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  #31  
Old 08-08-2012, 06:36 PM
silver silver is offline
 
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I have been in public campgrounds and never cared to have a firearm. A friend and I fish some of the more remote lakes, one of us has a gun and we both know where it is at night, there is an axe in the chopping block, and sometimes a knife on a piece of white paper.

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
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  #32  
Old 08-09-2012, 09:09 AM
duffy4 duffy4 is offline
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Very few people ever get struck by lightning so I reckon some of the brave outdoorsmen on here go golfing and fishing in the middle of a good thunder storm just to get away from the crowds.

Bears do, very rarely attack people but if I and my family are going to be one of the rare unlucky ones, I think I will try to have some means of protection. And the peace of mind having the means of protection brings.

Bear spray is a handy and apparently effective method.


When it comes to a gun for a canoe trip a stainless synthetic stocked shot gun would be good. The purpose of the weapon is after all to get one or a number of shots off at a very close range at serious threat bear.

A big bore rifle is great for killing a bear at longer range but may be less effective at close quarters.

A .357 mag. double action revolver might be the best gun for this job.
It would always be on your hip
It could be fired with one hand, either right or left
5 or 6 shots
And would have plenty enough power when shot in a bear's eye, ear or nose from a few feet or inches.
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  #33  
Old 08-09-2012, 09:22 AM
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Does this thread just keep getting better and better or is it just me?
Yes it does keep getting better doesn't it.

The OP asked a question and is getting lots of varied and good advice. And we are also getting entertained by some members who rather that add relevant information, make funny comments LOL, LOL.
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  #34  
Old 08-09-2012, 09:22 AM
Davez1969 Davez1969 is offline
 
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I agree with Kurt505 , I have a Mossberg 500 with the "stick" removed. Holds 6 or 7 rounds I think... Slug, OOObuck shot, slug, OOObuck shot etc...... It has a full stock or pistol grip but the pistol grip is pretty hard on the wrist shooting slugs. No frills gun for $349 at the big outlet stores..
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  #35  
Old 08-09-2012, 09:28 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duffy4 View Post
Yes it does keep getting better doesn't it.

The OP asked a question and is getting lots of varied and good advice. And we are also getting entertained by some members who rather that add relevant information, make funny comments LOL, LOL.
I made some pretty relevent posts, containing about the only first hand experience mentioned on this thread, then a couple guys brought up axes, knives, and revolvers. What else can I say? I thought we'd covered the relevent info and gone straight to the jokes.
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  #36  
Old 08-09-2012, 09:32 AM
cmdalexander cmdalexander is offline
 
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Cowboy,

All joking and poking aside, the first key to avoiding bear encounters is realizing that their senses are as follows:

1. Excellent Smell
2. Very good hearing
3. very poor eyesight

In addition to the usual Bear Smart literture, there are 3 things that youcan do to avoid any unwanted encounters, especially on an extended stay trip in the back country

1. Camp in open spaces whenever possible, find a natural field, valley floor, meadow etc. This will give you good lines of sight and prevent a close encounter in the bush where you or the bear may feel cornered.

2. Keep your dogs on a leash - you do not need a 6 foot walking type leash - I use a 20 foot 3/8inch rope. My dogs walk behind me and the 20 foot lead drags behind them on the ground. If they do see something they want to chase, I have the opportuntiy to get them under control with either my foot or hand. A bear will usually run when the dogs bark, however my grandfather has a large bearskin rug on the wall, when he was deer hunting, his dog went after a large blackbear, (this is in northern ontario where you are allowed to hunt deer with hounds), the bear didn't run but rather chased the dog right back to my grandfather.

3. If you are cooking fish or other odourous foods, put those clothes in your pack, hanging in a tree, rather then wearing them in the tent to bed. Your clothes hold odours well, and a strong fishy smell in your tent means a meal to a bear and nothing else.


Enjoy your trip, stay alert, use common sense and you will have a great time and probably not give the bears a second thought
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  #37  
Old 08-09-2012, 04:21 PM
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I have some solo semi-wilderness tripping experience. The one thing I realized after tripping is what a pain keeping track of everything is. My best advice is pack then leave half at home. Anything left unsecured in a canoe is at danger of being lost.

