Throw away that 10mm and get a can of bear spray.

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

If you find yourself being mauled by a grizzly, you won't be laying there wishing you had bear spray, as you are being turned into bear shit.

I don't care what the statistics say, I'll take my chances with the lethal option. The same people who keep those records told you that Joe Biden won the election in 2020. Government statisticians don't get to live in my head..

 

[Jefe's Dope]

Distract it with bear pron.

 

[david walter]

Just in time for gay pride month we get people who have probably never been off a sidewalk telling people who spend a lot of time in the woods what’s what. Because you know a guy who knows a guy who is an airborne navy seal green beret park ranger?

Bear spray is easier to deploy effectively than a firearm.

 

[sroc112]

This is how it is in the free states of America…

I wasn't so much referring to national parks, more along local state parks or county owned parks here where I am.

 

[supercorndogs]

The Sirius Dog Sled Patrol uses Glock 10mm pistols as backup to their rifles- in polar bear regions.

One of my Eskimo kids, from Barrow, when I worked at the colorado boys ranch said they hunted moose, polar bear, and musk ox with an AR15.

I was like damn what do you hunt whales with? A bow and arrow with those little suction cup darts?

He is like, na whalegun. Then explains what it is.

 

[supercorndogs]

Just in time for gay pride month we get people who have probably never been off a sidewalk telling people who spend a lot of time in the woods what’s what. Because you know a guy who knows a guy who is an airborne navy seal green beret park ranger?

It's is definitely easier to spray something running around with a garden hose than to hit it with a bullet. Granted if it's windy it sure gets hard to stay dry while doing so.

Also spraying your tacos with a 10mm doesn't make them taste better.

 

[ironman56]

If you find yourself being mauled by a grizzly, you won't be laying there wishing you had bear spray, as you are being turned into bear shit.

I don't care what the statistics say, I'll take my chances with the lethal option. The same people who keep those records told you that Joe Biden won the election in 2020. Government statisticians don't get to live in my head..

This right here.

 

[sakoguy21]

Distract it with bear pron.

I think this is the funniest shit I have ever seen. You broke the internet....

 

[ironman56]

Read a interview with the owner of GrizSkins an brown bear outfitter on the Keni peninsula its a fly in operation. According to him 90% of brown bear charges are bluff charges, and after years of guiding he can tell a real charge from a bluff charge. For years he carried a 357mag as his backup pistol ,but finally switched to 44mag , he told of the time on a fishing trip when he only took a 9mm and had to defend himself and two clients with it and was successful so bullet selection and placement is more important than power, up to a point anyway. But bear spray is probably a good option when bears are just curious and need to be driven away or are bluff charging from a distance and you have a second person at the ready with a firearm , don't think I'd try to do both during a charge bluff or not.next year lm seriously thinking of trying the Grizskins fly in fishing experience depending on how this year's float trip goes and if the world doesn't go to shit by then.

 

[powdahound76]

Flying on the Kenai is a great time.

Check out Talon Air in Soldotna too.
Good people.
Knew them 20+ yrs ago and friend’s son worked for them all summer 2 yrs ago.


High Adventure Air out of Soldotna has a new owner I believe.
They were a phenomenal operation when the Bell’s owned them.
On Longmere Lake closer to Sterling than Soldotna.
Great folks to work for around 2000-2001.

 

[hero's machine]

Dude, that Lysol ain’t gonna do shit! Do you even live in bear county??!!

Ever cabbed up with 4 dudes working for 3 weeks? Lysol is the anti fart.

 

[Schütze]

Read an interview with the owner of GrizSkins a brown bear outfitter on the Keni peninsula its a fly in operation. According to him 90% of brown bear charges are bluff charges, and after years of guiding he can tell a real charge from a bluff charge. For years he carried a 357mag as his backup pistol ,but finally switched to 44mag , he told of the time on a fishing trip when he only took a 9mm and had to defend himself and two clients with it and was successful so bullet selection and placement is more important than power, up to a point anyway. But bear spray is probably a good option when bears are just curious and need to be driven away or are bluff charging from a distance and you have a second person at the ready with a firearm , don't think I'd try to do both during a charge bluff or not.next year lm seriously thinking of trying the Grizskins fly in fishing experience depending on how this year's float trip goes and if the world doesn't go to shit by then.

I watched the interview where he told the 9mm story about two weeks ago. Of course I went to their website after, what a great place to be! I wish I could do a trip out there….

 

[david walter]

A perfect example of my point about people pontificating with no real world experience.

When I lived on Alaska we used to say the difference between black bear scat and brown bear scat during tourist season was black bear scat looked like a cow pie and has berry seeds and little bells in it and brown bear scat smells like taco sauce and has bones in it.

