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

[Sheltowee]

Always but, candidly, more out of concern for the two- and no-legged critters roaming the woods than the four-legged ones. My favorite piece of public land back home was also a favorite spot for the local meth enthusiasts-- I'd be rolling into the parking lot before daylight at about the time they would be rolling out.

Started with a Charter Bulldog in .44 Special (those CCI shotshell cartridges full of No. 4 shot will roll an angry serpent, staggered with Buffalo Bore 200 grain hardcasts) but now usually carry my 10mms G20 or G29. I'll throw on my G43 loaded with Underwood hardcasts for hiking outside of season near town.

 

[brian flatlander]

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.

thought pistols were illegal in canada

 

[rjthehunter]

I've had to shoot 1 bear with a pistol. It was a black bear that was wounded. I went to help track it for a friend and it was still alive when we got to it and it turned on us and charged.

I now carry a 10mm. For wolves and bears. Someone I know was bowhunting, got out of his stand for the day, then was trimming a couple branches that were in his way when he saw a wolf coming out of the brush. It ended up being 3 wolves, one was coming straight at him, and the other 2 were going to either side of him. They got to within 10 yards before he shot one. DNR investigated and deemed it a legitimate self defense act. I'm really not worried about anything, but I'd rather have it and not need it!

 

[OntarioHunter]

thought pistols were illegal in canada

Not quite yet. I do most of my hunting these days in Montana (where I'm from) or Africa. I still have a .357 Highway Patrolman but it stays with my brother there.

 

[JT88]

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.

Amazing how people (including a lot of hunters) have gone full circle on this one. 150 years ago people wouldn't be caught dead without some sort of a weapon, and now you're better off without a high powered pistol?

I've listened to a lot of these stories too, and I'm pretty sure most of them wish they had planned ahead with a way to defend themselves

 

[Wildabeest]

I always carry bear spray in bear country. Often carry a 10mm in a chest harness as well - especially when hunting alone and hiking in/out in the dark. I don’t like the dark forest. There, I said it.

 

[brymoore]

No. Weren’t all of your pictures black bears? Blacks are going to run away from you.

You’re carrying a rifle. It’s all you need.

 

[rjthehunter]

No. Weren’t all of your pictures black bears? Blacks are going to run away from you.

You’re carrying a rifle. It’s all you need.

The one I shot with a pistol wasn't running away from me. Granted it was shot a couple hours earlier...

A hunting rifle is not a great tool for self defense. Sort of like using a smooth bore shotgun with slugs to deer hunt over a cornfield. Does it work? Sometimes. But is there a significantly better tool for the job? For sure.

 

[brymoore]

The one I shot with a pistol wasn't running away from me. Granted it was shot a couple hours earlier...

A hunting rifle is not a great tool for self defense. Sort of like using a smooth bore shotgun with slugs to deer hunt over a cornfield. Does it work? Sometimes. But is there a significantly better tool for the job? For sure.

Marine Corps taught me that a rifle is a great weapon.

 

[GrantK]

If I'm rifle hunting I'm not packing anything else, a hunting rifle is far superior to a pistol for pretty much any real world bear encounter... archery hunting I'm packing spray in griz country, or a .40 by the southern border, nothing but the bow anywhere else, I've run into plenty of black bears and a couple of mountain lions at close quarters, and had a pair of wolves follow me back to the truck in the dark, never felt the need to shoot at any of them, and even as a competent shot with a handgun I'd be lying if I said that I think I could have effectively protected myself in any of those encounters if things went south...

 

[rjthehunter]

Marine Corps taught me that a rifle is a great weapon.

They also had you carry a pistol right? For close quarters combat?

An M4 style rifle would be significantly better in a self defense scenario than 98% of hunting rifles. They still utilize sidearms.

 

[BuzzH]

The one I shot with a pistol wasn't running away from me. Granted it was shot a couple hours earlier...

A hunting rifle is not a great tool for self defense. Sort of like using a smooth bore shotgun with slugs to deer hunt over a cornfield. Does it work? Sometimes. But is there a significantly better tool for the job? For sure.

Is this a joke? Sure sounds like one.

For starters, you should have shot your buddy for making a bad shot on the bear in the first place.

Secondly, no way is a pistol a better choice for bear defense than a rifle. Not for accuracy, not for actual stopping power, etc. If anything, the pistol is better than nothing, but not even close to having a rifle. I would argue a pistol is not even as good to have as bear spray for 99.9% of folks.

IMO/E those with pistols are wayyyy over confident while packing a pistol.

No, I don't pack a pistol in Grizzly country, don't typically bow hunt in grizzly country but do pack spray when I do. I also carry spray at work everyday, mostly not for bears or the big bad wolf, however.

 

[Deleted member 40728]

If I had to shoot my buddies for making poor shots I’d be out of friends by now.

 

[BuzzH]

If I had to shoot my buddies for making poor shots I’d be out of friends by now.

And I'd likely be walking with a limp.

 

[rjthehunter]

Is this a joke? Sure sounds like one.

For starters, you should have shot your buddy for making a bad shot on the bear in the first place.

Secondly, no way is a pistol a better choice for bear defense than a rifle. Not for accuracy, not for actual stopping power, etc. If anything, the pistol is better than nothing, but not even close to having a rifle. I would argue a pistol is not even as good to have as bear spray for 99.9% of folks.

IMO/E those with pistols are wayyyy over confident while packing a pistol.

