THAT'S THE BEAR

[3RRL]

Thanks guys, it was exciting no doubt.
I had 7-1/2 bird shot in the shotguns for exactly that reason and then the .357 mag and M1 right next to me. I figured to try to scare him off but not hurt him... until I saw he was treed. That gave us and him the opportunity to go our own way without incident. I purposely did not arm the 30:06.

The shotguns at very close range to the head would also do the trick in case of a charge. I instructed the boy to shoot first and the misses to wait until I fired if that were to happen. They were all ears and their eyes fixed on the bear.

 

[RobertN]

For a shot gun, I would offer the following:
1st round #8 trap load
2nd and 3rd round 00 buckshot
additional rounds either 00 buckshot or slugs

A 30-30 or 30-06 would be hard to sight at night.

Thanks guys, it was exciting no doubt.
I had 7-1/2 bird shot in the shotguns for exactly that reason and then the .357 mag and M1 right next to me. I figured to try to scare him off but not hurt him... until I saw he was treed. That gave us and him the opportunity to go our own way without incident. I purposely did not arm the 30:06.

 

[Ductape]

Great story Rob ! The hair was standing up on the back of my neck just reading it.... i could feel your excitement.

I'll ask out of ignorance.... but you have black bears, or brown bears out your way?

Keep the pics coming. Hard to believe you've been out there 3 years already.

Scott

 

[3RRL]

For a shot gun, I would offer the following:
1st round #8 trap load
2nd and 3rd round 00 buckshot
additional rounds either 00 buckshot or slugs

A 30-30 or 30-06 would be hard to sight at night.

Yeah, I agree with you on that. You can bet I'll load the shotguns that way from now on before we turn in. Before I had the long guns up there, I kept and still have this .357 mag on my night stand in the tent for night emergencies.

 

[3RRL]

Great story Rob ! The hair was standing up on the back of my neck just reading it.... i could feel your excitement.

I'll ask out of ignorance.... but you have black bears, or brown bears out your way?

Keep the pics coming. Hard to believe you've been out there 3 years already.

Scott

Yup Scott, been camping up there every other weekend for three and a half years now. Three years this September in South camp and a half year before that at Old camp. It's been a fun ride.

Out here we have Black bears which of course, come in a variety of colors. This one was a cinnamon color ... different than the usual black ones the neighbors have seen a lot.

 

[RonMar]

My "Fishing Gun" while I was on Kodiak was a folding stocked Winchester Defender 12GA. After many discussions with locals and Alaska F&G, my load of choice was a #6 shot followed by federal slugs, all 3" loads. The theory behind that linup is that if the bear is charging, you shoot it in the face with the shot, bloodying it's nose and blinding it, hopefully allowing you to get out of it's path and finish the job with slugs.

You were amazed by the force that bear applied to the tree to climb it... You would be equally impressed by the ammount of ground that 400# bear can cover in a charge. If it is moving, you won't get a chance for a warning shot. You won't get a chance for any shot unless the round is in the chamber, cocked and your finger is near the trigger. Buckshot won't put it down, A hastilly aimed slug won't either, but because of the penetration it affords, I think the odds are better. Your best chance is to disable a few of it's senses. That is why pepper spray has been shown to have some effect. If you wait too long, even the #6 won't do this as the shot won't spread far enough to cover those areas.

Fortunatly these things are rare, but finding food there, he may be getting the idea that that is HIS camp

 

[RobertN]

We were at Pack Creek Preserve, on a photography trip going from Juneau to
Petersburg in '01. It is a Grizzly preserve. Alaska F&G had a ranger there; they carried a stainless bolt action rifle in 375H&H

My Mossberg 835 12 gauge is 3-1/2" mag. For ducks, I shoot 3" shells for afforability. For turkey, I shoot a 3-1/2" shell; it packs a punch... I wonder how brutal a 3-1/2" slug or 00 shot would be(I don't think they make those shells, but I wonder...).

My "Fishing Gun" while I was on Kodiak was a folding stocked Winchester Defender 12GA. After many discussions with locals and Alaska F&G, my load of choice was a #6 shot followed by federal slugs, all 3" loads. The theory behind that linup is that if the bear is charging, you shoot it in the face with the shot, bloodying it's nose and blinding it, hopefully allowing you to get out of it's path and finish the job with slugs.

 

[Toiyabe]

It's the stupid season for coyotes around here. Lots of young and dumb pups are getting kicked out by their parents and are wandering around making a nuisance of themselves. The vast majority will be dead by spring, either killed by other coyotes, shot by humans, run over by cars or starved to death.

Wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens with bears.

 

[Soundguy]

Nice wheelgun.

I tote a .44mag as a 'close encounters' type of gun when i go hunting.. especially for hogs.. never know when ones gonna run up on ya nd the rifle may be to hard to maneuver.

When i go fishin' I usually take a NEF 12ga single shot with me in case of snakes or whatnot.. not alotta firepower.. but does provide 'backup' when needed..

Soundguy

Yeah, I agree with you on that. You can bet I'll load the shotguns that way from now on before we turn in. Before I had the long guns up there, I kept and still have this .357 mag on my night stand in the tent for night emergencies.

 

[texasjohn]

3RRL, I just gotta tell you that my opinion is that anything less than slugs or big, big buck shot in a shotgun is ineffective against something like a bear. I had a dog that was shot in the face once, hunting accident (I didn't do it, inexperienced other did) with #6 shot... blinded in one eye, lived another 4 years.

Yes, perhaps small shot in the rear would hurry him on his way... I don't know the mentality of a bear. I have noticed, and wondered, that on TV when they show attempts to run bears off that they don't pepper them, but shoot in the air... the noise being the main deterrant. They don't seem to use bird shot for the purpose.