Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Over the last thirty or so years, the population of the polar bear has risen from a low of around 5,000 to today's 25,000 or thereabouts.
rifle for polar bear
- Thread starter Revolver Ocelot
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Sunray
Member
"...Uncle Sam is sending me to Alaska...bases are nowhere near polar bear territory..." Exactly. If you get really lucky, you might see a griz.
qajaq59
Member
I like the 45-70. But whichever one you pick, you'd better practice a lot before you head out.
Whatever you decide on, if you're there when it gets cold, strip your weapon down and completely de-grease it, especially the bolt and firing pin. Oil and grease congeal at -40C and can slow the firing pin enough that it may not ifre your primer. Hunting deer, no big deal, facing white bears, not good.
Use electrical tape to seal your muzzle so that snow or ice can't block it.
I like Mauser actions because they are simple CRFs that feed and extract well in all temperatures. Their bolts are easy to field strip without tools. I run mine dry in the winter to prevent problems.
I have two BRNO's, a 600 in 30-06 and a 602 in .375 H&H. The latter for the big bears, the former for everything else.
Here's the .375 H&H, barrel chopped to 20" to make it handle easier. It holds 6 rounds in the cavernous magazine.
The Warne QD rings let you remove the scope without tools and use the express sights for close range.
Use electrical tape to seal your muzzle so that snow or ice can't block it.
I like Mauser actions because they are simple CRFs that feed and extract well in all temperatures. Their bolts are easy to field strip without tools. I run mine dry in the winter to prevent problems.
I have two BRNO's, a 600 in 30-06 and a 602 in .375 H&H. The latter for the big bears, the former for everything else.
Here's the .375 H&H, barrel chopped to 20" to make it handle easier. It holds 6 rounds in the cavernous magazine.
The Warne QD rings let you remove the scope without tools and use the express sights for close range.
AStone
Member
Please cite your source of information for that statement.Art Eatman said:
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2003
- Messages
- 13,341
Nem
I'am a bit surprised that a Global warming expert such as yourself doesn't have this stuff memorized. Being that the Polar Bear is THE lightening rod political playing chip animal for the Global warming politicos of the world.
http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=99
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/arctic/area/species/polarbear/population/
http://www.ypte.org.uk/animal/bear-polar-/52
http://kmaru.blogspot.com/2007/09/expanding-vanishing-polar-bear.html
I'am a bit surprised that a Global warming expert such as yourself doesn't have this stuff memorized. Being that the Polar Bear is THE lightening rod political playing chip animal for the Global warming politicos of the world.
http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=99
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/arctic/area/species/polarbear/population/
http://www.ypte.org.uk/animal/bear-polar-/52
http://kmaru.blogspot.com/2007/09/expanding-vanishing-polar-bear.html
AStone
Member
I'm following it, H&H, but haven't kept up with the controversy about pbs for a while.
It is controversial. Data is sketchy on such a big predator in a tough part of the world. Verdict is still out, IMO.
One thing for certain: if ice trends continue, it's going to have an impact on them ... well, not just them, but this thread is about them.
It is controversial. Data is sketchy on such a big predator in a tough part of the world. Verdict is still out, IMO.
One thing for certain: if ice trends continue, it's going to have an impact on them ... well, not just them, but this thread is about them.
KodiakBeer
member
If global warming is real (which is highly doubtful), it will be terrific for the entire planet. Previous warm periods have been golden periods across the globe.
AStone
Member
Right.
MCgunner
Member
I agree with Kodiak. The "medieval warm period" was a time of plenty. The "little ice age" was a time of famine. Besides, my house is 22 feet above sea level and about 150 yards from the bay. Be nice if I could keep my boat tied up out front of the house during the day.
KodiakBeer
member
It's true... Northern peoples like the Vikings grew in population and spread, grapes were grown in Northern England, increased rain in central Asia led to increased grass and agriculture and led to the massive population boom of the Mongol people, increased rain in our own SW had the Anasazi growing crops that will not grow there today, Vikings in Greenland were growing barley and wheat, the Inca people in the Andes grew crops at elevations that will no longer support agriculture today.
All of that (and much more) happened during the 400 years of the Medieval Warming period.
