arquebus357
New member
When I hike in grizzly country I carry a Stun Gun. I like getting up-close and personal with beers.
What cartridge for hiking in Grizzly country?
- Thread starter Sequins
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wild cat mccane
New member
Truth be told, you've got lots of avid hikers on here and so far one person has told a rather far fetched yarn about meeting a bear.
If you want to buy a fun gun, no one is stopping you and you're obviously at an enabling site to do so
If you don't want bear spray, fine. If you want to claim bear spray is ineffective, you're wrong.
If you want to buy a fun gun, no one is stopping you and you're obviously at an enabling site to do so
If you don't want bear spray, fine. If you want to claim bear spray is ineffective, you're wrong.arquebus357
New member
Remember.... Bears are NOT people in bear costumes.
Pathfinder45
New member
I have never had a Grizzly Bear encounter. Change that to Black Bear, then I have had more encounters than I can clearly remember since 1973. But there were three face-to-face trail encounters that were quite memorable at very close range. I still didn't shoot them and I didn't get attacked. In each case, at the very instant that the bear became aware of me, it changed course and ran away at astonishing speed.
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I do hike in Grizzley country all the time and I have not yet had a problem, but I am not foolish enough to let my guard down.
I usually carry a 6" Freedom Arms 454 Casull loaded with 370 grain LBT bullets, and sometime I carry a 44 mag loaded with 320 gr LBT bullets.
But shooting a handgun that kicks less is more practical if you can't hit a target in a hurry with a 44 or 454. Carrying something you shoot VERY well is better then a more powerful gun you can't shoot well.
Marksmanship is more important then power. Not that power is unimportant, but less so then marksmanship.
I usually carry a 6" Freedom Arms 454 Casull loaded with 370 grain LBT bullets, and sometime I carry a 44 mag loaded with 320 gr LBT bullets.
But shooting a handgun that kicks less is more practical if you can't hit a target in a hurry with a 44 or 454. Carrying something you shoot VERY well is better then a more powerful gun you can't shoot well.
Marksmanship is more important then power. Not that power is unimportant, but less so then marksmanship.
CalmerThanYou
New member
^^Nuke
The 44 gives you a lot of options in terms of carrying ultra heavy 330 grains or something a little more manageable in a 240 grain hard cast round offering from Buffalo Bore, DoubleTap or some other manufacturer. In addition, you have the option of going with hot 44 specials if the magnums are too much for your taste. Versatility is the name of the game.
1972RedNeck
New member
Two summers ago I was riding on the mountain pasture. Came across a mostly eaten calf laying about 35 feet from a small cluster of good sized trees. I got off and went to take a closer look and scout for tracks. As I was circling around looking at fresh bear tracks and scat, I heard a rustling behind me in the trees. I turned around to see a decent sized black bear cautiously approaching out of the trees. I wasn't making much of any noise, so looking back, I'm sure it was more curious than anything.
For those who haven't raised livestock for a living, let me tell you, there are few things that will make you see red like a young piece of your livelihood laying dead on the ground partially consumed. When the apparent perpetrator (I doubt the bear killed the calf, but at that point I didn't care) shows up on scene, it makes it that much worse. As soon as I saw the bear I pulled my 5" .357 loaded with hot 158's and went to town.
First 2 shots were apparent hits with the next being a miss. This turned the bear broadside and stopped momentarily so I threw another 2 at it that were both direct hits to the body. After this, the sob turned and started coming at me!
Another hit stopped him again at about 10 feet and he dropped his rear but he was still on his fronts. Knowing I had to be getting low (dang hard to count to 8 when my adrenaline was pumping like it was) I tried to control my shaking as much as I could and proceeded to put one in his head.
I flipped open the cylinder and dumped everything out (this is when I discovered I only had one left) and hurriedly reloaded in case bear number two came out.
At this point, I was shaking quite hard so went off fifty yards and sat down for ten minutes or so to collect myself.
What I learned from this encounter - stuff a rifle in the scabbard - that's what its there for.
Then last summer, I came home to a cub in our front yard in our apple tree!
Having vivid memories come flooding back, I went in through the back and got my 300 Win Mag. I opened the door and proceeded to dispatch the little cub to a new home from 75 feet away. Two shots and he was toast. Much better than a .357 from 10 feet.
Having had too many run-ins with these fury creatures, if I had to go into Grizzly country, I wouldn't want anything less than a 3 1/2" 10 ga slug gun. For our black bear infested country, I now make much more noise and keep a .45-70 in the scabbard.
