Bear Spray or Pistol? Both?
- Thread starter Gerald Martin
- Start date
Then there's this method of conflict avoidance: https://www.greatfallstribune.com/s...o-recounts-saturdays-grizzly-attack/73348328/
Pretty cool article.
gearjunkie.com
“It was a sharp bark. That’s the only word I can use to describe it.” He whipped around.
“Before I could even process B-E-, the thing dropped off its two hind legs and boom, it was coming at me,” he recalled. “I don’t know what it was with my brain, perhaps from watching that one episode of MeatEater, I started yelling ‘Hey, Mama’ at her.”
What It's Like to Spray a Bear: One Man's Takeaways From a Close Encounter
Trout fishing turned bear encounter. Michael McAlexander tells us how bear spray protected him from a charging bear.
gearjunkie.com
“It was a sharp bark. That’s the only word I can use to describe it.” He whipped around.
“Before I could even process B-E-, the thing dropped off its two hind legs and boom, it was coming at me,” he recalled. “I don’t know what it was with my brain, perhaps from watching that one episode of MeatEater, I started yelling ‘Hey, Mama’ at her.”
Panda Bear
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sorry about that, no offense intended.
this is where I am at as well
very important. I have been asked when we got to camp. " can you tell me how this works" they had not even read the instructions on the can.
blueridge
Well-known member
None taken. Just razzing you a little.
And I obviously defer to your real world experience.
Western Traveler1
Well-known member
Up at Blackleaf as I recall. Only a few bears there…jk
Panda Bear
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first and foremost, my condolences to the lady and her family and friends.
A lady was killed by a grizzly while sleeping in her tent in Montana.
I just wanted say again that this is why bear spray is not the only bear deterrent we rely upon.
Our dog is our first line of defense, especially when asleep. in her case an electric fence might have helped. A handgun--maybe--as others used bear spray and it left after being sprayed, but it was too little, too late.
Very sad
yes, I am aware of the other two threads on this, but wanted to add my thoughts about bear protection on this thread---bear spray, pistol or ? --when your asleep--. I was also thinking about the man that was wondering whether or not to take his son with him. Bears will attempt to come into a tent, a cabin, a canoe, a float plane and at all times of day or night.
A lady was killed by a grizzly while sleeping in her tent in Montana.
I just wanted say again that this is why bear spray is not the only bear deterrent we rely upon.
Our dog is our first line of defense, especially when asleep. in her case an electric fence might have helped. A handgun--maybe--as others used bear spray and it left after being sprayed, but it was too little, too late.
Very sad
yes, I am aware of the other two threads on this, but wanted to add my thoughts about bear protection on this thread---bear spray, pistol or ? --when your asleep--. I was also thinking about the man that was wondering whether or not to take his son with him. Bears will attempt to come into a tent, a cabin, a canoe, a float plane and at all times of day or night.
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This is incredibly true! Just this last year, I was exhausted and hiking out of the Bob extremely late at night/early morning (family emergency (thanks to InReach).
Had my dog not been with me.. I'd likely be in the paper as an incident.
Turns out there was food in the tent prior to the attack. Which goes back to possessing the knowledge of how bears act, and what the proper precautions are to take in bear country.
I'm betting that they felt safe camping in "town". mtmuley
Western Traveler1
Well-known member
No doubt. Lots of folks felt pretty safe around our town till this year. When the grizzlies start showing up around kids playing outside it’s a problem. Sounds like that bear was a problem beforehand too.
We had a community meeting over them with MFWP a month or so ago. Wonder if they had a meeting in Ovando too. The meetings were being held in a few communities around the state.
Also it is not just food smells. It can be dish soap, deodorant or even bug spray etc.
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Salmonchaser
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I would have no concern with Salmonchaser, Panda Bear, and others here having a pistol available when waking up from a dead sleep, but I am not so sure I would be comfortable with someone who has not been well trained with one. A dog works, it needs to be a dog that obeys commands. Ben said there was food in the tent and that is not good.
This is so good to see. After last year, it is so good to see you are booked solid !!. did your better half make it up ? Very happy for you guys ! have a great season
Dan O
Well-known member
Just saw a picture from a friend who had a young Grizzly in her field a few miles south of Augusta yesterday. I had not heard of a FW&P meeting in Ovando but may have missed it. We have had both Black and Grizzly's in Seeley on a regular basis. So far no bad encounters but I fear it is just a matter of time.
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
'Don't disagree, but read the background account. This was a group of bicyclists on a long road trip ... likely no dogs, electric fences, large bore firearms or such packed on the bicycles.
However obviously ignorant about bear aware as they experienced a bear in camp then merely removed food from tent and went back to sleep. Idiots!!!
devon deer
Well-known member
Which I find incredible, I'm not trying to be a smart arse, but before my first visit to Montana I researched in equal amounts how to successfully hunt, but respect the foreign country and other animals within it.
