Ever killed a bear with a pistol?

[WNC2500]

Based on my previous threads about pistols, it made me think to ask this question of all HuntTalkers? Have you ever had the need to kill a bear with a pistol and what did you shoot it with (caliber)? I know many people have killed bears with rifles, and larger calibers, but this is mainly a question from the pistol side only? When you answer, feel free to say what caliber, and did it do the job as you expected??

 

[Rack Daniels]

Tim wells took a bear with a blowdart and it worked better than you’d ever imagine. Lol I guess the big takeaway is placement over caliber. But I’d bet @HandgunHunter has some experience

 

[rjthehunter]

I have, it was 10 years ago. This was more of a self defence shooting than a purposeful bear hunt with a pistol. So not sure if it is relevant for your situation or not.

I was up fishing at a friends cabin and a mutual friend called right around dark letting us know he shot a bear. He was only about 45 mins from us and asked if we would help him get it out of the woods.

Long story short, we went over and started tracking his bear and we found it around 10pm and it was still alive and charged when it saw us. It took around 6 shots or so to stop it. There was 2 of us shooting at it as it charged. Both were 9mm pistols. Not ideal, but better than a sharp stick.

When I'm in the bear woods on purpose, I bring a 10mm. No experience shooting a bear with it, but it will certainly work better than a 9mm.

 

[Khunter]

I have. Bowhuntung bear in utah on an any weapon tag and after a 5 mile chase had a big boar up a tree. Cable had sliped of a cam so bow was out of commission. The 4 houndsmen I was with all had pistols and offered on up , a 44 semi auto, woth instruction do not stop shooting till bear is clearly dead or we tell you to stop.

7 rapid fire shots at 12 or so feet and bear fell out of the tree dead.

Story and pics here:

KHunter Utah Spring Bear Hunt 2019

Geez, Utah is proud of their bears. Took 10 years and 9 bonus points to pull this spring bear tag. Start the hunt on Thursday. Fortunate to have some cool guys with hounds who volunteered to take me under their wing so should be a blast and I should learn a ton a bout bears—a critter I have...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[WNC2500]

Tim wells took a bear with a blowdart and it worked better than you’d ever imagine. Lol I guess the big takeaway is placement over caliber. But I’d bet @HandgunHunter has some experience

I have seen that video before as well as the one where he kills one with a spear. I will be using neither of those, so hence the reason for the ask on pistols.

 

[WNC2500]

I have. Bowhuntung bear in utah on an any weapon tag and after a 5 mile chase had a big boar up a tree. Cable had sliped of a cam so bow was out of commission. The 4 houndsmen I was with all had pistols and offered on up , a 44 semi auto, woth instruction do not stop shooting till bear is clearly dead or we tell you to stop.

7 rapid fire shots at 12 or so feet and bear fell out of the tree dead.

44 semi auto pistol? Your comment made me google it and I have never in my life seen one. Magnum Research, and three other brands I have never heard of.

I do agree. I have always agreed with the comment to keep shooting them till clearly dead.

 

[WNC2500]

I have, it was 10 years ago. This was more of a self defence shooting than a purposeful bear hunt with a pistol. So not sure if it is relevant for your situation or not.

I was up fishing at a friends cabin and a mutual friend called right around dark letting us know he shot a bear. He was only about 45 mins from us and asked if we would help him get it out of the woods.

Long story short, we went over and started tracking his bear and we found it around 10pm and it was still alive and charged when it saw us. It took around 6 shots or so to stop it. There was 2 of us shooting at it as it charged. Both were 9mm pistols. Not ideal, but better than a sharp stick.

When I'm in the bear woods on purpose, I bring a 10mm. No experience shooting a bear with it, but it will certainly work better than a 9mm.

@rjthehunter It is relevant because it still answers the question. I would wholeheartedly agree 10 better than 9.

 

[Khunter]

44 semi auto pistol? Your comment made me google it and I have never in my life seen one. Magnum Research, and three other brands I have never heard of.

I do agree. I have always agreed with the comment to keep shooting them till clearly dead.

