Bear defense gun
 

So I am new to the forum, seems like a great place for advice!

Anyways, I wanted some opinions on a good bear defense gun. I had an run in with a big griz in Glacier two years ago that kept pestering us in the middle of the night. Never been closer to browing my shorts in my life haha. I am looking for something to carry while hiking, and since I am off to the wilds to fight forest fires after graduation, this is more of an issue.

Right after the incident I bought an 870 rem 12 ga mag with an 18 in barrel and a sling for this purpose. Wanted to get some advice on this gun, or another I am considering. The other gun I am considering is a Ruger Superredhawk alaskan in 454 casull.

I shoot clay targets a lot with my 870 and my 30in barrel, so i am very comfortable with that gun, and have never shot anything bigger than a 45 in hand gun, but I don't know if carrying a long gun with a 70 lb pack is the best set up.

My grandfather was in the forest service out west (montana) and he said that some of the guys he knew carried 12 gauges, the first being big bird shot aimed at the face to blind the bear then followed by some realy nasty slugs.

I have some other guns I never shoot that I could trade for the Alaskan so that is not a real issue. Thoughts?

You might want to read this
http://fwp.mt.gov/news/article_7183.aspx#
Friday, August 22, 2008
Hunting
This article was Archived on Monday, September 22, 2008
I’ve been studying bear-human conflict for the past 17 years, and have heard all sides of the ‘firearms versus bear spray’ debate among big game hunters. The issue is: If you’re hunting and you encounter an aggressive bear—is it better to shoot it, or use bear spray to repel it?

Many die-hard hunters say they would never rely on bear spray to do the job of a gun. Others counter that a gun can possibly maim a bear, causing it to ferociously settle the score.

What position do bear biologists take in this debate? I can’t speak for others, but after studying more than 600 Alaska bear attacks, I’ve learned:

• In 72 incidents of people using bear spray to defend themselves against aggressive bears in Alaska, 98% were uninjured, and those that were suffered only minor injuries.
• In 300 incidents where people carried and used firearms for protection against aggressive bears in Alaska, 40% were injured or killed, including 23 fatalities and 16 severely injured persons. Another 48 people suffered lesser injuries.

I frequently hear hunters say: “I’m unwilling to let a bear within the range necessary for bear spray to be used." Unfortunately, a hunter generally doesn’t get that choice.

In my research, hunters were generally unable to fire a shot before the bear slammed into them. Some hunters couldn’t get the safety off, others short-stroked the bolt and jammed the cartridge, yet others, out of habit, tried to ‘scope’ the bear, losing critical seconds while failing to zero in.

With a can of bear spray on one’s hip or pack strap, it is simply a matter of pointing and shooting. In areas of poor visibility I always have a can of spray in my hand. It is easily carried over a finger and isn’t as clumsy as a firearm is in the field-ready position. All that is required is pointing the nozzle in the general direction and pushing a button. Accuracy is not nearly as critical as it is with a firearm. You can’t ‘wound’ a bear with bear spray. It also eliminates problems with sticking bolt actions, jamming shells, and hard-to-find safety mechanisms.

One thing bear spray and a rifle have in common is that success does depend on practice and learning how to use bear spray for its optimal effects, including being able to adjust for weather and wind direction.

Why not carry a can of bear spray on your hip or pack strap? Unless you are bear hunting, why take on the complications and possible legal ramifications of killing a bear out of season or without a license, especially a grizzly, if it can be convinced to go somewhere else in a non-lethal manner?

My suggestion to my fellow hunters is to pack bear spray and keep it ready for those times when you simply can’t bring a gun into service: while hiking, while butchering the meat, while packing it out; times when a gun simply isn’t convenient to have in one’s hands. Your family will thank you!

For more on hunting safely in bear country, visit FWP’s at fwp.mt.gov. Click "Be Bear Aware." Hunters can also p ick up a copy of " How to Hunt Safely in Grizzly Country" brochure at any FWP office.

noted. I was do carry bear spray, and those are some comforting statistics, ill add that to the poll

That was a cool read. Based on that info I'd say best to have a can of bear spray on your strong side hand and a suitable pistol on your weak side. I'm thinking that combo would get you well into the 98% range.

Thanks for that info.

Tom

I think the shotgun is out, I believe I am going to work on a trade for the alaskan and keep my bear spray as my main line of defense. I like that 98% statistic.

I would rather kill the bear then just blind it for a minute and make it even madder...

Given any thought to some of these?

hahaha, i would sleep like a baby in bear country if I could carry one of those!

:lolabove: i think that would be perfect but not legal

Darn. I wish I had a good reason to carry a 454 for grassfires :(