Wildcat:
Never once in my life have a met a person with a real bear story. Not once.
I have never met you,but I have a bear experience. 6 foot six nose to tail. Male black bear.Fit the pattern of predator behavior.Bit my wife.We were 200 river miles from the road.I had a 20 in bbl Win 97 12 ga and I killed him..I have little doubt that if I was unarmed we would have had a far more terrible,perhaps fatal experience.Junction of the Yukon and Nowitna Rivers
I live in northern Coorado.I've been told :"I;ve spent 40 years here outside and never seen a rattlesnake:"(Snakes don't bother me.I leave them alone if they aren't in my yard.)
That tells me the person is not good at spotting snakes.Come a warm day in the spring I know a trail I usually hear or see two or three. I've seen a lion on that same trail that ws unimpressed that I was a human.
With respect for those who can tell us typical book bear behavior,bears don't read books.They are individuals.You can describe typical human behavior all you want,Ted Bundy was out there.A bear does what he feels like doing.
Even among livestock,cattle and horses,you will last longer if you consider them unpredictable.
I'll say it again,I own suitable handguns,I have a 5 in bbl SBH. It will do.Two handed,I thumb during recoil and its as fast as any 44 magnum for the wheel full.What matters is that its an old friend.It always works,and it points like my finger.Is it the BEST bear defense gun? No. I have it.It will do.
If I was going to buy a new bear handgun,it would be a Glock 20 10mm with a Lone Wolf grooved barrel,laded with 200 gr plus Buff Bore,or equivalent.
If you want to use a 9mm,that up to yu.Its your butt.
Before I went to the bushes in AK,I went to the museum in Fairbanks and studied bear anatomy a bit.The nose has spongy sinus cavity up into the brain pan.
My shotgun only had a white bead.I held on the nose and took out his lower teeth.He went down and got right back up.My second shot broke his neck.
In both cass,the lead Foster slug showed disappointing penetration.
I've followed the video adventures of a Woman who solo hiked (with occasional companions) the Appalachian Trail,the Pacific Rim Trail,and the Continental Divide Trail.
She was alone,at night,among black bears,lions,and grizzlies.
She did a vid about it (bears,spray,guns,etc) She comes from a shooting family,and is gun friendly. She mostly said "Its your choice,I'm not going to tell you what to do.Here are things to consider"
These trails took her through several states,jurisdictions,National Parks,etc.
She suggested to consider legalities.Especially Appalachian and Pacific Rim trails. If its not open carry,its too slow.Open carry,you will meet other hikers.Word will travel if they see you armed. Guns are heavier than bear spray. She carried spray,and kept it handy eating,sleeping,bathing,etc.
Spray may not be perfect. I place more faith in a gun. But spray beats helpless.Stats say its pretty good.
AK is pretty serious about game laws. A SD bear shoot requires turning in the head and hide,paperwork,and an interview. Bear spray,assuming it works,might suggest advising a game warden of a problem bear. How you spend your vacation time is up to you.We had an injury,no ice or salt,we had more than 24 hours travel to get to a hospital.We left the meat,and had no problem,but without an injured person,leaving the meat may have been a serious issue. I don't know for sure.
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