MichiganWhitetails74

Darn bears.....Great Post!!...The first one I shot had another bear with it...I heart shot the one bear and the other bolts to my tree....climbs it.....rests its head at the base of the platform...with a fish in its mouth....blinks at me.....slowly backs out of the tree...and walks away looking back at me......black bears love us....they're curious creatures...

DO you know what this does to a guy from the Big City on his first bear hunt?...And then I take a bow again the following year.....thats huntin...Great idea for a post!!

salukipv1

we all know that bear spray is more effective......thats what everyone says.....personally id want both, or a gun and just stare that griz down! bear spray to keep him away then if he gets on top of you breakout that .44mag

907Alaska

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMbnmLLnsfw&NR=1
Check this one out, I posted it in another catagotry a few weeks ago. This bear gets torqued, and man he moves pretty fast, so for those of you that will decide between pepper spray and a gun you had better do it prior to your hunt...no time to think when it happens.

SouthDakotaHunter

A buddy had a griz approach him and his downed archery elk... He said the pepper spray didn't seem to phase the bear and that it didn't back off until he and another guy started yelling/screaming and pelting the gizz with rocks...

I asked him what he was thinking and he said, that was his first archery elk and there was no way a damn bear was going to take it from him....

Anyway... One of them made it to the pack horses (only a couple of hundred yards away) and grabbed a pistol... I guess the bear moved back a bit further when they shot a couple over his head...

mez

True target. I saw that episode on TV and not all of the commentary is on that clip. Watch it back, the guide knows what is coming, he stands up, unsnaps his pistol and starts to draw it before the sow ever comes out of the trees. On the show both the host and guide spoke about this. Us flatlanders would have had a bear in the boat.

SwampCollie

Here is an example of what not to do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZnsL...eature=related

This dude shot the bear in the same spot, perhaps 10 yards closer than the first bear the client shot. If you watch after they shoot the first bear, the sow charges, and she was charging... they said shortly after that the first bear they shot perfect at 60 yards... the bear they shot "in defense".... they said it was "8 yards". Not quite....how two bears not a full gallop apart can be 52 yards apart.....




What Mez wrote about most grizzly shootings "in self defense" not really being TRUE defense is likely right on... this is evidence of that... I'd call it a pre-emptive strike I suppose... I don't really blame the guy.....

BigJ71

Well I'll tell you what, I've spentenough of time hunting in bear country, both black and brown to know what I would prefer. Yes I've even been "approached" by a bear, to be honest with you, I don't know if it was a bluff or not, I didn't stick around long enough to find out.

It was a long time ago and I wasmuch younger (late teens), I was close to a fairly populated camp with permanent structures and people in and around it.I had just finished hanging some signs on some trees along a trail that led from the archery range to the camp. I hada hammer and box of nails in my hand when the bear appeared out of the timber fairly close to me, heading my way and fast. I dropped the hammer and nails and ran (smart of me huh...dropping my only weapon) like hell back to the camp soI think I have a pretty goodidea of that feeling, you know like you're about to get you arse chewed off.[&:]

There is nothing wrong with pepper spray, it's been documented to work and if I ever found myself in bear country again (I'm sure I will) I'll probably bring some along. But don't think for one second I'm not bringing a gun....and a very big one at that.


Here is some good reading...Ithink this guy found his mark.I'm sure pepper spray would have worked as well in this situation,BUT there is one thing that happened that pepper spray could NEVER do....see if you cantell whatthat is.
http://www.bear-hunting.com/news.cfm?Action=News&NewsFlashID=244

quiksilver

I don't know much about Grizzlies, Brown, Kodiak or Polar bears, but I do know a little bit about Black Bears - and I'll share my experience:

First of all, there's no gun or spray or voodoo or magic spell that's gonnahelp you.

If you get into a bad situation with a blackbear - chances are - both parties will be "surprised" to see each other - and the "bad situation" involves a mother and cubs.

Hell, I didn't even know whatwas happening -just strolling down a logging road when I heard a calamity - and by the time I realized that a charging bearhad her sights set on my hide-the only instinct that you have is"run." Run fast. The 12-gauge inmy hands did not come into the equation. You either move or get mashed. Once you figure out where the cubs are - and you're clear, then you can start planning an exit strategy and pointing the gun and making Mr. Tough Guy idle threats. But when the chase is on - you damned sure aren't thinking about stopping and turning around to face your target. LOL

If you think you're fast - you've never raced an angry sow. That animal can cover some ground -fast. Really fast.

And from my interaction with bears - once you're safe, you're safe. Most bad situations (like mine) occur when unsuspecting person X inadvertently gets between momma A and Cub B. A - X - BThat's a very sticky situation.

Now, since things happened by accident - theydeteriorate equally quickly. You move it or lose it. It would take a set of 10-pound-balls and a complete lack of common sense to turn around, fish around in your pockets foryour gun and say "I'm gonna stand my ground, right here between momma and her cubs."

Once you clear the danger- and get to the "standoff" - when she's established positionbetween you and the cubs - you're safe. X - A - B. At that point, you start pointing your gun around and acting like John Rambo - and she's standing there popping her jaws and swinging her head. The game is already over at that point. You've already survived. She's asked you nicely to leave - and you should kindly oblige.

BigJ71

Boy ain't that the truth! I did EXACTLY what everyone says NOT to do......I ran like hell!! The only thing I was thinking was "If I can make it to camp there should be sombody there to help me." Hell I even dropped the only weapon I had.[&:]

quiksilver

Yeah man - it's easy to sit here in a desk chair and say "this is what I'd do..." But that just isn't how it works.

Honest to god - by the time I realized that what the racket was all about, I had time to make one choice: Run or Stand there and get mauled.

As I was turning around to run, I sawa cub curled upright off the road, next to my feet and I knew I was in major, major trouble. Man, I'm gonna tell you - I ran like there was no tomorrow. And she was FAST, covering 20 yards to my 10. She was right on my heels about to make impactwhen I heard her stop charging, and I knocked off the safety and wheeled around to shoot - and there we stood. Maybe 10 feet. That's something that I'll never forget. She would'vehad me if she wanted me. But now I had the advantage:Safe was "off" and she was staring down the barrel at a 3.5" #4 shot. Funny how circumstances change once she gave up the chase. LOL

I was back in control - but I was only back in control because she let me. I got far enough away from the cubs that I was no longer a threat.

She didn't wanna eat me. I didn't wanna shoot her. Cubs were safe. I was safe. We were both madder than hell. After a little posturing, she was kind enough to stand ground and allow me to back away and continue with my turkey hunt.

I'm tellin' ya - that could happen to anybody. You just walk right into it and never realize until it's too late.