Bear Killed with .22LR

[Creeping Incrementalism]

Fackler is full of it if he fails to take into account shot placement.

Fackler is saying how far through muscle bullets will travel, how deep in muscle the organs that carry lots of blood are, and how much penetration on average you will need (considering a typical shot at the chest, with an assailant's arm in front holding a weapon). Since hits to and aiming at the chest is the norm, that is what he based his science on. He doesn't say you can't kill someone with a headshot.

If you don't hit a bear skull head on, I could easily see a 22LR deflecting off, especially considering all the accounts I've read of centerfire rounds glancing of someone's skull and the guy living.

 

[bclark1]

I'd be wary of a headshot with a rimfire, lest you feel you can ping an eyeball or an ear on a moving target. There's always the possibility, but particularly if you're shooting LRN bullets I'd be concerned about annoying the thing. Bears do have thick skulls. Much better chance of slipping a .22 between some ribs and into heart or lungs. I'm not a bear hunter (will hopefully change that at some point) but that's just how it strikes me.

 

[springmom]

I know someone who saw a state park ranger in California brag about busting senior citizens for picking mushrooms.

Ah, but there are mushrooms and then there are MUSHROOMS

Seriously, here in Texas, black bears are protected. Theoretically, as I read the TPWD regs,there are NO exceptions. I don't *think* we have any down where we hunt, but if the worst were to happen, I don't give a rip about the bear, I'm going to protect myself and TPWD can build a bridge and get over it.

And yes, they need an open season on black bear down there.

Springmom

 

[quatin]

If you don't hit a bear skull head on, I could easily see a 22LR deflecting off, especially considering all the accounts I've read of centerfire rounds glancing of someone's skull and the guy living.

I see this alot too, but it's always in forums or one of those "my uncle's neighbor's daughter's cousin once heard of..." stories at the shooting range. Does anyone know of a case where this actually happened?

 

[shooting time]

I was bear hunting with some friends and one guy shot a large bear about 400lbs with a 30-30 in the head he left the bear to get us when we went back the bear was gone we looked and looked but never found him the shot must have graized his head and knocked him out.They have a real thick skull at one point .Also while deer hunting a friend shot a deer and when we walked over to it it was still alive so I shot it at point blank with a .38 snubby in the head and walked away because there were 2 more that ran away and we were going to shoot them .I was about 100 ft away and looked back to see the deer walking away like nothing had happened.I know it sounds far fetched but I have 3 witnesses .I think the deer was a shape shifter.

 

[swampdog]

A bear's brain is lower in the skull than you would think.

Bullets have also been known to "glance off" human skulls.

A .22 would not be my first choice, regardless. You make do with what you have, though.

 

[Mantis]

Quote:
If you don't hit a bear skull head on, I could easily see a 22LR deflecting off, especially considering all the accounts I've read of centerfire rounds glancing of someone's skull and the guy living.

I see this alot too, but it's always in forums or one of those "my uncle's neighbor's daughter's cousin once heard of..." stories at the shooting range. Does anyone know of a case where this actually happened?]

I saw it first hand in Maine this August. One of the guys in camp hit a bear in the head with a 180g bullet out of a 30/06. It was an angled shot and the bullet didn't penetrate. It just knocked the bear out. It took a follow up shot to finish him off.

 

[Creeping Incrementalism]

I see this alot too, but it's always in forums or one of those "my uncle's neighbor's daughter's cousin once heard of..." stories at the shooting range. Does anyone know of a case where this actually happened?

I read a story by someone who witnessed in WWII or Korea a shot going through a helmet, glancing off a skull, then exiting through the helmet. Not really any better than what you have heard, I guess, from your perspective.

Clink the link below for a first-hand account of a man whose skull was actually penetrated by a bullet from a sheriff's deputy's service handgun, but the ricocheting basically sent the bullet right out again without any serious damage. It is under the "luckiest man alive" heading.

http://www.crpa.org/showpages.asp?pid=1243

 

[ChiefThunderstick]

Tough Old Lady

That is one tough old lady, to stay cool enough, and do as she did, with what little she had, borders the miraculous. I sure would hate to be the bad guy in a face off with Mrs. Brown. She would say "if a bear doesn't scare me, who the h do you think you are" Yikes.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

The article is basically saying that people should just put up with bears roaming around their yard.

If i ever, EVER, saw a bear close to my house it would have a couple of ounces of lead in it.

 

[mete]

Springmom, want to find bears ? Lots of them here .A 686 Lb and a 600 lb bear were take here during bow season !!

 

[gezzer]

The 3 S rule still rules!!!!!!!!!!