New bear deterrent

[sean]

Wow, where to begin with you...

ben, just make sure he's the hillbilly you shoot first, at least give the bear something to chew on while you get a better shot.

 

[benlittle]

ben, just make sure he's the hillbilly you shoot first, at least give the bear something to chew on while you get a better shot.

:rofl:

Newbs, gotta love em:bigok:

 

[HunterAK]

Here's a link to the S&W 500 (50cal) long barrel :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxLmiYiwvus

And here's one to the one I want... the 500S snub nose :ack: :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_xFW220zbE

 

[sean]

the short barrel looks controllable enough for defense, i would probally have a different opinion if i had to put 50 rounds through it. in the second video the guy was scared of it before he fired.

 

[Andrew Homan]

I always thought that the only thing a pistol was good for was to help fight your way to a rifle.. Sure the pistol might make some noise and scare the bear off but, unless you are a pro marksman ( even then your still probablly SOL ) that pistol will only piss it off.

Thankyou atriot: WTF is the fasination with handguns. Most people shoot them like shit.

 

[HunterAK]

I always thought that the only thing a pistol was good for was to help fight your way to a rifle.. Sure the pistol might make some noise and scare the bear off but, unless you are a pro marksman ( even then your still probablly SOL ) that pistol will only piss it off.

Thankyou atriot: WTF is the fasination with handguns. Most people shoot them like shit.

No way. That thing would shoot all the way through that bear, even if it hit bone matter. It would drop it like a sack of potatoes. You don't need to be a pro marksman when a 400 lb brown bear is running at you. It's not like you're trying to hit a sprinting rabbit or some shit. It's more like a barn door coming righ at ya. You hit it with that gun and 9 out of 10 times... bye bye.

How are you going to fight your way to a rifle? Rediculous. You got one chance. Most likely, one shot. Have fun trying to whip that rifle around off your shoulder. The fascination with hand guns for this type of defense is that they're light enough to carry easily and they can be accessed easier than a rifle. It's just as powerful too...

 

[Eric N.]

No way. That thing would shoot all the way through that bear, even if it hit bone matter. It would drop it like a sack of potatoes. You don't need to be a pro marksman when a 400 lb brown bear is running at you. It's not like you're trying to hit a sprinting rabbit or some shit. It's more like a barn door coming righ at ya. You hit it with that gun and 9 out of 10 times... bye bye.

How are you going to fight your way to a rifle? Rediculous. You got one chance. Most likely, one shot. Have fun trying to whip that rifle around off your shoulder. The fascination with hand guns for this type of defense is that they're light enough to carry easily and they can be accessed easier than a rifle. It's just as powerful too...

Depends on how you carry the rifle and how you carry the pistol. Either way you have to have the balls/witts to actually stand your ground, aim, and fire while you're shitting your pants. I've seen plenty of people at the gun range that can't hit a barn door and they aren't even under any type of stress... I actually have had some jackasses hit my targets from two lanes over cause they think shooting their chrome plated "nine" one handed sideways makes them look cool.. Personally, I'd take the rifle over a pistol any day of the week.. It's just has many more uses in the woods then a pistol.

Just wondering but, have you shot that 50 pistol? I was shooting a 44mag revolver with a 6 inch barrel and that thing kicked like a freaking mule.. Trying to actually get a couple of shots off with any type of even remotely close grouping in short burst was almost impossible and that was with time to actually think..

Better make that first shot count cause you may not get a chance at a second one.

Either way I won't argue that having some thing is better then having nothing unless of course you have it stuffed all the way at the bottom of your backpack when you need it....

 

[benlittle]

having some thing is better then having nothing unless of course you have it stuffed all the way at the bottom of your backpack when you need it....

That's why you sleep with it under your pillow

 

[Andrew Homan]

No way. That thing would shoot all the way through that bear, even if it hit bone matter. It would drop it like a sack of potatoes. You don't need to be a pro marksman when a 400 lb brown bear is running at you. It's not like you're trying to hit a sprinting rabbit or some shit. It's more like a barn door coming righ at ya. You hit it with that gun and 9 out of 10 times... bye bye.

How are you going to fight your way to a rifle? Rediculous. You got one chance. Most likely, one shot. Have fun trying to whip that rifle around off your shoulder. The fascination with hand guns for this type of defense is that they're light enough to carry easily and they can be accessed easier than a rifle. It's just as powerful too...

You keep thinking that handgun will kill the bear I'll stick with the rifle. I carry one for a living. I wouldn't need to fight my way to it cause I'll carry it. Don't hear much about guides in Africa carrying handguns for back-up. Maybe I'm wrong perhaps Tarek can fill us in since he hunts there a lot. My wife wife grew up in the Britol Bay her dad was a bush pilot for 20 plus years. They alway took rifles or shotguns.

Do a gellitan shoot see how well the hand cannon works against a 338 or such. If you don't think you can miss a bear charging you that shows how little you shoot under stress.

 

[sean]

the pistols a last ditch effort but a better choice than my knife, or if your a hippy your bells.

