Bear Stories

jak67429 said:

I must be really lucky then. I was almost killed by bees(yes I do carry a epi pen now). and was attacked by a large black bear.

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Sounds like you better watch your back swing with your golf club when there's lightning.

What's the correct shot size for bees?

Riomouse911 said:

Other than that, the only bears Ive been around play Pac-12 football in Berkeley

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If that's what you wanna call it, I'll go along.

We don't have bears around here with the exception of a reported sighting several years back. Seems one made a long, circular trek nearly all the way across southern Ohio. I've only seen them at the zoo, except trash pandas. Don't need any special caliber for them though.

Here in NW Connecticut we've had a 400-450lb Black bear visit our backyard twice in the last three weeks. I took several great pics last week. For the past ten years we see them a half dozen or so times from mid March 'till late fall. They're after bird seed and suet feeders as well as the garbage cans. They mosey on if you ask them in a noisey way. Black bears are not usually agressive from what I read and have experienced. Brown bears are another story.

Not handgun related, but the time my adrenalin got pumping the most was a bear encounter while archery hunting. It was one of those days when I just needed to get outside and clear my head. I was coaching HS football at the time. It was a Friday night and we'd just lost a game we should have won. I couldn't get it out of my head, couldn't sleep. I got out of bed around 4 AM and drove 2 hours to one of my favorite places to hike. I wasn't seriously hunting, but since archery season was open, I carried a 50 year old recurve with me.

I was hiking on a trail and had gotten about 2 miles from the truck when I spotted a black bear on the same trail, moving in the same direction. He was 250-300 lbs. I had a short, but serious conversation with myself. I was 2 miles from the truck, and the truck was 20 miles from pavement. I was alone with 6 sharp sticks. At that time it was illegal to also carry a handgun while archery hunting. I asked myself, do I try to stalk closer, leave him alone, or go back to the truck?

Ultimately I decided to go for it. He was ahead of me and moving in the same direction. It was a gusty, windy morning and blowing in my favor. I walked at a brisk pace trying to close the distance when the wind blew, and froze when it stopped. After about 10-15 minutes I'd closed to about 35 yards. Still too far for me with a recurve.

I don't think he ever knew I was behind him, but he turned off the trail to the left. It was too thick to continue to stalk. I moved off the trail to the left about 25 yards and sat for a couple of hours hoping for a shot. Never saw him again. But it did clear my head. I forgot all about the game.

Bears are like any other large animal like moose, elk, or even cattle or horses. They can kill you, but if you pay attention they aren't very likely to. I live in an area that has bears and I'm far more likely to go unarmed in the woods than I am in town.

shafter said:

Bears are like any other large animal like moose, elk, or even cattle or horses. They can kill you, but if you pay attention they aren't very likely to. I live in an area that has bears and I'm far more likely to go unarmed in the woods than I am in town.

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There are plenty of those "large animals" (including cougars) that can kill a person around here too. However, I'm not more likely to go unarmed "in the woods" than I am in town because carrying a firearm of some kind when I'm in the woods is something I've done as far back as I can remember - it just seems natural.
On the other hand, going armed when I'm headed to town was learned behavior. To be sure, I learned it a long time ago (better than 20 years), but it wasn't something I picked up from my dad 60 some-odd years ago.
Besides, back when Dad was carrying a gun of some kind whenever we were "in the woods," concealed carry was illegal. It was still illegal here without a permit even when Dad passed. I doubt Dad ever heard the term, "constitutional carry."

Speedo66 said:

What's the correct shot size for bees?

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.22 cci rat shot within 5 to 7 feet... depending on bbl length, lmao!

Bears hang out at the dump. They never bother anyone. Occasionally someone will chase them out of the house with a broom. As long as they are not cornered they are generally fine. Note, that this only applies to the little black bears.

If it's brown, lay down.
If it's black, fight back.
If it's white, good night.

I have another bear story to add.
I was probably 5 years old when my parents and grandparents planned a trip to Yellowstone. Now, you must remember that this was 1969ish. Things weren't as PC then. My grandfather teased me that the bears might get us. I decided to arm myself with a weapon. For some unknown reason, I chose a 2 foot length of red plastic cord as my 'bear tamer'. In the weeks leading up to our trip, I would practice my moves with the makeshift whip.
Of course the day finally came that we were in Yellowstone and there were bears mooching food from passing vehicles. My dad stopped the car. My grandmother produced my faithful 'bear tamer' whip. I was too scared to use it so my grandpa rolled down the window, and a big black bear put his paws on the passenger door and looked in the window long enough for my mom to capture a b&w photo of my white-haired grandpa wracking a bear across the snout with my 'bear tamer!
The photo captured the surprise on that bears face.
Like I said, not too sportsman-like....but it happened!

Now 53 years later, I have a terrible desire for a model 29 s&w with 'bear tamer' engraved on the grip frame!

Hasaf said:

Bears hang out at the dump. They never bother anyone. Occasionally someone will chase them out of the house with a broom. As long as they are not cornered they are generally fine. Note, that this only applies to the little black bears.

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Is this opinion or experience ?

South Prairie Jim said:

Is this opinion or experience ?

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The broom was a friend of my mother's. The dump. . . I saw them there frequently. Most of my non-dump bear encounters were of the "Hey, look at that, it's a bear!" type. Most. . . all. . . of, the bears I have seen in the wild have been in Siskiyou County CA, and Jackson County OR. (if you are willing to call a dump, "in the wild.")

Moved to NC back in 2005 about a hour drive from the coast. First night was outside smoking and heard what I thought was a bear growl. Cut my smoke short. Few months later walking through the woods. And spotted a decent sized bear track on the trail. Started to carry my G27 from that day forward. Never got eyes on one. But a few tracks hear and there. And listened to the “stories” of the old timers. Like the one about a 250-300 lb that was hit infront of my house a few years back. Saw the pictures car tore to hell.

When an outfitter friend of mine decided there were just too many grizzly bears in camp he put put an electric fence around the camp. That will keep them out. Unfortunately the outhouse is outside the fence....

One morning doing a tour in Grand Teton National Park last fall I saw 10 bears. 5 of them were grizzlies. A sow with 4 cubs. (google bear 399) The Park Circus closed that particular road right after I got off of it because there was so much bear activity. When the hawthorn berries are ripe in September there are a lot of bears on them.