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RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

First off, welcome to this site, it's a good one. It may be wrong but on that last bear, I'd have put a round into him. It may kill him, it may not, but it sure would discourage him. He's acting aggresive and approaching you, I'd have shot him. I think I could make a good case for self defense. My first thought though is why would he have given his rifle away to his partners to carry down for him and allow himself to be left with only a .45 ACP when he's already seen 2 previous bears? I'd also notify park rangers of aggresive bears in this area.

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RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

Should of had a bear tag !! I think that is an unusual occurrence here in SW Colorado. The drought we had this year being the culprit. There are no berries, no acorns, no food for the bears. They were in town all summer & fall. I've hunted here in SW Colorado for 25 years & have never had a bear problem at my campsite or killsite. However, this summer they were in my household trash.

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

Kind of a gray area ain't it?

I'm thinking give up the elk, report the situation and get issued a new tag (possibly).

Of course If a bear is threat displaying at me at close range well.....I'd kind of have to be there but I'm thinking shoot the bear.

Having seen a bear shot with a .45acp however I'd have to say be very very carefull. Big black bears are not impressed with a .45acp. One of the few bears we've ever had get away from us was shot 3 times in the body with a .45 acp using 230gr soft points. I don't think they ever made it to the vitals.

I'm sure a head shot would be a different story.

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Kind of a gray area ain't it?

I'm thinking give up the elk, report the situation and get issued a new tag (possibly).

Of course If a bear is threat displaying at me at close range well.....I'd kind of have to be there but I'm thinking shoot the bear.

Having seen a bear shot with a .45acp however I'd have to say be very very carefull. Big black bears are not impressed with a .45acp. One of the few bears we've ever had get away from us was shot 3 times in the body with a .45 acp using 230gr soft points. I don't think they ever made it to the vitals.

I'm sure a head shot would be a different story.

I'll tell you one thing though even with the prospect of packing an elk out with the extra weight of a rifle. It'd be darn tough to get it away from me in that situation.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

Wow, tough choice. If the bear didnt leave i would have shought about shooting it too, that kind of gester is scary.
I was in south central Co the last week. After i blew off a real shyster of an outfitter i went on my own. The first night i heard crows calling above me, i went up one bench to see what it was and 20 yrds away as i topped the bench was a bull with 2 large bears feeding on it. I quickly knocked up an arrow just in case, and made a little noise so i didnt surprise them. One saw me right away(big one) and lumbered off fast. The other one was pretty stuipid, i made more noise, and finnaly waved my hands before he saw me. He left without a fight either. I took a few photos of the bull and went to get a bear tag the next day. I didnt want to sit on the carcass all day because i really wanted to elk hunt so i just passed by it 2 times a day. I saw the bears the next 3 days but never on the carcass, just as they were either leaving or going to it, and the shot never presented itself, but pretty close a couple times.
I got to admit that i wasnt scared when i first came on them that first night, more fascinated than anything but still leary. I can post the pics of the carcass if anyone wanted to see it. The snow one day revealed 3 different sets of tracks and they ate the whole thing in 2 1/2 days. Dammit, how do you get the pics to open automatic<img src='home.wi.rr.com/schmalts/index.html/carcass.jpg
' border=0>

http://home.wi.rr.com/schmalts/index.html/carcass.jpg
Edited by - schmalts on 10/24/2002 19:40:21

Edited by - schmalts on 10/24/2002 19:42:30 <img src=' lt img src http://
home.wi.rr.com/schmalts/index.html/carcass.jpg gt ' border=0>

Edited by - schmalts on 10/24/2002 19:48:59

Edited by - schmalts on 10/24/2002 19:52:27

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

This could happen to anyone. Here is what might have helped.
1. Dont give up your gun for a 45. Keep the pack .
2. If a tree is near, take rope and hang the quarters.
3. The hunters should look into getting a GPS.

