[41magsnub]

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff299/trebligb/Iseeyou.jpg

[K3]

it's the only way to be sure

[oneounceload]

bigger than what you seem to be holding in the picture......YIKES!

[blkbrd666]

41Mag6"

[K3]

Shot placement is everything, so a .22lr behind the ear will kill it, but.... :D

[bowl443]

F-350

[41magsnub]

Not me.. this was e-mailed to me. I actually don't know if it worked out for the guy in the end. The other question is why is the photographer taking pictures instead of trying to help or shooting the bear?

[K3]

It looks like the two of them are playing peek-a-boo or something. I wonder how long I'd be able to circle the vehicle, because running away is certainly not an option. Unless I knew I was faster than the guy with the camera. :)

[barnetmill]

could the photo be a fake?

[Rembrandt]

The bear doesn't look hungry.....he just wants something to drink.

http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/The-Coke-Polar-Bear-coke-57341_500_378.jpg

[TAB]

i'd say bronco... doing atleast 45.

[41magsnub]

could the photo be a fake?

I doubt it, there are actually 4 more pictures showing various stages of the bear chasing that poor guy around the car.

[McCall911]

I honestly have never been around a polar bear, but it seems to me that if that particular bear had really wanted to do harm to that guy, then he would assuredly not been standing there. If I'd been in that guy's shoes/boots, I would have felt that no caliber was big enough!

But my question is: Why the hell were these guys unarmed in
bear country to begin with???? Duh!!!

[frogomatic]

ma deuce

[Sunray]

"...or shooting the bear?...unarmed in bear country..." Depends on where it was. Churchill, Manitoba, for example, has polar bears wandering the streets(along with wolves, moose and caribou) regularly during October and November, but carrying a firearm is illegal.
People have learned to live with Nanuk. If he gets out of hand, there are live traps set up and Nanuk is ridden out of town in a big net. Nanuk mostly poses for pictures and ignores everybody though.
"...the bear chasing that poor guy around the car..." If Nanuk really wanted the guy, he'd have had him.

[MTMilitiaman]

I felt pretty small looking up at a ~500 pound grizzly before, but that thing is just huge. I wouldn't hunt one with anything less than a .375 H&H, and would feel better with a .458 Winchester, or 40mm HEDP.

[Darthbauer]

I think a well placed head shot with about anything might do the job but being chased by a bear might make you a bit shakey so Id say the bigger the better in case you miss the head.

[Thernlund]

That guy is in trouble.

The other pics?


-T.

[sixgunner455]

Man, look at all the snow and ice. And Ice Bears? Wow. Arizona is lookig better and better every year I live down here. Our bears are tiny and timid. So we've got border problems -- at least we can carry a gun!

[41magsnub]

the other Pics:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff299/trebligb/pbear1.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff299/trebligb/pbear2.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff299/trebligb/pbear3.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff299/trebligb/pbear4.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff299/trebligb/pbear5.jpg

[McCall911]

Aha! The bear was just messing with them IMO!

[John4me05]

Id take a Barrett 50 at a distance of 1 mile please Alex

[627PCFan]

Keep sending more pics. It looks like the bear was gaining on the last shot :)

[Darthbauer]

Yeah. After that last shot it looks like it didnt end good for the guy.

[Dksimon]

Hopefully he can outmanuver that thing, I wouldnt want to be caught by it.

Anything that goes bang would be better than nothing but I'd like a rifle and some distance rather than any hand gun.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

If the question is serious, I might go down to a minimum of .35 whelen if hunting griz bear in camo in a tree from a distance, where the bear wouldn't be able to find and eat me after shooting/wounding.

But with polar bears, on the other hand, there's no place to hide on the ice/snow, so I agree with with MT - .375 HH mag *minimum*, but preferably something in .416 or more, in a VERY reliable rifle (double rifle), with a VERY reliable sighting system.

These are not critters to be trifled with.

But the F350 would work ok too, with a rather large steel grille guard.

[dagger dog]

The eastern eskimo,( Inuit), before the whitemans influence and the introduction of the firearm into their culture had a unique way of taking the bear, they would shave down the rib bones of walrus or large seagoing mammals into thin strips able to be bent and rolled into coils , these coils would be fixed from unwinding with animal sinew, then were inserted into large peices of whale or walrus blubber, and left out on the ice for the white bear to ingest.Then the hunters would slowly track the bear just far enough back to keep the bear moving and giving him no rest, all the time the ingested whale bone was unwinding in the bears stomach, doing its damage the bear finally would bleed to death from with in.
I have read accounts of modern Inuit, having the privlege of hunting these animals, using .22 Hornet. I would suspect most would use something just a little larger!

