That was the worst movie I have seen in years. Those people deserve to be removed from the gene pool before they can breed. But to answer the question, a good 30-06 class rifle and a good scoped 22 rifle for small game has served many nothern outdoorsman of Alaska and nothern Canada for over a century now. I study actual carry guns of the people who carry guns daily. Pretty they aint. Many people believe they can shoot well enough to keep fed with a 22 handgun, and I am one of those that believe that. But you must have a game rich enviroment to do this. If you get but one shot a day at small game I want to be able to hit the small target every time.
Having lived in Alaska for most of my life, I want to comment on something here. I worked with a girl, who while she was pregnant, craved squirrel meat. So on her days off, at 7 months pregnant, she'd get up a 8am, waddle into the woods, and kill 5 or 6 squirrels, bring them home, clean them, and she'd have lunch. It became sort of a running joke at work. She garnered the nickname "Squirrel Slayer." Someone even made her a shirt with that logo on it, and had an infant's onesie made with the logo "Future Squirrel Slayer." I once asked her what she would do if she ran into a bear. She said matter of factly, "Drop my rifle, and pull out the .357 Mag on my belt."
Here's the problem with most of Alaska. Although most areas are rich with small game, they are also rich with large game. Sitka Blacktail Deer, Caribou, moose, etc. But beyond these vegetarian animals, the forests and tundra of Alaska are also rich with large predators. Large Grizzlies, Black Bear, Brown Bear, Polar Bears (far north, of course) and Wolves. If you decided to head into the woods to feed your family with a .22, you're risking not coming back.
Heck, I had a buddy who hunted exclusively with a .223 rifle (make and model escapes me at the moment, but it wasn't an AR). Sitka Blacktail are small deer by deer standards, and the .223 is more than sufficient. He says it's the best rifle he's ever owned. But he always had his Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag strapped to his hip. If he were ever attacked by a grizzly, the .223 would do nothing except make the bear mad.
My wife worked with a guy who had gone out hunting with some buddies. They had split up and he was alone. They were looking for Sitka Blacktail again. He was carrying a .300 Win Mag. He began tracking a deer, but after about a mile, lost the trail. He began to backtrack his way back to camp to meet up with his buddies when he heard some rustling in the bushes. He thought it might be the deer he had been tracking. He raised his rifle and aimed towards the rustling. Suddenly, a bear bursted out of the brush coming at him at less than 20 feet. He fired off a round that luckily went through the bears skull, and dropped him right at his feet. If he had been using a .223 or something small, he'd likely not be alive today.
So, can you feed a family in the wilds of Alaska and Canada with a .22? Sure, it's certainly possible. Do you want to? Well, if you do, make sure you have something to back you up. Going out into the Alaska wilderness with only a .22 is something that only the ignorant, and foolish do. Bring both the .22 AND .30-06 with you.
Having said that, there is a joke you might hear in Alaska.
Q:What's the best caliber for defense in the wilderness of Alaska?
A:.22LR. Shoot your buddy in the knee, and run like hell.
