kdvollmer

just so everyody knows here, I am not trying to step on anybody's toes. I know I am not the expert. I am just gonna toss out a couple of things for jdbowhunter to think about.

I Know what you mean that the 15miles isn't really going to make a real difference. But what i did say was that what you read about, or saw on TV, may have been a different part of Alaska. However, from one side of the mountain to the other, you may find a difference. All I am saying is that your guide KNOWS what is in his backyard. you said it yourself this was your first hunt there. I wonder how many times he has been out there? I wonder if he has seen more than one person come in too light with their caliber?
Yeah, I know, there are lots of you that have killed bears with a .300 of one type or another. And those lot of you may just have a little more experience.
Somebody here made reference to the oil change guy, and sure, might be an OK comparrison. But I would think, that a guide for bears that was as incompetant asthe oil changeguy would either have gotten himself hurt/killed, or wouldn't have any referrals to hunt with him.

Luckdog, you make a good point too, the guide should have something with some punch behind it for back up. But do you want to be the guy that the guide killed your bear for you, cause you wounded it using something lighter than he told you to bring. And especially if you have access to something a little bigger. I think he said his son had HIS .338 of some sort that he could take.

Sorry guys, just playing the devils advocate here. If I am way off the mark, I guess I will learn something. These are just my thoughts.

Colorado Luckydog

Don't say you're sorry for posting your opinion, that's what we all do! I would agree with you, but you got to remember as much as I like my 300 RUM, they were killingbig bears with a lot less for centurys. My opinion is, this guide is a little mis-guided. The 300 ultra mag should be plenty! If I were going on a guided hunt, I would do as my guide requested (even if I disagreed)or hire another guide.

kdvollmer

No worries here. I would agree in that I think a 300 would be enough. Though, when I bought my last rifle, I chose the .338 LM just to be sure that I have all game covered.

The guide might be erring in the side of caution for whatever reason that might be. No doubt he has his reason. But if you think you can get it done with the .300 and you can hit that vital spot to drop a bear, then by all means take it with you. He is most likely just making his recomendations to give the average hunter a little something extra as a caution.

trailer

Just how much experience does this guide have ?...

Paul L Mohr

Lord how did we ever kill animals before high powered rifles existed? Simply amazes me at the amount of power people think they need to kill an animal these days.

Paul

Jeff Ovington

Listen dude, these bears can get big...Show some respect for these animals your hunting dangerous game..
I'd stick with the .375H&H...
Granted the .300 Ultra has power and energy, but these bears can and do take punishment reguarless of a great perfect shot..
These animals can and do cover 100yrds fast 6than you can get your gun up and a accurate shot off...
And personally if I was a guide, and I suggestedto someone bring something bigger I'd be more than pissed if I had to clamber throughthick aldersalong a load rushing river with lots of other bears
in the vicinity looking for a wounded bear alll on the countthat theclient didn't listen..

eldeguello

I can only hark back to what Jack O'Connor said about the .300 Weatherby for such bears. He said, "the .300 Weatherby kills brown bear about like the 220 Swift kills jackrabbits", or words to that effect. Of course, we all know Jack's wife stepped up to the .30/'06 from her favorite7X57mm when it came time for her to shoot an elephant, despite the fact that W.D.M. Bell killed over 800 tembos with a 7X57mm....

I once lived in Fairbanks, AK. There was a doctor's wife living there at the time (pre-Endangered Species Act), who used to kill Polar bears with a .270 Winchester using 150-grain Nosler Partition bullets. And, early in the 20th century, a world's record brown bear at that time (estimated live weight over1600 pounds), was killed with a Winchester M95 in .30/40 Krag caliber using 220-grain bullets. And now, the .300 Rem. Ultra is not enough gun for brown bear?? Give me a break!

DM

Well, if he "can't" hit the vital spot, it doesn't much matter what he's carrying, now does it?

I've seen a bigbrown shot several times with a 378 Wby. that lived a couple weeks and was crow bait by then.

You guys make it sound like "if" you have a 375 H&H you have a dead bear, and if you have a 300 mag. you have a bear wounder???

The key to useing a 7 mag. or 300 mag. is to use "proper bullets"!!!! Many guides don't know a lot about bullets, so bigger is better in their mind. I owned and ran a gunshop in Alaska for many years, so i know something about what goes on there...

Did you know that a 7mm Rem. Mag. loaded with 175NP's will out penetrate 375 H&H loaded with 270 grainers???

To break a bear down properly, you need a bullet that expands well, yet still will penetrate deeeeeeeply!

Many guides like to see heart/lung shots because they figure they can and will stop a chatge if needed... They have no problem putting a second shot into the animial, and because you fired the first shot, your suposeto be happy...

Personally, i bust them down on the spot, and end the problem right there... I get close, and do the job right!

DM

robbcayman

I never once said that a professional can't be wrong, but these guides are trained and do this for a living. I fail to see the correlation between a guy messing up on your oil change and a guide telling you to bring a bigger rifle?? Sure professionals make mistakes, but this one mistake could cost you your life, or the guides. Why would you go for a lower powered rifle against his suggestion? Anyways, to prove my point go to youtube and type in grizzly hunt and cabelas and you will see where a guy shot a brown bear and another bear charges him. The hunter shoots the charging bear. Now, imagine having a lower powered rifle in that scenario and getting injured or killed.

As to the guy who said would I rather have someone with a higher powered rifle who has only shot it a few times versus his regular gun. Well, it is your own fault if you don't practice enough with a new gun, especially hunting brown bears.

DM

Seeing as how "i personally" haveflattened more than one brown bear with a smallercartridge than a 300 UM, and i've also seen several moreharvested with a smaller cartridges than a 300 UM, your going to have to show me some solid "proof" that it's a "mistake" in the first place!

Please post your "proof" so i can look it over, as my "experience" shows me otherwise...

DM