Less than lethal 12 gauge for nuisance bears

[Appalachiannative]

Title explained the goal but not the whole situation. So my uncle has black bears openly tearing open garbage bags and dragging them all over the property in broad day light right before his eyes as if to add insult to injury. Now he is not within the Pisgah Bear Sanctuary like my house is so really he could dispatch them during hunting season but he's too soft for that. He hit me up this morning knowing that I reload for 12 gauge and .410 wanting some less than lethal 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch loads to scare the bears away. I have never done less than lethal and most of the stuff I've read elsewhere sounds inadequate, for example I red 6 grns of red dot with an empty wad over a fed209A. 1 I'm afraid that will squib and end up with a plastic wad stuck in the muzzle of my uncles modified choke gun and 2 I doubt this would run off a trash fed spoiled rotten bear. This data came from a guy that was running off stray dogs. I've heard tail of using dry beans like buck shot but I wonder with how much powder? I'm guessing something like 15 grns green dot with. 12SO in a cheddite with cheddite primer and as many dry beans as I can fit

 

[NMexJim]

Lightfield Wildlife Control Less Lethal Ammo 12 Ga 2-3/4 Mid-Range

Lightfield has developed a full line of less lethal ammunition for Wildlife Control Professionals. The aversive conditioning of large, heavy muscled...

www.midwayusa.com

I know this doesn't quite answer your question, but it sure does look effective.

I've not loaded below 1100 fps in 12 ga, but that might be worth playing with loading something like beans or dried peas. Cut some thin shot cards to go over them. My guess would be to start with a 1 1/4 wad and use cardboard spacers to shim up as needed. Maybe something like air-soft pellets.

I spent a lot of time in my youth in the Pisgah. We used to follow game trails down through the mountain laurel into Linville Gorge and often scared up a bear or two. Can't say that ever thrilled me too much. Raised the hairs on my neck to hear one huff.

 

[dweis]

I’d be very aprehensive about shooting a bear to scare it away. I have had three encounters with black bears over 30 years of hiking in PA. Theo were females making defensive charges to scare me away since their cubs were nearby. They were repelled with bear spray, one spray and they went away. The real scary was an offensive charge by a big male. If anyone is not familiar with the difference between offensive and defensive charge it would be good to look it up. That male did not make a sound, he did not stand up. He just was crouched with ears back, staring at me, showing teeth and snarling. He at me and I sprayed him. He broke off and walked away. The he turned and charged again. I gave him another blast. Luckily that did the trick. He broke off and did not return.

My point is that an angry bear can become aggressive and you cannot outrun them. They can climb a tree after you, and they cash crash through a door. Better to not get them angry. Maybe a better way is to enclose the garbage in a cyclone fenced area. Better repair a fence than to have wounds from a bear attack treated or be dead.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Rock salt loads maybe? And have a back up if one does charge you.

 

[tubeshooter]

[EDIT: The OP is asking about Handloading/Reloading 12 gauge. Removed irrelevant content.]

It's a noble thought, but I think I'd try to find some other method to encourage them away and save the shotgun for serious business if required.

 

[eddiememphis]

Shooting at an animal without a license?
Shooting at an animal trying to wound it?
Even if he were to use rubber buckshot like the riot cops use, there is the potential to injure the animal.
All of these can have legal repercussions.

There are better ways to deter a bear than to discharge a firearm. Guns are not good deterrents to animals. They are made to kill them.

Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy.

 

[Howa 9700]

He needs to learn how to work with an electric fence charger. I have hot wired metal garbage cans to light up some mini bears......aka coons. They don't come back. A good dose of 13,000 volts will do that.

 

[Appalachiannative]

Rock salt loads maybe? And have a back up if one does charge you.

Man that was the first thing out of my mouth but he is so concerned with not harming the animal he won't hear it

 

[Appalachiannative]

Believee folks I don't think the less than lethal 12 is a good idea but my uncle is a stubborn fella. As am I so I can't blame him. Where it up to me I know plenty of ways to make trip wire noise makers that will fix this

 

[Appalachiannative]

Lightfield Wildlife Control Less Lethal Ammo 12 Ga 2-3/4 Mid-Range

Lightfield has developed a full line of less lethal ammunition for Wildlife Control Professionals. The aversive conditioning of large, heavy muscled...

www.midwayusa.com

I know this doesn't quite answer your question, but it sure does look effective.

I've not loaded below 1100 fps in 12 ga, but that might be worth playing with loading something like beans or dried peas. Cut some thin shot cards to go over them. My guess would be to start with a 1 1/4 wad and use cardboard spacers to shim up as needed. Maybe something like air-soft pellets.

I spent a lot of time in my youth in the Pisgah. We used to follow game trails down through the mountain laurel into Linville Gorge and often scared up a bear or two. Can't say that ever thrilled me too much. Raised the hairs on my neck to hear one huff.

You mean Pisgah National forest? My favorite place used to be turkey pen gap but the cyclist have ruined it. Yellow gap is still good. No where is safe from the guys in spandex on their bicycles though

 

[EricBu]

Better solution would be buy your uncle a 100.00 Harbor Freight wire feed and a few cubic feet of 1/4 plate steel. Making a bear proof can enclosure is relatively simple and can be a fun project. There are also some scents you can purchase that are not pleasant for bears that you can put on the enclosure to further discourage them...like cougar piss, or brown bear piss. Also, the age old varmint repellent: raw eggs, chilli, garlic, vinegar does a good job if it's combined with a bear proof enclosure.