First thing I bought, bear spray.
On one occasion I went hunting on my own in my pup tent in the Madisons, I cooked my food away from my tent, and hoisted my food well up in the tree's over 100 yards away.
Woke up in the morning and found Griz tracks in the snow not far from my tent.
I wonder if the outcome would have been different if I had food in my tent?
As for pistols, we can't own one in the UK, but a friend in Montana let me use his on a target at 15 yards, it was a .44, I was crap with it, so if it could own and use one in the US it would still be bear spray for me, but I would love to own a pistol in the UK.
These are cyclists from around the world. Some oblivious to the territorial conditions of the areas they travel...
The most popular start point WAS in Canada routing through Eureka, MT and down to U.S. Mex border.
Now they begin at the border in Eureka, "Roosville" and have their path defined by the likes of:
www.adventurecycling.org
These are typically not MT residents aware of our territorial concerns. They get amped to fulfill a bucket list and off they go. Great to get out though some are piss poor planners.
Goes to show... never know what a griz will do. Body structure possibly left the griz smacks to kill her (thinking on a CDT cyclist's fitness) vs others with more muscle mass to absorb a smack or few.
In my book, a griz attack is a "fight for your life" moment. To others, roll the bones and hope s/he just wants the threat to dissolve and leave be.
The most popular start point WAS in Canada routing through Eureka, MT and down to U.S. Mex border.
Now they begin at the border in Eureka, "Roosville" and have their path defined by the likes of:
Interactive Network Map - Adventure Cycling Association
Bicycle route planning made easy. Use our interactive map to explore 47,000 miles of researched and mapped routes throughout North America.
www.adventurecycling.org
These are typically not MT residents aware of our territorial concerns. They get amped to fulfill a bucket list and off they go. Great to get out though some are piss poor planners.
Goes to show... never know what a griz will do. Body structure possibly left the griz smacks to kill her (thinking on a CDT cyclist's fitness) vs others with more muscle mass to absorb a smack or few.
In my book, a griz attack is a "fight for your life" moment. To others, roll the bones and hope s/he just wants the threat to dissolve and leave be.
Wow so according to Taurus, errr I mean Meateater, a 9mm Taurus is good bear protection. God help me my life ever depends on a Taurus.
Funny how they never mention 10mm in the video, and Clay also didn't mention 10mm on his JRE appearance. I couldn't possibly be because Taurus doesn't make a 10mm... could it???
C17loadclear
Active member
To follow up on my post I bought kenai chest holster from gunfighters and all I can say is WOW!!.
The construction is awesome and my 629 fits like a glove.
I highly recommend them.
The construction is awesome and my 629 fits like a glove.
I highly recommend them.
A lot of very valid replies to this very important thread for those who hunt in Montana. A year or 2 back I took a 2 day course in Bozeman "Surviving a Griz attack". Got to visit with a griz trainer and his bear; Todd Orr came to describe his mauling; practiced trying to hit a charging bear on rails with inert bear spray, etc. Several very valuable tips I learned: 1. in a close charge do not try to take the bear spray out of its holster but instead shoot from the hip while it is still in the holster. Also, if attacked at close range by a bear you may not have time or be able to take off the strap over the trigger, so I take off the strap but leave the cap on when hiking in grizzly country. The holsters are pretty tight and have not had trouble with it falling out. 2. Put on all your actual hunting gear including bear spray, pistol, binos, GPS, pack, gun or bow. etc as if you were leaving the truck to go hunting. Now practice getting to your weapon(s) of choice and see if you can actually reach them and get them out in a timely manner. Practice, practice, and practice this drill until everything works smoothly. Make sure that either your rifle or bow is situated how you would normally carry it in the woods. When I did this drill, I found I had to modify how and where I carry some of my gear that goes in the woods with me. 3. From what the bear expert told us, in an actual charge you will probably only have 3-5 seconds to protect yourself. 4. Listening to Todd Orr taught us that just because a griz walks away and doesn't charge does not mean it has left the area. The sow took her cubs and left only to drop her cubs and circle around to attack Todd even though he had walked a different direction away from the bear.
I don't know whether I will pull my 44 or the bear spray, it will depend on the situation. When hunting with a buddy last fall, we bumped a small cub that was probably a black bear but I told my partner to pull his bear spray and I would pull my pistol if its mother came after us.
Just my thoughts.
I don't know whether I will pull my 44 or the bear spray, it will depend on the situation. When hunting with a buddy last fall, we bumped a small cub that was probably a black bear but I told my partner to pull his bear spray and I would pull my pistol if its mother came after us.
Just my thoughts.
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