Re: Pepper spray or pistols for bear attacks
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7216117
03/14/21 11:38 PM
03/14/21 11:38 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,386 Green County Wisconsin
GREENCOUNTYPETE
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,386
Green County Wisconsin
|
If you were carrying both on you, which would you use first? Let’s keep long guns out of it. if I could I would use the spray first and avoid paper work but I would spray early and often the way I see it , you want to have sprayed before you start shooting to avoid concerns that you didn't give fair warning. nothing saying you can't spray weak hand, gun strong hand if the spray works great holster if the spray isn't working it has been deployed. toss it and get both hands on the gun so you can make lots of holes.
America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
|
|
|
Re: Pepper spray or pistols for bear attacks
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7216171
03/15/21 03:16 AM
03/15/21 03:16 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10,404 Northeast Oklahoma
Mike in A-town
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10,404
Northeast Oklahoma
|
Never dealt with bears... No firsthand knowledge. So I took a look at YouTube and bear charges...
Gotta say I'm going with the pistol... The most powerful one I can accurately handle.
But I saw a few videos where a blast of bear spray certainly would have sufficed.
Mike
One man with a gun may control 100 others who have none.
Vladimir Lenin
|
|
|
Re: Pepper spray or pistols for bear attacks
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7216398
03/15/21 10:16 AM
03/15/21 10:16 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,421 Yukon
yukon254
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,421
Yukon
|
I've been forced to kill a few bears in DLP situations over the years. Both blacks and grizzlies. Never carried bear spray. I know from others I respect that it works in some situations. "some situations" is the reason I dont use it. Bears have an uncanny sense of smell, and can be very aggressive if you surprise them at close range. In that scenario you will almost always be downwind of them. Not a good situation since the wind can cause you problems with the spray. Tents are another place bear spray is useless. I also believe that an enraged bear would be hard to stop with spray. I know one fellow who although he escaped being mauled, had a very close call when he realized his bear spray was frozen and wouldnt work.
I agree with Gulo to a point...bears CAN be easy to read. They are also one of the most unpredictable animals on the planet. Especially interior grizzlies. I've seen them go from mildly curious to going to kill you in the span of a few seconds. When I was reporting the last grizzly I had to kill to the conservation officers, one of the questions I was asked was if the bear had his ears back and his mouth open. Apparently thats a sign they are serious. Maybe. The fact is it happens so fast you will be to busy to notice things like that.
One of my pet peeves is some of the outdoor writers who push bear spray like its the greatest thing since sliced bread, when they have never used it. Canadian writer TJ Swanky is one such writer. What he doesnt tell readers is that one of the bear spray companies sponsors his TV show.
My personal rule is to never let any bear get inside 30-yards or so. I am confident that I can stop them outside that distance. Inside 30-yards is to risky. The bear dies if it crosses the 30-yard line.
Last edited by yukon254; 03/15/21 10:20 AM.
|
|
|
Re: Pepper spray or pistols for bear attacks
[Re: Mike in A-town]
#7216422
03/15/21 10:41 AM
03/15/21 10:41 AM
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,922 2A Sanctuaries-W. OK & N. NM
Blaine County
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,922
2A Sanctuaries-W. OK & N. NM
|
Never dealt with bears... No firsthand knowledge. So I took a look at YouTube and bear charges...
Gotta say I'm going with the pistol... The most powerful one I can accurately handle.
But I saw a few videos where a blast of bear spray certainly would have sufficed.
Mike I am with you. I have no clue about bears. I do however know about spraying aerosolized liquids. I would prefer sending lead through the air when dealing with an aggressive anything.
|
|
|
Re: Pepper spray or pistols for bear attacks
[Re: Crit-R-Dun]
#7216456
03/15/21 11:23 AM
03/15/21 11:23 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,770 N.W. Iowa
Tactical.20
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,770
N.W. Iowa
|
I hear a mule will run a grizzly off Way less convenient then spray and handguns. Well if you use mules to pack in and out then I would figure a mule isn't unhandy
|
|
|
Re: Pepper spray or pistols for bear attacks
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7216556
03/15/21 01:14 PM
03/15/21 01:14 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,386 Green County Wisconsin
GREENCOUNTYPETE
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,386
Green County Wisconsin
|
this is a interesting read https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/de...e-37-incidents-by-caliber/#axzz6pCY3UUm6with a fair number of deputies getting called to nuisance bears and them having to shoot more and more they are getting some better stats on the typically duty caliber guns for bear defense and making more holes is definitely better than a really loud miss. while not instantly fatal in most cases good hits from a 9, 40 or 45 have proven effective in deterring a bear often when the bear has already been sprayed there are clearly times when the spray just isn't a good option like your pointing into a head wind. a shot gun or rifle is also a better option for a stop but a handgun and spray are easier to carry and faster to deploy.
America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
|
|
|
Re: Pepper spray or pistols for bear attacks
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7216590
03/15/21 02:37 PM
03/15/21 02:37 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,794 100 Mile House, BC Can
bctomcat
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,794
100 Mile House, BC Can
|
The most important part of being armed for defense is that a handgun helps give you the confidence you need to calmly diffuse aggressive predator encounters. Most uncomfortable encounters aren't full blown charges, with "no time to react" they are size ups, stare downs and posturing. Having a firearm will certainly increase your ability to posture.
Last edited by bctomcat; 03/15/21 02:43 PM.
The only constant in trapping is change so keep learning.
|
|
|
Re: Pepper spray or pistols for bear attacks
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7216591
03/15/21 02:37 PM
03/15/21 02:37 PM
|
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,895 michigan,USA
seniortrap
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,895
michigan,USA
|
My wy friend has a 44 Mag for the bears
That would be my choice with a Taurus 44 magnum.
Vietnam--1967 46th. Const./Combat Engineers
"Chaotic action is preferable to orderly inaction." "After the first shot, all plans go out the window!"
|
|
|
|
|