If you’re running from a bear you’re a deadman. If you’re spraying as you run, you’ll end up in scat smelling like a taco bar.

I’m not the most experienced person around bears, but I’ll take my Glock 17 with hard cast flat nosed bullets (like the Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman) vs. any pepper spray. 10mm outdoorsman? Mo betta.

It's is definitely easier to spray something running around with a garden hose than to hit it with a bullet. Granted if it's windy it sure gets hard to stay dry while doing so.

Also spraying your tacos with a 10mm doesn't make them taste better.

 

[ironman56]

I watched the interview where he told the 9mm story about two weeks ago. Of course I went to their website after, what a great place to be! I wish I could do a trip out there….

I haven't cked the prices yet, but I'm hoping the fishing only trips are in my price range I don't care to hunt any bears, .moose or other big game , now if I lived there that's a different story , but a week fishing streams that only get visited by fly in client's, that's the stuff dreams are made of.

 

[supercorndogs]

A perfect example of my point about people pontificating with no real world experience.

When I lived on Alaska we used to say the difference between black bear scat and brown bear scat during tourist season was black bear scat looked like a cow pie and has berry seeds and little bells in it and brown bear scat smells like taco sauce and has bones in it.

If you’re running from a bear you’re a deadman. If you’re spraying as you run, you’ll end up in scat smelling like a taco bar.

I’m not the most experienced person around bears, but I’ll take my Glock 17 with hard cast flat nosed bullets (like the Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman) vs. any pepper spray. 10mm outdoorsman? Mo betta.

Cool story. But you can still spray a moving target easier with hose than hit it with bullet. Just like I said. And its still easier to deploy as he said.

All of the rest of your pontificating is about shit neither post said.

And I do have real world exerince both shooting moving targets and spraying them with a garden hose.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

I like the mention of "bluff charges". I'm not planning to be mauled because in the split second needed to differentiate between the two, I chose to give a 600lb razor tank the benefit of the doubt. I will consider all charges real. If you stop 10' from me and start throwing punches, I'll knock your ass out, I won't wait to see if you were playing..

 

[Schütze]

I haven't cked the prices yet, but I'm hoping the fishing only trips are in my price range I don't care to hunt any bears, .moose or other big game , now if I lived there that's a different story , but a week fishing streams that only get visited by fly in client's, that's the stuff dreams are made of.

You just stated my exact thoughts as well. I have to do the research on how much of an $ amount I could get away with. I just recently discovered mt,wy and id on a trip last year. Of course after all what happened around us I wish to live the rest of my day’s in a remote area alike. Just day dreaming….

 

[Makinchips208]

I’ve seen a few black bear in the wild, they always run away. Never seen a grizzly in the wild.

Few years ago i had my wife and two small kids out on a hike and came face to face with a bull moose. He just stood there, curious like, and didn’t seem a bit scared of us. I backed the family behind a large tree and big blowdown stump wad, figured that was as good a place as any to die. All I had on me was a short little 5 shot 38 revolver (I was young and dumb). I remember trying to calculate “if he charges me, how close do I have to let him get to have enough time to give him all 5 shots right before he steam rolls me? Or do I save one round for myself?”

I didn’t end up dying that day.

 

[ironman56]

You just stated my exact thoughts as well. I have to do the research on how much of an $ amount I could get away with. I just recently discovered mt,wy and id on a trip last year. Of course after all what happened around us I wish to live the rest of my day’s in a remote area alike. Just day dreaming….

I booked my round trip airfare last month from. Austin to Anchorage for 598.00 if I had known it was that reasonable I'd have been going every year , I've got a few friends that stayed in the Anchorage area when they got out of the Airforce back in the 70's when I was there ,so I'll get to vist with them after all these years , here's a pic of me in 77 the last ti.e I was there at Mt Mckinney National Park, 22yrs old ,oh to be in that shape now!

 

[hero's machine]

Cool story. But you can still spray a moving target easier with hose than hit it with bullet. Just like I said. And its still easier to deploy as he said.

All of the rest of your pontificating is about shit neither post said.

And I do have real world exerince both shooting moving targets and spraying them with a garden hose.

As long as the wind is in your favor.....

 

[Schütze]

As long as the wind is in your favor.....

Isn’t this what wind flags are for?

 

[supercorndogs]

It's is definitely easier to spray something running around with a garden hose than to hit it with a bullet. Granted if it's windy it sure gets hard to stay dry while doing so.

Also spraying your tacos with a 10mm doesn't make them taste better.

As long as the wind is in your favor.....

.......

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

Since good hunters hunt with the wind in their face, you'll be fine as long as it's not in front of you.

 

[Eagle223USA]

Now that is funny,

 

[Baron23]

Wow, watched 2/3's of that vid and couldn't stand it any longer. 25 minute vid for 5 minutes of actual info that I wanted to hear.