No, I don't pack a pistol in Grizzly country, don't typically bow hunt in grizzly country but do pack spray when I do. I also carry spray at work everyday, mostly not for bears or the big bad wolf, however.

Oh buzz. Haven't spoken in awhile. Hope all is well up there on your high horse.

When being attacked, you have seconds. I'd rather maneuver a pistol than a rifle with a 26" barrel and a scope for a quick shot. I figure you'd realize that self defense scenarios usually happen in split seconds. You'd be lucky to get 1 shot off with a rifle at a charging bear.

I can't believe you think a hunting rifle is better for bear defense than a pistol...

Think of a scenario... You're walking through the brush. Rifle slung over your shoulder. Not carrying one in the tube because that's not a great idea. I'm walking next to you with a pistol in a chest harness. Loaded and ready to go. It's in a tension lock holster so it's safe to carry loaded. A bear comes busting out of the brush 20 yards in front of us. Who's more likely to put ANY rounds into the bear?

 

[buffybr]

No. Weren’t all of your pictures black bears? Blacks are going to run away from you.

You’re carrying a rifle. It’s all you need.

Not all the time.

Years ago a black bear attacked a member of one of our Forest Service Trail Crews. The crew member climbed higher in a large spruce tree than I thought was possible, and every time he yelled for help, she climbed up and bit his feet and lower legs. The other two crew members were up in another tree 50 yards down the trail.

I was in the area and our FS Law Enforcement Officer and a Sheriff Deputy were getting ready to go up the trail to the attack scene. The LEO gave me his AR-15, he and the Deputy carried shotguns.

We got to the attack scene about an hour after the initial attack, and as soon as we got there, the bear charged us. I yelled there it is, and we all fired, killing the bear.

It wasn't until we got the injured crew member out of the tree and were giving him first aid that I noticed a little black cub in the bushes. Evidently the crew member had gotten between the sow and her cubs. I immediatley felt bad about killing the sow and I didn't know what would happen to the cub, so when it went up a small pine tree, I went up after it, caught it, and brought it down.

The injured crew member was air lifted out on a heliocopter from Yellowstone Park, and I held on to the bear cub for about an hour until the FWP bear biologist brought up a 5 gal. plastic bucket with a lid that we used to carry the cub out. I had to hold the cub with one hand on the back of his neck and my other hand holding his back legs. Let go with either hand and the cub would either bite or scratch me.

The injured crew member recovered and Schnees Boots gave him a new pair of boots, FWP went back to the scene the next day with dogs and caughe another cub. Both cubs were taken to a wildlife rescue place in Helena, and were released back into the woods two years later.


Back to the original question, I've lived and worked in Montana bear country since 1975. I've had black bears in my yard and on my back porch, and have seen grizzly tracks 300 yards from my house.

I usually carry a pistol with me in the woods, usually a .44 magnum or a .45 acp. I've killed black bears with both, but not in self defense. As to the big bores ruining too much grouse meat, I once shot the heads off 3 blue grouse with 3 shots with my .45 acp (but they were fairly close).

 

[Sheltowee]

Marine Corps taught me that a rifle is a great weapon.

Unless you were toting an '03 Springfield during your time in the Corps, comparison between a select fire M4 wearing a reflex sight and a presumably bolt action hunting rig with a high magnification scope is about like apples and orangutans.

 

[BuzzH]

Oh buzz. Haven't spoken in awhile. Hope all is well up there.

When being attacked, you have seconds. I'd rather maneuver a pistol than a rifle with a 26" barrel and a scope for a quick shot. I figure you'd realize that self defense scenarios usually happen in split seconds. You'd be lucky to get 1 shot off with a rifle at a charging bear.

I can't believe you think a hunting rifle is better for bear defense than a pistol...

Think of a scenario... You're walking through the brush. Rifle slung over your shoulder. Not carrying one in the tube because that's not a great idea. I'm walking next to you with a pistol in a chest harness. Loaded and ready to go. It's in a tension lock holster so it's safe to carry loaded. A bear comes busting out of the brush 20 yards in front of us. Who's more likely to put ANY rounds into the bear?

I am, because you're a rookie and I'm not.

If I'm walking through brush in bear country, two things aren't happening:

1. My rifle isn't on my shoulder, slung, that's a total rookie move.
2. My rifle is loaded. Having an unloaded rifle in that situation is a total rookie move.


The third thing, is that I keep my cool when the chips are down, seen it.

I'd also be more worried about you shooting me with your John Wayne bad-assery than being bit by the bear. I choose my hunting partners wisely.

 

[OntarioHunter]

They also had you carry a pistol right? For close quarters combat?

An M4 style rifle would be significantly better in a self defense scenario than 98% of hunting rifles. They still utilize sidearms.

No, the handgun issued to troops is last resort secondary weapon. Backup in case the rifle fails.

 

[rjthehunter]

I am, because you're a rookie and I'm not.

If I'm walking through brush in bear country, two things aren't happening:

1. My rifle isn't on my shoulder, slung, that's a total rookie move.
2. My rifle is loaded.


The third thing, is that I keep my cool when the chips are down, seen it.

Did you not read my previous post? I've shot and killed a wounded black bear that was charging. How many charging bears have you had to shoot?

How effective is shooting at a charging animal with a scoped rifle? I'm sensing you don't have as much experience as you lead people to believe. Why have every guide I've hunted with carried a pistol?

A proper bear defense rifle would have open sights and a short barrel... Not a hunting rifle.