Hunting in Bear Country

[Calif. Hunter]

My brother with USF&W forwarded this to me -

From the weekly Law Enforcement report.


Gallatin NF - On 10/25, 2 hunters dressed and quartered out an elk that one
had shot approximately 2 miles up and 500 feet off the Buck Ridge Trail on
the Bozeman RD. The hunters hauled two quarters from the elk to the top of
a ridge. When they returned to the elk carcass a grizzly bear was on the
two remaining quarters. The bear took possession of the elk and treed the
men. The hunters remained in the tree for approximately 40 minutes and
then quickly left the area when the bear was distracted while eating the
elk. The hunters had to leave their backpacks and rifles at the site when
they fled the area. An LEO responded to assist Montana State game wardens
with the incident. The hunters were instructed to stay out of the Buck
Ridge area. An area closure may be put in place to keep all hunters away
from the area where the aggressive grizzly bear is located.

Two elk hunters in the Big Creek area on the Livingston RD encountered a
grizzly bear. The bear attacked one of the hunters, bit and mauled the
man’s leg, and shook him. One puncture wound on the man came very close to
an artery. The other hunter shot at the bear but may have missed it. The
shot distracted the bear enough to enable the hunter to remove his injured
friend from the area and to a hospital. An LEO responded to assist Montana
State game wardens with the incident. A possible area closure may be put
in place as a result of the mauling.

 

[GatoMan]

The hunters had to leave there backpacks and rifles at the site while they fled......... who the hell leaves there rifle when they were just treed by a grizzly......

 

[Goldtip]

Too bad the guys got mauled. Glad it sounds as if he's well. Grizzly attacks will continue on hunters as long they continue to be protected from hunting.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

GatoMan - maybe they had laid their guns down while they were packing the meat, and didn't have time to grab them if the rifles weren't right by their side? Maybe they were dumb enough to have left their rifles when they packed out the first load? Hopefully, spreading the word will make folks a little more vigilant in bear country? (The first guys might have been from California, ya know? )

 

[belly-deep]

Wonder why they don't kill bears that maul humans anymore. A few years ago, if a bear attacked someone, it was put to death. The populations are increasing, why stop killing the aggressive ones?

 

[schmalts]

Damn, if I had a rifle with me I sure would not leave it anywhere while packing out meat in Grizz country. The bear would have been dead long before I climbed any tree.

 

[Spitz]

The bear would have been dead long before I climbed any tree.

Your such a bad ass!

 

[schmalts]

Your such a bad ass!

And you would climb a tree??

 

[Spitz]

And you would climb a tree??

Good point. I don't like climbing trees either.

I'd probably play dead from the moment I saw the thing, even if it was 500 yards out. Might even spray some of that bear repellant on myself to make sure he didn't want to try a bite.

 

[schmalts]

Good point. I don't like climbing trees either.

I'd probably play dead from the moment I saw the thing, even if it was 500 yards out. Might even spray some of that bear repellant on myself to make sure he didn't want to try a bite.

If I was by myself and it was a close range real charge I shoot it, then climb a tree and call the wardens to tell them to pick up thier crabby grizz. If I was hunting with you I would shoot you in the foot, and then run away real fast. All that matters is that I am faster than you

 

[Sytes]

Griz can hit 35mph in a short distance. Better hope one is cool as a cucumber to put those 1/2 holes in the right spot... Once you fire - you take it from it's desire to show you who's boss and leave you alive... to - fighting for its life - and you are dead.

I carry a pistol as I am sure the vast majority do in Griz country. I also have Bear OC which is... IMO, much more effective! 15' - 20' a standing burst of an initial 10' and spreading area burst seriously effects their focus on pouncing.

Many studies have been conducted and I know some feel using OC vs a gun makes them feel they have less of an e-penis... intelligently - we all know our e-peen size w/o having to strut our chip on our shoulder... and will stay with what statistically holds the best chance for survival.

There was a show (trying to find it...) Where top marksmen stood still in front of a moving 35mph target coming directly at the person... If I recall correctly - think it was 1 in 8 would have stopped it before it was on top of the person.
Main focus area is to shoot out it's power legs -hind- (try and do that when it is coming directly at you). Then there is UNDER the chin as they found the skull caused several rounds to richocet off the slope over it's nose. HOWEVER, they charge with their head slightly sloped downward... Thus Aim small / Miss small.
Sure there was a couple who managed to place their shots where they needed to be... though they ALSO conceeded, they did such because they knew the exact OPEN and clear path of the animal... AND the fact it was NOT bouncing / lumbering at 35mph... they had their spot pointed to fire... and put a hail mary in the location.

Cheers all - Not saying a pistol is not worth crap in such... It is a hell of a lot better than a rock HOWEVER, if you follow the statistics of the OC vs gun contoversy - I will first go with the OC.

On the OC side: that spray adversely effects its ability to comprehend what the heck is going on... they typically hesitate their charge, Start slashing their head in every direction, stand on their hind legs, trying with all their might to get fresh air... If you feel you or another are still in fear of your life or serious injury - I would say, that is when putting some rounds into him may be best. Poor sight already... blinded by OC - You are much less a target - none the less the OC reactive agent doing it's work. They are doing whatever the hell they can to get out of the unknown attacker - they lose their desire on you as they do not see you as a threat - They don't know where the heck the threat comes from - they most often bolt away from the area where this unknown nasty vapor originated.

Ya, ya... the wind - weather factor... Will be an issue on occasion - Thankfully you can hopefully reduces your threat level and back out of the area... Or you have your firearm if you feel you are not the one escalating an otherwise simple reduction of the threat. Least options are there and making the most of probability for survival will see you to another sunrise...