For a gun I'd suggest a 12 gauge due to rabbit, duck, and nuisance animals mostly. I carried one on my first trip and never again. The stuff I treasured most was clean dry matches in every pack and pocket, an ax, clean dry top quality duct tape, a roll of sturdy fishing line, and toilet paper.
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  #38  
Old 08-09-2012, 04:58 PM
NUK SOO KOW NUK SOO KOW is offline
 
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I have the 870 marine magnum. Its been my camp/bachcountry gun for 7 years. I've had it canoeing, hiking, camping, you name it. It's been submerged a few times( by accident, but it is to be expected with the places we go), soaked with rain hiking, and muddied up. The finish has held up fantastically, not a spec of rust anywhere. Just give it a good cleaning after every adventure. It's my favourite gun.
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  #39  
Old 08-09-2012, 06:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ishootbambi View Post
for all the irrational fear of bears on this site, i have to wonder how many AO members have ever actually had a problem bear cause enough concern to need to shoot it? i just dont understand the bearanoia.
had the need to shoot one, unfortunate ly I had no gun.

I would suggest the Ruger 96/44, if you can find one in stainless, even better. If you need an excuse to get a new long gun, get the biggest, baddest one money can buy. lol

There is some paranoia, fear with regards to bears but it never hurts to be well prepared. two cans of pepper, gun, bangers and set out something away from your tent that will attract the bears attention and alert you to his presence. Lots of people have gone missing in bear country.
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  #40  
Old 08-09-2012, 08:40 PM
ishootbambi ishootbambi is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cal View Post
Does this thread just keep getting better and better or is it just me?
you arent alone


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Originally Posted by Nait Hadya View Post
had the need to shoot one, unfortunate ly I had no gun.

.
you are telling us about it, so im guessing that you didnt have to shoot it.

so that makes nobody that has answered the thread, and 2 members that are here, but have not spoken up, but did kill bears. i wonder how many total members this site actually has?
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  #41  
Old 08-09-2012, 09:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ishootbambi View Post
.so im guessing that you didnt have to shoot it.
guess wrong. unless you have experienced a predatory attack by a bear, saying someone's fear of bears is irrational is quite irrational. sleeping in the motorhome is a far cry from tenting in bear country. camping on old camp spots along a northern river is like setting up camp on a bear bait. safety first!
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  #42  
Old 08-09-2012, 10:14 PM
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Default Ruger Alaskan

While I don't have the Ruger Alaskan (375 Ruger), I have handled it and it points very handily and would be one of my picks for a bear defence rifle...
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  #43  
Old 08-09-2012, 10:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ishootbambi View Post
for all the irrational fear of bears on this site, i have to wonder how many AO members have ever actually had a problem bear cause enough concern to need to shoot it? i just dont understand the bearanoia.
That is a good question. My guess is not that many.

I would be one of the not very many. I'm really not sure just how many problem bears I've had to dispatch, I never tried to keep track. But as far as I can recall, maybe three or four.

If you're talking about the kind of problem where this bear intends to do a person injury, that's a different matter. I presume the OP had a chance encounter in mind, from that prospective the answer would be one.

Now, what makes your question a good one is that for the first half of my life I never once thought of packing bear protection, and I spent a good portion of the warm months out hunting, fishing or just tramping around in the woods.

Then later in life I had a few close calls with bears, some of my friends also had close calls with bears. The a co-worker got killed by a bear and a school chum lost half of one ear to a bear.

Somewhere in there I developed a very healthy respect for bears, and I don't mind admitting, a measure of fear as well.

I still tramp around the bush, taking pictures mostly, without any bear protection, but I have to admit, I'm not comfortable when I do that.

I know from experience that the chances of having a life threatening encounter is about the same as the chances of getting hit by lighting.
And even though I don't pack a lighting rod, I often think about packing bear protection.

