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What caliber for polar bear?

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If the question is serious, I might go down to a minimum of .35 whelen if hunting griz bear in camo in a tree from a distance, where the bear wouldn't be able to find and eat me after shooting/wounding.

But with polar bears, on the other hand, there's no place to hide on the ice/snow, so I agree with with MT - .375 HH mag *minimum*, but preferably something in .416 or more, in a VERY reliable rifle (double rifle), with a VERY reliable sighting system.

These are not critters to be trifled with.

But the F350 would work ok too, with a rather large steel grille guard.
 
The eastern eskimo,( Inuit), before the whitemans influence and the introduction of the firearm into their culture had a unique way of taking the bear, they would shave down the rib bones of walrus or large seagoing mammals into thin strips able to be bent and rolled into coils , these coils would be fixed from unwinding with animal sinew, then were inserted into large peices of whale or walrus blubber, and left out on the ice for the white bear to ingest.Then the hunters would slowly track the bear just far enough back to keep the bear moving and giving him no rest, all the time the ingested whale bone was unwinding in the bears stomach, doing its damage the bear finally would bleed to death from with in.
I have read accounts of modern Inuit, having the privlege of hunting these animals, using .22 Hornet. I would suspect most would use something just a little larger!

If you are planning a polar bear hunt better do it quick as global warming has these great bears on the brink of extinction, and according to sources will be on the endangered list and will be out of bounds for non-indigenous peoples.
If the sooth sayers predictions come true they could be gone in less than 50 yrs!
 
1-ton Dodge did the trick on a Griz near Lincoln, MT last year, then hauled it to town. I can just hear the conversation after the
impact . . . "Ed, go see if it's dead." "You hit it , Bob . . . YOU go see if it's dead. Will the truck still go faster'n 45 miles per hour? Good; then let's get goin'!"

Bear001ready.gif
 
Reckon it was, 41 . . . when I recall all the time I spent in that country as a kid chasing whitetails with nothing more than a recurve, had I encountered that bear or one like it up-close & personal, it likely would have impressed my pants plumb full! It definitely has an impressive set of diggers on it . . . would make Freddy Kruger jealous . . .
 
from what i keep hearing and reading about road side bombs and RPG's they seem like the #1 choice to me.....
 
Just sing to the bear in a soothing voice. Name it "Crystal Fairy Soft Bottom" and in a soft effeminate voice say "ohhh you're a big bear, such a nice big bear, i love you biiig baby snuggle boy bear".

It worked for Timothy Fedwell...Or did it?;)
 
I just hear the other day on the radio (must be true, it was Rush's show) that polar bear populations are at an all time high. Species that are "going extinct" typically seen to have little or nothing to do with fact.
 
They didn't have a gun because the guys that say the bears are going extinct are the same ones that make cartoons showing Polar Bears as cuddly critters.
 
QuoteYeah. After that last shot it looks like it didnt end good for the guy.Quote

I don't know, it looks like he's doing a pretty good job of staying ahead, what with the extra weight he has to have in his britches!!!:D
 
Looks like a juvenile bear, probably more into playing with the guy than anything.

But then again, playtime for bears involves tearing things apart...
 
. . . And eating . . . lack of tools in the boonies is a lousy excuse for not being able to effect repairs . . . but, I don't hug trees, either (relish their beauty & purpose, but DO own a couple chain saws). Beliefs, ethics, rules, and reality can be vastly contradictory . . . I sincerely hope the gentleman made good his escape.
 
What caliber for polar bear?

Something big and reliable with a lot of ammo.

A pump 12 gauge w/extended mag tube, 3 1/2" magnum slugs, preferably hard cast and heavy. That would be my choice.

A CZ-52 on my side would be nice, might just blow through a bear skull, could be used as a last resort.
 
It hasn’t made it here in 44 replies so here it goes…

Cut a decent size hole in the ice. Once finished place peas around the circumference. When the polar bear goes to take a pea you kick him in the ice hole.
 
I doubt it, there are actually 4 more pictures showing various stages of the bear chasing that poor guy around the car.

I was just wondering how many laps they made around that Bronco.

By the way, there is A LOT to be said about keyless entry...
 
Serious answer, I have numerous to chose from, but the largest I have is one that I would use. Not the best for long range but up fairly close 200yds it is good.

.458 win mag:what: It would be my choice.

Regards
;)
 
Sunray said:
"...or shooting the bear?...unarmed in bear country..." Depends on where it was. Churchill, Manitoba, for example, has polar bears wandering the streets(along with wolves, moose and caribou) regularly during October and November, but carrying a firearm is illegal.
Judging by the license plates in post 20, the pictures were taken in Alaska. You can see the Alaska plate designs here; the plate on the Bronco looks like this one, and the one on the pickup looks like this one.

In contrast, the only Canadian plate that I can find that resembles either of the plates is an old Alberta design, and I can't find any with a mountain design resembling that on the pickup.
 
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