Oh, and check your local laws. Using non-lethal rounds may meet the letter of the law for animal cruelty and the wrong neighbor can make his life a nightmare if LEO gets involved with a rock salt or bean bag injured bear.

 

[Appalachiannative]

Better solution would be buy your uncle a 100.00 Harbor Freight wire feed and a few cubic feet of 1/4 plate steel. Making a bear proof can enclosure is relatively simple and can be a fun project. There are also some scents you can purchase that are not pleasant for bears that you can put on the enclosure to further discourage them...like cougar piss, or brown bear piss. Also, the age old varmint repellent: raw eggs, chilli, garlic, vinegar does a good job if it's combined with a bear proof enclosure.

Oh, and check your local laws. Using non-lethal rounds may meet the letter of the law for animal cruelty and the wrong neighbor can make his life a nightmare if LEO gets involved with a rock salt or bean bag injured bear.

Great idea! Dunno how well brown bear piss would work in NC as we only have black bears but the overall idea sounds great! Perhaps some ammonia sprayed on the bags

 

[NMexJim]

Great idea! Dunno how well brown bear piss would work in NC as we only have black bears but the overall idea sounds great! Perhaps some ammonia sprayed on the bags

Nor cougars - at least, not in a couple hundred years or more. Although my grandfather and some of the older folks claimed there were some.

 

[Atavar]

I would consider bird bombs? And not fire at the animal but near enough to be annoying. You don’t want a bear frightened or angry, that’s just asking for trouble.

 

[tmd16556]

Just a primer in an empty hull makes a good bit of noise (and barrel fouling). It’s easy and mostly harmless. I suspect it will work for about a month before the bears get used to it. Enough time to up-armor the trash can so the bears move on to his neighbor.

 

[Appalachiannative]

Nor cougars - at least, not in a couple hundred years or more. Although my grandfather and some of the older folks claimed there were some.

Folks from around here call them panthers. The real old folks pronounced it "painter" others said "catamount" or "wompus kitty" but we never say cougar or mountain lion. My grandfather allegedly killed one in the 1980's and many folks claim they're still around but I've never seen one

 

[film495]

I've read about a bear can, that is a trash can rigged with bear mace. For training black bears to keep out of trash cans, the article I read sounded like it worked pretty good. Just another option.

 

[NMexJim]

Folks from around here call them panthers. The real old folks pronounced it "painter" others said "catamount" or "wompus kitty" but we never say cougar or mountain lion. My grandfather allegedly killed one in the 1980's and many folks claim they're still around but I've never seen one

Yep, ”painter” was granddad.

 

[Atavar]

I've read about a bear can, that is a trash can rigged with bear mace. For training black bears to keep out of trash cans, the article I read sounded like it worked pretty good. Just another option.

Your trash collector will hate you. Lol

 

[Roverguy]

Spray for the less than lethal scare em off part. And 12 ga Brenneke slugs for if that doesn’t work.

 

[Atavar]

Folks from around here call them panthers. The real old folks pronounced it "painter" others said "catamount" or "wompus kitty" but we never say cougar or mountain lion. My grandfather allegedly killed one in the 1980's and many folks claim they're still around but I've never seen one

I’ve had one follow me around all day once while quail hunting. I would hear it, and find wet scat and prints but never saw it. If you see one it wanted you to

 

[lordpaxman]

I’ve seen these on the range where I shoot:

CTS 12ga Super-Sock Bean Bag Impact Round, Box of 5

DetailsUnprecedented accuracy and consistent impact at all ranges.Create a dedicated less-lethal shotgun for your unit with orange less-lethal shotgun stocks and forends from Hogue. Fits for the Remington 870, Mossberg 500, and Mossberg 590.Add a Streamlight TL-RACKER orange forend with an...

www.officerstore.com

I’ve no idea what kind of load work up you’d need, but it’s another non lethal cartridge.

 

[jmorris]

I’d probably use something like this so I didn’t have to get up (probably in the middle of the night) and go outside to mess with a bear when all I have is something that won’t kill it.



I’ve always thought this one was pretty good.

Real-Life Sentry Gun / Aim Bot / Gun Turret / Turret Sentry (video 8 of 18)

-http://RealSentryGun.com/ -Automated, target tracking, hands-free sentry gun!This video is old! click my name to see newer videos of this system.

www.youtube.com

 

[dweis]

Man that was the first thing out of my mouth but he is so concerned with not harming the animal he won't hear it

I think that is why fencing and bear spray is the best approach.

 

[Howa 9700]

Topic of the thread reminds me of a guy I know.......friend of a family member. The guy is a bit of an enigma. Stickler for rules, except for when it applies to him, and his whacky ideas. One of them is the habit of shooting at animals with his trusty 22 rifle to scare them. Like they know what a gun fired at them from 50 yards away is. At best, it is a muffled noise they are not familiar with. It might care some, others not so much. But according to him, he has actually killed deer trying to "shoot over their head". He hit one in the head with that 22 and killed it. He also claims to have "shot a bear in the butt". He has also used the fly bait in cola trick on coons. He gets giddy describing it. In this he is a puke of the highest order.

The near universally accepted method of dealing with nuisance bears around bee hives, gardens, campsites etc, is an electric fence. A super hot electric fence. Bait it so the find it and let that light em up. They will leave and not come back. Isn't that the goal?