KodiakBeer
member
You don't have to have a population boom. The point is that the Global Warming Religion predicts famine and death, when in fact, historically, just the opposite is true. There were no rise in sea levels, no new deserts (arid zones got more rain, not less), no collapse in agriculture, etc.
Global Warming is a manufactured panic - an excuse for governments to nationalize the energy sector and take over industries, etc.
Global Warming is a manufactured panic - an excuse for governments to nationalize the energy sector and take over industries, etc.
metalman8600
member
- Joined
- May 16, 2010
- Messages
- 276
Instead of delubing the firearm altogether, what about all weather grease?
I got some grease from Bass Pro that has a range of -65 F to 350F.
I got some grease from Bass Pro that has a range of -65 F to 350F.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2003
- Messages
- 13,341
The facts are that Polar bear populations have increased dramatically over the last 30 years. Largely due to the Marine mammal protection act which stopped the commercial harvesting of the polar bear. The population continues to grow and the PB is protected and assigned value through sport hunting and the revenues that it brought into the various areas that provided hunting services.
Now that the wakoid animal rights groups in conjunction with and through the fuzzy and unproven "data" that is global warming science the import of legally hunted PB's into the US has been halted. You will see the revenues from sport hunting dry up and the PB population will once again start to decline due to all the factors that occur once a species of animal no longer has a monetary value to the local indigenous population.
And mark my words once this starts to happen the G-warming crows will stand up with furious indignation and proclaim that they were right see the PB population starting to decline. Never mind that the reasons will have much more to do with unauthorized depredation killings than anything else.
Anytime the HSUS and PETA are able to snuggle up to a political machine such as the world wide global warming crowd and use that as a lever to push their agenda into law it should scream DANGER look out *** is really going on here!! It sure as heck does for me.
MCgunner
Member
Well, "Greenland" did get its name during the medieval warm period, after all. They didn't name it 'Whiteland".
There's a HUGE political conspiracy surrounding the whole global warming thing. I won't get into it other than to say it's far more important to its proponents than is saving any species of animal. They couldn't care less about polar bears.
KodiakBeer
member
Agreed! Follow the money and it leads to...
caribou
Member
Sorry guys, theres getting to be fewer and fewer polar Bears according to all the guys here that hunt them.
At least on the North american side of the globe.
For 30 years the Polar Bear did increase in numbers, and then started to decline about 10 years ago.
Might add that for the first time in recorded history (since 1816) Kotzebue Sound did NOT freeze over completely that year, and it mighta had something to do with such a decline Artic wide.....
As the guys who know them best and with living observers who have activly hunted Polar Bears for 50+ years, this is no suprize up this way, its been hot talk for years..
Kotzebue sound is where the worlds Record Polar Bear was shot and was once "THE" Place to hunt them, and now less than 1/2 a dozen are caught around here each year for the last 10 or so years. In the last 10 years #s have dropped on the Alaska side, most likely due to lack of ice,their habitat, which means lack of Seals, which for the Polar Bear means a lack of food, so they are elsewhere or dead.
I listen to the Radio, no tV for me, but found this on the APRN web page from a few days ago, when it was the hot talk of the region.Lotta guys around here quit looking for Polar Bears yaers ago.
http://aprn.org/2010/06/11/subsistence-quota-for-polar-bears-introduced/
Alaskan Natives along with the International Marine Mammel Commition this week agreed to limits on the ammount to be shot for food/fur (yes, they are good eating) from an unlimited harvest to 58 TOTAL (!!!!) between Alaska and Russian Hunters.
This is because of the marked decrease in Bear populations inthe last few years.
You do not get Eskimo's to stop Hunting anything unless you have proof, and these are the guys who see it happening, and belive me, if anyone is suspicious of "Science", its an Eskimo.
They fought to keep Whaling, To keep hunting Birds in the breif summers, to retain their lands and not Have Point Hope Nuked to prove that Atomic Weapons could be used top build harbors, where "Nobody" lived up in this "wasteland", 'cept Eskimo's....
Show them that offshore drilling is safe an they might allow it.....NOT!
