I would assume this is the correct way

While it may be the wrong way, screaming, yelling (not to mention soiling oneself) seems like quite a logical way of responding.

Don't scream while the bear's mauling you...

that'll make it angry.

There's no wrong way to eat a snickers hiker.

Always reminds me of this anecdote:

We advise outdoorsmen to wear noisy little bells on their clothing so that the bears are not startled unexpectedly by a human's presence. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear.

It is also a good idea to watch for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear poop and grizzly bear poop.

Black bear poop is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop smells like pepper and has little bells in it.

the correct way (new window)

First rule of bear encounters: DO NOT RUN

And this is the reason you SHOULD carry a firearm... be damned they are illegal in Yellowstone (the rangers won't give you grief)

If you're ever outside you're home, ALWAYS wear one of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jYwQacBdGw

Problem solved, people.

vodka: First rule of bear encounters: DO NOT RUN

unless you find yourself between a mother bear and her cubs. in which case, RUN. RUN FOR YOUR MOTHERFARKING LIFE!!!

/not that you're going to last very long either way

UncaSid: And this is the reason you SHOULD carry a firearm... be damned they are illegal in Yellowstone (the rangers won't give you grief)

A lot of casual hikers though are going to shiat their pants when they encounter a bear though. I'd say for them bear spray with a nozzle set up to spread out the spray is better. That way if you're close to being on target, you get a result.

Someone with no firearm experience is likely to stand there with the safety on, wondering why the fark their gun isn't working as the bear mauls their leg off.

The gun is better, but the spray is more idiot proof.

/always carries a gun in bear country

460 S&W comes to mind.

ha-ha-guy:
A lot of casual hikers though are going to shiat their pants when they encounter a bear though. I'd say for them bear spray with a nozzle set up to spread out the spray is better. That way if you're close to being on target, you get a result.

Someone with no firearm experience is likely to stand there with the safety on, wondering why the fark their gun isn't working as the bear mauls their leg off.

The gun is better, but the spray is more idiot proof.

/always carries a gun in bear country

Great point... +1

vodka: First rule of bear encounters: DO NOT RUN

That's the first rule for dealing with any predatorial animal.

A bazooka of course.

I always carry my bear spray in the mountains . . .

dittybopper: ha-ha-guy: omeone with no firearm experience is likely to stand there with the safety on, wondering why the fark their gun isn't working as the bear mauls their leg off.

That's true, but there is no reason why pretty much everyone who goes into bear country can't learn how to use a firearm. Guns are easier to use than cars. There are far fewer rules to follow for safe operation, and fewer and simpler controls to operate on a gun than even a bare-bones econobox.

But yeah, a person not familiar with guns shouldn't be carrying one in the expectation that it will provide protection from predators, whether four legged or two.

Anyone who lives in bear country and doesn't have a passing familiarity with firearms and what do when you piss momma bear is an idiot.

However I'd say the guy from NYC that flew out for a weekend of hiking should likely stick to bear mace. Hell the last tourists from NYC I met, freaked out when they saw deer ("Is it going to attack us?"). I'd just rather they didn't have a firearm.

I'm all pissed off. I went to Amazon, looking up Bear Spray and was pleased to see REVIEWS!

Not a single bear encounter. All talking about the design. WTF amazon!

From what I hear, bear spray is actually better than firearms for self-defense against a bear. It's just not easy to shoot an attacking bear to death - headshots don't work very well due to the thick skull and body shots are likely to not kill the bear until it's already done killing you. This is particularly true if you were carrying a pistol. Bear spray, on the other hand, is generally considered to be very effective if you hit the bear, and it's easier to aim and to hit with in an uncertain situation.

ha-ha-guy: The gun is better, but the spray is more idiot proof

No. It's not.

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/courses/zool224/?Page=699

http://news.byu.edu/archive08-mar-bearspray.aspx

ha-ha-guy: Anyone who lives in bear country and doesn't have a passing familiarity with firearms and what do when you piss momma bear is an idiot.

I live in bear country. I had a close encounter with a black bear last night while walking the dog. You? How many bears you seen this week?