If you are planning a polar bear hunt better do it quick as global warming has these great bears on the brink of extinction, and according to sources will be on the endangered list and will be out of bounds for non-indigenous peoples.
If the sooth sayers predictions come true they could be gone in less than 50 yrs!

[koja48]

1-ton Dodge did the trick on a Griz near Lincoln, MT last year, then hauled it to town. I can just hear the conversation after the
impact . . . "Ed, go see if it's dead." "You hit it , Bob . . . YOU go see if it's dead. Will the truck still go faster'n 45 miles per hour? Good; then let's get goin'!"

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w305/koja48/Bear001ready.jpg

[41magsnub]

Koja, I got to see that bear in person. It was very impressive.

[koja48]

Reckon it was, 41 . . . when I recall all the time I spent in that country as a kid chasing whitetails with nothing more than a recurve, had I encountered that bear or one like it up-close & personal, it likely would have impressed my pants plumb full! It definitely has an impressive set of diggers on it . . . would make Freddy Kruger jealous . . .

[1/4MOA]

from what i keep hearing and reading about road side bombs and RPG's they seem like the #1 choice to me.....

[svtruth]

to shoot the photographer in the leg.

[H&Hhunter]

Just sing to the bear in a soothing voice. Name it "Crystal Fairy Soft Bottom" and in a soft effeminate voice say "ohhh you're a big bear, such a nice big bear, i love you biiig baby snuggle boy bear".

It worked for Timothy Fedwell...Or did it?;)

[koja48]

It was something fed well . . .

[redneck2]

I just hear the other day on the radio (must be true, it was Rush's show) that polar bear populations are at an all time high. Species that are "going extinct" typically seen to have little or nothing to do with fact.

[qajaq59]

They didn't have a gun because the guys that say the bears are going extinct are the same ones that make cartoons showing Polar Bears as cuddly critters.

[xring44]

QuoteYeah. After that last shot it looks like it didnt end good for the guy.Quote

I don't know, it looks like he's doing a pretty good job of staying ahead, what with the extra weight he has to have in his britches!!!:D

[Caliber0]

Max Speed 25mph in bursts... (http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/polar-bear/behavior.htm)

:uhoh:

[jaholder1971]

Looks like a juvenile bear, probably more into playing with the guy than anything.

But then again, playtime for bears involves tearing things apart...

[koja48]

. . . And eating . . . lack of tools in the boonies is a lousy excuse for not being able to effect repairs . . . but, I don't hug trees, either (relish their beauty & purpose, but DO own a couple chain saws). Beliefs, ethics, rules, and reality can be vastly contradictory . . . I sincerely hope the gentleman made good his escape.

[Jeff F]

That dude is so screwed.

[kentucky bucky]

Get a BFG for sure.

PS...that would make you fumble for your keys, wouldn't it?

[mgregg85]

What caliber for polar bear?

Something big and reliable with a lot of ammo.

A pump 12 gauge w/extended mag tube, 3 1/2" magnum slugs, preferably hard cast and heavy. That would be my choice.

A CZ-52 on my side would be nice, might just blow through a bear skull, could be used as a last resort.

[T.R.]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/rushmoreman/BrowningAutomaticRifle.jpg

Full auto 30-06 and lots of ammo will solve many problems.
TR

[jmorris]

It hasn’t made it here in 44 replies so here it goes…

Cut a decent size hole in the ice. Once finished place peas around the circumference. When the polar bear goes to take a pea you kick him in the ice hole.

[XDKingslayer]

I doubt it, there are actually 4 more pictures showing various stages of the bear chasing that poor guy around the car.

I was just wondering how many laps they made around that Bronco.

By the way, there is A LOT to be said about keyless entry...

[Harley Quinn]

Serious answer, I have numerous to chose from, but the largest I have is one that I would use. Not the best for long range but up fairly close 200yds it is good.

.458 win mag:what: It would be my choice.

Regards
;)

[IllHunter]

If that's an "immature" bear, I don't want to see a mature boar!

[IllHunter]

Koja, lucky they had crane on that truck cause getting it up on the bed would've been a different kinda bear!