No, they are "Science" sceptics and keen observers, its the traditional way to learn...see it, belive it. There alotta scientists around nowdays, and many are at a loss as to "why" or "whats next" 'cause nobody knows, even when the weathers "stable" ~~LOL!!~~
Thats 58 Bears total applied to both countrys as a whole, and with both hunted and self defense shootings, which is occuring more often as the Bears spend more time on land, bumping into more people.......and now Grizzly Bears...
With more Bears spending moe time on shore, it looks like theres an increase in overall number to shorebound observers, but that was "Busted"
Polar Bears are losing habitat, the #1 reason any animal go's extinct.
I bet the AK Penn and Kodiak Bears are closer to Polar Bears as back during the last ice age, the Polars were roaming the area, and left behind plenty of genes when they retreated with the ice.
Global warming IS occuring with changes occuring all over the Arctic.
Is it bad?
Is it good?
I dont know,
It hasnt panned out as a Disaster so far, and it dont look too gloomy...... but with the weather we adapt. Were Humans, and that helps.
Its not a rapid change, but I'll tell you this; it IS changeing.
For example;
Damn Few Polar Bears around.
Salmon have extended their range from a northern limit being Kotzebue Sound 15 years ago to well north and then east around Barrow, Salmon are showing up.
We have Redsalmon in the Sound tributarys now, and thay showed up about 10 years ago.
Eiders are going out, as they rely on the ice.
New birds are comming up.
Sea Lions have been seen in the sound now, as well as Sea Otters, one stole a whole tub of the wifes Whitefish a couple summers ago.
Willows are taking over the open Tundra...a different food and environment, with different animals there.
We have very very few Beluga now.
The lack of ice, and lack of thick ice keeps walrus from entering the Sound , as they rest apon firm thick stuff. Seals of all types are thinning in numbers as well.
Our Ice breaks up about 2 week earlier, our freeze up came 3 weeks later than 15 years ago.
We set our ice nets late and missed teh egg laden Whitefish, an imporant food source.
We had a close time with our Caribou meats , as it warmed up enough that the whole carcasses we had that were pre rut and fat were almost spoiled, but luckily, I had left the hids on, and they were fine. Some had their butcher'd meat spoil (Its supposed to be 0' at that time...)
Theres changes happening, but its not all gloom and doom.
The NorthWest Arctic Caribou herd has been hit with mid winter freezing rains that thinned out the herd , but the strong survived, moved to different feeding grounds and flurished enough to get back to a 400,000 strong Caribou Herd.Good and stable, and very healthy animals.
Salmon are welcome on my table, anyday.
Is it man caused? I donno.
Is gonna kill us all off? Not from this end of the Earth, yet.
We ARE a part of Nature, as we are all on this Earth together, so go figure.
I think its natural, like it was when Greenland WAS Green.
The Culture that flurished in the "Little Ice Age" were called "Thule" Eskimo by Archoloigists, then they met the west and aquired wetern goods, hence "Western Thule". They can tell these cultures by their tools and crafts. Thule had simple efficent stuff with small ammonts of decoration, but mostly clean and ready stuff. Western Thule had better tools that brought them game easier (Cotton twine nets, iron traps, metal blades, Rifles and cooking pots, metal needles,ect, and artwork flurished in both their tool work and in their clothing styles as furs as well as foods were obtained in greater quantity and time was at hand to develope arts and artwork.
But before the Thule in ther cold spell were a culture if people now called "Iputiak" and they lived during warm times.
Highly decorated artworks, dolls, artistic weapons,ivory carvings and such, and notabley clothing made "fancy" as did "Western Thule" They had high collers and hats, not hoods, and had house built upon the ground, not dug in for warmth, and many other distinct traits.
Point is, people flurished when the weather was warm, even here in the Arctic.
There most certainly were not as MANY people then, though.......
Nature hates a "Void" and animals will arrive to take advantage of surplus's, I hope they taste good.....I'm not ready for "Gore brand" Soilent Green
At least on the North american side of the globe.
For 30 years the Polar Bear did increase in numbers, and then started to decline about 10 years ago.
Might add that for the first time in recorded history (since 1816) Kotzebue Sound did NOT freeze over completely that year, and it mighta had something to do with such a decline Artic wide.....