Hornet Man


Hornet Man

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

I do not agree with just shooting a bear because you feel afraid. Give the bear ample opportunity to move off, make every reasonable effort to scare it away( yell, throw rocks, pepper spray him, whatever). Last Resort...shoot him but not with that 45acp. Don't give up your high power for a 45ACP. High power for a 454 Casull or a 12ga with slugs, yes. Hang the quarters up in a tree, those black bears will climb to get them, so rig up a make shift meat pole between two trees. Carry marking tape and flag your way out, just make sure you take those tags down on your way out of the woods with your meat. Go prepared for an overnighter. People think I am crazy but I carry a small daypack with a survival kit, first aid kit, some extra food and water, and a tarp for a make shift shelter. I carry it no matter what. 1 mile from the road or 10, it is on my back. If you can't afford a GPS( which don't work real well in downfall timber) get yourself some maps and some compass training. Pull out your compass, take a heading and add 180 to find your back azimuth.
Just remember you are in the wild and intruding into the bears home, not the other way around.

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RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

I have to agree with Hornet, chunk that fella up, get it hung in a tree and come back next day with your frames to pack him out. Also, for $100 you can pick up a basic GPS that is a god send when you have to find your way back to a critter that you shot near end of dayight. Those elk woods look a lot different at night than they do in in daytime!

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

Tough call on this one but here is my opinion:

He should have never given up his rifle and left with a bear instigator.. if he wants to pack a pistol pack a 44 mag minimum with 300+ cast bullets. What people don't realize is that black bear attacks are way more common than Grizzly attacks and take out way more people. I would be packing a GPS(Yes I hate them) but they are a lifesaver in a situation like this. He should have had pepper spray on him I think a couple of shots with that and they would have retreated albeit temporarily. Quarter your Elk without creating a gut pile. Simple to do and highly effective. Buy a bear tag .

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

I wouldn't be there with just a .45 acp either.

I like the idea of hanging the meat if he had the time.

Without the bear tag, shooting the bear would be poaching. He had the option of backing away from the kill. If the bear followed him off the kill, then perhaps the option of shooting the bear becomes legit (if its likely to attack), but I don't think the hunter has the right to shoot the bear to protect the elk. Thats the hazzards in bear country. If your going to hunt in bear country you should know what you can and can't do. I don't know if shooting a bear to protect an elk kill is legal in CO, but if I was hunting there I would know (and I would have a bear tag if in season).

As far as not being able to find the kill site later, that just tells me these guys weren't prepared at all. Its big country, and you need to know how to travel in big country. I am no expert in that, I live in MO and can usually hear cars/roads from everywhere I hunt. When I was in NY, I carried a compass and had to use it once to get out. It is amazing how easy it is to get lost temporarily, nothing wrong with getting lost. But you need to know how to find your way out. That also means you need to know how to mark a spot of a kill to get back too it. Would have saved these guys 2 days, which could have been spent hunting for another elk.

--Jim

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

You wont kill a bear by shooting its feet, as for the second and third one, Ida shot them both dead. I allways carry a bear stick (7mm)

Scott

e-mail me [email protected]

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

I'm sorry for the graphics of this picture but I think it will make you think diferent about NOT killing a bear if you feel your life's being threatened.
I got this picture in an email the other day and it's of a man attacked and eaten alive by a Bear. I don't have any more details of the incident but I won't think twice about killing a bear if I feel necessary... This pic might make help you make a fast decision...

RE: Bears: What would you do?
 

That picture looks totally fake. I realize that is what can happen around bears but the picture I'm sure is Bogus.
Look at the shoes..... those are not real shoes..... look at the laces, again.. fake looking for sure. And how come there is 100% fake leaves covering the lower portion of the picture?
Also... a leg sticking up even bent in the air like that? Com'on with the kind of chew marks on it noway. Also the hands..... how could anyone in that situation have there hands crossed like that as if to think they just let it happen?

Bear country is bear country..... it has its dangers but that pic is a total scam.