YMMV
For those who haven't raised livestock for a living, let me tell you, there are few things that will make you see red like a young piece of your livelihood laying dead on the ground partially consumed. When the apparent perpetrator (I doubt the bear killed the calf, but at that point I didn't care) shows up on scene, it makes it that much worse. As soon as I saw the bear I pulled my 5" .357 loaded with hot 158's and went to town.
First 2 shots were apparent hits with the next being a miss. This turned the bear broadside and stopped momentarily so I threw another 2 at it that were both direct hits to the body. After this, the sob turned and started coming at me!
Another hit stopped him again at about 10 feet and he dropped his rear but he was still on his fronts. Knowing I had to be getting low (dang hard to count to 8 when my adrenaline was pumping like it was) I tried to control my shaking as much as I could and proceeded to put one in his head.
I flipped open the cylinder and dumped everything out (this is when I discovered I only had one left) and hurriedly reloaded in case bear number two came out.
At this point, I was shaking quite hard so went off fifty yards and sat down for ten minutes or so to collect myself.
What I learned from this encounter - stuff a rifle in the scabbard - that's what its there for.
Then last summer, I came home to a cub in our front yard in our apple tree!
Having vivid memories come flooding back, I went in through the back and got my 300 Win Mag. I opened the door and proceeded to dispatch the little cub to a new home from 75 feet away. Two shots and he was toast. Much better than a .357 from 10 feet.
Having had too many run-ins with these fury creatures, if I had to go into Grizzly country, I wouldn't want anything less than a 3 1/2" 10 ga slug gun. For our black bear infested country, I now make much more noise and keep a .45-70 in the scabbard.
YMMV
Wow 1972Redneck, that's a heck of a tale. Thank you for sharing. Sounds like 357 is absolutely insufficient which I believe I knew already but that's a striking anecdote to really hammer it home. It sounds like a rifle is best but I just can't handle that weight. Other members of my party will have spray in addition to my handgun (still deciding 44 vs. 10mm) and with luck neither will be deployed.
As for your decision on shooting those bears I don't particularly like the idea of killing when life is not imminently threatened. I probably wouldnt kill bears eating apples or carrion scavenging that weren't acting aggressively, but then I'm not defending livestock either. Im sure you did what you felt was right. Did you harvest the bears after they were terminated? That at least might help some of us get over our "those poor bears" sentiments.
Again, thank you for sharing 1972Redneck.
As for your decision on shooting those bears I don't particularly like the idea of killing when life is not imminently threatened. I probably wouldnt kill bears eating apples or carrion scavenging that weren't acting aggressively, but then I'm not defending livestock either. Im sure you did what you felt was right. Did you harvest the bears after they were terminated? That at least might help some of us get over our "those poor bears" sentiments.
Again, thank you for sharing 1972Redneck.
Oh that's so scary. LOL. Where I used to live I'd have Bears in my yard every week. I've been in the yard with some huge Bears before. Often unarmed. I never had to go in the house and get a gun and shoot them. They're animals. They live in the woods. If I was that scared of them I'd move to the city.
22-rimfire
New member
Seems that the 357 wasn't quite enough gun that day. I can understand the sentiment with the bear and the calf. But I absolutely do not understand shooting a cub. If I knew about this, I would have turned you in to a warden for that one. YMMV
I had mama bear and 4 good sized cubs in my front yard, night before last. Those suckers and about 5 more black bears have been around here since last fall. It just goes with the territory, they usually run when they see me. I respect them and keep my distance, but I never have thought about just shooting them. If they try to tear into the house or get aggressive, then I am going to defend myself and my castle. My wife has kind of got used to them and accepts that when you live in the mountains your liable to see about anything. Living here we have seen many animals and critters, but not seen a mountain lion or an Elk yet.
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spacemanspiff
New member
Just curious, those of you who are opting for 10mm, what loads are you carrying?
Only reason I ask is that I could have swore that outdoors people up here swap out their barrel first. But a brief google search didnt result in any details about that. Its late, i havent had my afternoon sugar fix, so I could be mistaken. But if I am not, and you all DO change out for a different barrel in your 10mm, please let the rest of the class know.
Only reason I ask is that I could have swore that outdoors people up here swap out their barrel first. But a brief google search didnt result in any details about that. Its late, i havent had my afternoon sugar fix, so I could be mistaken. But if I am not, and you all DO change out for a different barrel in your 10mm, please let the rest of the class know.