Being retired, I'm looking to do fly-fishing,

J

jrothWA

New member
both in the UP and Northern LP, in Michigan.

My partner maybe tagging along and asked what load for a .40S&W as a CPL., in case a bear comes by? What do you that may encounter the Black Bear recommend?

I with normally CPL with a RSS .357 with Federal 180 gr HOTcast lead rounds, or 1911A1 with standard hardball.

Thanks.
 
J

jmr40

New member
I'd invest in a box or 3 of the heavy for caliber hardcast bullets made by Buffalo Bore or Double Tap. That ammo is expensive, but you won't shoot a lot. I've bought 2-3 boxes in 9mm, 45ACP, and 10mm. Once I fired a mag full in each to verify POI and reliability the rest will probably last the rest of my life.

Phil Shoemaker, a noted brown bear and trout fishing guide in Alaska killed a very large brown bear that charged a fisherman he was guiding a few years ago with one of the Buffalo Bore 9mm loads.

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/alaska-man-kills-charging-brown-bear-with-a-9mm-pistol/

They make similar loads in 357 mag and 45, but I'd rather have the mag capacity of the 40 than a 357 or 1911. Any of those will be more than enough for a black bear. While Shoemaker made it work but 9mm is smaller than I trust for bear.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=146

200 gr at 1000 fps should get a bear's attention.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=142
 
L

langenc

New member
Black bears are not hard to kill!

In the MI areas described most bears are 250# or less--usually quite a bit less.
Worst situation is Momma and cubs.
 
S

stinkeypete

New member
Please... if you do not do things like clean your fish and leave the guts smeared all over a rock in your camp site, and if you properly hang your food, black bears are simply not an issue compared to... ticks.

Why people are so afraid of black bears is a complete mystery to me. Don't leave food out or around, don't get between mama and the cubs. Give respect, it's a wild animal, not a pet. Follow those rules and you're good to go.

Now, shooting a black bear out of season because it's tearing up your camp that you left food out in... you're in big trouble. Black bears are not aggressive. People leave food around and they are not dumb, they raid camps, trash cans, bust open cars to get meat sandwiches... because people trained them where the easy food is. Not the animal's fault.

That said, I like the Ruger LCRx 3" in .38 Special (rated for +p) as a woods bumming gun. Its a small light 5 shot revolver that's just plain handy and fun and can take a dunking in the water if you fall in without stressing you out.
 
Last edited:
S

Skans

Active member
Please... if you do not do things like clean your fish and leave the guts smeared all over a rock in your camp site, and if you properly hang your food, black bears are simply not an issue compared to... ticks.
Click to expand...

10mm should work just fine for shooting ticks.:D
 
P

Prof Young

New member
Bear spray and a gun . . .

In Alaska Park Rangers and Shooters alike both recommend bear spray and a big hand gun. Start with the spray. Thing is, for either one to be effective you gotta be relatively close to the bear.

Life is good.
Prof Young
 
S

stinkeypete

New member
but he said MICHIGAN... in the UP.
The most dangerous thing up there might be the fudge or the pastys (delicious meat pies, in case you have not been there.)
 
J

JustJake

New member
Definitely something +P and not hollow point and probably not in 40 S&W.
Click to expand...
Well, that what my partner bought a .40S&W.
Click to expand...
A "+P .40S&W" is call the 10mm AUTO. :rolleyes:

The big 10mm, properly loaded, covers all your "nasty critter" bases in the lower 48 for sure, and Alaska too.

The real question is: what 10mm platform best suits you?

One of the many 10mm 1911 variants? Or perhaps the S.A. XDM compact? One of the three Glock 10mms, or maybe one of the two new S&W M&Ps?
 
J

JustJake

New member
In Alaska Park Rangers and Shooters alike both recommend bear spray and a big hand gun. Start with the spray. Thing is, for either one to be effective you gotta be relatively close to the bear.
Click to expand...
You won't have time to do both.

Worse, spray is affected by wind, distance, and the timing of deployment, as all the credible "spray v. firearm" studies show.

"Relatively close" proximity "to the bear" is necessary only with spray, in order to mitigate the factors of wind and too wide a dispersion at distance (dilutes the concentration and thus the "sting" of the spray).

None of those factors affect well-placed bullets. Only poor shot-placement does (a consequence of lack of practice with your carry gun).
 
B

Bowdog

New member
Back in the day I flyfished in the Adirondack Mountains. Did have a bear cross my path deep in the woods of Moose River. Started carrying a Ruger Alaskan in .44 Mag. 3inch.It was the Early Bear Season in that part of NY at the time. Never did see another bear after that. Thinking they knew I had a gun and a hunting license. ;)
 
C

Cosmodragoon

New member
My woodland loads in recent years have been the Xtreme Penetrators in either .357 Sig or .357 magnum. While the penetration isn't necessarily "extreme", they are non-deforming solids that cut a nice wound channel.

Having shot a lot of stuff and critters with various projectiles, I feel like these are pretty versatile. They have a lot to offer, whether against bears, dogs, errant coyotes, or evil people. Honestly, those are all more likely to pose a threat than bears in a lot of places. Still, you never know.

I seem to remember a few years back, a video circulated where somebody dropped a charging moose with their regular carry ammo in .40 S&W. While it is good to be prepared, there may be some truth to people overthinking these issues on internet forums. Training and shot placement will always be valuable.
 
C

CajunBass

New member
stinkeypete said:
Please... if you do not do things like clean your fish and leave the guts smeared all over a rock in your camp site, and if you properly hang your food, black bears are simply not an issue compared to... ticks.
Click to expand...

I don't worry about bears. I don't worry about snakes.

But ticks and chiggers...now they scare me.
 
S

stinkeypete

New member
between 1993 and 2003 there were 114 recorded deaths due to ticks. Lymes disease is no joke, even if it doesn't kill you.

Black bears? In the continental US from 1900 to today, 67 people have been killed by black bears.

When I see a bear in the woods, I am respectful and think "Okay.. cool." When I see a tick, I kill it with fire and still have the creepy-itchies for the rest of the day.
 
E

Erno86

New member
Black bears can be very aggressive. The number of people reported being killed by black bears is probably underestimated. Because the black bears will try to hide their kill in a cache of brush or logs, which makes human remains hard to find --- Unless you have a cadaver dog.

For bear protection medicine: I have my Ruger Super Redhawk DA pistol, chambered in 454 Casull/45 Long Colt --- using hard cast lead bullets for penetration.

But don't crack one off inside your tent or cabin, without using hearing protection...because you'll probably go deaf, for awhile at least.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top