I know zip about pistols so no doubt got it wrong but can verify I pulled a LOT of copper out of that bear. I shot what they handed me and it was a semi auto cannon of some flavor. They literally pulled out their four pistols conferred for a minute and handed me the one most likely to not leave a wounded bear on the ground scrapping with their dogs. It worked.

 

[Drake4]

Nope. But I did kill a mountain goat with one. That's fairly close.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Based on my previous threads about pistols, it made me think to ask this question of all HuntTalkers? Have you ever had the need to kill a bear with a pistol and what did you shoot it with (caliber)? I know many people have killed bears with rifles, and larger calibers, but this is mainly a question from the pistol side only? When you answer, feel free to say what caliber, and did it do the job as you expected??

When you say “pistol”, do you mean any kind of handgun, to include revolvers?

 

[WNC2500]

@BAKPAKR Yes sir. Any handgun, auto's or revolvers. My initial ask in my head was revolvers but as already mentioned above, the autos for sure have their place and will work. So I just want to know what has happened in the real world of HT in the field (or at home for those Alaska peeps) and what have people used on purpose, or in self defense.

 

[WNC2500]

Nope. But I did kill a mountain goat with one. That's fairly close.

SHUT UP....Impressive....what did you shoot your goat with?

 

[WNC2500]

I have. Bowhuntung bear in utah on an any weapon tag and after a 5 mile chase had a big boar up a tree. Cable had sliped of a cam so bow was out of commission. The 4 houndsmen I was with all had pistols and offered on up , a 44 semi auto, woth instruction do not stop shooting till bear is clearly dead or we tell you to stop.

7 rapid fire shots at 12 or so feet and bear fell out of the tree dead.

Story and pics here:

KHunter Utah Spring Bear Hunt 2019

Geez, Utah is proud of their bears. Took 10 years and 9 bonus points to pull this spring bear tag. Start the hunt on Thursday. Fortunate to have some cool guys with hounds who volunteered to take me under their wing so should be a blast and I should learn a ton a bout bears—a critter I have...

www.hunttalk.com

Thanks for sharing the thread above. @Khunter I must have missed this one but thanks for sharing it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures, and the write up! The pistol certainly worked.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I have taken 6 bears with 44 revolvers - no bait and no dogs. Three were one shot kills, one took two shots, one took 2 or 3, and I emptied my revolver into another (he and I were both excited).

Like @Drake4, I got a mountain goat with a handgun. I used a scoped 10” T/C Contender in 30-30.

 

[WNC2500]

I have taken 6 bears with 44 revolvers - no bait and no dogs. Three were one shot kills, one took two shots, one took 2 or 3, and I emptied my revolver into another (he and I were both excited).

Like @Drake4, I got a mountain goat with a handgun. I used a scoped 10” T/C Contender in 30-30.

I would bet that both of you (@BAKPAKR and Bear) were excited. I would be too (high heart rate). I am assuming these were close range since no bait or no dogs, and the meeting was not planned.

The Mountain Goat with a handgun is impressive for both you and @Drake4

 

[BAKPAKR]

I would bet that both of you (@BAKPAKR and Bear) were excited. I would be too (high heart rate). I am assuming these were close range since no bait or no dogs, and the meeting was not planned.

I was bear hunting but that bear was a surprise. I was tucked into a hole left by the roots of a fallen tree trying to call a bear on the opposite hillside into range before dark. While calling, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. A different bear was running at me full bore. My first thought was, “Shoot him in the head!” but that was instantly replaced with “Just shoot him!” He turned at the shot, which was at a pretty close range, and I kept shooting. I was a decent shot at the time and I am pretty sure I hit him with every shot.

I didn’t get the bear gutted/skinned until after dark and I was about three miles, as the crow flies, from the road. Back then, I didn’t have a daypack that I could carry a full load of meat/hide out so my friend and I went back up the next morning to pack him out. After we got there, we tried calling a little for the original bear. When nothing showed up after the first few calls, my friend decided to work his way around the hill. As soon as he disappeared, the bear came in looking for a meal…. Good times.