Truth is that anyone (usually an American in an urban environment -- shocking, innit!) who thinks guns are the solution to bear/human contacts is an idiot who hasn't been around bears or wildlife much more than watching Marlon Perkins.

Guns don't make you invincible, idiots. The situation you have to worry about is surprising the bear, as these fellows did. In that case, you have to draw your gun and land a stopping hit (brain or neck) in way less than a second. If you hit him anywhere else, you'll just make the bear run amok and tear you into thin strips even faster. The advantage of pepper spray is that it's a fairly large cone in a continuous spray and you see where you hit and correct your aim quickly. It's basically like using a flamethrower.

The argument with the safety is totally bogus if you use a Glock, btw.

/hot like yoga fire.

GeneralSubliminal: I always carry my bear spray in the mountains . . .

[www.themarksman.net image 640x480]

Good luck with that, you'll need it. Tell you what, you can even shoot slugs.

Sometimes the hunter wins, sometimes he doesn't.

> If you are using a Glock to try and stop a bear, *YOU* are bogus, or soon will be.
> You'd be better off with a bear spear.

I'm pretty sure a Glock 20 would stop a grizzly, assuming proper shot placement.

The main problem for most people would be going from "oh look at these pretty flowers" mode to "oh shiat there's a huge mass of claws, teeth and muscles galloping towards me" mode quickly enough without panicking and still hit the broad side of a barn.

I'm sure you have seen the video where a cop and some criminal empty their magazines at each other 10 ft. apart and neither one scores a hit.

Oh and a spear would probably be an excellent weapon against a charging grizzly, since it would already be in your hands and you just have to point the tip in the proper direction. Bury the other end in the ground and all you have to do is hold it there until the grizzly runs itself through.

Gaylord Fister: Oh and a spear would probably be an excellent weapon against a charging grizzly, since it would already be in your hands and you just have to point the tip in the proper direction. Bury the other end in the ground and all you have to do is hold it there until the grizzly runs itself through.

Ok, now being honest, would that actually work outside of movies. I imagine most bears know how to swat things, avoid running themselves through as they chase things through a forest.

TheTeethoftheTiger: Gaylord Fister: Oh and a spear would probably be an excellent weapon against a charging grizzly, since it would already be in your hands and you just have to point the tip in the proper direction. Bury the other end in the ground and all you have to do is hold it there until the grizzly runs itself through.

Ok, now being honest, would that actually work outside of movies. I imagine most bears know how to swat things, avoid running themselves through as they chase things through a forest.

Have to do it the same way pikemen did with calvary charges of old. Wait till the last minute to plant.

RobotSpider: Grizzly bear poop smells like pepper and has little bells in it.

Nice.

Gaylord Fister: I'm pretty sure a Glock 20 would stop a grizzly, assuming proper shot placement.

Better to use a .41 or .44 Magnum or even heavier caliber revolver. No manual safety to dick around with like a Glock, plus bullets like A-Frame, Partition, super-hardcast semi-wadcutters, etc provide the penetration to punch through the skull in case of a head-on charge. 10mm's more for non-pussified G-men.

This has brought up a couple questions for me. First of all, I am a new gun owner... Springfield xd45. Would this stop a grizzly and if so how many shots would it take to bring it down?

Second... someone mentioned that park rangers probably wouldn't give you any grief for carrying. I'm in northern CA. Is this really the case? Have thought about carrying while in back country though I don't have a carry permit. Anyone?

BobaFeet: This has brought up a couple questions for me. First of all, I am a new gun owner... Springfield xd45. Would this stop a grizzly and if so how many shots would it take to bring it down?

Somewhere from 1 to 50+ shots, depending on where you hit it.

ISubmittedThisYesterdayWithAMuchFunnierHeadline: BobaFeet: This has brought up a couple questions for me. First of all, I am a new gun owner... Springfield xd45. Would this stop a grizzly and if so how many shots would it take to bring it down?

Somewhere from 1 to 50+ shots, depending on where you hit it.