I absolutely respect anyone wanting to pack bear protection.
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  #44  
Old 08-09-2012, 11:05 PM
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Well, despite all the sly mockery of those who don't think bear attacks are an issue, I have a healthy respect for the animals. Growing up close to Waterton, and camping there, and in Montana (Glacier and Bob Marshall), I've seen a few bear here and there, both black and Grizzly. And here in Grande Prairie as well. I've never been bothered or threatened by them, and never felt the need to even scare one off that came too close. Having said that, people do get killed by them. The following is a list I found, I didn't check it for accuracy but expect it isn't total fiction, because the one highlighted in red was a man I knew. I went to school with his two daughters, and remember clearly the impact it had on his family and our small community. So, being prepared 'just in case' isn't bearanoia in my mind, it is just thinking of the people who love you. BTW, Monte was hunting sheep and carrying a rifle (.270 if I remember correctly) when he was mauled and killed. He was found still alive after being mauled by a grizzle sow with cubs, by other hunters, with a jammed rifle in his hands. They hiked out to get help as Monte couldn't be moved, the bear returned and mauled him a second time.

As an aside, the web site I found this on is for the purpose of advocating carrying pistols for defense, but that is a seperate topic.

http://makinit.ca/victims.html

The following is a list of fatal bear attacks in Canada, I have not included non-fatal attacks or attacks by other species at this time!


Cecile Lavoie, 70, female May 30, 2008 Near La Sarre, Quebec After Lavoie didn't return to her cabin following a solo fishing outing, her husband went looking for her. He found a bear dragging her body into the woods.


Robin Kochorek, 31, female July 20, 2007 Panorama Mountain Resort, British Columbia Kochorek was reported missing after mountain biking. A black bear was found near her corpse the morning after her dissapearance. The bear was shot on site by The RCMP.


Jacqueline Perry, 30, female September 6, 2005 Black Missinaibi Lake Provincial Park, Ontario Perry was killed in a attack at their remote campsite. Her husband was seriously injured trying to protect her. Ministry of Forest staff shot and killed the bear near the area where the fatal attack occurred


Harvey Robinson, 69, male August 26, 2005 Selkirk, Manitoba Robinson was fatally mauled while picking plums north of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Robinson's family were exploring the site with a RCMP officer later that day, and were also attacked. The officer shot and killed the bear


Merlyn Carter, 71, male June 14, 2005 270 kilometres southeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Carter, a pilot, was found dead in the main cabin of his fishing camp. Carter's son came to the cabin the day after the attack, and shot and killed the bear.


Maurice Malenfant, 77, male September 29, 2002 Saint-Zénon-du-Lac-Humqui, Quebec Malenfant was attacked in his campsite in the Gaspé region of Quebec.


Christopher Bayduza, 31, male September 1, 2002 near Fort Nelson, British Columbia After going for a walk behind a trailer, Bayduza was attacked at a remote oil rigging site in northeastern British Columbia.


Kyle Harry, 18, male June 3, 2001 25 km. east of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Harry was attacked while with a a group at a rural campsite 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada


Mary Beth Miller, 24, female July 2, 2000 near Valcartier, Quebec Miller was attacked while on a biathalon training run in a wooded area on a military base. The bear was trapped and killed four days later


Robert Wagner, 48, male October 1, 2008 near Sundre, Alberta Wagner was reported missing after not returning from a hunting trip. His body was found less than 1-kilometre (0.62 mi) from his parked truck. An autopsy revealed that he had been killed by a grizzly bear, which was shot by wildlife officers


Don Peters, 51, male November 25, 2007 near Sundre, Alberta Peters' body was found 200 metres (660 ft) from his parked truck. He was on a hunting trip. An autopsy confirmed that he died due to a grizzly bear attack. The bear that attacked Peters was captured and killed the following April

Jean-Francois Pagé, 28, male April 28, 2006 near Ross River, Yukon Pagé was mauled while staking mineral claims. He unknowingly walked right past a bear den containing a sow and two cubs


Arthur Louie, 60, male September 20, 2005 near The Bowron River, British Columbia A female and two cubs attacked Louie on a remote forestry road. He was walking back to his gold mining camp after his car broke down.


Isabelle Dube, 35, female June 5, 2005 Canmore, Alberta Dube was killed while jogging with two friends on the Bench Trail. After an initial attack, Dube climbed a tree while her friends sought help. The bear brought Dube down from the tree and mauled her. A few days beforehand, the bear had been relocated from Canmore to Banff National Park.