As the guys who know them best and with living observers who have activly hunted Polar Bears for 50+ years, this is no suprize up this way, its been hot talk for years..
Kotzebue sound is where the worlds Record Polar Bear was shot and was once "THE" Place to hunt them, and now less than 1/2 a dozen are caught around here each year for the last 10 or so years. In the last 10 years #s have dropped on the Alaska side, most likely due to lack of ice,their habitat, which means lack of Seals, which for the Polar Bear means a lack of food, so they are elsewhere or dead.
I listen to the Radio, no tV for me, but found this on the APRN web page from a few days ago, when it was the hot talk of the region.Lotta guys around here quit looking for Polar Bears yaers ago.
http://aprn.org/2010/06/11/subsistence-quota-for-polar-bears-introduced/
Alaskan Natives along with the International Marine Mammel Commition this week agreed to limits on the ammount to be shot for food/fur (yes, they are good eating) from an unlimited harvest to 58 TOTAL (!!!!) between Alaska and Russian Hunters.
This is because of the marked decrease in Bear populations inthe last few years.
You do not get Eskimo's to stop Hunting anything unless you have proof, and these are the guys who see it happening, and belive me, if anyone is suspicious of "Science", its an Eskimo.
They fought to keep Whaling, To keep hunting Birds in the breif summers, to retain their lands and not Have Point Hope Nuked to prove that Atomic Weapons could be used top build harbors, where "Nobody" lived up in this "wasteland", 'cept Eskimo's....
Show them that offshore drilling is safe an they might allow it.....NOT!
No, they are "Science" sceptics and keen observers, its the traditional way to learn...see it, belive it. There alotta scientists around nowdays, and many are at a loss as to "why" or "whats next" 'cause nobody knows, even when the weathers "stable" ~~LOL!!~~
Thats 58 Bears total applied to both countrys as a whole, and with both hunted and self defense shootings, which is occuring more often as the Bears spend more time on land, bumping into more people.......and now Grizzly Bears...
With more Bears spending moe time on shore, it looks like theres an increase in overall number to shorebound observers, but that was "Busted"
Polar Bears are losing habitat, the #1 reason any animal go's extinct.
I bet the AK Penn and Kodiak Bears are closer to Polar Bears as back during the last ice age, the Polars were roaming the area, and left behind plenty of genes when they retreated with the ice.
Global warming IS occuring with changes occuring all over the Arctic.
Is it bad?
Is it good?
I dont know,
It hasnt panned out as a Disaster so far, and it dont look too gloomy...... but with the weather we adapt. Were Humans, and that helps.
Its not a rapid change, but I'll tell you this; it IS changeing.
For example;
Damn Few Polar Bears around.
Salmon have extended their range from a northern limit being Kotzebue Sound 15 years ago to well north and then east around Barrow, Salmon are showing up.
We have Redsalmon in the Sound tributarys now, and thay showed up about 10 years ago.
Eiders are going out, as they rely on the ice.
New birds are comming up.
Sea Lions have been seen in the sound now, as well as Sea Otters, one stole a whole tub of the wifes Whitefish a couple summers ago.
Willows are taking over the open Tundra...a different food and environment, with different animals there.
We have very very few Beluga now.
The lack of ice, and lack of thick ice keeps walrus from entering the Sound , as they rest apon firm thick stuff. Seals of all types are thinning in numbers as well.
Our Ice breaks up about 2 week earlier, our freeze up came 3 weeks later than 15 years ago.
We set our ice nets late and missed teh egg laden Whitefish, an imporant food source.
We had a close time with our Caribou meats , as it warmed up enough that the whole carcasses we had that were pre rut and fat were almost spoiled, but luckily, I had left the hids on, and they were fine. Some had their butcher'd meat spoil (Its supposed to be 0' at that time...)
Theres changes happening, but its not all gloom and doom.
The NorthWest Arctic Caribou herd has been hit with mid winter freezing rains that thinned out the herd , but the strong survived, moved to different feeding grounds and flurished enough to get back to a 400,000 strong Caribou Herd.Good and stable, and very healthy animals.
