Do you carry a 44 magnum when you hike?

[ckissick]

I almost did once. I applied for a summer job in Alaska doing geologic mapping for the USGS. I was told they issue you a hand gun for grizzlies. I forget what type, but it wasn't powerful enough. Someone recommended buying myself 44 magnum and leaving the gov't-issue pea shooter at home.

There was a female geologist I used to see walking around our Menlo Park facilities with two metal arms with hooks. Both arms were ripped off by a grizzly while she was doing the job I had applied for. I was very relieved when I didn't get the job.

Years later, I visited Alaska and went hiking, unarmed, in Denali National Park. I was nervous the whole time.

[unclebilly]

I bought a Rossi Ranchhand in 44 Mag to take hiking after numerous bear encounters on the trail... I still just carry bear spray.

[varmint]

My neighbor has lived in Alaska since statehood. He’s carried a .45 on him every day and never had to use it.

Few years back a tourist came up from Seattle for a week. A brown bear got him on day five.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by varmint

My neighbor has lived in Alaska since statehood. He’s carried a .45 on him every day and never had to use it.

Few years back a tourist came up from Seattle for a week. A brown bear got him on day five.

A guy from around here was killed by a bear while up there on a moose hunt.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hunter-killed-grizzly-alaska-identified-incident-called-surprise-attack-n1241037

[vash]

I tried to take a summer job surveying for logging. The guy said you hike and camp out for weeks. He said a firearm was mandatory.

My current Job denied my “leave without pay” so I couldn’t go. I often wonder if....

[red-beard]

Years ago I was hiking in Cougar Country and I had my full size 1911 in .45 with me. These days, I would probably switch to my .357 or go and buy a .44

[RWebb]

1. a .44 mag isn't really enough for a grizzly - but requires less luck than say a .38

Black bears are less likely to attack, and while presence of cubs is the greatest danger, there are predatory attacks - maybe with the apex bear missing from most ecosystems, the black bears are becoming more aggressive

2. the problem with cougars is they will do a sneak attack, often above and from the rear - so be ready to fire over your shoulder before the teeth sink too far into the neck... (they are not likely to attack unless you are running)

- there is lots of info on attacks by wildlife; not sure how much is public and I dunno if Herrero's bear attacks database was every put on a public network, but you can read his book

https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Attacks-Their-Causes-Avoidance-dp-149302941X/dp/149302941X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

[ckcarr]

Here's an article on the ten best bear defense guns...

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/10-best-bear-defense-guns-pics/

It won't matter anyway when the grizzly is coming at you at 35 mph full speed and you shoot your foot off trying to unholster it while your whole body is shaking and you're pooping in your pants...

Or, reality will have set in, and because of the weight of a fully loaded .44 Colt isn't that much fun to lug around, you stuff it in your backpack along with your bear spray and head on out. Where it will be rendered immediately useless when seconds count.

You can get backpacks that will unload bear spray from the back if your already laying on the ground with his paw on your spine...

[ckcarr]

Speaking of. Great movie here...

[Por_sha911]

I prefer to not go out in the woods. For some reason I though of this:

[Rapewta]

I did a lot of hiking/camping on the Island of Kodiak. Always took my 7MM Rem Mag with me.
Saw a lot of game but thankfully never any bears.

[unclebilly]

I have had some very close encounters with bears in Alaska, Washington, and Canada. Truthfully, I am probably lucky to be here.

I had a very large Kodiak walk within a foot of my back at the campsite at the base of the Golden Stairs. That was a bit of a big deal for the rangers.

The next day at Deep Lake, after supper, I returned to our campsite to grab my camera to find a momma griz and her cub standing right beside my tent and pack (with my bear spray attached). Momma sent the cub up a tree, I fired off a bear banger and ran like hell. When I returned to the campsite a half hour later, momma and baby were gone... that encounter was a big deal for me.

[speeder]

Even w a .44 magnum, it would have to be a really well placed shot against a full grown grizzly bear. Or 5 or 6 well placed shots. Still, not a bad choice of weapon.

[ckcarr]

I always liked this one...

[unclebilly]

^^^ that’s a medium size black bear... I’ve been that close to bigger ones before. That one wanted to ‘play’ and that was not good.

I think that was in Wood Buffalo National Park?

[Steve Carlton]

My brother got a S&W .44 Mountain Gun many years ago for backpacking, saying it was capable of penetrating a bear's skull vs bouncing off. He never got to find out, but at the range with a full load in it, that thing would make you giddy with laughter with the 12" of flame coming out of the barrel when you fire it.

[911boost]

I have a 357 or 45 in a chest rig every time I hunt a certain part of the unit we go too. Two years ago we walked up onto a big mountain lion, after cleaning out our pants I shot a deer not much later. One guy and I cleaned it while another stood watch.

[creaturecat]

that's a one way ticket to the slammer, here. in Canada.

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by creaturecat

that's a one way ticket to the slammer, here. in Canada.

Ummm nope.

You can carry a rifle in Canada. Many parks don’t allow it (but not all).

You are also allowed to transport a restricted (like a pistol) to the range. Nobody said you couldn’t walk there...

[Cajundaddy]

Statistics matter:
- We are more likely to be struck by lightning than mauled by a bear while hiking. Unless you are hiking Kodiac island AK.
- More people survive aggressive bear encounters with bear spray than firearms.
- The tried and true “Guide gun” is a 45-70 lever action rifle. More than 3x the stopping power of a 44mag pistol.

Any reasonably heavy round will stop a griz with a very well placed shot. Making that shot is 90% of the game.