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Bear Attack

6K views 79 replies 32 participants last post by  billkill 
#1 ·
i have heard humors that its best to shoot yourself in the head than to have a bear rip you apart. have anyone here every encounter and angry bears?
like always i will appreciate your real life experience.
 
#23 · (Edited)
N


Do not shoot bear in a head! Wrong especially from the front position/
It's a fact bear has strong scull shaped very flat. Brain also located same way. Even Brown Bear brain size around 8x6' the rest are bones. Brain 6-7 times smaller then bear head. Black bear much smaller
Scull bones, powerful muscles and ligaments will deflect bullet because the angle is to steep.
I did work with famous biologist from Russia Michel Krechmar, who won EU award in grizzly and brown bear study.
His book:"Furry God"

He also has award winning documentary about brown bears, did work with his american colleagues in Alaska.
http://www.bear-viewing-in-alaska.info/Steve.html
http://www.bear-viewing-in-alaska.info/Bear-Science.html

http://www.bear-viewing-in-alaska.info/Steve.html



Neck, spine are the best, chest shot will stop animal at list for a second to give you time for another shot.


do not shoot bear from the broad side, most likely you will miss heart.
 
#3 ·
There was the instance of the tour guide close to where I live, that was confronted with an attacking bear.

Pretty certain this was unusual for this guy, as he was only armed with a 9mm auto. He killed the bear with 7 rds in it's neck. They say that's the most vulnerable area, as shots to the head may glance off the skull (I think that's any skull).
 
#4 ·
LOL, most of the time bears leave you alone.

Occasionally the stars align and something bad happens. My Dad had to kill a big ol' grizzly. 6 shots to the chest from a 44 single action did the trick. It was charging and died a couple feet from him.

Division of Wildlife came out and picked up the bear. It had 18 bullets in him.

I have seen more than a few bluff charges, jaw popping and puffing. Most just want to be left alone.

Moose are far more dangerous than bears.
 
#5 ·
Moose are far more dangerous than bears.
I have been charged by both. Never shot a charging moose, but have pulled my gun on a few and shot the .44 into the ground in front of one. I have killed a charging bear.
 
#9 ·
Pep*er Spray has a place. Lots of things work. I used a lot of rubber buckshot and large firecrackers to run them out of neighborhoods and businesses.

The funniest thing I have ever seen was a guy on a boat beating the snot out of a black bear sow with a paddle. The dude didn't want to give up his fishing spot and the bear wanted some fish.
 
#11 ·
Pep*er Spray has a place. Lots of things work. I used a lot of rubber buckshot and large firecrackers to run them out of neighborhoods and businesses.

The funniest thing I have ever seen was a guy on a boat beating the snot out of a black bear sow with a paddle. The dude didn't want to give up his fishing spot and the bear wanted some fish.
Must have been one hell of a scene
 
#13 ·
Pepper spray isn't as effective as most might think. It's range is limited and a bear is fast, very fast. Considering a bear can run 30mph which is 44fps and the range of pepper spray is about 15 yards, well good luck. Inertia alone will get the bear to you.

Shooting a bear in the head may or may not work. The skull are thick and it is angled. Same with mountain lions.

Shooting a bear in the neck is possible when it is rearing or sideways to you. When it is charging you, the head is in front of the neck so not much of a neck shot there. You have to hit an artery or hit the spine.

I was charged once while doing a survey of a replanted area that had been wiped out by fires. I was clawed and escaped by leaping off a steep hill. The claw wasn't bad but the infection almost killed me. I was unarmed.

I now carry a 44 magnum with 220gr metal case profiled bullets. They are meant for steel silhouette so they do not expand. All the energy is supposed to knock a target down and they penetrate great. In Northern California, we have bears, but mountain lions are a greater concern. The bullets work well on both.
 
#15 ·
Wildlife biologist for almost 20 years in the Pacific NW and NorCal. Seen 2 dozen grizzlies in the wild in the lower 48 and Alaska. Charged once (bluff). Did graduate work on black bear behavior. Live and work in grizzly country. A few "misinformations" here.

1. Pepper spray is almost twice as effective a firearms. A recent study of over 2000 bear-human incidents showed bear spray to stop attacks over 95% of the time. That included several Asian species of bears as well as Black, Grizzly, and Polar bears. In comparison, firearms (including rifles and shotguns) were effective just over 50% of the time.
2. Bear spray users suffered NO FATALITIES and few injuries. Firearm users suffered numerous fatalities and injuries were often major.
3. Bear spray is effective up to 30-50 feet.
4. Bear spray works on cougars and wolves as well.
 
#18 ·
"That seasoning in a can is not even that
good on the much smaller but much more
dangerous MOFOs.

I much prefer lead."

I'll be sure to send flowers.............;-)

Just in case someone may believe you, again some facts:

"However, the big difference in bear spray and human pepper spray is the bear spray has to pass tests done by the Environmental Protection Agency, to ensure it’s humane. In terms of strength, bear spray has about 2% CRC (Capsaicin and Related Capsaicinoids) and human spray only has about 1.33% CRC. Bear spray typically can shoot farther than human pepper spray and also often has a wider affected area."

From: "Differences Between Animal (Dog or Bear) Spray and Human Pepper Spray"

Remember: Several hundred DEAD people agreed with you!
 
#20 ·
Pepper spray affects animals and humans a little differently. Well, even some humans a little differently. About 10% of the human population shows no noticeable effects to pepper spray.

The biggest problem is many people don't understand how to use pepper spray against a bear/other animals. People will spray it on the ground around their tents (hint some bears like the taste), spray it in front of a charging animal, and do all kinds of stuff rather than spray it at the bears head/face. It's a temporary fix. Spray and if the bear pulls off the charge. Get the heck out of the area. They may not be deterred for long. There is a reason bear canisters are made the size of small fire extinguishers.
 
#21 ·
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#24 ·
think about the rationale of that rumor for a moment:

* did the person who shot himself in the head start it?
* did a person survive the bear attack and say "heck, next time I'm going to shoot myself"?
* when do you shoot yourself? While the beat is charging? Or, he's been chewing on you a bit and you decide "well jeez, I'd better pull my gun and shoot myself rather than the bear".

I don't get these kind of things.
 
#27 ·
"Stay out of bear zones... far far away!!! Very safe program."

You are in the PNW==WHERE are you out of "bear zones"? I saw Rich Beasualeil (?) with WDFW in Sept and he said he had been over on the west side with Cash for several days working on bears.
 
#31 ·
If you are out in the woods...it's NOT a bear attack, plain and simple you were trespassin'.

NOW...if you are sittin' in yer living room, in yer favorite recliner and boxer shorts, and a bear comes a bustin' thru the door, THAT is a bear attack!
 
#35 ·
The Atheist and the Bear!

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the evolution had created. "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!", he said to himself.

As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing.

He ran even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.

At that instant the Atheist cried out "Oh my God!...."
Time stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
Even the river stopped moving.


As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, "You deny my existence for all of these years; teach others I don't exist; and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist looked directly into the light "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as Christian now, but perhaps could you make the bear a Christian?"

"Very well," said the voice.
The light went out.
The river ran again.
And the sounds of the forest resumed.
And then the bear dropped his right paw ..... brought both paws together...bowed his head and spoke:


"Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful...AMEN!"
 
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