bass
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Post by bass on Jun 28, 2017 1:53:39 GMT -8
Like most, I have sometimes wondered how well bear spray would really work in the crisis of a real bear attack. When hiking in Alaska a lot of people advocate carrying a VERY heavy and bulky and dangerous 12 gauge shotgun or 30.06 or larger rifle. I wince at the thought of carrying the extra 5 or 10 pounds so have always chosen to carry bear spray but have always had lingering doubts. This recent bear attack incident makes me feel a lot better about bear spray: Alaska man survives brown bear attack thanks to quick-thinking friend |
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Post by hikerjer on Jun 28, 2017 14:35:36 GMT -8
And statistically, bear spray is much more effective than firearms. Ya, but it doesn't enhance your manhood nearly as much as a big gun. |
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Post by absarokanaut on Jun 28, 2017 16:56:28 GMT -8
I was fully charged in 2012 and it worked great for me. As with almost everything in life there's no 100% guarnatee but with a .454 Casull being the minimum round for grizzlies and having to deholster such a heavy gun I like the spray even if I have to get some on me.
The 30 odd six is a really bad choice since you're not hunting the bear but defending yourself. Shotgun far better choice provided you have the stones to wait for effective range.
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amaruq
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Post by amaruq on Jun 29, 2017 5:25:15 GMT -8
Is that +/- six or are they just really strange? :-P |
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johnnyray
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Post by johnnyray on Jun 29, 2017 5:53:17 GMT -8
Pronounced thirty-aught-6. Means 30 caliber adopted by the US Army in 1906, was also called 30-Govt. I think the aught comes from the UK which makes everything confusing. I also think it's the same diameter bullet as a .308 which is the actual diameter, maybe.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2017 14:04:08 GMT -8
You guys are to funny the way you talk about firearms...
My choice would be my 45.70.....
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johnnyray
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Post by johnnyray on Jun 29, 2017 15:50:04 GMT -8
You guys are to funny the way you talk about firearms... My choice would be my 45.70..... It's "too" but the point is bear spray is easier to deploy against a charging bear than a firearm and I would think a long gun would be the poorest choice of all unless carried against ones shoulder at all times. Imagine trying to unsling a rifle, chamber a round, and take aim, with a griz closing in, best of luck. |
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Post by absarokanaut on Jun 30, 2017 13:30:39 GMT -8
Whoops.
Slinger,
If you're gonna insult people here have the character to qualify it. What's "funny?"
How heavy is that gun and how fast can you deholster it or can you shoot from the holster on your hip or chest like bearspray? You're only gonna shoot the bear from less than 10 yards when it's charging, right? You're not gonna go Southpark "it's coming right for us," right?
Sven is right again, with all due respect Slinger you better rethink this since you obviously have not already. Almost the only effective gun use I've seen or heard of against grizzlies around here, there, or everywhere were chicken!@#$s that got a distant heart lung shot on a NON charging bear that posed no immediate threat. You do know there is no heart lung shot when a bear is charging, right?
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bass
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Post by bass on Jul 2, 2017 3:44:55 GMT -8
You do know there is no heart lung shot when a bear is charging, right? The "local" in Chicken tried to convince me that a "head shot" with a 12 gauge shotgun was the "only" way to stop a charging bear! I'm not very big so the recoil from that big shotgun would probably just knock me on the ground and make me easy prey for the bear. No wonder so many people get killed by bears in Alaska. The OP link leaves no room for doubt for me. Bear spray works. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 16:28:22 GMT -8
I wish they had used bear spray but an 11 year old and birdshot did the job. Yea....all the gun experts on the forum....lol... |
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 3, 2017 17:39:46 GMT -8
I wish they had used bear spray but an 11 year old and birdshot did the job. And if you read the article, you will see that he got very, very lucky. His ability to kill the bear almost entirely hinged on the fact that he had the gun in his hand, while the adults had them slung for easier carrying. Do you want to carry a gun in your hand all the time in bear country? It also helped that there were at least 2 people shooting at the bear, because the first round didn't even slow the bear. Not sure how come the kid had time for a second shot--maybe the bear was distracted by the other people he'd already knocked around? |
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Post by johntpenca on Jul 4, 2017 5:21:45 GMT -8
Try reading:
Dr. Stephen Herrero, "Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance,"
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Post by hurricanes1 on Jul 9, 2017 5:22:32 GMT -8
how many of you carry bear spray on trails like the A.P. ? We hiked part of it in Connecticut during the winter so I wasnt overly concerned about bears, but now we are looking at doing more during spring and fall and I have concerns. just wondering how others handle this
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