I'm aiming for the balls... obviously.

BobaFeet:
I'm aiming for the balls... obviously.

Two, then.

why do you pansy farkers need to shoot bears to prove your manhood?

it's their home you're in, leave them alone

ha-ha-guy: dittybopper: ha-ha-guy: omeone with no firearm experience is likely to stand there with the safety on, wondering why the fark their gun isn't working as the bear mauls their leg off.

That's true, but there is no reason why pretty much everyone who goes into bear country can't learn how to use a firearm. Guns are easier to use than cars. There are far fewer rules to follow for safe operation, and fewer and simpler controls to operate on a gun than even a bare-bones econobox.

But yeah, a person not familiar with guns shouldn't be carrying one in the expectation that it will provide protection from predators, whether four legged or two.

Anyone who lives in bear country and doesn't have a passing familiarity with firearms and what do when you piss momma bear is an idiot.

However I'd say the guy from NYC that flew out for a weekend of hiking should likely stick to bear mace. Hell the last tourists from NYC I met, freaked out when they saw deer ("Is it going to attack us?"). I'd just rather they didn't have a firearm.

Heh, I was on the Outer Cape a couple years ago, when some German tourists saw their first harbor seals and got very agitated.

I, helpfully, told them they were venomous.

Gaylord Fister: > If you are using a Glock to try and stop a bear, *YOU* are bogus, or soon will be.
> You'd be better off with a bear spear.

I'm pretty sure a Glock 20 would stop a grizzly, assuming proper shot placement.

The main problem for most people would be going from "oh look at these pretty flowers" mode to "oh shiat there's a huge mass of claws, teeth and muscles galloping towards me" mode quickly enough without panicking and still hit the broad side of a barn.

I'm sure you have seen the video where a cop and some criminal empty their magazines at each other 10 ft. apart and neither one scores a hit.

If I have to choose between a gunfight with some bad guy 10 ft away or a charging 1500 ibs Grizzly (even if I'm armed with a powerful handgun) I would still take my changes with the armed human.
With that being said however IF when all else fail if you are calm and disciplined enough to place a good forceful punch right in the nose of the charging bear, you may have a shot of coming out with your life because the bear will most likely run away.

BobaFeet: This has brought up a couple questions for me. First of all, I am a new gun owner... Springfield xd45. Would this stop a grizzly and if so how many shots would it take to bring it down?

Second... someone mentioned that park rangers probably wouldn't give you any grief for carrying. I'm in northern CA. Is this really the case? Have thought about carrying while in back country though I don't have a carry permit. Anyone?

Yeah, California is stupid... Wyoming is a gun friendly state, now you aren't supposed to carry in a national park, but in WY they won't bother you because they know it is bogus (this may have changed since I have lived there). As far as it all goes, I would rather get a ticket for killing a bear than being found dead.

As to answer your question, it used to be illegal to carry any firearm in a national park. It appears that has changed, or my source here is stupid: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/03/23/1359436/national-parks-gun-reg ulations.html

So this hunter goes into the woods to hunt a bear and takes with him his trusty 22-gauge rifle.

After a little while, he spots a very large bear, takes aim, and fires. When the smoke clears, though, the bear is gone.

A moment later the bear taps this guy on the shoulder and says, "No one shoots at me and gets away with it. You have two choices: I can either rip your throat out and eat you alive, or you can drop your trousers, bend over, and I'll do you in the ass."

The hunter figures that anything is better than death, so he drops his trousers, bends over, and the bear delivers on his promise.

After the bear leaves, the hunter pulls up his trousers and staggers into town vowing revenge.

He buys a much larger gun and returns to the forest. He sees the same bear, takes aim, and fires. When the smoke clears, the bear once again is gone. A moment later, the bear taps him on the shoulder and says, "You know what to do."

Afterwards, the hunter pulls up his trousers and crawls back into town. Now he's really mad, so he buys himself a bazooka.

He returns to the forest, sees the bear, aims, and fires.

When the smoke clears this time, the bear taps him on the shoulder and says, "You're not REALLY here for the hunting are you?"