How do you carry your bear defense sidearm

[elevatorman]

Chest holster.

No other way compares. Drop leg? Not great if your in/out if treestands. Waist in any fashion? Not really if you carry a pack that has a waist belt or you wear bibs because it's cold. Or have multiple layers/coat. And I can tell you my beautiful 7mm has scratches in the stock from being carried while I had a 357 in a OWB holster.. my buddy missed a big buck by his rifle getting snagged on his OWB holster when he went to swing it up.

Think about it. Where's the one single area that's never covered by anything, always completely and quickly accessible no matter what clothes or gear, and can even be weather protected (zip your coat up over it if you want)? It's your chest. I'm also a huge fan of consistency in carrying. If you always carry in the same location, when the adrenaline is pumping and your in a life or death event your memory and muscle memory will instantly know what to do. I've found other ways of carrying dictated constantly changing holsters or holster positions depending on gear and clothes for the season.

I have the alien gear chest holster and cannot recommend it enough. It's awesome. Also, consider getting tritium night sights and a weapons mounted light if your serious about protecting your life in the woods in the dark.

 

[perma]

I have a cheap Amazon holster that slides onto my belt on my Exo backpack. Holds a spare mag. Pretty cool holster but if your gun is heavy it’ll be useless.

 

[lovethehunt86]

Westslope pro 180x works great for your binos and your pistol holster.

 

[tkhuntsman]

To piggyback off the 44 mag vs 10mm thread, it brought up another question I'd like some input on.

What is everyone using for holsters for carrying their sidearm while hunting?

I picked up a 10mm recently and after some back and forth with holster options I decided to go with a drop leg one from alien gear. I used to run a standard owb one on my pack belt, but i don't always have my pack on. Same with my Bino harness.

Only other one I really considered was a chest rig that would ride under my Bino harness as a seperate harness. Seems like it's getting to be a lot of weight on the chest.

Loaded in a holster that's easy to reach and quick to draw. I have several different guns and carry them all in different styles depending on weight, style and terrain I'm hunting.

 

[rjthehunter]

Loaded in a holster that's easy to reach and quick to draw. I have several different guns and carry them all in different styles depending on weight, style and terrain I'm hunting.

I've settled on a chest holster. Tried a couple different ones and I wear the chest holster all the time. Regardless if I have my pack or bino harness. Its even comfortable to wear it when breaking down an animal.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Not intended to dissuade from carrying a pistol in bear country, but came across this recent study which finally puts some data to varied opinions regarding firearms versus bear spray during encounters.

BEAR SPRAY VS FIREARM

Researchers reviewed 441 incidents of bear attacks in Alaska (grizzly and black). They found that bear spray was more effective than handguns or long guns in deterring attacks. What’s more, the researchers found that bears inflicted injuries on humans in 56% of the incidents involving firearms, mainly due to the lack of time the shooters had to respond.

Tragically, there were 17 human fatalities in cases when firearms were used as defense, whether the victim was killed by the bear or by human partners trying to defend against the attack.

But out of the 441 incidents where bear spray was used, there were zero human injuries or deaths.

And then there are bear fatalities. Bears died 61% of the time when people used firearms, while none died from bear spray.

 

[trackerbacker]

(no meaningful 4 legged predator locally)

Two ways, case dependent. Either goes in my chest pack 'padded' pocket, the one closest to the chest or it goes in a blaze orange molle mount style holster affixed to my pack hip/belt.

If the rifle is strapped to the pack and I'm hiking in, or no rifle/shotgun, the pistol is on my hip belt. Otherwise, it's chest pack.

Bumped a few nefarious animals where the presence of a gun in clear reach is enough deterrent to need not bother calculating how fast I or they can get to the rifle/shotgun.

5-0-1 to date on they've agreed to be on their way-ive agreed to go on my way-weve agreed to continue separate ways.

 

[Raisin Bran]

Not intended to dissuade from carrying a pistol in bear country, but came across this recent study which finally puts some data to varied opinions regarding firearms versus bear spray during encounters.

BEAR SPRAY VS FIREARM

Researchers reviewed 441 incidents of bear attacks in Alaska (grizzly and black). They found that bear spray was more effective than handguns or long guns in deterring attacks. What’s more, the researchers found that bears inflicted injuries on humans in 56% of the incidents involving firearms, mainly due to the lack of time the shooters had to respond.

Tragically, there were 17 human fatalities in cases when firearms were used as defense, whether the victim was killed by the bear or by human partners trying to defend against the attack.

But out of the 441 incidents where bear spray was used, there were zero human injuries or deaths.

And then there are bear fatalities. Bears died 61% of the time when people used firearms, while none died from bear spray.

Compelling information! It plays into a scenario I had with an aggressive Black Bear w/cubs.

I carried a pistol this time instead of Bear Spray (whole other story ) and was charged head on at 50 yards.

I did not shoot, didn’t want to shoot and had the bear turn at the last second, brushing up against me pushing me off to the right. I gathered myself together and booked it out of there walking backwards (note to anyone reading this, it is physically impossible to book backwards through the woods with out falling down at least 100 times ,so booking is a relative term) yelling and with the Mama bear barking, grunting & snapping her teeth for what seemed like miles but was really only a couple hundred yards and then she abruptly backed off.

