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

[MTLabrador]

I carry a pistol if I don’t have a better option, like a rifle, when I’m fishing, hiking, or hunting with a bow. I’ve pulled a pistol when I had a griz popping his jaws at me, and I’ve pointed a scoped bolt action rifle at a few grizzlies up close.

I carry a pistol every day for a living, and I’m a damn good shot with a pistol. But if you have a grizzly bear trying to kill you and you have the opportunity to defend yourself, you’re a lot better off with a rifle that make a much bigger wound channel.

 

[Gus Chiggins]

This thread needs to happen in a bar!

Well, it's possible someone was in a bar while posting under the light of a neon moon

 

[atlas]

Threads like this make me hopeful that everyone will stop bowhunting as grizzlies spread everywhere in MT

 

[802flyfish]

Not another pistol bear gun thread…

 

[shrapnel]

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???

 

[Braveheart]

Big arse bear!!!

 

[rjthehunter]

I'm the stupid one? Really? Of course I'll go for a headshot. He was down and I was closing the distance, mostly because his butt was towards me and I only had one round left. He jumped up and turned to come for me, blood in his eye. He was literally only a few steps away when I shot him. His head was down (gee, I wonder why?) and he meant business clearly. Head was the immediate target and best one. At that range it's a pretty good sized target too. So I should go for a body shot and let him pile into me? This is a moose we're talking about. Ever seen one up close?

You sound to me like either some silly pot-stirring troll or a kid still wet behind the ears or a couch potato wannabe who watches too many YouTube videos ... or all of above.

A charging animal is running towards you, not "down" Sounds like you're confusing dispatching a wounded animal with a charging animal...

I'm still really surprised that you ended up in this scenario. With the Springfield '06 being the best rifle ever made and you being such an impeccable shot, I'm surprised you wounded it.

 

[Sheltowee]

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@shrapnel I'll be sorely disappointed if your backup bear medicine is anything other than a pair of original 2nd Model Dragoons, carried vaquero-style in a pistol sash.

 

[Phaseolus]

A thread the 24Hourcampfire is famous for.

 

[Elky Welky]

@Braveheart Where you are hunting I wouldn't be too worried about it, really. Archery hunting I'll sometimes carry spray, and only if I'm in a spot with a high concentration of bears would I consider packing my 10mm. A rifle is far better defense against a bear than a handgun, and those 200 grainers you plan on shooting out of a 300 WM would do just fine. (I won't get into the spray/v. pistol debate, to each their own). And when you are planning to hunt, the bears will be getting awfully close to bedtime. If snow is on the ground you probably have nothing to worry about.

 

[Thehillbilly]

I carry a 10mm even when I have a rifle. The rifle would be my choice for the bear. The 10 is for myself if it comes to it. No bear is gonna take me alive!

 

[OntarioHunter]

A charging animal is running towards you, not "down" Sounds like you're confusing dispatching a wounded animal with a charging animal...

I'm still really surprised that you ended up in this scenario. With the Springfield '06 being the best rifle ever made and you being such an impeccable shot, I'm surprised you wounded it.

You do have some reading comprehension issues. The moose was down then jumped up and turned to get me as I walked up to finish it.

Give it up. And grow up.

 

[rjthehunter]

You do have some reading comprehension issues. The moose was down then jumped up and turned to get me as I walked up to finish it.

Give it up. And grow up.

Charging:
rush aggressively toward (someone or something) in attack.

Standing up and turning around still isn't charging. If you want to be a dick, I can be a dick back.

You're sounding a lot like an ultracrepidarian...

 

[Khunter]

Have only hunted elk in black bear country, never grizzly country. Never carry a pistol or any other ‘bear medicine’. Just never an issue.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Sorry to have started all the flaming posts.

I will take all three, rifle, pistol and bear spray. Just to be safe. I carried a pistol every day for work for 31 years. I dont mind carrying a pistol just in case I set my rifle down and walk away from it, like hopefully when I am quartering my first elk. I usually just forget about the weight of a pistol after carry one so long daily. I even got a can of bear spray today and I bought some solid core rounds for my Glock. Still just excited to be going elk hunting for the first time in 82 days.

Good luck!

 

[brymoore]

There I was…

 

[OntarioHunter]

Charging:
rush aggressively toward (someone or something) in attack.

Standing up and turning around still isn't charging. If you want to be a dick, I can be a dick back.

You're sounding a lot like an ultracrepidarian...

You weren't there. That moose was up and spun around and coming in a flash. I didn't expect him to be able to get up again or I wouldn't have got so close. I was trying for a better angle so I didn't have to shoot over his butt. He gave me a better angle ... in very short order. I'm pretty sure his intention was not to shake my hand.

I'm also sure we're all in agreement with you: you're a dick. Thanks for clarifying that. You'll need more than a dictionary to make yourself smart.

 

[Hammsolo]

Spicy

 

[OntarioHunter]

So is it fair to say you're more confident with a rifle because you haven't spent the time to become proficient with a handgun?

Most bear attacks are surprises. I'm confident with my rifle, but for something up close and personal I do not see a 9lb rifle with a 26" barrel being the best option for me or almost anyone for that matter. There's no safety on my 10mm, not a lever safety, or grip safety. It's a grab and shoot gun. Most bear attacks are complete surprises. Think back to the one Steve Rinella and crew had and have talked about on his podcast a few times.

They were sitting there eating lunch, and all of a sudden there was a grizzly on top of them. (I opted for a chest holster, because even if I take my pack and bino harness off, the pistol is still there.) The one guy from the meateater crew even had a pistol but instinctively just hit the bear with his trekking pole.

I'm not discounting the effectiveness of a rifle on a bear. Trust me. Given the option I'd shoot a bear with my 338. But it's not realistic is most situations.

You assume too much. I was proficient enough in 1972 to shoot the third best qualification score ever at the US Army military police school with a Colt 1911 (and having never shot one before). I can still shoot lights out with my 357 Highway Patrolman. Or at least I could the last time I took it to the range nine years ago. Since 1989 it lives with my brother in Montana.

 

[nrpate05]

Dang I thought this thread was going to come to a conclusion on this debate once and for all! I don't typically carry anything when hunting in areas where there aren't grizzlies. I just moved to Idaho and will be hunting the periphery of established grizz country this fall. I bought a Glock 20 to be cool (and I hadn't bought a new gun in awhile, bears are a good excuse to buy...). I'm not sure what I'll do for archery yet, depends how well I'm shooting the pistol I suppose. Probably just carry spray.