Is this a practical sidearm in case of an up close Bigfoot encounter?

[norseman]

On 1/21/2020 at 1:35 AM, BC witness said:

 

Exactly what I carried for several years when prospecting in bear country. In fact, the RCMP Firearms Officer who approved my permit told me that he would not have approved anything smaller.

So odd. So if it was a .41 mag.... no dice! Throw rocks at it instead?

[BC witness]

Probably, Norse. They get really sticky about that kind of thing. It took me several attempts to get the permit at all, as I made the mistake of telling him that I was a part time, not full time prospector. I finally convinced him that I was just as much at risk as a full timer, just not quite as often. His take on the caliber was that anything lighter would just **** a bear off, rather than stop it.

 

Once I got the permit, I used a chest rig over my jacket while carrying, as that kept the S&W handy without inhibiting movement while working. I was fortunate to not have to use it on a bear, as all my encounters with blacks just ended with them running off, rather than at me. My only attack was from a grizzly while hunting, so I had an '06 in my hands, which just barely did the trick. After that encounter, I upgraded to a 300 mag for hunting in grizz country.

Edited January 22, 2020 by BC witness

[norseman]

3 hours ago, BC witness said:

Probably, Norse. They get really sticky about that kind of thing. It took me several attempts to get the permit at all, as I made the mistake of telling him that I was a part time, not full time prospector. I finally convinced him that I was just as much at risk as a full timer, just not quite as often. His take on the caliber was that anything lighter would just **** a bear off, rather than stop it.

 

Once I got the permit, I used a chest rig over my jacket while carrying, as that kept the S&W handy without inhibiting movement while working. I was fortunate to not have to use it on a bear, as all my encounters with blacks just ended with them running off, rather than at me. My only attack was from a grizzly while hunting, so I had an '06 in my hands, which just barely did the trick. After that encounter, I upgraded to a 300 mag for hunting in grizz country.

I love Canada. My grandfather was Canadian. But I just could not fathom someone as a authority giving me “permission” to defend myself.

 

When did all of that gun control come to pass? In the 60’s? Canada wasn’t always that way...

 

Im glad yer still here bud after that charge! Would you rather have had the 44? Or the 06?

[BC witness]

10 hours ago, norseman said:

When did all of that gun control come to pass? In the 60’s? Canada wasn’t always that way...

 

Handguns have been "restricted weapons", available only after a police check, and for limited purposes (target shooting at a club, prospecting, timber surveying, trapping) for as long as I've been an adult, so at least from the '60s. Long guns are much easier to obtain, once you've passed a safety program, and passed a basic background check to get a PAL (possession and acquisition license)

 

Possession of any firearm for "personal protection" against another person is not allowed, except for police, military, and armoured car personnel. Of course, criminals ignore all of this.

10 hours ago, norseman said:

Im glad yer still here bud after that charge! Would you rather have had the 44? Or the 06?

 

Actually, I had both, as I was both hunting, and prospecting at the same time, but the 3 rounds to stop it were from the '06, which was then empty as the bear nosed into the dirt about 15' in front of me. It was still breathing, so I circled around behind it and gave it a 240 grain 44 headache for good measure.

[langfordbc]

On 1/22/2020 at 1:52 PM, norseman said:

When did all of that gun control come to pass? In the 60’s? Canada wasn’t always that way...

 

It has been getting progressively more restricted for decades and we are actually on the verge of a massive confiscation, to be announced any day now. It's believed that virtually all semi-auto centre-fire rifles will become prohibited and expected to be handed over the government. It's rumoured that they may even ban certain ammo.

 

AR-15's are registered so they know who has them. It will be tough call to decide how to proceed with them as when the RCMP come knocking for your AR and you don't have it at home - you will lose ALL your guns, and your "privelege" of possessing them in the future. There could be more than a million unregistered semi's that may simply get put away, and never spoken about.

 

Difficult times ahead.

 

 

[BlackRockBigfoot]

41 minutes ago, langfordbc said:

 

It has been getting progressively more restricted for decades and we are actually on the verge of a massive confiscation, to be announced any day now. It's believed that virtually all semi-auto centre-fire rifles will become prohibited and expected to be handed over the government. It's rumoured that they may even ban certain ammo.

