Hunting the Hard way

M

mikthestick

New member
Hunting the hard way is an old archery book about going after African game with A longbow. Wish I could read it. It sounds stupid to go after the likes of Elephant with a bow when a high powered rifle is available.
How stupid is it to go after Grizzly Bear with a pistol. I would say VERY VERY.
When I was a young man the 44 Mag was THE pistol. I read(1980ish) of an experienced hunter who used a scoped 44 mag on a G Bear. It took 4 shots to bring it down.
Now I believe stopping power formulas have some value ( I found a new one I like and I'm keeping it to myself). I'm sure any one of these formulas would show that a 44 Mag revolver is "THE WRONG GUN FOR BEAR"
When I have posted stuff about stopping power most people put forward very good arguments why they are of no use. Fine! Why then do American hunters go after Bear with pistols. A PISTOL IS A VERY PORTABLE DEFENSIVE WEAPON. I have never hunted anything larger than a rabbit and I don't need a formula to tell me that when confronted with a Bear no pistol in production will guarantee my survival.
America has strange laws when you can go after Bear with a pistol but some rifles are illegal for deer. Don't mean to critisise your laws, just an observation.
IF YOU KILL 100 BEARS WITH AN M16 IT DOESN'T MAKE IT THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR BEAR.:D
 
No weapon of any size or power can guarantee your survival or success in the field. They still have to be fired accurately enough and with enough knowledge of your quarry's anatomy to achieve success.

That said, a 44 magnum, heavy loaded 45 Colt, or any of the larger 475-500 caliber handguns, when loaded correctly, have the power to penetrate sufficiently for clean kills on great bears.
 
Mik, you don't even know what you don't know.

A handgun (revolver or single shot) of sufficient caliber, and I would consider the .44 Magnum with a proper load to be at the minimum, has and will again, effectively harvest black and brown bears. The folks who do that know their limitations, know the animal, have backup, and are working with experience instead of unfounded speculation and pronouncements.

I take back a small portion of the above. I consider the .41 Magnum, with a proper load, to be at the lower end for normal sized black bears. In general they are smaller overall than brown bears. Not always, but on average. The US record for black bear is slightly north of 800 pounds. The ones I have personally encountered in the wild looked to be 300 or thereabouts.
 
A bullet is ruled by ballistics. An arrow is a long rod penetrator. The same physics method used to kill tanks. I've seen little old bows anchor a big old pig one shot. I'd sooner shoot a bow than an underpowered handgun, at something seriously mean. I've seen guides with .44's light out while the guys with the bows move in. Why? Most pistols are defensive, and don't give confidence around big meanies. Nothing like seeing something you just unloaded on mercifully walk off without unloading on you.
 
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