Guest MJ151 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 If i miss with my first shot, i'll continue to fire until I'm empty. I'm not saying carrying bear sray is a bad idea. I like pepper on my steaks, maybe bears do as well. Joking aside, I prefer a sidearm, bear spray isn't 100% guaranteed to stop a charing bear intent upon making you a meal. Neither is a gun but I like my chances more with the gun. Now, since your in Canada, you really don't have the option to carry a sidearm, so you are left with bear spray. To each thier own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BFSleuth Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 This is my favorite "weapon". - Can be carried as a concealed weapon without permit - Select for manual, semi-automatic, or fully automatic - Needs infrequent servicing at library, on internet, or school of hard knocks - Optimizes other weapons systems - Countermeasures include: alcohol, hormonal imbalance, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 If bear spray is the be all, end all that some claim it is I wonder why CO's all over North America ensure that at least one of them is packing a rifle or shotgun when they are releasing possibly aggressive grizzlies or polar bears A bear that has been caught in a trap will be extremely stressed and therefore unpredictable not to mention it is required for the CO's to be armed.Secondly bears that have been trapped by CO's are targeted for removal from an area because they are problem bears,breaking into houses,lost fear of people etc etc. http://wdfw.wa.gov/h...SprayAlaska.pdf Of the six black bear encounters i've had none of them were threatening, three of them bolted, two simply exited stage left and one required me (@ 203 cm,95 Kg) to run at him yelling "Get lost" as he was non compliant to my first request to leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Recently, on a family trip to the Boston area, I was amazed at the wide selection of guns at Bass Pro Shop. Here in Canada, we don't have any put on store shelves and getting a gun involves more paper work.....lucky Americans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagniAesir Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) Well I never claimed to be a cracks shot, but your comment does not address my question about why the same professionals that tell you to use bear spray, choose to use firearms My question to you is have you ever seen a grizzly in the wild, most people in BC never have and probably never will The main benefit of bear spray is that you need far less proficiency in its use for it to be effective Edit to add Seems we were posting at the same time Wow you have seen a whole six blackbears and now know how grizzlies will react Why do you think CO's are required to be armed. If pepper r spray was more effective then it wouldn't matter how stressed the bear was the CO's would use it You can use what you want I really don't care, I have experience with both and I know what I prefer Edited August 19, 2012 by MagniAesir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Well I never claimed to be a cracks shot, but your comment does not address my question about why the same professionals that tell you to use bear spray, choose to use firearms My question to you is have you ever seen a grizzly in the wild, most people in BC never have and probably never will The main benefit of bear spray is that you need far less proficiency in its use for it to be effective Edit to add Seems we were posting at the same time Wow you have seen a whole six blackbears and now know how grizzlies will react Why do you think CO's are required to be armed. If pepper r spray was more effective then it wouldn't matter how stressed the bear was the CO's would use it You can use what you want I really don't care, I have experience with both and I know what I prefer It's all about context and situation.You suggested a scenario where CO's are releasing a problem bear,one that has been inside a trap for who knows how long,perhaps has been driven in the trap down a logging road for x amount of time.I would imagine under those sorts of conditions the bear in question would be very stressed.Any CO attending to such a situation that you suggested would be negligent in his duties not have another CO with weapon drawn in attendance.Not exactly your average bear human encounter. To answer your second question, no. Yes you are correct proficiency of use, can't argue with that. Yes six whole bear encounters.Can't honestly say how many bears i've seen.Probably spent more time in the woods than a few people.Was employed from mid 90's to 2000 on and off as a tree pruner,spacer and spent 2 years as chaser and rigger (heli-log). Never said i could tell how a grizzly bear would react after being released from a trap.I do however have credence in studies produced by bear biologists that suggest bear spray is significantly more effective than firearms.Best of luck with your boomstick fella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest crabshack Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I too have never had a problem with bears when out in the woods, and I have had them close while hunting and around the camp. Respect nature, stay alert and one should not have any problems, but I always carry a large bore handgun. Other critters like big cats and other things that walk on two legs including human may wish one harm . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 How 'bout a .45 pistol, as it's sole original design was a slow moving projectile with maximum STOPPING power, ie. the abrupt end to forward motion. Can't beat the Marlin 'Guide Gun' with the 18" barrel in 45-70 either, and will handle anything that's out there. Now....the trick is, can you employ any of these guns in time? If you research animal attacks that involve injuries or death, you will notice that many were heavily armed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagniAesir Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 (edited) The problem with a lot of these studies on the effectiveness of both pepper spray and firearms is the lack of accurate data. And example many hunters I know, will purchase a bear tag even when they have no intention of hunting them I myself shot a nuisance bear a few years ago, I just tagged it. I also know of at least two hunters that claimed to have shot and killed bears that were attacking them, but simply tagged them with no report. I only know one incident (it involved two people) that were attacked by a bear and killed it. When the C.O. Investigated the attack he ruled it justified (happened up the back side of Stave Lake) I would bet there are numerous uses of pepper spray as well that go unreported. However my point still stands in every jurisdiction that I know of, when wildlife officers are required to do high risk interactions with bears they are required to be armed. I believe that I have mentioned in this thread (if not then other threads on this site) I very rarely carry a firearm when in the woods unless I am hunting Edited August 24, 2012 by MagniAesir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MJ151 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Magni, I never thought about that, I too buy a bear tag and don't hunt bear. It's for the off chance that one happens by or comes in when dressing a deer or elk. Now these are black bear and not browns. So I guess if one charged and I felt it necessary and did shoot, i'd just tag it like you said. I probably wouldn't report it either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Transformer Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 I really hope that those people who rely on bear spray only have encounters with polite bears that agree to attack them from down-wind. Bear spray is inneffectual in cross-winds and downright dangerous when sprayed into the wind or using in a confined space like a tent. It's better than nothing though and has saved lives. I'll take an adequate firearm any day over bear spray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 And of course sometimes I just carry my duty weapon (Glock 23) since 13 rds of 40 S&W 165 gr GDHP's with a 15 rd reload is still a pretty good way to put some hurt on most things you find in the woods. I'll second that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Darrell Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 This is my new Springfield Armory 1911 in .45 ACP. It has the lightweight frame and is just a little heavier than my Glock 23. But it is a 1911!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incorrigible1 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 ::Tacit approval of most any 1911, and S/A are excellent:: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Beautiful weapon Darrel, I really like the black and rosewood grips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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