Salmon are welcome on my table, anyday.
Is it man caused? I donno.
Is gonna kill us all off? Not from this end of the Earth, yet.
We ARE a part of Nature, as we are all on this Earth together, so go figure.
I think its natural, like it was when Greenland WAS Green.
The Culture that flurished in the "Little Ice Age" were called "Thule" Eskimo by Archoloigists, then they met the west and aquired wetern goods, hence "Western Thule". They can tell these cultures by their tools and crafts. Thule had simple efficent stuff with small ammonts of decoration, but mostly clean and ready stuff. Western Thule had better tools that brought them game easier (Cotton twine nets, iron traps, metal blades, Rifles and cooking pots, metal needles,ect, and artwork flurished in both their tool work and in their clothing styles as furs as well as foods were obtained in greater quantity and time was at hand to develope arts and artwork.
But before the Thule in ther cold spell were a culture if people now called "Iputiak" and they lived during warm times.
Highly decorated artworks, dolls, artistic weapons,ivory carvings and such, and notabley clothing made "fancy" as did "Western Thule" They had high collers and hats, not hoods, and had house built upon the ground, not dug in for warmth, and many other distinct traits.
Point is, people flurished when the weather was warm, even here in the Arctic.
There most certainly were not as MANY people then, though.......
Nature hates a "Void" and animals will arrive to take advantage of surplus's, I hope they taste good.....I'm not ready for "Gore brand" Soilent Green
Last edited:
BADUNAME37
Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2008
- Messages
- 4,434
50 Caliber Armalite off a bench.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
A totally separate aspect of polar bear hunting and regulatory effects:
I ran across an article last year which spoke to the effect of ending US hunters bringing PB hides back from Canada. It seems that the hunters were required to use the natives' permits, and thus paying a hefty amount to that native. Hunter success rate was relatively low.
Absent the hunters' money, the natives then took to hunting the bears for the meat for their own use since they could less afford "store bought". Their success rate at the hunt was much higher than for the US folks.
And so some decline in the PB population.
Let's lay off the issue of global warming. What's factual is that the issue is being used to generate tons of money to a limited few, and to extend government powers into areas far removed from any causes of the warming.
I ran across an article last year which spoke to the effect of ending US hunters bringing PB hides back from Canada. It seems that the hunters were required to use the natives' permits, and thus paying a hefty amount to that native. Hunter success rate was relatively low.
Absent the hunters' money, the natives then took to hunting the bears for the meat for their own use since they could less afford "store bought". Their success rate at the hunt was much higher than for the US folks.
And so some decline in the PB population.
Let's lay off the issue of global warming. What's factual is that the issue is being used to generate tons of money to a limited few, and to extend government powers into areas far removed from any causes of the warming.
AStone
Member
Admins and mods should follow the same rules they set for the rest of us. It's pretty unfair of you to tell us to "lay off the issue of global warming", then make a political statement of your own afterwards.
If you want us to "lay off", then lay off yourself. Don't try to get the last word in, then prohibit responses. Not cool.
Having said that, I have nothing more to say about the issue on this forum. It's impossible to argue the issue on this forum for a variety of reasons. I tend to stay as far away from it now as I can, again, on this forum.
jleyring
Member
I know that Ruger makes a .458. That is plenty of bullet for a polar bear. Heck it is plenty of bullet for an elephant. I have friends that are from Alaska and they say that it is a great caliber for what they use it for in Alaska.
Maverick223
Member
Already been done...you take a .375H&H case, neck it to 9.5mm trimming it to 2.85in., then load it with a stout charge of suitable magnum powder, say 69gr. of RL-15, then top it with a 9.5mm heavy bullet, say a 300-350gr. well constructed expanding RN (like an A-Frame, alternatively solids could be used)...viola, the perfect polar bear cartridge!
It might be OK but I prefer to just completely dis-assemble my bolt, clean off everything with a solvent, let it dry and then re-assemble it. It's not like I'm shooting it a lot in the field in -40 weather. Some geologists I know use a light dusting of graphite powder. I don't bother.
The Germans in WWII found out how well their Mauser K98s worked with conventionally lubed bolts. It didn't work out too well for them.
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