when is enough too much???

“Just to be safe on my trip to ,ak next summer i have decided to carry a 45/70 and a 44mag..understand i have no intention whatsoever of shooting anything,this is a protective measure against bears...ya think it's overkill? I would only shoot a bear in self defense and to get me to actually shoot i need to at least be bleeding from the bear chewing on me. Killing an animal i'm not going to eat is not my way. comments?”

“And if you end up being too slow, you can always turn and put yourself out of your misery.”

“yeah it is a lot of weight huh?..maybe i should rethink this part...........”

“I'm thinking Bakooka.”

“Howitzer”

“A gun for bears?! Waaaaaaay too much. Definite overkill. No, I'm not an anti-gun liberal either. Get yourself a can of bear spray instead.”

“hand grenades?”

“Waiting until the bear is chewing on you is waiting way too long. If you are going to carry, carry what the professional guides carry. That tends to be a 12 ga. mag. slug gun. But best to go with the bear spray. Lots easier to learn how to use just before a trip than mastering a 45/70 rifle and a .44mag pistol. And lots lighter.

Then, practice really good bear-country hiking and camping etiquette.”

“Just kiddin about the grenades but i would feel better with somethin slightly more powerful than bear spray.....just in case.”

“My 12 yr old son just returned from a 2 week fishing trip in Alaska. He told me about a local news story where two fisherman were confronted by a brown bear. Apparently one of them tried to shoot the bear with his 12 ga slug gun but had a malfunction, causing him to throw the gun at the bear, and then he (fisherman 1)turned and jumped into the river. The bear then came at fisherman 2, who emptied his 9mm pistol at the bear, and actually killed the beast!

But remember, this is Alaska, and bear encounters are not uncommon. After the fisherman pulled themselves together and traveled to report the incident to local authorities, they were sent back to the scene, exhausted, to properly deal with the dead bear (cleaned & skinned and hyde turned over to game & fish dept) as required.

Bear spray may be best.”

“Don't they have atomic bombs that'll fit in a briefcase?”

“Alaska is the only place I would consider packing and then, only if I was doing some serious cross country for an extended period of time. I had a friend who, with his brother, did 2 mos. in the backcountry complete with airdrops and everything. They packed a 12-gauge/slug and a 44, as previously described. They saw plenty of griz but had no direct encounters. He said they slept a lot better knowing they had them along tho.

I don't know enough about this to offer a recommendation but it is worthy of consideration. Personally, I would carry a short-barrel shotgun w/ a synth stock.”

“speaking of guns, i got to fire one for the first time over the weekend! Tarpy and i went to a range, and i shot his Berreta (sp?) and...something else i can't remember the name of. pretty fun! it got old after approximately 5 shots, but now i can say i know how to shoot one.

that target range was weird! they just ask if you know how to shoot a gun, and turn you loose. no one is even watching you! skeery.”

“I surveyed many experienced outdoorsman in AK before I made my selection: 12 gauge short barrel, alternating slugs and buck shot.

I hated practicing with it, it knocked the #&%!$ out of my shoulder. Never had to use it, I hated taking it, hated not taking it. Never took it backpacking, only car camping with the family. It is not! ultralight.”

“Here's the Bear Story

no mention of having to take care of the bear though. The boy was close on the details however.”

“I mentioned this story last year. I read in a bow hunting mag, where a bowhunter arrowed a grizzly in Alaska (I think..could be B.C). He took the skin to a shop to be mounted. Later, the worker (taxi...forgot how to spell it) called him over and showed him the inside of the bear's mouth...it had four 44 Magnum slugs inside...the gums had healed over the wounds. Apparently the big bear attacked some poor soul...and the person stuck a handgun into it's mouth and pulled the trigger. The authorities never found any human remains, so we can assume the bear ate him/her (most likely a poacher).”

“Aim anywhere but inside a bears mouth!”

“Maybe seeing as how the bear developed Dental Problems the guy got away, but, being a poacher, didn't feel like reporting the incident.”

“Nope, you're all wrong, I knew the bear in question. His name was Snappy, and he used to work in the circus on the business end of a Catching-Bullets-With-Teeth act. He wasn't very good at at, and the last I heard from him, he said he was going to practice by jumping out in front of hunters. He was also planning on spicing up the act with some matrix style bullet dodging, but maybe I heard him wrong. Perhaps it was the holes in his mouth, or maybe it's because he was a freakin bear and bears can't talk.”

“Stanlee, I wonder if that guy/girl was asking themselves "when is enough too much?" My motto: "to excess is usally suficient."”

“The short barrel 12 gauge with slugs and a 44 mag pistol are what i will carry...for protection only and yes i will sleep much better knowing i have them..got some great advice thanks to you all.
P.S. Bear spray too!

DONALDUSMAXIMUS”

“have you considered leaving the gun home and taking a bit of common sense
?”

“Use the bear spray!

8|”

“Get the book,


Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance
by Stephen Herrero

Don't wait to read it in your tent, you won't sleep a wink.”

“Yo, Donny. Just because I'm curious, how old are you?”

“they make titanium .357 magnums, only $690”

“very light though”

“Kick like a mule, too.”

“step 1. kick bear in balls
step 2. Run like hell
note: if bear is female go straight to step 2”

“I did geologic field mapping the summer of 1973 in Alaska, every team (2 in a team) was issued a Remington Riot gun ( 12 guage pump)alternating 00 buck and slugs. Each of us was also required to have our own handgun, mininmum caliber allowed was 357.”

“Well, i'm 33...why do you ask?”

“I've hunted for half a century, taken royal elk, buffalo, white tail and other game too numerous to count. With that said, I believe I have enough experience to comment. Most Alaskan guides recommend nothing smaller than a .300mag rifle for large bear. Even with a round that size it may require more than one shot to complete a clean kill. The problem is, a .357mag and similar small calibers will bounce off all that muscle. A .300mag/200 grain rifle bullet has over 3700 ft-lb of energy, a .44mag 300 grain bullet only has 800-100 ft-lb of energy. As you see your under powered from the beginning. You must be proficient with what ever you carry, practice, practice, practice and buy quality "heavy game" ammo. You still have to maintain your cool and sight picture with a thousand pounds plus of bear charging you....carry a .44mag, but still try to avoid bears at all cost. They are VERY big and extremely dangerous. I don't want to read about any of TT guys/gals in tomorrows newspaper. Hope this helps.....”

“Thanks for the advice citori,I am a hunter as well but nowhere near your experience...the bear spray is what i'll use if needed, the gun....well i'll sleep a lot better.I've never packed in bear country but i'm reading everything i can get my hands on and by the time this grand expedition is ready to leave I'll know a lot more than I do now.”

“just go to arkansas instead. we got cute bears here. that's my opinion. that and 50 cents will buy you a coke”