OL has a little article in their snap-shots section. They state that a bowhunter was ambushed and killed by a grizzly near Missoula, mont. last year as he field-dressed an elk. And two hunters in Wyoming were dragging a deer down a trail when they felt resistance and turned around to see a grizzly pulling on the other end. Grizzly research shows that nearly 80% of the grizzlies leave the Yellowstone Park's boundaries in september to search for gut piles. I think good advice for anyone hunting where there is any chance of a grizzly being around should be very alert to their surroundings.

I bet I know who let go of their end first!

Steve:

Why the grizzly let go first,of course. Didn't you know that pepper spray is a hunter's first line of defense? Gee, I thought everybody knew that!

In 2000 I guided my wife for moose close to DuBois, Wyoming. There was a mauling close to our camp right after we left. The moose gutpile had a Grizzly on it within hours. We talked to another guy who had shot a deer and lost a ring at the gutpile. He came back to look for it the next day, and there was no gutpile, just Grizzly sign, not even a spot of blood. He did find his ring though.

I guided elk hunts on national forests bordering Yellowstone in 88 and I can assure you there were plenty bears in that area. I only had one encounter with a grizzly and at the time was carrying a .44 Magnum. I immediately reached for "my protection" and found out it no longer felt as big and powerful as it did before the bear. As a matter of fact it felt sort of like a BB gun. Well, nothing happend with the bear. We parted company, my handgun transformed back into a 44 and that was that. I'm glad I had the pistol just because I think I could do more damage with it than my thumbs but I never once felt that I could have stopped the bear in an all out charge. I still carry a handgun when bow hunting in bear country but I carry a 45 ACP.

cfore if the 44 felt small why did you then go to a much less powerful hand gun just asking. I read in bow hunter magizine about a Montana bow hunter that kill a sow grizz at about ten feet with his 44 mag. A lot of states inclueding Wy. its illigal to carry a had gun when bow hunting. Some states like Montana it is not.
<<< Even black bears can be a pain in the butt I shot a buck walked half a mile to get the trk came back total time gone less the 30 min there was a black bear dragging it off. Another time I left an arrow at a gut pile came back to get the next day and chase another black off of it.

My .45 is more compact and easier to carry while hunting. I load 225 gr. hard cast flat point bullets at about 1000 fps. that have proven to be very good penetrators for hogs. This is the same handgun I use as a conceal carry gun. I can shoot it very accurately and confidently. I have no doubt about the load being able to penetrate a bears skull.

Sounds silly to scale down in power after my experience but I'd rather have a less powerful gun I'm confident with and am more likely to have with me than one I might leave at camp because of the exta weight. Just my personal preference.

FYI--The guy in the original post was killed about 5 miles from where I'm writing this. He was rifle hunting, shot a cow and was gutting it out with his bolt open laying on the ground beside him. By all accounts he never saw what hit him. She worked him over and he made it some distance before he died. He was alone, as most of us are in these situations. We have a very high density of grizzlies in our area during spring and fall and it really pays to be aware--ours is an expanding population and it seems we may be seeing bears coming to the shot as guys in the Yellowstone area have been talking about for years. Myself, the rifle stays cocked and locked till I'm back at the rig and my .44 mag loaded with Buffalo Bore 300g hardcasts (1450 fps!) is on my hip when bow hunting. I'm not bear scared but have on several occasions run into them at close quarters and firmly believe a powerful, bombproof revolver with deeply penetrating bullets that you are comfortable shooting is the best compromise protection. That there exists the potential to run into a grizzly (and yes, get hurt) around here is one of the things that brings the woods alive for me. That said, push comes to shove, I'll go down fighting. Cheers.

I only carry pepper spray when hiking the Absaroka's north of Jellystone. However, if bowhunting (which I don't do anymore) I'd carry a 44 Mag with 300 gr. hardcast's as our friend from Seely Lake describes. Hiking is different from hunting... in hiking, you're not worried about making noise... the reverse is true when hunting as you're more apt to surprise a grizz when being quiet... plus there are no gutpiles when hiking! Where I often elk hunt there is an old boar grizzly... it's HIS territory and I often find his tracks. I'm always alert when hunting that country. Still, I think too much is made over grizzly's... pay attention, carry an adequate weapon when elk hunting and if not hunting pay attention to proper camp procedure's.

BA

I often wonder that if several men have shot bears with high power rifles and still died, wouldn't it make sense to treat only the head as a target and shoot something you can bring to bear fast and accurately on the head regardless of power???? (not saying use a .22 obviously)

You're absolutely right, of course. Shot placement is everything and you cannot overestimate the influence of adrenaline generally and a bear's power and toughness specifically. While working in Alaska I carried a short barreled 12ga with extended mag loaded with high energy slug, 00 Buck, slug, buck etc. I think this is an ideal stopper and gives some allowance for accuracy under stress. It's a bit cumbersome to carry and you have to make a conscious effort to always have it at the ready. My compromise is the heavy revolver. I shoot it well and its easy to keep handy. Hope I'll never need it.

I asked an experienced big bear hunter about this very issue once and he said "by all means carry a large caliber handgun...but dont forget to file the front sight off." And of course I asked 'Why is that?" He replied.."so it wont hurt so bad when the bear sticks it up your arse ."

Shooting an animal in defense is the same as shooting a felon - a last resort. That is, to be used when everything else has failed. Too, that decision may have to be made early on.

That said, I ALWAYS tromp around armed for those happily rare occasions when nothing goes your way. Seems shortsighted to limit your options, IMO.

A quick survey of my fellow Montanans - have you guys noticed an increase in bear presence over the last couple years? I'm seeing more of 'em. Maybe I'm just getting better at spotting them. Whaddya say?

[ 08-07-2002, 00:42: Message edited by: redial ]

I can't speak to the black bears as they are like seeing elk or coyotes up here--you notice but common enough that you don't really take note. As for Griz--I spend all day, every day in the woods and I have to say over the last 5-7 years both my own sightings and information coming in from other locals and agencies indicates to me that the big bears are up in numbers--hell, they darted a small one 200 yards from my front door last year. You just consistantly see more sign in less remote places than in the past. Alot of the survey data seem to indicate likewise. Great to see them bounce back but the odds of trouble increase proportionately of course.