I think napalm or a JDAM is the best bear defense....released from 2,000 feet or higher. lol

 

[powdahound76]

I rather be 5 yds from an average black bear than a liberal.

Have been that close to a big coastal grizzly a few times too.
Little unnerving and there were no issues.
25 yds feels mo betta with those beasts.


I have no desire to die any time soon and rather by a bear in the woods than a drunk or methhead on the road or some gang banger spraying bullets at random because they felt slighted or disrespected.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

If approached by a bear, a feral hog or a drugged up idiot,

I prefer this (Ruger large Frame Blackhawk in 45 Colt loaded with a 275 grain Keith style bullet behind 22.5 grains of WW296)

To This

You know how to track a man killer grizzly. His scat has tiny bells in it and smells like bear spray.

Forget the detergent shit, Give em a good shot or two of good ole lead, traveling at around 1200FPS. The Big Colt in the big framed Ruger, trumps a bit of smelly spray, EVERY TIME.

 

[AmmoFort]

I’ve seen a few black bear in the wild, they always run away. Never seen a grizzly in the wild.

Few years ago i had my wife and two small kids out on a hike and came face to face with a bull moose. He just stood there, curious like, and didn’t seem a bit scared of us. I backed the family behind a large tree and big blowdown stump wad, figured that was as good a place as any to die. All I had on me was a short little 5 shot 38 revolver (I was young and dumb). I remember trying to calculate “if he charges me, how close do I have to let him get to have enough time to give him all 5 shots right before he steam rolls me? Or do I save one round for myself?”

I didn’t end up dying that day.

@Makinchips208

My wife always gets a little on edge when I go over scenarios with her when we are out on the trail. I'm just doing it so her heads in the game, in the hopes she won't completely freeze up. I'll tell her what I think the wife, kids, and I should do if we happen upon something or vice versa, and she can't help but start looking around asking if something is out there. It's almost cruel, but just almost, it's for their benefit that I do it. Shit still makes me laugh though

 

[748rpilot]

What if you use them together? Bear spray in one hand, 454 Casull or 10mm in the other? Seems that should work twice as good. And if the bear gets you anyway, you have a way out.

 

[Baron23]

Ah, this....100% effective on bears...if you hit it (or close) lol

 

[79steeler]

I don't know shit about bears, but if it's a big Grizz or Brown Bear I wouldn't be carrying a pistol. I'd have a 45/70 government in stainless. Loaded with 500 grainers or such!

 

[kmdn_crew]

I am not trusting my life to shit from a chili pepper

 

[UKDslayer]

Happened last week Grand Teton - vet attacked by momma grizzly didn't have a chance to deploy spray, but had it in his hand as he protected his rear neck- she bit into it and retreated after tearing into him!

 

[powdahound76]

Thank goodness that wasnt a Marine.

Would have killed that momma grizz and be arrested for that.

Or tried to screw it……

 

[Blue Sky Country]

Maybe it is time to introduce a few "new" cartridges for the rugged upland country.

.475 Plainsman
.480 Outlaw
.50 S&W Ranger

They are just regular old .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, and .50 S&W, but with a full case of Hodgdons 777, Swiss FFFg or Blackhorn 209 with a paper patched Hornady Great Plains conical, the Thompson Center MAXI Ball, or Lyman soft lead handcasts of the appropriate calibers seated on top of them. If using Blackhorn 209, you will have to sprinkle a few grains of fine FFFFg black powder into the base of the casing before loading the main charge so the FFFFg can ignite the stubborn Blackhorn propellant evenly and instantaneously. All of them produces upper level .44 Mag performance out of a revolver to upper level .454 Casull/.460 S&W levels of power if fired from a reproduction Civil War breechloading carbine like a Spencer, Maynard, or Smith that is built with modern centerfire loadings in mind. These currently do not exist (except the Spencer in .45 LC) but if there is another major resurgence in Old West style and Civil War shooting events, I can see Chiappa or Pedersoli making a line of thoroughly modern Maynards or Smiths chambered for big bore revolver loads. The best thing about "Black Powder Magnums" is that your entire reloading kit can fit in a small possibles bag and be carried with you wherever you go. A brush, depriming punch, caliber specific dowel, and a mallet or a small hammer. Crimping die optional. If there is one thing that is distinctly American, and will always be distinctly American, it is the big bore revolver and swivel breech carbine...

 

[mkollman74]

Bear spray is easier to deploy effectively than a firearm.

Especially in a stiff breeze...

 

[748rpilot]

Especially in a stiff breeze...

Damn you just jogged a memory.

