I guess the best thing to do is hide under my bed and never go outside again.
Best Gun for Tent Camping in Bear Country
- Thread starter Alaska444
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lobo9er
Member
sounding pretty close to the liberals saying theres no need to carry in the city, "just going to start OK corral shoot out". The point as is with carrying any tool camping is being prepared. If you feel your paranoia is all you need then thats good for you. I hike around a few times a year at least and for me I like a 180 gr corbon hunters, never needed them probably never will but as long as its legal for me to do so thats my choice.
remove all the ignorance and theres still dumb luck. To each his own.
Robert, not sure why you or anyone would hide from them under your bed. 
Just go prepared. That's what me and my friends do on a regular basis up here in Griz country. Just the same way I go prepared with my concealed carry as well.
Far too many don't and end up bear food.
Just go prepared.
That's what me and my friends do on a regular basis up here in Griz country. Just the same way I go prepared with my concealed carry as well.Far too many don't and end up bear food.
+1, that's my take on the issue. i don't believe I will ever need to use my concealed carry weapon, but I am prepared and glad it is still legal. For that matter, I don't believe I will ever have to use my .44 magnum for griz here in ID, but I am ready nevertheless.
22-rimfire
Member
I agree. You do need to respect a black bear and give them space. All you need to do is have one do one of their false charges and you realize just how stupid you are being so close and not trying to give them some space.
Black bears don't particularly trouble me in the woods. I do respect them. I learned.
I would probably choose one of my S&W M57's (with a solid bullet) if I am in a bear infested woods, otherwise, I'd probably have a 22 with me.
a-sheepdog
Member
I agree with everyone on here that you must respect the bears, try not to sneak up on them or spook them as they will generally react in an aggressive manner as a defense mechanism. Also Keep camp clean and so forth. I do those things and still like to have a little extra "protection" from them in the event that I do end up in that one circumstance in which I come across a cranky bear. I have had them wander into camp and yelling and making noise was enough to get them to retreat and have been lucky that I have always noticed their presence and avoided them while out in the woods. I try to avoid putting myself in a situation that would make me a potential victim. However, I do and will always make an effort any time I am in bear country to at least carry some type of firearm that can serve as a last ditch effort in the event that things go south. My biggest worry is the reaction time that I will have to address the situation. Several seconds does not allow much room for error, especially under stress.
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Pismopal
Member
if I am concerned with bear defense..not hunting, I am going to use a 12 gauge pump with a short barrel and rifle sights...and most important, loaded with Dixie terminator III slugs. At close ranges I can be assured that not much else if anything will put out the energy and knock out power as this combination. I will seek medical help for my shoulder after we dress out the bear..Black ..Brown..or Polar.
RevGeo
Member
I live in the same neck of the woods as Alaska444 and sleep in the woods (usually under a tarp) several times a year and I usually just have my hunting rifle and/or my pistol with me. The pistol is a 6" S&W Mod 19 .357.
However, I have never had problems with bears, nor have any of my hunting and fishing buddies. Yes, there are a few grizzly bears here in N. Idaho and we have had maybe two problems with them in the last several years. One was where a couple of guys shot and wounded a grizzly thinking it was a black bear. They went to follow up the shot and the grizzly jumped one of the guys. His buddy attempted to shoot the bear off the other guy and shot his buddy dead (along with the bear). It's wonderful to sit at our computers and talk about this kind of stuff, but I spend a lot of time in the woods (I live on 5 acres way out in the woods ) hunting, trapping, fishing and just having fun. If I was that afraid of bears I'd stay home. Just use common sense. Besides, you wanna go play in the woods? Well, there are risks - bears being one of them. I'm much more worried about a bad fall than I am about lions and tigers and bears (Oh My!)
You rolls the dice and you takes your chances. Be careful out there.
George
However, I have never had problems with bears, nor have any of my hunting and fishing buddies. Yes, there are a few grizzly bears here in N. Idaho and we have had maybe two problems with them in the last several years. One was where a couple of guys shot and wounded a grizzly thinking it was a black bear. They went to follow up the shot and the grizzly jumped one of the guys. His buddy attempted to shoot the bear off the other guy and shot his buddy dead (along with the bear). It's wonderful to sit at our computers and talk about this kind of stuff, but I spend a lot of time in the woods (I live on 5 acres way out in the woods ) hunting, trapping, fishing and just having fun. If I was that afraid of bears I'd stay home. Just use common sense. Besides, you wanna go play in the woods? Well, there are risks - bears being one of them. I'm much more worried about a bad fall than I am about lions and tigers and bears (Oh My!)
You rolls the dice and you takes your chances. Be careful out there.
George
Fortunately there are not that many habituated bears in our area from all of the folks that hunt them. Sadly, they just had a case across the ID/MT border where a lady had fed black bears for years. The F&G destroyed the animals to prevent an incident.
One of my friends spent his whole life out in these same woods but he is one of the folks that will no longer sleep in the boonies with a tent. Just his preference. You are correct, a fall out in the middle of these woods and hills/mountains is probably a bigger danger.
Stay safe and enjoy.
Texan Scott
Member
LOL @ WEG. I have to ask, though... why is nobody unreasonably, pathologically terrified of mountain lions, instead of bears and hogs? They're smart, powerful, stealthy and fast. If bears and hogs are the "robot" and "zombie" threats of the national parks, lions are clearly the ninjas!
*gets popcorn*
*gets popcorn*
351 WINCHESTER
Member
Quick and powerful are two words that come to mind.
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