Raymond Kitchen, 56, male, Patti McConnell, 37, female August 17, 1997 Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park, British Columbia McConnell died from injuries while defending herself and her two children from a black bear attack on a boardwalk to the hot springs. Kitchen heard the attack in progress, and was killed while attempting to rescue. McConnell's daughter and a 20-year-old man were also injured. The bear was shot while standing over the victims.


Sevend Satre, 53, male 01996-06-14June 14, 1996 near Tatlayoko Lake, British Columbia Satre was killed while checking fencelines near the central British Columbia community of Tatlayoko Lake, British Columbia.


Sebastien Lauzier, 20, male June 14, 1992 near Cochrane, Ontario Lauzier was attacked while taking soil samples.


Raymond Jakubauskas, 32, male, Carola Frehe, 48, female October 11, 1991 Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, While they were setting up camp on Bates Island, a black bear broke both of their necks. The bear then dragged their bodies into the woods and consumed the remains. When police arrived five days later, the bear was guarding the bodies. A park naturalist called the attack "right off the scale of normal bear behavior".


James Waddell, 12, male May 26, 1991 Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, In the Marten River Campground, Waddel was dragged from a tent during the night and killed.


George Evanoff, 65, male October 24, 1998 near Prince George, British Columbia Evanoff was hiking on the Bearpaw Ridge, 45 miles northeast of Prince George, British Columbia. He encountered a grizzly feeding on a moose kill about a half-mile from his cabin.


Christopher Kress, 40, male, August 22, 1998, near Beaver Mines, Alberta Kress was killed by a grizzly bear on while fishing on the South Castle River, near the Beaver Mines campground in Alberta


Christine Courtney, 32, female, July 5, 1996, Kluane National Park Courtney was killed while hiking. Her husband was also attacked but survived. Park wardens killed the bear


Shane Fumerton, 32, male, Bill Caspell, 40, male, October 9, 1995 near Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia They were killed while securing an elk in the vicinity of Mount Soderhome, in southeastern British Columbia.


Trevor Percy-Lancaster, 40, male, September 15, 1992 Jasper National Park Percy-Lancaster and his wife were setting up camp in an isolated area of the Tonquin Valley. They surprised a bear, and began running away. The bear initially caught Percy-Lancaster's wife, and then he distracted the bear, which turned on him.


Hattie Amitnak, 64, female, July 9, 1999 near Rankin Inlet, Nunavut Amitnak was mauled after trying to distract a bear that attacked and injured two other people. She was later awarded a posthumous medal of bravery by then-Governor-General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson


David Anderson, 12, male July 6, 1983 La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve, Quebec Anderson was grabbed from his tent while camping as part of a group fishing trip. His body was found 100 feet (30 m) from the tent.


Melvin Rudd, 55, male May 27, 1983 near Nipawin Provincial Park, Saskatchewan Rudd was killed while fishing in central Saskatchewan.


Clifford David Starblanket, 26, male May 21, 1983 near Canwood, Saskatchewan Starblanket, a trapper living in the forest, suffered an attack to his throat and head.


Lee Randal Morris, 44, male, Carol Marshall, 24, female August 14, 1980 near Zama City, Alberta Morris and Marshall were killed by the same bear in separate attacks over a span of two hours. They were working at a remote oil drilling camp


Ernest Cohoe, 38, male August 24, 1980 While fishing with a friend just north of Banff, Alberta, bears charged and bit off part of Cohoe's face. He died a week later as a result of the injuries.


Thomas Mutanen, 46, male November 29, 1983 Churchill, Manitoba Mutanen was attacked and dragged on a street in Churchill. The bear was part of an annual migration to Hudson Bay. Due to a lack of ice on the bay, the bear wandered into the town.


Lynn Orser, 30, female July 2, 1978 Aurora, Ontario A bear trained to wrestle humans entered its owners home and attacked the owner's friend, Orser in her bedroom


George Halfkenny, 16, Mark Halfkenny, 12, Billy Rhindress, 15 (all male) May 13, 1978 Algonquin Provincial Park The three boys were stalked and killed while fishing near Radiant Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park. This was the first fatal bear attack in the park in eighty years.


Monte Adams,?, Male 1979 Southern Alberta While hunting alone for sheep in the mountains of Southern Alberta, Adams was mauled by a grizzly bear.