In our early 20s, we were having a party at my buddy's apartment. This guy (M) was really popular and an absolute ladies man, so the place is filled with our buddies and sweet young things. We had another buddy, who was Kurdish, and crazy as fuck. He was in the kitchen talking to some people, and going through the kitchen drawers when he finds M's girlfriends pepper spray, complete with pink leather carrying case.

He looks up towards the family room filled with people dancing and doing beer bongs...and a running ceiling fan...and shoots the pepper spray towards the center of the family room, laughing his ass off. All the sudden people are coughing, yelling, rubbing their faces, trying to find the door...and our Kurdish friend is laughing his ass off, he thinks this is amazing.

Until the ceiling fan sent the mist back 'round to the kitchen, then he, with the rest of us, started coughing and yelling and spitting.

Moral of the story: don't piss or shoot pepper spray into the wind. (Or a ceiling fan.)

 

[roostercogburn98]

10mm with light in chest rig behind binos.

Can carry on pack belt too, but not as fast.
Stays on me when I set pack down with no juggling holster to belt (how I used to carry in bear woods)

I have been around a quite a few bears at less than 50 yds.
Including a handful with cubs (new or 1 yr old).

Nasty people still scare me more than bears.

They just want to share your sammiches

 

[HPIguy]

10mm in the woods for me every time. Though around here, it's more hogs and meth heads you gotta worry about. Black bears generally just run off.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

They just want to share your sammiches View attachment 8431633

 

[John T.]

Up here in Canuckistan we are generally not allowed to possess a loded handgun even on our own property, but when I go out checking trails and cutting firewood I carry a 12 ga with slugs on my quad, or my .44 mag with hollowpoints.
As mentioned here by others already.... proficiency and shot placement are probably most important than firearm type.
We run across bears and mama moosies frequently. From past run ins, I fear the moose to a higher degree as the bears usually don't want any problems.
They frequent our yardsite and as long as they don't return...they survive. Bears do what mother nature designed them to do so you can't blame them for how they react to situations, BUT they are more than capable of defensively 'swatting the head off your shoulders'...or injuring my grandkids playing in the bush around the yard. So I err on the side of caution and shoot 'loiterers'.
Oh, and we do have a dog, but sometimes the critters do not care about the dog's barking.
Last week the dog and I ran across a bear previously seen around the yard and treed by the dog (distinctive mink brown color). The dog and it went round and round trying to intimidate the other...both barking and woofing. I was ready to retreat when the bear focused on my direction, puffed up and began snapping its jaws. That was enough to remind me I had decided to dispatch it the next time I saw it.
I am have 40 yrs experience backyard plinking/target shooting with my model 29 - .44 mag, so I am not totally incompetent.From about 50ft I shot twice at its chest just down from its throat, without actually aiming fot its heart. It didnt react to the shots at all other than to dance a few ft closer to me. I shot once more and it turned and started to run, then folded.
I had assumed I had missed with the first 2 shots, but upon closer examination, there were 3 holes...not good groups, but all fatal.....but not placed for immediate incapacitation. It was not a huge bear, either...about 300lbs.
I asume if it had been charging I probably would have missed in my target completly in the excitement. At least until it was chewing on my leg....then I would go for a head shot.
I have great respect for those who are actually competent when 'under fire'.

 

[Holliday]

My preferred weapon would be a pump 12 gauge with slugs for a grizzly. That said, I will fight with what I have. It’s one thing to be eaten by a grizzly, but ending up grizzly shit, is not part of my life goals.

There was a guy on meateater podcat, who was hunting elk on Kodiak Island. He was hunting with a 6.5 Creedmoor. While stalking an elk, he suddenly was charged by a mama Grizzly. He said he popped his scope cover, looked down at his 6.5 and realized it was a tiny bullet, then threw it on the ground and started running. Now this wasn’t some jerk-off from Connecticut. This was a guy who lived on Kodiak Island and hunted around bears often. The guy is a known hunter and meateater didn’t even question his methodology. In fact, if memory serves, he pretty much agreed with him.

The bear mauled him. Ripping off half is nut sack and some guy came in from his party and emptied out a 10 mm Glock killing it. He had to be rescued by a life flight from the Coast Guard and bitched because they posted a picture of him being lifted into the helicopter on their Facebook page.

You rescue me after having my nut sack ripped half off by a grizzly, you post all the freakin pictures you of you want.

The below article says a lot about ammo choice.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Alaska Outfitter Defends Fishermen from Raging Grizzly with 9mm Pistol

Two weeks ago, veteran outfitter Phil Shoemaker was guiding two fishing clients in the Alaska bush when the party came face to face with an enraged grizzly. Shoemaker, armed only with a 9mm semi-auto pistol, defended his clients and himself. Here’s his account …

www.americanhunter.org