As a bowhunter I've hunted black bear in MN with a some worry of not carrying a back up pistol. Before last year the law said no handguns with bow. A law changed to where a bowhunter can now carry a handgun. This has made me reconsider a back up gun. Also I plan to start bowhunting elk in western states. Most if not all of my hunting is done alone and I think I may feel a bit more secure tracking a bear through the dense MN understory knowing I have a plan B. I would also be carrying this while packpack hunting the west so I want it lite. I've been looking at the tarus 415(41 cal, 2 1/2 inch barrel, gun 20 oz.) with some heavy loads. Does anybody have any other suggestions?

considering this is your "last defense" weapon. I wouldnt carry a pea shooter. I am looking at a Linebaugh .475 If ya gonna do it, do it right. Wy wouldnt allow us to carry a backup while bowhunting. You can however carry while trailing, leave the bow in camp! That or let someone else pack.

A 454 would be my next choice...many like the 44 mag around here.

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Any gun that would be used for bear isn't going to be light. Get a good shoulder holster. I like the numbers on the 480 Ruger. Big bullet, Lots of energy, and manageable recoil. The Taurus Raging Bull is ported on the end of the barrel to reduce kick. As far as bear attacks go, the black bear actually attacks far more often than the grizzly does. Generally a Grizzly bluffs as a warning and a when a blackie approaches a human it's usually because a sow is protecting cubs or you just became part of the menu.

I read an article (text and action photos) where a game warden had to draw his issue .357 mag. revolver when he got mixed up with a grizz. The bear was being released from a culvert trap. He emptied the six-gun into the bear at hand shake range. The bear fell dead at his feet. The warden mentioned that the loudest sound he heard was the seventh time he pulled the trigger and it went "click". I'm gessing there was a bad smell in the air too.
Robin

In California you can't carry a gun while bow hunting. In Utah you can't even have a gun in camp. Most things in CA suck as far as hunting goes but was suprised at the Utah law. Check your regs. it's a big price to pay.

Duffy I read a similar article about the griz being
released in Outdoor life quite a few years back. Was
this an old magazine that you saw it in? River I concur
with the rest of the folks that told you if you are
going to do it do it right. A little .41 will do little
more than piss the bear off.

Stickert, yes it was in an OLD outdoorlife. I cut it out and put it with my "bears will eat ya!" file.

For a "last resort" bear deturent handgun I would say the key requirment would be that it is first of all on your person and easy to get at. No gun will help you out if it is more than arms length away or stuffed in the bottom of your pack, when a bruin is a-chewin on your leg. I'd rather have a .22 piston in my mit than a .44 mag in my pack box.

Then if you can shoot the think with eather hand and your wrist bent might be better than having a pile of power in a gun that you can only shoot with two hands and your eyes squinted.

We are not talking about a handgun for "hunting" bears here. We are not wanting a gun to kill a bear at 20 or 30 or 40 yds. We want one to fire a warning shot if a bear is moving in too close for comfort. And to fire as many shots as needed (hopefully 1) into the head before his teeth are into your hide.

Alas in Alberta, though it may be possible to get a permit to carry a handgun, I have not leaped through all those hoops. I carry pepper spray and a prayer book.

Robin

This is a topic near and dear to me, as I have had several close friends mauled (Griz) while hunting elk. Several of them actually made it on the papers regionally and I think one nationally.

Having grown up in Montana, living with Griz is a normal part of the experience. However, I can assure you that there is not one time that i have gone to the woods without a fully loaded pistol.

I carry a Glock chambered in .45. I carry pre-ban clips that hold 13 rounds. I load the clips everyother bullet Full Metal jacket and Hollow point.

The basic philosophy of the caliber and loads is to have as much fire power as is possible at ones side. Griz are VERY powerful critters.

BTW, both friends that I have were carrying Pepper Spray........neither will carry it again.........They each carry .45's and one uses the FMJ thing with Glaser rounds every other.

Yes it is legal to carry pistol in montana.

I know that there is a "bear repellent" spray on the market, its basiclly pure pepper spray that burns like a @#%@#$!. It's been said that these are more effective than handguns. In my case, I would rather use a gun then pepper spray to stop a charging bear, as the spray's range is only 30 feet, and a charging bear will cover 30 feet faster then you think. I don't think I would carry anything less than a .44 Magnum if you'll be in grizzly country, maybe a .357 if you'll only be with black bears. Good luck with hunting

Walk softly and carry a big gun...or just make accurate shots.