I would have used the Bear spray at the 20 yard charge mark had I had it. I probably wouldn’t have had anymore issues with her.

My experience with all bears in the lower 48 states has solidly impressed me to always carry Bear Spray. I carry both a fire arm and Bear spray but will always use the bear spray first.

 

[Dirtybird552]

I swapped to a chest rig and never looked back.

 

[champ198]

Will be using a chest rig holster for my hunt this coming year

 

[Jcs271]

Not intended to dissuade from carrying a pistol in bear country, but came across this recent study which finally puts some data to varied opinions regarding firearms versus bear spray during encounters.

BEAR SPRAY VS FIREARM

Researchers reviewed 441 incidents of bear attacks in Alaska (grizzly and black). They found that bear spray was more effective than handguns or long guns in deterring attacks. What’s more, the researchers found that bears inflicted injuries on humans in 56% of the incidents involving firearms, mainly due to the lack of time the shooters had to respond.

Tragically, there were 17 human fatalities in cases when firearms were used as defense, whether the victim was killed by the bear or by human partners trying to defend against the attack.

But out of the 441 incidents where bear spray was used, there were zero human injuries or deaths.

And then there are bear fatalities. Bears died 61% of the time when people used firearms, while none died from bear spray.

Not so fast.....

Here is an in-depth look at that report and an interview with it's author. Lots of people playing very fast and very loose with the details to forward a very specific agenda.

Does Bear Spray Work?

The science is clear, right? Not so fast, according to, well, science.

www.outsideonline.com

 

[mtmuley]

Kenai Gunfighter. mtmuley

 

[Straight Arrow]

Not so fast.....

Here is an in-depth look at that report and an interview with it's author. Lots of people playing very fast and very loose with the details to forward a very specific agenda.

Does Bear Spray Work?

The science is clear, right? Not so fast, according to, well, science.

www.outsideonline.com

Not so fast in trying to refute the efficacy of bear spray. Not so fast in trying to advocate for quick-draw pistolarism. Not so fast, even very slow in digesting all the info in that linked article, but all good info. Keep in mind that one article seems biased toward bear spray, the other toward firearms. That is, if one wades through the murky waters.

The best quote, "recreating safely in bear country requires training and knowledge—not dogma." Agree completely and it's not a matter of bear spray vs firearm. Being Bear Aware involves much more. As far as bear encounters, the numbers and descriptions really seem to want to create confusion, but the fact is that bear spray is effective. Firearms are effective also, but in more limited specific circumstances and only as employed by very calmly proficient pistoleros.

 

[mtmuley]

Not so fast in trying to refute the efficacy of bear spray. Not so fast in trying to advocate for quick-draw pistolarism. Not so fast, even very slow in digesting all the info in that linked article, but all good info. Keep in mind that one article seems biased toward bear spray, the other toward firearms. That is, if one wades through the murky waters.

The best quote, "recreating safely in bear country requires training and knowledge—not dogma." Agree completely and it's not a matter of bear spray vs firearm. Being Bear Aware involves much more. As far as bear encounters, the numbers and descriptions really seem to want to create confusion, but the fact is that bear spray is effective. Firearms are effective also, but in more limited specific circumstances and only as employed by very calmly proficient pistoleros.

I get your take. I carry a gun. mtmuley

 

[rjthehunter]

Not a bear spray vs pistol thread. I'm not interested in that debate. I've already made my decision.

I've killed 1 charging bear with a pistol. Bear spray wouldn't have been the answer then.

I'm more confident in a sidearm than i am in a can that sprays something. I can't tell you how many cans of brake cleaner, wd40, or some other spray that just didn't work or stopped working. My gun has always gonr bang when I pull the trigger.

 

[KingOfTagSoup]

I get your take. I carry a gun. mtmuley

Same. For me it's a simple matter of training and comfort. My job has made me proficient in combat pistol shooting so that's what I'm most comfortable with. I've also been exposed to OC spray and there is one detail one must be aware of. If there is wind, ESPECIALLY a wind in your face as is often the case when hunting, some of that wonderful red elixir is likely going to get on you, and it will force your eyes closed if they are exposed to it. Just something to keep in mind. Spray is not a perfect end all be all. That being said, neither is a gun if you're not training properly with it. I'll die on this hill, if you are going to carry a pistol for bear defense, you need to train. That means thousands of rounds, drawing from a holster, shooting and moving, speed reloads, etc, combat gunfighting skills. At the end of the day, a bear attack is a gunfight, just instead of another human you're gonna be dualing an 800 lb fur missile coming at mach holy s***. If your "pistol training" is no more than static shooting from a target line, I'm sorry but your chances of winning that fight are pretty low(not impossible but low) and you're better of with spray. Ok I'm done lol

 

[KingOfTagSoup]

But back on the original subject lol, I use a drop leg holster. I tried the bino harness holster, didn't like the placement and didn't want to wear my harness all the time. Drop leg is super fast and easy for me