Do you carry a pistol for bear when elk hunting???

[Braveheart]

I was just curious how many people carry a pistol when elk hunting to use as bear defense. I am going on my first elk hunt in Montana this year and the land owner has sent me several pictures of bear on his ranch.

Has anyone ever tried to hunt bear near an elk carcass after killing an elk???

 

[littlebighorn]

If I am hunting with a rifle, I never pack anything other than my rifle. It's usually in my hands or on my shoulder so it's plenty easy to use if needed. I've never been much worried about bears, unless I'm in timber in Grizzly country where I might surprise them. Most bears, especially Blackies will run away as fast as they can if they sense a human is near.
I've heard of bear hunters sitting on a gut pile for sure, but a bear has to find it first, and it has to be the right bear for me. I'm sure if you have a tag sitting on a carcass would be much better than wandering around.

 

[Wyhunter]

I always carry my sidearm, especially when im hunting. You never know when you'll run into a lion or a bear.
I know people who have killed bears over a carcass, but they were not intentionally hunting over it, just came across it.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

I hunt all over region 3. I always carry a sidearm as well as bear spray USUALLY. I’ve had to pull it out twice and shoot once. Both times on coyotes actually. 4-5 coyotes showing absolutely no fear of you is scary enough, I couldn’t imagine a bear or lion or wolf scenario.. I’ve never personally had to use bear spray, but I believe whole heartedly that it’s a better option on close range predators than a pistol. Practice both. Be safe

 

[David658]

I simply always carry a sidearm, bear or no bear.

David
NM

 

[Mallardsx2]

No.

 

[Nick87]

4-5 coyotes showing absolutely no fear of you is scary enough,

Please divulge more details.

 

[ccc23454]

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Please divulge more details.

LOL!
Let’s just say spring Turkey calling in the forest by yourself after already hearing a sizable group of yips and howls in the pre dawn stillness is a real brainiac move on my part. They sent a scout, he bout clipped me behind the knee.. I literally open-hand dropped my bow and had my pistol out in about 1.5 seconds as he skirted around me to about 50-60 yards. Disappeared into the timber and came back out with 3 more. Now all 4 are trotting not RUNNING but moving at a steady half run toward me all the way til I bucked a shot at about 25 yards, missing over its back just slightly. They acted like the hyenas on “the lion king”, straight up. Goofy and playful with each other but very intent on semi surrounding me and prancing/running/jumping around in what felt like a sort of intimidation factor. Even when I shot, they ran off in a sporadic and playful pattern, not just a straight line out of dodge. Take it how you will, but it tripped me out bad. I left and as my luck would have it, there were turkeys I missed back at camp over breakfast

 

[Pack'n It]

Never hunted in Montana but when I'm in Colorado looking for muleys I carry a .40. That being said I always carry a side arm even in Church.

 

[BearFoot]

40+ years in bear country, I carry what I shoot. A rifle. Son packs a rifle & a pistol, but only one works at a time. My pistol is beside me in camp. All bears we ever shot, where by rifle, and there have been a few.

 

[jdf]

Always. 44 Ultralight while bow hunting.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Back when I bowhunted a lot in Idaho, I usually carried a short-barreled 44.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Never. Stupid waste of energy packing around extra weight. My impression is most people who wear a hog leg while elk hunting with a rifle are into making a show of themselves.

I will wear a sidearm when fly fishing (fly rod is not a rifle) or when packing out meat. There was always a .357 in my saddlebag when I had horses in the backcountry.

 

[Hunter4Life78]

Usually carry a sidearm with me. Depends on. Where I am at. I check to see what bear activity in area is like. I check with the locals they usually are pretty dialed in to what is going as far as bears go.
If you're gonna carry one practice with it just like with anything else. It isn't going to do you a bit of good if your confidence isn't there should you need (heaven forbid) to use it.

Just remember if you run from a bear it should never be a fair race. You should be running on dry ground and the bear should be running on wet. If you hunt with a partner you don't have to faster than the bear just faster than them. If your partner is faster than you this is where a sharp knife comes in handy, much easier to hamstring your partner.

 

[TheTone]

Black bear country I never have. If I was in grizz country I carried spray. I’d probably pack spray and a pistol now if I was bow hunting in grizz country with the spray as my first choice. If rifle hunting I can’t think of a reason to carry a pistol

 

[Flatbrimmer]

There was always a .357 in my saddlebag when I had horses in the backcountry.

Stupid waste of energy packing a heavy revolver with only 6 shots. Watch a couple survival stories and one will realize 6 ain’t cutting it unless you’re extremely talented or extremely lucky. Better off shooting 5 and saving one for yourself.

 

[44hunter45]

Back when I bowhunted a lot in Idaho, I usually carried a short-barreled 44.

Cinnamon killer.

 

[44hunter45]

When I first started hunting Idaho in the early 1980's I looked like Rambo. Looked stupid and was carrying way too much extra weight.
I no longer carry while bow hunting, but I do carry when I'm packing meat. The only bear issues I've ever had were stolen elk quarters.
I've since learned that peeing all around bagged quarters and tying ribbon so it flutters will take care of almost everything.

By the time you find that a quarter has been taken, the culprit is sleeping off that Thanksgiving dinner you gave them.

BTW - I was able to recover my quarter. Minus a semi-circle the size of a bear's jaw.

As far as "hunting over a carcass", make sure that's legal where you are.

 

[Redman]

If I carry a pistol it is a .22 for grouse and small game. Arrows are expensive and if it is gun season well center fire round is loud and not worth the possibility of vaporizing the small game. Bear spray in griz County every time.