Bad bear year in Alaska

[Jack Reacheround]

.357 is minimal, people have gotten lucky with 9mm because the bear turned even though it wasn't a fatal hit, but why be on the lower end of the spectrum?
I know a old timer guide that recently went up in caliber because of a crazy charge they almost didn't survive even though he had a slug gun and his assistant guide a 375 while guiding a bow hunter. He sufferd ptsd for awhile. He was man enough to admit it after a lifetime hunting and guiding in alaska.
I lost a middle toe two years ago when charged by a sow with cubs, last shot I was on my back with my foot between me and her. Fortunately one brained her or she would have ripped my face off before dying from the first shot to the chest. Was a 10mm but a 454 may have stopped her the first shot. That's what I pack now, it's the same weight with more than twice the punch.

Jesus Christ. Why would you live there?

 

[Merlotte's]

Looking out the wheel house window.

Glock 20, 454 Alaskan, pump shotgun 6 shot tube.
12x50 Swarovski sworovision.

Also the missing middle toe.

How do you like your Spyderco salt knife?

 

[Omegaboy13]

Guiding is part of my job in Montana. I don't carry a firearm and I won't hike with most people who do. You're statistically more likely to be injured in a bear encounter with a gun. I used that same logic in Alaska as well. Folks are rarely good enough with a fire arm to do what they intend, and the intensity of the situation throws people off.

Where you living? PM me if you don’t want others to know.

 

[fdswer]

I do think a shotgun with birdshot and slugs is the best bear gun. But I'm not buying $1400 in gear to bring a heavy fucking gun with me. Bear spray is easy as pie (no idea why pie is easy).

Only use slug bird shot wont do shit. When i'm working with grizzly's we always have a 12g loaded with slugs and a 44 magnum for backup but everyone is trained and I have been around guns my hole life.

 

[unimackpass]

No doubt there are variables. Group of dudes carrying fire arms with solid training, lots of experience, and even more practice are the kinds of folks I'd trust. They're a small minority.

I've had 5 bear encounters that required a deterrent. A gun could have been effective in 3 of those situations, but a small percentage of people could have hit the bear well enough to stop it's charge.
So while there are people who keep practice enough to be a steady enough shot, a vast majority of people aren't.

The data I'm referencing is from an actual peer reviewed journal; it's the most comprehensive study we have on bear attacks and deterrents. Not sure if it's open source and I don't have it in my phone, but references are easy to find.

Be carful, those peer reviews can get someone killed. They start with a premise and desired outcome so no matter how sophisticated someone feels because they bothered to read it it’s only part of the story.
My dad homesteaded in Alaska and was as hunting guide, he took me along starting at 9, it became my passion and I’ve been involved with this stuff my whole life.
The spray doesn’t work so hot in breezy weather, comes straight back in your face. Kodiak this year was wild.

 

[unimackpass]

How do you like your Spyderco salt knife?

There great for cutting line fast, can save your ass.
We leased out to a oil company this year as a dive vessel and it was their favorite knife, that says something.

 

[unimackpass]

Double post

 

[unimackpass]

No S&W 500?

S&W 500 is a darn good option. I'm keeping my eye out for a used one in good shape. It's one thing to stop a 400lb animal with a just enough gun (and that's a dam big bear) but when you get in the 1,200lb rang it's in a whole different class.
Something in the 1,000 +lb rang can absorb a whole lot of damage and not even realize it's taken a hit. There's well documented cases of people being shot 10 plus times during a shootout and not even knowing it because of the adrenals kicking in.
If a 150lb dude on drugs can take 10plus from a 45 what can a adrenalined up 1,200 pound animal take? Not only that you got a bunch of dill whips running around in the woods imagining their going to make the perfect shot with their little pistol because uncle BillyBob shot a little brown bear with a 9mm that wasn't even determined enough to keep charging even though not fatally hit on the first shot.
You have a far better chance of stopping something with the 500 even without the perfect shot. A guy might have just enough time to get one quick shot off and brake something, even though the placement wasn't ideal, that a smaller and slower chunk of lead wouldn't have.
There's a saying, "it can kill it but can it hurt it?" Many bears have been killed by a bow and arrow but obviously it's not happening fast enough if your getting mauled. A .500 has enough ponies to hurt it and kill it.
People have no idea what full blown adrenaline charge of a 1000+lb animal looks like. They think they do and imagine their going to pull off some cute little double tap they've been practicing but when that animal doesn't even blink when hit square in the chest it's a bit of a paradigm shift.
Hopefully they have time to think about it while still being in one piece.

