Was watching one of those bear shows the other night and it showed a big sow in a loping charge - head down and kinda bobbing around. Made me think.....hypothetically:
If an average hiking Joe walks out into a clearing, wearing a fairly large handgun (lets say a .357 6 shooter, with one chamber empty for safety's sake)...and due to some very bad luck there are a couple black bear cubs about 30 yards away. Worse, ten yards further is momma bear and she's a big one. The cubs are between you and her and, worse yet, she has just had an encounter with a male bear and she's generally p!ssed. She takes one look and starts charging and her only intent is to maul - average Joe pulls his gun. What percent of average Joe's do you think could down her before she crossed the 40 yards?
Personally - I think I'd be in serious trouble. Plus, would it be better to start firing immediately or wait?
I know this will never happen to 99.9999% of us hiker/hunters, but I just wondered what others thought or would do?
If an average hiking Joe walks out into a clearing, wearing a fairly large handgun (lets say a .357 6 shooter, with one chamber empty for safety's sake)...and due to some very bad luck there are a couple black bear cubs about 30 yards away. Worse, ten yards further is momma bear and she's a big one. The cubs are between you and her and, worse yet, she has just had an encounter with a male bear and she's generally p!ssed. She takes one look and starts charging and her only intent is to maul - average Joe pulls his gun. What percent of average Joe's do you think could down her before she crossed the 40 yards?
Personally - I think I'd be in serious trouble. Plus, would it be better to start firing immediately or wait?
I know this will never happen to 99.9999% of us hiker/hunters, but I just wondered what others thought or would do?