 

AR-15's are registered so they know who has them. It will be tough call to decide how to proceed with them as when the RCMP come knocking for your AR and you don't have it at home - you will lose ALL your guns, and your "privelege" of possessing them in the future. There could be more than a million unregistered semi's that may simply get put away, and never spoken about.

 

Difficult times ahead.

 

 

When it's time to bury them, it's time to use them.  This post is the best argument ever against mandatory registration.

Good luck to our neighbors to the North.  It would suck to live in the wilder areas of Canada and be disarmed at the whim of urban dwellers.

[langfordbc]

9 hours ago, BlackRockBigfoot said:

When it's time to bury them, it's time to use them.  This post is the best argument ever against mandatory registration.

Good luck to our neighbors to the North.  It would suck to live in the wilder areas of Canada and be disarmed at the whim of urban dwellers.

 

The Canadian government has been testing the waters with confiscation for a few years. They select one or two rarer guns, of which only maybe a few dozen might actually be in possession of a gun owner, reclassify it from non-restricted (unregistered) or restricted (registered) to prohibited and demand they be turned over to the RCMP. I presume that they carefully gauge the response, and the next year move on to something a little more common, and so on.

 

What is coming now is scary. They have openly stated that AR-15's will definitely be on the list, a list that they are keeping close to the chest to prevent the buying frenzy surely to follow. They have the authority within our Firearms act to reclassify ANY firearm by Order In Council (roughly the same as an Executive Order) and demand their confiscation. Only a change in government can result in a reversal. Unfortunately our "Conservative" governments, when they do get in power, refuse to overhaul the Act, which they have claimed they would.

 

Anyone who doesn't  appreciate the value of the Second Amendment, needs to look no further than their northern neighbour to see what happens without it. Canada is a country of many privileges, but few (if any) true rights.

Edited January 24, 2020 by langfordbc

[Incorrigible1]

[Huntster]

On 1/22/2020 at 1:52 PM, norseman said:

.......When did all of that gun control come to pass? In the 60’s? Canada wasn’t always that way......

 

In 1976 I drove from Surray to Beaver Creek (at the Alaska border) with a declared Winchester Model 70 30-06, unsealed, and with a box of ammo. At the time, if I had a declared handgun, they would have sealed it and allowed me to pass.

 

Ditto 1998 when I took a motorhome trip with my family through Canada (west to east). That trip I had a declared Remington 870 shotgun (and 00 buckshot ammo) with an 18.5" barrel and extended magazine. The border agent did not seal it, nor even ask to see it.

 

In August, 2001 (less than a month before the 9/11 terrorist attacks) my wife and I were turned around at the Top of the World border despite having hotel reservations in Dawson City. No firearm was in my possession. I admitted a criminal conviction 23 years prior when asked.

 

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks the Canadian government liberalized Muslim immigration from Asia, and hardened American entry. It costed me a $1000 "administrative fee" for a "pardon" from the Canadian government for a crime committed in the U.S. 37 years before the pardon application.

 

If I didn't desire tthe legal ability to drive to and from the Lower 48 states from Alaska, I never would have paid them for their absolution. Indeed, they even tried to get me to pay it twice (which I did to get the pardon before challenging them.......to their credit, they did refund the second $1K).

 

I will not be party to starting an insurrection in the U.S. over any issue. But if "the other guys" start the party? I'm in, with enthusiasm, and I'm all dressed to dance........

 

 

 

[Lam90]

On 1/4/2020 at 6:03 AM, Huntster said:

flare gun provides both signaling capability as well as last resort predator defense. That's right, Larry Kaniut, who has published at least four books on Alaska bear attacks, has discovered that every use of a flare gun to defend against a bear attack that he discovered during the course of his research resulted in a successful and immediate spend of the attack. I believe he found four such cases, all accidental or happenstance events. Olin, who manufactures the most popular civilian flare guns, actually markets bear flares specifically designed to use against animal attack.

I own and have read all of Larry’s books. It’s been years so I can’t remember any flare commentary, but that’s really interesting. I was recently reading about using flares (flare guns and regular flares) for defense in predator country. I was thinking of a flare gun as a first line of defense, a way to hopefully prevent an encounter from escalating to the point of needing to use a firearm, however, I’m no woods person. 

