Lessons From Handgun Defense Failures Against Bears
BY Herschel Smith
2 years, 1 month ago
Three bears – a polar bear, a grizzly bear and a black bear.
Kiepertoyo Hinlopen Strait, August, 1995
Another five people of the crew set out separately with only a .22 pistol and a flare gun. After an hour’s march, the second party were met by a bear, 75m away and openly aggressive. The bear was distracted neither by warning shot nor flare and attacked one of the party. As he did so, he was shot, from a range of only 15m and turned against the man who had fired at him. This man tossed the gun to the first, who shot again. The process was repeated, with first one man being attacked and then the other. By the time the pistol was emptied and a knife drawn, one man was dead and another badly injured.
[ … ]
Miller managed to pull out his .357 Magnum revolver and squeeze off a shot, possibly grazing the animal. Then he fell onto his stomach, dug his face into the dirt and covered his neck.
The bear went for his exposed right arm, gnawing and clawing it and chipping the bone off the tip of his elbow. The attack lasted 10 to 15 seconds, then the animal lumbered away.
As Miller rolled over and was getting to his knees, the bear, only about 40 yards away, came at him again.
He managed to fire two more shots, but with his right arm badly injured he thinks he missed the bear. Then he lay still as the animal gnawed and clawed at him.
[ … ]
The hunter received bite injuries to his foot through his boot as he climbed a tree to try to escape the bear. He was taken to Alta Vista Hospital in Las Vegas, N.M., where he was treated and released.
In Thursday’s attack, the hunter told officials he was eating lunch under a tree when he spotted the bear and her cub in a watering hole. He took photographs and started shooting video of the animals when the mother bear got angry and charged. The hunter, who officials did not identify, climbed the tree to escape.
At one point, the hunter fell 15 feet from the tree and then managed to climb back up. He fired his pistol into the air and at the female bear in attempt to scare it, but the animal didn’t leave.
So, in order, a .22LR, a series of misses, and shots never fired directly at the bear.
Dean once again proves himself to be the king of the researchers on firearm defense against bears.
Carry a large bore handgun, practice with it, and hit what you’re aiming at.
You can read the rest of Dean’s analysis at the link. It’s worth it.
On April 4, 2022 at 10:12 pm, Fred said:
“Many bears, even grizzly bears, stop the attack and leave if they are severely hurt, even if they are not mortally wounded.”
This is why you need a weapon that gets the animals attention to the point that it questions the risk reward of continuing the attack. Remember, the object of self defense is to get the assailant to disengage. A big fat hit that sends shockwaves through the animal in a large area is what you want. I would rather that than try to hit it’s walnut sized brain while moving 15 meters away.
And one more time just in case you forgot: 44fps.
On April 5, 2022 at 2:23 am, Georgiaboy61 said:
“A pistol is what you use to fight your way back to your rifle”
That’s common advice in the tactical community given to soldiers and others going into harm’s way, but it might just as well apply to outdoorsmen and hunters who are going into wilderness areas where dangerous game may be encountered.
A handgun is a weapon for when you are caught unexpectedly in a lethal emergency; a rifle is a weapon you take with you when you are expecting trouble and want the best tool for dealing with the threat or the problem.
As young and dumb kid, I went into bear country, specifically the Northern MN and Ontario, Canada boreal forest (tiaga), armed with nothing more than a knife and my wits, but that was stupid and foolish of me. On those occasions when I happened to spot black bears, they weren’t interested in me, thank goodness, or I might not be here to write these words.
These days, if I am going into any sort of wilderness environment wilder than the local park, I want to well-armed with at least a handgun, and if I knew I was going into bear country, I’d want a big-bore handgun and a high-powered rifle in a suitable caliber or a 12-guage semi-automatic shotgun shooting slugs.
Bears are among the best-protected and well-armored of predators and they are also remarkably tough and resilient – especially when it comes to protecting their young and/or a food source. They are also remarkably fast, have cat-quick reflexes and extremely keen senses, in addition to being brutally strong. How strong? It is nothing for a mature grizzly or black bear to tear off a car door, if it can get purchase with its claws and is sufficiently motivated.
I have never hunted in Alaska, but I know people who have, as well as a number of field biologists who are considered experts in vertebrate zoology and animal behavior and a few park rangers as well who have worked in bear country. And I have been an outdoorsman all my life.
Many guides insist upon rifles chambered in – at a minimum – 30-06 for clients hunting bear, and most like at least a 300 Win-Mag or better. Many guides and guards use 338 Win-Mag or even one of the African safari calibers, such as 375 H&H or 416 Rigby. These are not overkill for the largest, heaviest bears, which can top 1,200 lbs. But the overwhelming favorite is a semi-auto 12-ga. shotgun firing a Brenneke slug of 300 grains or better.
As for handguns, the 44 Magnum remains a perennial favorite, but some people are carrying 10mm semi-autos with Buffalo Bore hard-cast bullets.
But your first choice for bear medicine should be a long gun – if it is in reach and ready to go.
On April 5, 2022 at 10:45 am, J said:
Many guides insist upon rifles chambered in – at a minimum – 30-06 for clients hunting bear, and most like at least a 300 Win-Mag or better. Many guides and guards use 338 Win-Mag or even one of the African safari calibers, such as 375 H&H or 416 Rigby. These are not overkill for the largest, heaviest bears, which can top 1,200 lbs. But the overwhelming favorite is a semi-auto 12-ga. shotgun firing a Brenneke slug of 300 grains or better.”
Would someone well-versed in life vs death situations please explain what is meant by the often used term (overkill)? I always want to error on the conservative side of caution, so I don’t believe that a .458 win mag is too much for shooting field mice when your objective is to totally and positively eliminate the threat/target.
On April 5, 2022 at 12:22 pm, Dan said:
Be it bears or bad guys the bigger the caliber the more effective the round…..but only hits matter. So use the biggest caliber you can hit the target with.
On April 5, 2022 at 1:38 pm, Georgiaboy61 said:
@ J
When a dangerous beast intent upon killing you and perhaps eating you for dinner – is bearing down on you, there’s probably no such thing as “overkill.” The more punch, the better. So the largest caliber you shoot, in the largest rifle you can pack in. But misses with 416 Rigby are trumped by hits with a 300WM or 30-06. Real firepower is hits on target.
On April 5, 2022 at 1:39 pm, 41mag said:
Please pass Tim Sundles admonishment to family & friends to carry big bore.
the mindset of “that won’t happen here in the US” is the same mindset for people who carry bear spray or nothing at all when out in bear country.
https://buffalobore.net/Trail&CampGuns.pdf