 

[LilRascle]

...you know, every time I read the title of the thread, I see it as "New Beer Deterrent." and I have to ask myself.....Did my wife write this? I guess I need new glasses...or to put down the beer!:ack:

 

[HunterAK]

You keep thinking that handgun will kill the bear I'll stick with the rifle. I carry one for a living. I wouldn't need to fight my way to it cause I'll carry it. Don't hear much about guides in Africa carrying handguns for back-up. Maybe I'm wrong perhaps Tarek can fill us in since he hunts there a lot. My wife wife grew up in the Britol Bay her dad was a bush pilot for 20 plus years. They alway took rifles or shotguns.

Do a gellitan shoot see how well the hand cannon works against a 338 or such. If you don't think you can miss a bear charging you that shows how little you shoot under stress.

It will kill a bear. People have killed them with much less. There skin isn't steel and this isn't a normal handgun... that's what you keep underscoring. You make it sound like it's impossible to shoot accurately with it too. What gives you that impression? By the time you get a shot off, whether it be with a handgun or a rifle, the bear's almost on top of you so it would be VERY difficult to miss.

We're also not talking about hunting or bush piloting where you can fly in somewhere. This is backpacking with a 30-40 lb pack for 10+ mile days. Every ounce of weight translates into an energy draw. Have fun carrying that big ass rifle on top of all that weight. You can't just comfortably carry it through some of this terrain either. You need your arms for balance, scrambling, climbing, etc. It's exhausting enough without carrying something in front of you, especially an awkward rifle. I'm confident enough in my ability to know when they're around, to avoid them, and to make myself known in the area to not feel like I have to carry a rifle.

And I never shoot under stress. I hope I never have to and I have no idea how I would react or how well I'd do with a rifle vs. a handgun. It's so situational that no one could really prepare for it... no matter what, I hope neither of us find ourselves in that position. If so, good luck to you.

Cheers....

 

[ID_Disco_II]

I'll pass on the electric bear can, thanks. A current large enough to deter but not enough to kill? Sounds like a great way to piss off a bear so he goes after something else nearby... Although, it would be a bit funny just to watch the damn racoons and squirrels shocked clear across the damn campsite... Besides, I doubt most parks (read: tree-huggers) would look to highly upon something like that. Stick with a bear keg. (No lil'rascle, that's a beer keg)

Man, we're back to the old "which is the best caliber for bear protection" discussion... Keep it real simple: the largest caliber you can reliably unload under extreme duress into an area about two feet in diameter and manageable enough that you won't mind carrying it with you whenever and wherever you go. If that translates to anything less than a .357 Mag...carry a can of bear spray instead.

 

[kennith]

Yeah, I'd only feel truly comfortable with a .50 cal hand gun, but a gun vs. no gun gives you a better chance I guess. I agree that a small gun would only piss a brown bear off. I've actually heard of people shooting a charging bear and the adrenaline the bear had allowed it to maul the person before it died.... on top of him. Scary.

One guy in Eagle River Alaska was mauled by a brown bear pretty bad a few years ago, but survived. He was a Denali guide and taught bear safety training and what to do during an attack to local guides. He was with his wife hiking the Eagle River Nature Center trail when a brown bear came barreling out of the meadow... (my pic of the meadow is also on that exact trail) Even with all his training, he took off running out of instinct. It happened really fast. His wife dropped to the ground in fetal position and covered her neck and the bear chased him, not her. He turned to face it and it hit him so hard, it knocked one of his eyes out of socket. As he was being mauled, his wife stood up and distracted it... she ended up playing cat and mouse with the bear behind a tree.... moving around the tree while the bear was trying to get her for over 10 MINUTES! The bear eventually gave up and went away. She walked her husband out of the area. Apparently, even all bloody and eye out of socket, he was making jokes about it on the way out. She wasn't laughing I don't think.

Yup, instinct is hard to fight sometimes. I ran into a bear back in a swamp. Probably not the calibre of bear you are refering to, but angry, nonetheless. I was standing in it's bed when I realized I was nearly screwed.

I had been pressured to move very quickly on the job, and had sort of neglected some of my situational awareness. That will never happen again. It was a very foolish mistake.

When it began to come my way, I realized that I was cornered between a thicket of blackberries and a swamp, and needed a lot of time to get out without getting bogged down. So I did something relatively stupid that worked like a charm.

I pulled out my measly knife, threw my jacket in the air and roared and growled and spat stomped my feet as nastily as I could manage. To my suprise, the bear turned away and dashed off a bit, and that was when I got my bearings better and sprinted out of there. Now, I certainly wouldn't suggest this to anyone, but then, most people have sense enough to look where they are stepping. The way I figured it, I was dead or mauled anyway, and I should at least try to hold my ground. I knew if I ran straight off, it would catch me.

Told the boss after that that I wasn't going to be jogging through swamps anymore.

What a filthy, dangerous job. I was charged by a buck around that date as well. Attacked by bees, covered in ticks and poisen ivy, the works, all the time. Every day pulling at least 20 ticks off. Now, I love snakes, but at the pace I was having to move, I was worried about suprising one. Never any time to slow down and look where you are going. Screw that.