[norseman]

46 minutes ago, Lam90 said:

I own and have read all of Larry’s books. It’s been years so I can’t remember any flare commentary, but that’s really interesting. I was recently reading about using flares (flare guns and regular flares) for defense in predator country. I was thinking of a flare gun as a first line of defense, a way to hopefully prevent an encounter from escalating to the point of needing to use a firearm, however, I’m no woods person. 

I would be afraid of lighting the forest on fire.

[Huntster]

57 minutes ago, Lam90 said:

I own and have read all of Larry’s books. It’s been years so I can’t remember any flare commentary, but that’s really interesting. I was recently reading about using flares (flare guns and regular flares) for defense in predator country. I was thinking of a flare gun as a first line of defense, a way to hopefully prevent an encounter from escalating to the point of needing to use a firearm, however, I’m no woods person. 

 

I believe Larry's notation of flare guns was in his first book, "Alaska Bear Tales". IIRC, there were 4 cases of flare guns used in defense of bear attacks, and all 4 attacks were turned with no injuries to the humans.

 

I'm not at home, but if I remember next month I'll take a pic of my flare gun kit. It includes "bear flares" which Olin manufactures specifically for wildlife threats. I carry the kit in my secondary day bag, which is carried in my Argo or boat. The entire kit is very light and not very bulky at all.

 

In all honesty, all cases that Larry came up with utilizing flare guns were cases where the victim just happened to have one in hand when the surprise attack occurred or that's all they had. I would not recommend one as a primary defense against bears, and I doubt Larry would, either. He is a strong firearm proponent regarding attack by wild animal. 

 

What's more, Larry has expressed interest in sasquatchery. I know that he has collaborated with Rob Alley in southeast Alaska to some extent. Both men are outstanding authors.

[Lam90]

I’ll look those up in Larry’s book, thanks. I had no idea he’d expressed any opinion on Sasquatch. That’s so cool! I’m reading Rob Alley’s site now (oops not his site but one talking about him, duh).
 

Right, I wasn’t thinking primary defense at all. Mr Lam90 would insist on a lot of firepower. I was thinking flares would be a good additional “preventative” type of item based on the thought that animals don’t like fire. I THINK a flare gun fired in its direction would detour a large predator, but I really don’t know. The only charge I’ve ever faced was my aunt’s possessive pet raccoon. 

 

@norseman, that’s certainly a consideration!  

Edited February 10, 2020 by Lam90

[Huntster]

14 hours ago, Lam90 said:

I’ll look those up in Larry’s book, thanks. I had no idea he’d expressed any opinion on Sasquatch.......

 

Larry didn't mention sasquatchery in his bear take books. I met and chatted with him several times online on a few Alaskan outdoor forums. It was there he mentioned his interest in sasquatchery.

14 hours ago, Lam90 said:

........I was thinking flares would be a good additional “preventative” type of item based on the thought that animals don’t like fire.......

 

That's good thinking. I agree. I carry a couple road flares just for that. If I expect bear trouble at night, I'll have firewood set up and ready to be lit, and if I have to emerge from the tent at night, I can just toss a lit flare into the wood. The smell of the sulphur will likely add to the bear's fear of the fire itself. I've never actually had to light it yet, and hope I never do........

Edited February 10, 2020 by Huntster

[Lam90]

2 hours ago, Huntster said:

 

Larry didn't mention sasquatchery in his bear take books. I met and chatted with him several times online on a few Alaskan outdoor forums. It was there he mentioned his interest in sasquatchery.

 

That's good thinking. I agree. I carry a couple road flares just for that. If I expect bear trouble at night, I'll have firewood set up and ready to be lit, and if I have to emerge from the tent at night, I can just toss a lit flare into the wood. The smell of the sulphur will likely add to the bear's fear of the fire itself. I've never actually had to light it yet, and hope I never do........

 

I see. I didn’t think I remembered any Sasquatch talk in his books. That’s good planning with the ready wood, and I hope you never have to use it too. Unless it’s a Sasquatch and you’re got a good camera.