but he kept coming in camp. Our friends had kids and can't have a troublesome bear with kids around. They like to run when scared.

Seen him on a hill above camp. Punched him with a 338. Bullet went in low on left shoulder and blew a hole big enough to just about fit my fist in through his spine.

That made him mad. He actually dragged himself down the hill on his one good front right paw. My buddy and I were amazed. One more shot took care of him.

I never understood the tenacity of bears until that day.
 
   / Bear Trouble #145  
but but a 9 mm will blow the lungs clean out of the body.

Animals (and humans) can at time takes an incredible amount of damage and keep going. Had buck I hit with a 50 cal smokepole while he was standing and not aware of me. He went almost 200 yards with a 1/2 hole in both lungs and square in the heart blowing out all 4 chambers. Exit wound was about 3". Still trying to get up by the time I got there.

Never ever expect a sudden drop and death from anything some do some don't.
 
   / Bear Trouble #146  
but but a 9 mm will blow the lungs clean out of the body.

Animals (and humans) can at time takes an incredible amount of damage and keep going. Had buck I hit with a 50 cal smokepole while he was standing and not aware of me. He went almost 200 yards with a 1/2 hole in both lungs and square in the heart blowing out all 4 chambers. Exit wound was about 3". Still trying to get up by the time I got there.

Never ever expect a sudden drop and death from anything some do some don't.
This was before I knew the power of the 9mm and I guess the ar-15 ( no caliber given, just ar-15) speed. I thought the 338 was a respectable wrong.

(Sarcasm)
 
   / Bear Trouble #149  
Maybe to protect pets or livestock? I would, as would my dogs.

BTW 338 should be plenty and sounds like good shot placement.
 
   / Bear Trouble #150  
Folks have different ideas on shot placement of bears. Some say vitals, some say to disable the bear then the kill shot. I'm in the disable group.

Obviously a good CNS shot to drop it is optimal but doesn't usually go that way.

Now if it's quartering towards or away where I can get a shoulder and vitals, I love it.

Coming straight on, aiming for the upper nose area.

I don't use shotguns. Not my thing
 
 
Top