Bear(bare) encounter....

[Bill Douglas]

That bear probably thinks you are REALLY dangerous. Showing no signs of fear and playing with fishing rods.

[jyl]

Why do you (mr ODD JOB) carry spare speed loaders for bear work since you said you're only going to get one to a few shots?

Example of the firefight myth I posted about earlier?

Anyway, the Freedom 454 etc are cool but don't seem logically designed for a bear gun.

The requirements are: damn big penetration, close range, one or two shots, have to carry it all day, don't care if your hand falls off the next day.

Give these requirements to an engineer and seems you wouldn't come up with a very heavy six shooter with nice target sights.

Thinking more like a two shot derringer, bullpup form factor - - short skeleton stock, chamber(s) at shoulder, barrel(s) contained in stock and protruding only a bit past the trigger - in a rifle caliber, as light as possible (mostly plastic), maybe laser or Aim Point type sight.

[Rick V]

We have black bears around here and for the most part they stay out of the populated areas. A few months ago I was sitting on the porch and a small-ish one ran through my yard and hoofed it across the road and off. I told the neighbors about it and they asked if it was a big bear, I said, "Its a frigging bear".

[Drisump]

These stories of the "great risk" assumed while driving through bear country is such a pile. Given how many people hike and cycle through it....with few casualties, the risk is far over-blown. I'd like to know how often a gun has actually saved someone with an encounter with a bear. I've been close to bears (even grizzlies) quite often (while hiking) and never have they shown any inclination toward aggression. If I was so inclined (and allowed to) I probably would've shot at the bear and came back with a story of how the firearm had saved me. Anyway just my 2 cents. Cheers

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Drisump

These stories of the "great risk" assumed while driving through bear country is such a pile. Given how many people hike and cycle through it....with few casualties, the risk is far over-blown. I'd like to know how often a gun has actually saved someone with an encounter with a bear. I've been close to bears (even grizzlies) quite often (while hiking) and never have they shown any inclination toward aggression. If I was so inclined (and allowed to) I probably would've shot at the bear and came back with a story of how the firearm had saved me. Anyway just my 2 cents. Cheers

Yep. In Alaska it's like walking through a field of cows. Except they are bears.

One BIG caveat... The same fat lazy non threatening bear in September might rip you to pieces in April after hibernation.

I always go to Alaska in late summer/early fall. The bears are incredibly fat and passive. Gorging on berries and salmon. In the "bear attack" video, notice that the river is fast... a spring runoff. And the bear in skinny and with cubs. I wouldn't share the river with a hungry bear with cubs fresh out of hibernation.

[ShakinJoe]

Originally Posted by 9dreizig

bears make great rugs (just saying)

Is that a Labradoodle?

[9dreizig]

Yes it is!! Coolest dog I've ever owned..
Moses,, I beg to differ with you!! I've always found fall bears MUCH more aggressive than spring bears,, they are shy when first out.. had to throw a few out of camp in the fall

[RWebb]

a lot depends on how hard the winter & preceding autumn were - bears become torpid during winter and live off of stored fat supplies

if they did not build up lots of fat in the fall and/or the winter was cold, then you are liable to have one hungry bear in the next spring

bears are smart enough that they are are very individual -- you cannot predict their behavior that easily from bear to bear

species do differ a lot -- a griz is usually an attitude bear - they evolved as the meanest SOB in the valley (or plains) and nothing took them on except an entire pack of wolves until the early Indians arrived in N. Amer. about 50k years ago

while black bears evolved in the presence of the grizzly, and its behavior usually shows that it expects there to be somebody meaner around

you also get into the whole mother with cubs thing + the teenage bears who just want to flatten something...

[enzo1]

[GWN7]

Originally Posted by Drisump

These stories of the "great risk" assumed while driving through bear country is such a pile. Given how many people hike and cycle through it....with few casualties, the risk is far over-blown. I'd like to know how often a gun has actually saved someone with an encounter with a bear. I've been close to bears (even grizzlies) quite often (while hiking) and never have they shown any inclination toward aggression. If I was so inclined (and allowed to) I probably would've shot at the bear and came back with a story of how the firearm had saved me. Anyway just my 2 cents. Cheers

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/679666-sitting-toilet-bear-decides-make-you-his-breakfast.html

[Rick V]