 

[Super Shotgun]

I do think a shotgun with birdshot and slugs is the best bear gun. But I'm not buying $1400 in gear to bring a heavy fucking gun with me. Bear spray is easy as pie (no idea why pie is easy).

RIP in pieces.

 

[unimackpass]

This is a crazy video of bears literally ripping a wolf to shreds. I think this is a appropriate use of "literally".

 

[HunterSdVa29]

i've read 10MM or 454 is the go to nowadays, as the one guy with a really badass story alluded to

 

[djacobox372]

How ridiculously inept humans are at defending themselves even against animals half their size always makes me think that watching MMA is sort of like like watching a turtle race. It's only interesting because they're both turtles.

 

[Omegaboy13]

RIP in pieces.

Still got up and went after him. Crazy.

I spent my life in the woods in various locations. I tend to zone most people out when they talk about bears, sharks, mountain lions, etc unless I know whether they have some clout in the field. Most people think they’re some sort of professional biologist because they watched Planet Earth. I always like animal threads on Sherdog, usually get a good mix of armchair professionals and real woodsmen/women. Funny to see the stark contrast between the two.

 

[fdswer]

This is a crazy video of bears literally ripping a wolf to shreds. I think this is a appropriate use of "literally".

Hey lets Put wolves and bears in the same enclosure and have people throw food at them what could go wrong. Stupid ass Dutch.

 

[Omegaboy13]

i've read 10MM or 454 is the go to nowadays, as the one guy with a really badass story alluded to

The 454 just isnt manageable. I’ve had one briefly, it fucking hurt to shoot with hefty loads. If you bump it down to more manageable loads, it nullifies the reason for such a large framed and calibered firearm.

I was utilizing a 9mm with Lehigh extreme penetrators (They’re awesome, punch through almost anything). Coming from the ultralight backpacking world to the hunting world, I wanted lightweight and penetration. After some close calls out here in Montana, I decided to bump up to a Glock 29 10mm. I load with 3 Lehigh’s then another load for the remainder of the mag. I didn’t sacrifice too much weight, got a lot more peice of mind. The beauty of the 10mm over the 454 wpuld be follow up shots for me, you shoot that 454 once and good luck getting another one on target.

I do carry bear spray, but like I said earlier, I’m hesitant to use it due to multiple cases of it having no effect very recently.

 

[Graves The Elder]

oh good lord. I misread the thread title and thought it said "Bad BEER Year" in Alaska.
bad beer would have made any situation up there even worse IMO.
just sayin

 

[unimackpass]

Theres alot a guy can learn from that video.
For one thing he rushes up there not expecting it to charge and then starts by back peddling down hill never regaininag good footing, which is critical for a decent shot, the rest of the encounter. It appears he has to use his arms as a counter balance to keep from falling backwards rather than operating the shotgun and looses a shoe in the process. Not sure if he is trying to make a kill shot or purposely shooting low to scare it but the video is at 13 seconds when the charge starts and 16 when he fires. Alot can happen in three seconds. At 19 seconds his back is to the bear as he is disappearing from the camera. It all happened in six seconds and he was already focused on the bear with the weapon in hand as she charged.

This video shows a trained professional falling backwards in a mall with no obstructions to trip on while being attacked with a knife. (He shot the guy six times before he finally bled out.)



This dude specifically trains people to always step forward if you have to move while firing to keep from tripping backwards.
I started paying close attention to this after what happened because i had no idea i was backing up but only focusing on the sights.

 

[unimackpass]

RIP in pieces.

Meant to answer this post with above info.

 

[fdswer]

Meant to answer this post with above info.

The guy in that video had no idea what he was doing and almost got himself killed.

 

[is normal]

Bears are pretty awesome but also total fucktards. Hunt them into Bolivian.. All monkeys too.