Handguns on bears?? PFFFT...!

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The writer seems happy, but I'd call that performance miserable. Not to mention dangerous. If he'd been shooting at a charging bear instead of one running away, he'd be toast.
 
Like shooting BGs , you shoot and continue to shoot until he's no longer a threat. Don't ever assume one shot will do it.
 
Read Larry Kelly & J.D. Jones' "Hunting for Handgunners", P. 225

Kelly & Jones were attacked by a charging bear, less than 10 feet away they began blasting at the bear standing in their cabin's door way while they were INSIDE too.

In total 16 rounds of .375 H&H, .44 Magnum and .375 J.D.J. were pumped into the bear, and the bear still ran off and died down on the beach.

Conversely, on page 224 of the same book, Kelly poses for a picture with an Alaskan brown bear downed at 60 yards, by one shot from a .44 Mag.

Food for thought, lest you become food for bear.

Doc2005
 
Shot placement, as with any game animal, is critical. And with bears, it's even more imperative. I've been on bear trailing missions where large black bears have been *put down* with a single shot from either .357's or .44 mags. The key factor was the ability to hit them precisely behind the ear from very close range. The kills were decisive (and scary). Same deal with bowhunting bears. My 04 bear went only about 50 yards (downhill) with a well placed arrow before it piled up.

"Two bullets found their mark"...I don't think so. More like "a whole bunch of bullets were fired randomly at the target and some of them hit".

Handguns, bows, spears (ask a caveman) will kill bears. Poorly placed shots from ANY arm, will just cause more trouble.
 
birddog said:
Shot placement, as with any game animal, is critical. And with bears, it's even more imperative. I've been on bear trailing missions where large black bears have been *put down* with a single shot from either .357's or .44 mags. The key factor was the ability to hit them precisely behind the ear from very close range. The kills were decisive (and scary). Same deal with bowhunting bears. My 04 bear went only about 50 yards (downhill) with a well placed arrow before it piled up.

"Two bullets found their mark"...I don't think so. More like "a whole bunch of bullets were fired randomly at the target and some of them hit".

Handguns, bows, spears (ask a caveman) will kill bears. Poorly placed shots from ANY arm, will just cause more trouble.
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+1.
The writer from "biggamehunt" would have been better off with a .45 LC or .44 mag that he could shoot accurately than the .500 he tried to use here. The ballistics on the .500 he used surpass many prooven 45-70 loads. If it takes 7 or 8 shots with that kind of power, somebody needs a remedial course and a .22 rifle.
Or a different hobby.
-David
 
Doc2005 said:
Kelly & Jones were attacked by a charging bear, less than 10 feet away they began blasting at the bear standing in their cabin's door way while they were INSIDE too.

In total 16 rounds of .375 H&H, .44 Magnum and .375 J.D.J. were pumped into the bear, and the bear still ran off and died down on the beach.

Conversely, on page 224 of the same book, Kelly poses for a picture with an Alaskan brown bear downed at 60 yards, by one shot from a .44 Mag.

Food for thought, lest you become food for bear.

Doc2005
Click to expand...

The .44 mag loads were hollow points, a no-no with big game. They expanded immediately and didn't penetrate 2 inches (They all pancaked on the bear's sternum). If he had used hard-cast loads, I suspect the story would have been different.
-David
 
I didn't read the link, (so this may be ignorant) but when I was stationed in AK and went salmon fishing, we always went at least in pairs. One guy on the bank with the net and a .300 WM, and one guy fishing with a .44.
Never had to use either, but did see and were 'paralleled' by bears.
 
I watched "American Sportsman" on ABC Sports once, used to come on every Saturday, where William Shatner (Star Trek was big on TV then) was hunting Brownies in Alaska with a bow. He stuck a big one, bear scrambled off in the alders and Shatner knocks another arrow and jumps in after him! IDIOT! I'm glad that bear didn't tear him apart 'cause I really liked Star Trek. :D I suspect the camera never showed the guide with the .375 backin' him up, though. :rolleyes:

Saw a deal on the outdoor channel the other day they were hunting a big brownie with the Smith .50. It was a one shot kill, bear folded up instantly. They saw that the bullet had broken the spine and had good penetration. Still, if I were after one of those things, I think I'd invest in a .375 or maybe a .460 Weatherby before the trip. Maybe I'd buy a Barrett semi=auto. Biggest gun in my cabinet is a 7mm Rem mag.
 
Cosmoline said:
The writer seems happy, but I'd call that performance miserable. Not to mention dangerous. If he'd been shooting at a charging bear instead of one running away, he'd be toast.
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+1 and seconded... anyone that needs to shoot an animal 12 times never should be allowed in the field! Heck, I recall reading that Fred Bear took the same animal with a single arrow shot! Many others have done it with one or two clear kill shots. Indeed... that performance is miserable and inhumane!

