Bear spray is the first line of defense assuming the wind is at my back or non-existent. The backup plan is 12 rounds of 10mm Buffalo Bore or Underwood handgun ammunition.
The only close encounter I've had with a grizzly (and a moose too) was in Canada where I was not allowed to have my handgun. I made a point to not wander more than maybe 25 feet from my vehicle so I could make a quick getaway if needed. The grizzly came within 100 feet of me on a river bank on the opposite side of the Kluane river in Yukon Territory and the moose wandered up river then floated downriver.
What? That link immediately refutes this claim in the next sentence "Although this claim has been disputed because of the 83 incidents in the Smith study[10] only 18 cases involved an aggressive bear, and of those 18 only 9 involved a charging bear."
Agree but you need to be very mindful for the type of gun.
Any more typical pistol like 9mm, 380, 45ACP won't do much against a bear. 10mm high penetration rounds (ie not holopoints, hard cast is preferable) is probably the minimum I'd want if I can't carry a rifle in bear country.
Or, how about avoiding those life and death situations? I’ll “stand my ground” that most bear attacks are caused by people. Don’t do that. Don’t be stupid and rely on blasting away to save your life. Bear bells, secure food storage away from people, not getting too close with your photo attempt, are much more effective
Yes I agree do all of this, don't just shoot everything you see. But on the chance this fails or you make a mistake, you should have a gun as a last resort.
Okay bud. If you don't want to carry by all means no one is forcing you. But I'm going to protect my family when we camp or need to visit bear country for any reason.
Carrying them openly at camp sites and in national or provincial parks is not.
More people carrying guns will result in more suicide, more domestic violence murders, and more accidental homicides than it will prevent human deaths from fucking bears.
Go unarmed then. I don't actually care what you do. But if carrying a gun gives me a last resort to save my family in bear country, I'm going to train and carry.
If holding a gun makes you suicidal, homicidal, or if you're worried you'll accidentally kill someone, don't carry or seek training.
if carrying a gun gives me a last resort to save my family in bear country, I'm going to train and carry.
If holding a gun makes you suicidal, homicidal, or if you're worried you'll accidentally kill someone, don't carry or seek training.
Do what's responsible for you.
.... show me a boomer who doesn't understand how mental illness, hunting accidents, or statistics works ✅
That gun is still more likely to kill a loved one or a fellow innocent person than it is to save your family, but you don't care about that because having a big boom stick still makes you feel warm and safe and like you don't have to worry right?
Gun owners have to pipe in whenever there's a legitimate reason for a firearm otherwise the narrative is that we only have them because we love mass shootings and dead children.
We know you love them cause they make you feel like a big man, their widespread ownership just also always leads to mass shooting and the mass death of children.
We understand where you're coming from, we just think your prioritization is objectively and statistically stupid.