Barbara Chapman, 24, female July 24, 1976 Glacier National Park While hiking with a friend in British Columbia's Glacier National Park, Chapman rounded a bend to find a grizzly bear charging. The bear first attacked Chapman's friend, who initially resisted, but left him alone after he played dead. The bear then attacked Chapman, who fought back and was quickly killed. Chapman's friend sustained serious injuries, but was able to hike out for help. The grizzly bear that attacked and her three cubs were soon found and killed


Will Etherington, 51, male September 25, 1973 Banff National Park Etherington, a biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service, and a photographer were helping with the relocation of a troublesome grizzly bear in Banff National Park. The bear had been recently trapped and sedated. When the two men approached the bear, it charged and attacked Etherington


Harvey Cardinal, 40, male January 15, 1970 near Fort St. John, British Columbia Cardinal was attacked and partially eaten while hunting near the Doig River. The bear had a gum infection, and was shot and killed


Barbara Coates, 7, female August 12, 1958 Jasper National Park While Coates was picking berries outside of her family's Sunwapta Falls cottage, a black bear appeared. Coates ran to the cottage, but the bear chased and mauled her.

Also found Wiki has a fairly comprehensive list, I prefer not to show up on it at any future date.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America
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Last edited by Twisted Canuck; 08-09-2012 at 11:20 PM.
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  #45  
Old 08-10-2012, 12:08 AM
Tactical Lever Tactical Lever is offline
 
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I'd be just as concerned about all the other varmints out there besides the bears. Bears don't overly concern me but "you just can't trust a bear." Coyotes, cougars, wolves, rabid skunks, and 2 legged predators to name a few...

You'll never know what you'll run into out there, and the longer you're out there and the farther, the potential goes up.

I would probably lean towards a stainless Rossi or Puma (model 92 type) in .45 Colt (with warm handloads) or .454 Casull. Strong, well made guns that are easy packing, quick to bear and hold a good bit of ammo in the tube.
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  #46  
Old 08-10-2012, 03:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ishootbambi View Post
for all the irrational fear of bears on this site, i have to wonder how many AO members have ever actually had a problem bear cause enough concern to need to shoot it? i just dont understand the bearanoia.
I havent had to shoot a problem bear but my fishing partner has had to. Ill take his lead on the subject.
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  #47  
Old 08-10-2012, 05:52 AM
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Originally Posted by ishootbambi View Post
you arent alone




you are telling us about it, so im guessing that you didnt have to shoot it.

so that makes nobody that has answered the thread, and 2 members that are here, but have not spoken up, but did kill bears. i wonder how many total members this site actually has?
You live in Medicine Hat, your experiences in the wilderness of Alberta is limited I would guess. Some of us have encountered bears and know people who have been killed. The previous post on those killed by bears is missing one name, David Hyde, grizzly in 1988 Chinchaga while working. Chris Bayduza I knew and worked with here in Alberta. We have dispatched bears in camps that were problem bears. Did so before the situation escalated any further.
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Old 08-10-2012, 06:48 AM
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my best way to never have a bear encounter is to buy a bear tag...never even get a sighting then.
Im very unlucky in that area, ive rattled in more 200" whitetails, than chances at a bear.
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Old 08-10-2012, 08:32 AM
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My wife abd I took our 2 year old daughter for a walk along a creek to see if we could show here a beaver as she had seen one in a kids book we read her.

It was in the spring and I had a tag in my pocket so on a wim I carried a rifle. We heard a noise in the bush close by and thought it was a deer. Then we walked down and across the creek and when I looked back there was a black bear sniffing around where we had been. It came down and crossed the creek and started towards us as we yelled at it to leave. I finally shot it.

A "bear incident" that did not become a statistic because the human had weapon.

"Is this thread getting better or what?"
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Old 08-10-2012, 08:51 AM
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Originally Posted by duffy4 View Post
My wife abd I took our 2 year old daughter for a walk along a creek to see if we could show here a beaver as she had seen one in a kids book we read her.

It was in the spring and I had a tag in my pocket so on a wim I carried a rifle. We heard a noise in the bush close by and thought it was a deer. Then we walked down and across the creek and when I looked back there was a black bear sniffing around where we had been. It came down and crossed the creek and started towards us as we yelled at it to leave. I finally shot it.