Gee thee to the practice range!
 
Wierd things happen when bullet meets bone.. I've seen an antelope take a 7mm mag through the vitals and run all day as if unwounded.

I've seen a sleeping elk GET UP and run 200 yards with it's heart turned to hamburger by a 30-06 at 20 feet.

I'd agree though, there is a reason you have a back-up when hunting dangerous game. Handguns are no match for a heavy rifle. You have to practice more and be precise in your shots... you don't always get that luxury hunting.
 
Bear it

Read a tale once...Field & Stream, I think it was...about a big brown that tried to enter an occupied cabin, and was nearly in when one of the occupants pumped 5 rounds of .44 mag/240-grain soft points into his chest
at 3 feet distance. (One round hit the shoulder) Report was that the big bruin responded with an indignant "whuff' and proceeded to tear the window casing from its moorings.

The defenders exited at the rear entrance and scattered while the now wounded and enraged bear totalled the cabin and its decor...and left the way he entered. They tracked him next day and found him dead...nearly two miles away from ground zero.

Killing a charging bear isn't so much the problem than making him understand that he lost the fight in time to prevent his taking you with him to the Happy Campground in the Sky. Even a shot that destroys the heart often doesn't
drop him for 2-3 minutes. A big bear can do you a world of hurt in the interim.

Best take bears seriously.
 
1911Tuner said:
Read a tale once...Field & Stream, I think it was...about a big brown that tried to enter an occupied cabin, and was nearly in when one of the occupants pumped 5 rounds of .44 mag/240-grain soft points into his chest
at 3 feet distance. (One round hit the shoulder) Report was that the big bruin responded with an indignant "whuff' and proceeded to tear the window casing from its moorings.

The defenders exited at the rear entrance and scattered while the now wounded and enraged bear totalled the cabin and its decor...and left the way he entered. They tracked him next day and found him dead...nearly two miles away from ground zero.

Killing a charging bear isn't so much the problem than making him understand that he lost the fight in time to prevent his taking you with him to the Happy Campground in the Sky. Even a shot that destroys the heart often doesn't
drop him for 2-3 minutes. A big bear can do you a world of hurt in the interim.

Best take bears seriously.
Click to expand...

I say it's like shooting crooks with vests, aim for the head.:D
 
right, all you got to do is get real close to the bear, they'll sense that you mean them no harm and let you get close, then youpush you finger through the eye into the brain. now thats how a real man kills a bear. :neener: :neener: while wearing a suit of meat.
 
12 hits? I'll bet it's possible to shoot a bear MANY more times than that without killing him quickly...

Then again, we all know that one shot can do the trick.

So, who thinks the difference is REALLY the gun being used? ;)
 
When you're being attacked by a large carnivore and the voice of God whispers in your ear, you'd better follow the instructions. :D
 
You carry a large handgun for bears for the same reason people CCW. The gun can do the job, and is more likely to be with you. You don't hunt spruce grouse with a .375, you use a .22 or pellet gun. If you have a .22 in your hands, where is the super duper .375? If you are bear hunting, you probably have a rifle in your hands, unless you don't. When you take a dump, where is it? When you are eating a Mountain House where is it? When you are packing a load of moose out, are you more likely to have a 9lb rifle or a 3lb handgun with you? Handgun is more likely to be there.
 
I've always thought the best thing for big bear would be a large bear pepper spray and one of those air horns in a can similar in size to a large pepper spray.

I think the best chance you have is scaring him off with the air horn.

What does anyone think of the noise idea?
 
vynx said:
I've always thought the best thing for big bear would be a large bear pepper spray and one of those air horns in a can similar in size to a large pepper spray.

I think the best chance you have is scaring him off with the air horn.

What does anyone think of the noise idea?
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Or how about the smell idea, you know, when the noise doesn't work the smell of you crapping your pants might. LOL
 
StrikeEagle said:
Noooooooo! You guys have it all wrong. The proven technique is to stick your hand down the critter's throat and rip his tongue out. 100% stopping power there, and heck, it's so easy even a 73 year old geezer can do it!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8317484/?GT1=6657

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1725526,00.html

Now THAT is how it's done. I certainly hope that all of you are taking notes. :D

StrikeEagle
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I wonder what he would have done if a man had charged him :eek:
 
jerkface11 said:
I wonder what he would have done if a man had charged him :eek:
Click to expand...

Monkey steals the peach :evil:
monkeystealspeach.jpg
 
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