marty1028

My brother went out horn hunting again this past weekend to find him self about 15-20 yards from a bear. The bear charged at him... What would you do?

ELKampMaster

I'd call the USFG on my cell phone and ask for their assistance in the matter,
Make sure I didn't do anything that wasn't PC....

Yeah, right.
If I'm out for elk, then I'm probably packing a 375HH.... if it gets down to where it is me or the bear, then bye-bye Mr. Bear! I would think the key would be to not shoot impulsivley early and yet not wait until too late --- 20 yards is awfully close. It would have to be done in a decisive manner.

EKM

cherokee_outfitters

shoot, shovel and silence opps I didn't say that. Had one just one situation like that even though I wasn't hunting I was checking horses in our mountain pasture I had a tag for bear but didn't even think about carrying a rifle I was busy with work.

Came around the corner on a steep hillside and the bear was above me about 7yards. To this day I can't tell you if the bear growled or snorted but it didn't matter to me at the time. I did a Wyatt Earp on him and totally missed. The bear the made a jump down hill and then turned back up hill in a flash of fur. My secound shot took him the middle of the back and flattened him all four legs just as he hangs on my wall. After hitting the ground he rolled straight down the slope to me. I could of reached out a kicked the bear when he stired and tried to get up. I missed the third shot as he was rolling down the hill. The fourth shot connected as I was making my back trail away from the bear. I still wished I would kicked that bugger so I could always say I counted coo on a live bear.

Trust me not my finest manly moment. With all that action in a second or two I didn't have alot of time thinking about what I was going to do. Just do it. My friends and family still laugh at me for that one. They got to see me panic finally.

feddoc

Not out hunting horns, but kinda neat story. A few years ago we were in Western Nevada on a mountain flying training mission. We stopped our helo to answer the call and to switch pilots. Some of us went one way, some another. Myself and another guy went just off the nose of the 60 to do our business. Got back in the bird, took off and not 100 feet below us on a ledge were two black bears smackin on berries.

ELKampMaster

Marty,

Soooo, what was the outcome of your brother's encounter. Dead bear or false charge and live bear?

EKM

James B

I would shoot the bear if I had to. No doubt about that. I would be carring my Pump 30-06 in elk and bear country. The 45-70 in moose and bear country.

rather_be_huntin

marty1028

Do you mean shed hunting? Because horn hunting is just hunting for a trophy animal with antlers. I think any of us wouldn't hesitate to use our rifle while deer or elk hunting. I'd report it as self defense and probably not get any guff in my state.

Now if I was shed hunting I don't usually carry a rifle or a pistol. Not sure what I'd do, probably just wave my arms and try and scare the bear away. Years ago I was chased up a tree by a mother bear but I was young and as soon as I saw her I ran and she followed. Once I was up the tree and she got a good wiff of me she bolted. I probably would've been fine if I had just stood my ground and let her know I was human by yelling and waiving my arms. Climbing the tree sure seemed like a good option at the time though.

Carpmaster

SSS definitely, and then wash my shorts!!!!

MtnGuy75

Well its funny that this post should pop up at this time. Last sat. i was set up callin in a turkey here in CO when he just went silent and flew. I was never in visual contact with the bird just heard it so i stayed coiled up and waitin. The longer i set the more nervous i got. Anyway just when i thought all hope was lost and was gonna relax, a big ole black bear come up over the rise only 15 yards from me. Now im still sittin there with my 12 Ga. up and pointin right at him. he just looks at me and wanders off the other way. Needless to say my sigh of relief could be heard in the next county. Two more steps out him and i probly wouldnt have hesitated. But just goes to show ya never know what youll run across in the woods

marty1028

Well the bear is alive! It was very close he almost pulled the trigger(Ruger GP-100 357.) but the bear got wind of him and ran off.