bear hunting
- Thread starter shooter43
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Buckfever4life
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Yes indeed, shot placement is the key, but I would rather have the extra bit of oomf with a larger caliber than to rely on a perfect shot placement on a large angry grizzly, esp on a spot and stalk type of hunt.
Marlin in .45/70 is the standard that guides carry so that is what I would also take. But that is just me.
If the guides who are hunting bears, or carrying a gun they know will kill any bear they may encounter, then I would want to mimic that.
Also to the "shot placement is key". I agree with this. So buy your gun in caliber of choice months before and put 200 rounds through it at targets practicing standing, shouldering, and firing in under 5 seconds. Or practice going from standing to crouched/kneeling and shouldering and firing in 3-5 seconds. If its me, the crouching/kneeling is adding more movement I'd have to stop before getting on target so I would just shoulder from standing. If you can hit a pie plate consistently I'd be comfortable.
I know people will say(in whining voice) "But 200 rnds of .300 WIN MAG is over $400"
My response is:
1. What is your life worth?
2. What did you pay for the hunt?
Considering the amount of money you likely spent on the hunt and your life is potentially on the line an additional $400 is money well spent if you ask me.
If the guides who are hunting bears, or carrying a gun they know will kill any bear they may encounter, then I would want to mimic that.
Also to the "shot placement is key". I agree with this. So buy your gun in caliber of choice months before and put 200 rounds through it at targets practicing standing, shouldering, and firing in under 5 seconds. Or practice going from standing to crouched/kneeling and shouldering and firing in 3-5 seconds. If its me, the crouching/kneeling is adding more movement I'd have to stop before getting on target so I would just shoulder from standing. If you can hit a pie plate consistently I'd be comfortable.
I know people will say(in whining voice) "But 200 rnds of .300 WIN MAG is over $400"
My response is:
1. What is your life worth?
2. What did you pay for the hunt?
Considering the amount of money you likely spent on the hunt and your life is potentially on the line an additional $400 is money well spent if you ask me.
What it proves is that if you make a perfect central nervous system hit (brain or spine) you can kill animals with pretty light guns. The problem is that in the real world you're not always going to be presented with a perfect CNS shot and then power comes in real handy.
I expect you might have some difficulty finding an Alaskan bear guide who'll take you out for grizzlies armed with an M1 carbine.
That bear could eat a FAMILY!!!IN THEIR CAR!!!!!
If I went back to Alaska where the bear get huge, I would indeed go with a 45-70 as minimum bear gun for just being in the woods. For hunting, I believe the .375 H&H magnum is the real minimum and many go higher than that. Bullet placement is key, but I believe to stop a charging bear, you really need a lot behind that bullet placement.
I consider my .444 as a minimum woods gun that could do the job, but it is not the most optimal for the job. It is at or a little above the 30-06 in actually power. Smaller guns have taken bear, even revolvers such as the .44 magnum which I now have for a woods gun in Idaho NEAR town. When out further, it will be the .444 AND my .44 as back up with plenty of ammo since they have increasing numbers of wolves in the area up there. I also have a 300 WSM that I wouldn't hesitate to use in an emergency situation, but I would feel better using something more than a 180 gr bullet no matter how fast it is going. That brings us back to the .338 and up.
One of my friends tells the story of his father having to cancel a trip to Alaska in the 1960's I believe but his friends went anyway. They never returned. They found their dead bodies beside a giant brown bear that died also as a result of all of their shots, but he got them first before dying. They are big, and fast and when they want to be can kill with a single swipe of their paws.
I consider my .444 as a minimum woods gun that could do the job, but it is not the most optimal for the job. It is at or a little above the 30-06 in actually power. Smaller guns have taken bear, even revolvers such as the .44 magnum which I now have for a woods gun in Idaho NEAR town. When out further, it will be the .444 AND my .44 as back up with plenty of ammo since they have increasing numbers of wolves in the area up there. I also have a 300 WSM that I wouldn't hesitate to use in an emergency situation, but I would feel better using something more than a 180 gr bullet no matter how fast it is going. That brings us back to the .338 and up.
One of my friends tells the story of his father having to cancel a trip to Alaska in the 1960's I believe but his friends went anyway. They never returned. They found their dead bodies beside a giant brown bear that died also as a result of all of their shots, but he got them first before dying. They are big, and fast and when they want to be can kill with a single swipe of their paws.
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The two pics of the guys with mammoth bears are why I'd take the .45-70 min if I was going in with the intent of finding a bear, possibly grizzly.
It may be rare that you see one that size, but when you do are you going to want to be thinking "I wish I brought something bigger" or "A little closer...a liiiiiiittle closer..."
It may be rare that you see one that size, but when you do are you going to want to be thinking "I wish I brought something bigger" or "A little closer...a liiiiiiittle closer..."
ripnbst said:
Not rare at all... Least not around here. If you salmon fish for any amount of time up here, you'll see one. If you hunt pretty much anything, you'll see one.
I've actually been thinking about getting something a little different for bear defense when I transfer back up here in a few years (headed to MI for this tour)... An AR-15 pistol in .458 SOCOM... Possibly a gas-piston type... Not sure if anyone makes one right now, but it sure would be pretty handy...
I live in the yukon and shot a grizzly with a 30-06 with a 220 gr core-lokt out of necessity. Fortunately i had a grizzly tag. The shot was a well placed broadside but the bear still took off about 15 meters into the bushes before dying. I took the shot from about 40 meters but grizzlies are tough critters and bigger is better if you can handle it, and a good shot may not anchor one instantly.
grubbylabs
New member
Wow alaska444 that is a cute little bear.
FrontSight
New member
alaska444 that is incredible! Did you make a rug / mount of it?
FrontSight
New member
Awwww...