Actually, I had to drive back clean naked once. I had got into some manner of ticks I had never seen before. Thosuands of the little buggers, the small ones, all over my clothes. Luckily, I had a blanket with me, or I'd have got some funny looks on the roads. I'm just glas I caught it before any of them got into me. That would have been difficult.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[Andrew Homan]

Alaskabound maybe I'm a little bias towards rifles.

Here is a day at the office for me. In fact it was today. We are use to heavy rifles.

 

[kennith]

I suppose if I were to decide on a firearm with which to defend myself from bears, the choice would be simple for me.

The way I see it, quick readiness is paramount. A rifle strapped to a pack, on safe, and no round in the chamber is no way to be protected. Now, if you think you are in the company of bears, you can be at the ready, but at that point, you ought to be alert enough to leave unhindered. Otherwise, unaware, your rifle will not be ready. That is, unless you are walking about in a terribly ready posture with your rifle, and that's no fun in the woods.

Of course, this is all speculation.

Now, if I were to strap my 44-40 revolver on my hip, in my fast draw holster, or even in the same belt slung across my chest, I don't have to worry about being ready. If I am startled, it's cocked on the way out, a short arc and it fires six times. Several less than effective shots may in fact be more effective than one big shot that never happens.

I don't usually bring a firearm into the forest, but if I were to bring one to defend myself against bears, which I have done in the past when I had to return to the same place I mentioned earlier to continue my survey, I would follow this logic.

Quick to draw and fire, round in the chamber, loud as hell, and as powerful as my wallet allows. That pretty much says decent calibre revolver in a gunbelt to me.

Going into a hostile situation is one thing. Going into the woods to enjoy yourself is another. I am all about preparedness, but I don't want to walk around with a 16 low and strong at my side the whole time I am hiking in the woods.

I don't even know how much logic this all holds. Any arguments?

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[dirty]

:rofl:

Newbs, gotta love em:bigok:

you have 2,000 posts AND you hike the tetons. you're obviously the man. Save that bullshit attitude for your wife. Im sorry I dont carry bear spray. I was being a wiseass with the hillbilly comment. Lighten up.

 

[benlittle]

you have 2,000 posts AND you hike the tetons. you're obviously the man. Save that bullshit attitude for your wife. Im sorry I dont carry bear spray. I was being a wiseass with the hillbilly comment. Lighten up.

Are you trying to rattle me newb?:rofl:

I could give two shits what you carry.

I'm not even close to being the man but I appreciate the compliment

 

[Andrew Homan]

I suppose if I were to decide on a firearm with which to defend myself from bears, the choice would be simple for me.

The way I see it, quick readiness is paramount. A rifle strapped to a pack, on safe, and no round in the chamber is no way to be protected. Now, if you think you are in the company of bears, you can be at the ready, but at that point, you ought to be alert enough to leave unhindered. Otherwise, unaware, your rifle will not be ready. That is, unless you are walking about in a terribly ready posture with your rifle, and that's no fun in the woods.

Of course, this is all speculation.

Now, if I were to strap my 44-40 revolver on my hip, in my fast draw holster, or even in the same belt slung across my chest, I don't have to worry about being ready. If I am startled, it's cocked on the way out, a short arc and it fires six times. Several less than effective shots may in fact be more effective than one big shot that never happens.

I don't usually bring a firearm into the forest, but if I were to bring one to defend myself against bears, which I have done in the past when I had to return to the same place I mentioned earlier to continue my survey, I would follow this logic.

Quick to draw and fire, round in the chamber, loud as hell, and as powerful as my wallet allows. That pretty much says decent calibre revolver in a gunbelt to me.

Going into a hostile situation is one thing. Going into the woods to enjoy yourself is another. I am all about preparedness, but I don't want to walk around with a 16 low and strong at my side the whole time I am hiking in the woods.

I don't even know how much logic this all holds. Any arguments?

Cheers,

Kennith

What makes you think anyone should use and M-16 as a bear gun? And what makes you think you can draw a handgun faster that unslinging a rifle. I work with both and I know how fast a rifle can be brought into action when carried properly. Yes a handgun can kill a bear and has many times. But why take the risk? When I go to Alaska I carry a rifle or shotgun. Have at the handguns boys they are still a substandard weapon no matter what cal they come in. The extra weight doesn't bother me.

 

[HunterAK]

That's fine, but I have never, EVER, seen anyone carrying more than a handgun on a trail out here unless they were hunting ptarmagin or something. I guess you just get used to living with the fact that we do not live in a normal city here... we are literally IN the wild. There are moose, brown, and black bear that roam our neighborhoods all the time. There have been multiple incidents just this year of brown bears killing small moose in our neighborhoods. Right beside a Suburban in a paved driveway. Death screams by the moose calf woke the neighborhood up... That is as primal as it gets. Guy's fish side by side with brown bears in some of the highly trafficked streams and deal with false charges all the time.

Carry what you want I guess. I know what I need. I hope you do. But I'll say it again, I pray that NONE of us ever have to be put in a situation where we're face to face with a pissed off browny... and if we do... we'll be lucky to walk away from it.