[hirundo82]

"...or shooting the bear?...unarmed in bear country..." Depends on where it was. Churchill, Manitoba, for example, has polar bears wandering the streets(along with wolves, moose and caribou) regularly during October and November, but carrying a firearm is illegal. Judging by the license plates in post 20, the pictures were taken in Alaska. You can see the Alaska plate designs here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_vehicle_registration_plates_of_Alaska); the plate on the Bronco looks like this one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:AK_1981_SAMPLE.jpg), and the one on the pickup looks like this one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:AK_1997_SAMPLE.jpg).

In contrast, the only Canadian plate that I can find that resembles either of the plates is an old Alberta design (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:AB_1976_SAMPLE.jpg), and I can't find any with a mountain design resembling that on the pickup.

[Harley Quinn]

Picture #20 interesting. The guy is taking pictures and the other one is running around:what: No way Jose...

Some one is not your friend, maybe they did not have a firearm or a lic. to kill the little guy.:confused: They must have survived;)

Regards

[1911 guy]

Top three choices.

I'd take either a .405 Winchester, .416 Rigby or .375 H&H. I'll also take a .357 with one bullet if the rifles don't stop him. I can't imagine being eaten by a bear goes very quickly.

[Matt304]

When it is large, dangerous but thin-skinned game like Polar bear, use something with the highest Taylor Knock Out value you can get your hands on that also has a solidly constructed bullet. On such a soft, flubby animal, you just want to displace as much meat as possible when the bullet hits. African game cartridges are usually better suited to animals with tough hides and thick bones.

Here is what helps me decide:

.375H&H firing a 270gr has a TKO of 40.

.458 Win Mag firing a 500gr has a TKO of 70.

12ga firing Dixie Exterminator 730gr hard-cast slugs has a TKO of 106

I'll be taking the 12 gauge with hard-cast slugs.

[Matt304]

1911 guy:

Top three choices.

I'd take either a .405 Winchester, .416 Rigby or .375 H&H. I'll also take a .357 with one bullet if the rifles don't stop him.

If the rifles don't stop him, I think you will find that a .357 with only one bullet will have you in an equally awkward situation. ;)

[XDKingslayer]

Picture #20 interesting. The guy is taking pictures and the other one is running around No way Jose...

Some one is not your friend

It's common knowledge that you always go out in bear country with someone slower than yourself. You don't have to outrun the bear, just your buddy.

This photo is simply proof that it works. The guy taking the pictures was faster than his buddy...

If the rifles don't stop him, I think you will find that a .357 with only one bullet will have you in an equally awkward situation.

What makes you think the one bullet is for the bear?

[jmorris]

If the rifles don't stop him, I think you will find that a .357 with only one bullet will have you in an equally awkward situation.

I think he was inferring the single 357 was for him not the bear.

I’ve seen a lot of good suggestions but none that are as easily carried as a camera (an item that we know was there). I’m sure the guy running would have loved to have had a 50 bmg in his back pocket or for that matter a pair wings.

[Harley Quinn]

I agree on paper that slug looks pretty impressive.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/shotgun_slugs.htm

:uhoh:

[41magsnub]

Yep, I always say with my bear pistol out backpacking it's 5 for the bear and 1 for me.

[Matt304]

If the rifles don't stop him, I think you will find that a .357 with only one bullet will have you in an equally awkward situation.

XDKingslayer:

What makes you think the one bullet is for the bear?

What makes you think needing to commit suicide isn't an awkward situation? :D

[Cosmoline]

It's that fellow up in Kaktovik. He did get away, but the bear weren't after a hug!

They know how to deal with problem bears up there.

[TexasRifleman]

What makes you think needing to commit suicide isn't an awkward situation?

In this case I think I'd have shot the photographer instead....... :)

[1911 guy]

Taylors' Knock-out values. They were great when they were conceived and the average hunter had no clue about balistics and even if he did, had no acess to data. Today, they are of minimal, some would go so far as to say zero, practical value. Couple this with the explosion of handloading, where one can choose bullet contruction, bullet weight and velocity within the working parameters of the carrtridge to suit one's uses. Push a lightly jacketed solid along at average velocity for each caliber, and I imagine it would do just fine. Particularly since the three calibers I mention have been used on bears with success for some time now. A few well respected Alaskan guides reccommend a .416 when hunting big brown bears, if the owner can shoot it well.

Having said all that, the 12ga is nothing to sneeze at. Many a smart man has carried a pump 12 into bear country. That slug is serious medicine for anything that walks in North America (and a few other continents).

Having given it further consideration, I second the motion to shoot the photographer.

[koja48]

Run?