Bear protection again?

Unfortunately I don't have any experience with brown bear to bring to the table (Only minimal black bear). But I can add a story that happened recently to Jack Hanna who had to fend off a bear attack in Montana. The following link nicely shows the benefits and drawbacks of using bear spray.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/lo...r-montana-jack-hanna-bear-attack.html?sid=102

If it were me personally, I'd ideally want to have both spray and firepower with at least two people. I'd also decide beforehand that in the event of a bear charge, one of us would be using the bear spray while the other unloaded with whatever firearm we had with us. But thats just my uninformed opinion.

Just like all these threads, I've heard of bears taken with .45acp, and bears who took 6 rounds of .44 magnum and kept on coming. It would seem that many bear attacks are often stopped by the sound of a gun firing, but that in the event the bear keeps coming, the larger the gun, the better your chances. Since Bear attacks are relatively rare, there is very little data to go on. Most folks seem to chose a round based on how comforting it makes them feel rather than based on any actual data. It would also seem that when it comes to Bear and firearm defense, you have a lot of odds stacked against you since Bear can attack very quickly and very quietly. Just search for bear attack videos on the internet to get a taste of just how quickly it can happen.
 
I think the moose fatalities are automobile related. Handgun wouldn't do much good under those circumstances.

Regarding pepper spray AND handgun I can't imagine having time to use both. I don't want to have to decide which to use at a critical moment.
 
Regarding pepper spray AND handgun I can't imagine having time to use both. I don't want to have to decide which to use at a critical moment.
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That's why I'd want at least one other person and we'd decide before hand who was using what. One person to use pepper spray and the other to fire as many rounds as quickly as possible to hedge our bets on what solution was going to win the day. But then again, I tend to overdo things... :)

I don't usually head out into the woods by myself anyway. I almost always bring someone along. But then again, as a scout I was told to travel in groups of 3 if possible, so that in the event one of you is incapacitated, one person can perform first aid/CPR while the other can run for help.
 
I'd go for the bear spray. It would be much easier on my conscience to blast my hiking buddy with that than it would be to shoot him before I ran away. (Not to mention making it much harder for him to shoot me!) :)

And the evidence would be much easier to explain... :p
 
What about a well-placed, well-thrown grenade? Sure, not everyone knows how to chuck a grenade (some don't even know to pull the pin out), but a well-placed grenade = airborne bear parts flying through the forest.
 
What about a well-placed, well-thrown grenade? Sure, not everyone knows how to chuck a grenade (some don't even know to pull the pin out), but a well-placed grenade = airborne bear parts flying through the forest.
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I think I watched that Disney movie......
 
I think the moose fatalities are automobile related. Handgun wouldn't do much good under those circumstances.
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For the most part you are correct, but every now and then someone gets close enough to get stomped especially in the winter. Snowmachiners, nordic skiers, the Alaska Railroad and dogmushers end up getting sideways with meese from time to time because they usually meet up suddenly with each other on the trails and tracks. Moose use these trails to avoid having to struggle in the deep snow. The Alaska Railroad always wins their encounters, but for everyone else it's a crapshoot.
 
Don't you know? Everyone who packs an extra gun for the chance encounter with a bear also packs an EpiPen in case they are attacked by bees or hornets. They've also installed 5-point harness seat belts in their vehicles for the chance accident and have a fire extinguisher in every room of their house. Can't be too safe you know.
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What, you mean you all don't do this?

FWIW, I carried a small fire extinguisher-sized can of bear spray and a G20SF (10mm) for a few years up here. Had three bear encounters, none of which I felt put me in immediate danger, but I burned through a can or two of bear spray anyhow just because the bears were too close for comfort...

Then, one day, this was about a month or so ago... I had an encounter with a 3-4y/o boar that was not fazed at all by the can of spray I had... He was basically "playing" with me, mock charging to within about 10 feet or so and hopping up and down on his front legs (back legs stayed on the ground). I emptied a can of spray on him with no effect. I then moved my off-hand to my 10mm (already drawn) and tried to stay calm. I yelled at the bear a couple of times with no effect, so I put three rounds in the dirt between me and him. I guess that scared him enough to leave and allow me the opportunity to do the same.

Later that week, I sold my G20SF and bought this:

Marlin 1895STP - .45/70 Govt, 16.25" barrel, 5rd magazine tube.
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And before you ask, yes, I can get it up and ready to shoot just as quick as a handgun. I've found that it's best to carry cross-shoulder with the barrel pointed straight down and gun located on my reaction side. When you need to draw, follow these steps to get on target:

- Take reaction hand and grab forearm of rifle.
- In one smooth, sweeping motion: extend your reaction hand/gun out fully in front of you and make a large clockwise (I'm a lefty, it'd be counter-clockwise for all you righties) circle, starting at your reation hip and ending in the same place. This will get the sling out from around your nugget.
- Place weapon hand on the grip/lever and rack a round as you shoulder the weapon.
- Shoot the weapon, aiming for the nose of the bear.
- Cycle lever
- Shoot the weapon
- Repeat as necessary.
 
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