A "bear incident" that did not become a statistic because the human had weapon.

"Is this thread getting better or what?"
Lol, I worked at a plant site where we delt with bears on a pretty regular basis. The odd one got shot but usualy a sausage stuffed with cayan pepper did the trick.

I currently do alot of work on remote well sites in the Swan Hills area as well as Sawn Lake, many of these are quad in and bears are not uncomon. Neither me or any of the opperaters that need to work around bears bother with any kind of deterent. Now I know the majority of you guys here obviously deal with bears more often than we do. But if a field full of guys who deal with bears on a regular basis dont need guns then I'm inclined to wonder who does?
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Old 08-10-2012, 09:27 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohninAB View Post
The previous post on those killed by bears is missing one name, David Hyde, grizzly in 1988 Chinchaga while working.
David is the co-worker I mentioned.

I didn't really know him. We were just in the same business at the same time and had mutual friends.
My boss at the time was good friends with David, so I got to hear about what happened befor it made the papers.
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Old 08-10-2012, 09:41 AM
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I don't think people should be running around the woods all paranoid BUT I also think that people should be bear aware and take precautions...

That said IF I was to have a negative bear encounter, if I was carrying a firearm of some sort I would feel a little better about my odds.

LC
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Old 08-10-2012, 09:46 AM
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I'm inclined to wonder who does?


I believe the answer is, less then one in 100,000
The question is, do you want to be caught without, if you happen to be the 1 in 100,000 who needs to stop a bear.


No, I understand and you are right. Statistically it makes no sense to pack bear protection. But something about having a close encounter where you know the bear intended to hurt you, kinda makes the statistics seem senseless.

It's like buying fire insurance on ones house. If one is fire conscious, the chances of loosing ones house to a fire is about the same as having an outdoorsman having dangerous bear encounter.

I buy insurance, how about you?
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Old 08-10-2012, 01:36 PM
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I believe the answer is, less then one in 100,000
The question is, do you want to be caught without, if you happen to be the 1 in 100,000 who needs to stop a bear.


No, I understand and you are right. Statistically it makes no sense to pack bear protection. But something about having a close encounter where you know the bear intended to hurt you, kinda makes the statistics seem senseless.

It's like buying fire insurance on ones house. If one is fire conscious, the chances of loosing ones house to a fire is about the same as having an outdoorsman having dangerous bear encounter.

I buy insurance, how about you?
Funny, I happen to know a whole pile of people who's house burned down. So yeah, I buy fire insurance. I know a ton of people who work in bear country every day, most of whome dont pack fire arms. So why exactly is it that the only people I personaly know that claim to have been threatened by a bear are pencil pushers and mill workers who spend a only a fracion of their time anywhere near a bear?

Just sayin as all, you wana leave your camp chair home and pack a rifle instead thats your problem. You wanna talk about knife fighting grizzlys or shooting them with handguns in the nostril from a range of several inches, well I think I've made myself clear on that nonsense.
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Old 08-10-2012, 02:15 PM
duffy4 duffy4 is offline
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Funny, I happen to know a whole pile of people who's house burned down. So yeah, I buy fire insurance. I know a ton of people who work in bear country every day, most of whome dont pack fire arms. So why exactly is it that the only people I personaly know that claim to have been threatened by a bear are pencil pushers and mill workers who spend a only a fracion of their time anywhere near a bear?

Just sayin as all, you wana leave your camp chair home and pack a rifle instead thats your problem. You wanna talk about knife fighting grizzlys or shooting them with handguns in the nostril from a range of several inches, well I think I've made myself clear on that nonsense.

Not sure you have made yourself clear at all.

You seem to have an "opinion" that seems to be you don't think one needs to carry any "bear defence". Thats fine.

But it seems you will not accept that there are other view points. Is that the "nonsense" you are talking about?
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Old 08-10-2012, 03:22 PM
Cal Cal is offline
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Not sure you have made yourself clear at all.

You seem to have an "opinion" that seems to be you don't think one needs to carry any "bear defence". Thats fine.

But it seems you will not accept that there are other view points. Is that the "nonsense" you are talking about?
I accept that there are other opinions, I normaly respect those opinions though I may not agree. Please note that I never strongly pushed my own untill the conversation turned grossly absured. Sorry must be just a weakness in my nature I guess but that type of thing sets me off.
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Old 08-10-2012, 04:42 PM
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My wife abd I took our 2 year old daughter for a walk along a creek to see if we could show here a beaver as she had seen one in a kids book we read her.

It was in the spring and I had a tag in my pocket so on a wim I carried a rifle. We heard a noise in the bush close by and thought it was a deer. Then we walked down and across the creek and when I looked back there was a black bear sniffing around where we had been. It came down and crossed the creek and started towards us as we yelled at it to leave. I finally shot it.

A "bear incident" that did not become a statistic because the human had weapon.

"Is this thread getting better or what?"
probably did not need to kill the bear just educate it,no?
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Old 08-10-2012, 05:18 PM
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"There I was laying on top of the mountain watching him stalk the sheep through the spotting scope when something occured to me.....I have no protection, no spray, no gun, no nothing and he was over a KM away....we got a sheep and never saw a bear but the next time I am in that situation.....I will have something, hopefully a sheep tag and he can lay out in the open with only a couple backpacks and a spotting scope"

In a case like this I'd really want protection as well. At least a pack of Trojans and some KY, cause it sounds like you could be screwed.


I've done lots of canoeing , but unlike Cal I'm not that good at martial arts or negotiating that I trust my safety to dumb luck. I'm more in Tundra Monkey's camp. I go no where without a rifle in bear country.

You might ask why.

Well DUH! I don't want the bear to eat me.

I have had several close encounters with mostly black bears but some grizzlies as well. And no it wasn't because I was baiting them with a dirty camp. I've never had to shoot a bear that charged or threatened, yet, but I was prepared to. I have no idea what i would have done if I needed to shoot and had no gun.

I carry bear spray usually as well, depending on the trip. I'm 'bear aware" and I'm armed. It's common sense. I wear a PFD in a boat or canoe. DOesn't mean I'm scared, it's common sense.

In the canoe I carry my 7mm rem mag. The same one I use on my horse. I also use the same scabbard to lash the rifle to the canoe. It only takes one tip over to learn if it's not tied in or stuck up your .....well you know, it's gone. The 7 mag has shot many bears. I'm familiar with it and when the bluing and varnish wore off, I camoed it.

I had a Marlin 444 when the first came out. Wish I had it today. It would be good for this kind of thing. A buddy had a Ruger Semi auto in 44 mag. It was a shorty and would also work in a canoe.

I don't think there is much that would stop better than the rifles you mentioned already and there's much to be said for being familiar with your rifle.

If you are going during hunting season a marine shotgun loaded with buckshot and slugs would work and give you the option of switching to bird shot for ducks or grouse.
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Old 08-10-2012, 06:37 PM
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Lol, I worked at a plant site where we delt with bears on a pretty regular basis. The odd one got shot but usualy a sausage stuffed with cayan pepper did the trick.

I currently do alot of work on remote well sites in the Swan Hills area as well as Sawn Lake, many of these are quad in and bears are not uncomon. Neither me or any of the opperaters that need to work around bears bother with any kind of deterent. Now I know the majority of you guys here obviously deal with bears more often than we do. But if a field full of guys who deal with bears on a regular basis dont need guns then I'm inclined to wonder who does?
You have mentioned several times about the woods workers going unarmed and cant understand why anyone would want to arm themselves. Your workers are going into the bush about 7 or 8 in the morning, they are using quads on lease roads, and they are going to oil or gas leases and out of there by 4 or 5 in the afternoon. Oh yeah, and I would bet they are all healthy adults.

Fishing and camping with friends and family, you are out there all night, prime bear feeding time, and 10 year old kids are snack size for a bear.
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Old 08-10-2012, 08:26 PM
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I don't think people should be running around the woods all paranoid BUT I also think that people should be bear aware and take precautions.
Taking precautions means being able to defend oneself. If they have a PAL, they can do what the hell they want in the woods,with a weapon. Who are you or most anyone else to say they are paranoid? Let me guess,your from central Canada and are starting a new campaign for gun control?
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