For the bear experts
- Thread starter Bear Paw Jack
- Start date
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Lots of "bear experts" here. Now you get the truth.
Phil is a good guy.
Phil is a good guy.
The best bows were made in Grayling, once they moved to Florida...... uh.... oh., sorry. 
gjgalligan
Single-Sixer
Good video, Thanks!
I enjoyed that.
Very good
THANKS
THANKS
BearBiologist
Hunter
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2021
- Messages
- 2,121
1. I agree on many points he brings up. Bullet placement and a well-constructed bullet are paramount!!
2.Taking the 9mm was foolish and showed poor judgement, in my opinion. Why take an inadequate firearm if a better one is available? Especially with clients whose lives are your responsibility. The S & W 39 carries 8 rounds, usually. My fear is someone will take this as "gospel" and somebody w/o the skill will get killed. After all, Innuits have used 30-30s and 22 Hi Powered (30-30 necked down to 22 cal.) rifles to take polar bears for years. And many large black bears have been taken with 220 Swift and 22-250 rifles. I also think a 38 Special with even solid copper bullets or hard cast lead is too light.
3. I can agree with regards to bear spray. It's not fool proof and is still, in my opinion, the better choice for someone who is not an expert with one.
An additional note: After years of shooting, my ears are not the best. I think anybody who is putting out a video and wants to be taken seriously should use the best closed captioning!
Cavat: My experience has been with black bears in a scientific arena and my experience on big game has been elk (&mule deer and many wild hogs!)
2.Taking the 9mm was foolish and showed poor judgement, in my opinion. Why take an inadequate firearm if a better one is available? Especially with clients whose lives are your responsibility. The S & W 39 carries 8 rounds, usually. My fear is someone will take this as "gospel" and somebody w/o the skill will get killed. After all, Innuits have used 30-30s and 22 Hi Powered (30-30 necked down to 22 cal.) rifles to take polar bears for years. And many large black bears have been taken with 220 Swift and 22-250 rifles. I also think a 38 Special with even solid copper bullets or hard cast lead is too light.
3. I can agree with regards to bear spray. It's not fool proof and is still, in my opinion, the better choice for someone who is not an expert with one.
An additional note: After years of shooting, my ears are not the best. I think anybody who is putting out a video and wants to be taken seriously should use the best closed captioning!
Cavat: My experience has been with black bears in a scientific arena and my experience on big game has been elk (&mule deer and many wild hogs!)
Paul B
Hunter
Well I'm inclined to agree with you on the 9MM and .38 Spl. on any bear although I was successful on a Black Bear with a .38 Spl. Actually the gun was a 38/44 S&W Outdoorsman, a .38 Spl on a 44 (N frame) frame. Ammo for the gun was a bit hotter than Plus P and more in line with Plus P Plus and closer to the .357 S&W Magnum round. IIRC, the only guns suitable for the round were the Outdoorsman and heavy Duty by S&W and the Colt Single action and New Service models.
When I was able to get out and about I usually had a Ruger of some sort in .44 mag or a Ruger Bisley .45 Colt hot loaded. I could have carried a rifle of some sore but on the hikes in the local mountains, especially Mt. Lemmon, one could just about always run into some of the University of Arizona who were decidedly anti hunting/antigun and didn't hesitate to say so if they notice the gun in a shoulder holster. When possible I tried to reason with some but mostly it was a lost cause. FWIW, women were a bit more likely to listen when I asked them if they were at that time of the month? That got attention, some good some not so good. Then I'd say it that was the case you're ringing the dinner bell for every predator in the area. Then a few would at least listen and ask questions. I miss those hikes for a lot more reason than you might think.
Paul B.
When I was able to get out and about I usually had a Ruger of some sort in .44 mag or a Ruger Bisley .45 Colt hot loaded. I could have carried a rifle of some sore but on the hikes in the local mountains, especially Mt. Lemmon, one could just about always run into some of the University of Arizona who were decidedly anti hunting/antigun and didn't hesitate to say so if they notice the gun in a shoulder holster. When possible I tried to reason with some but mostly it was a lost cause. FWIW, women were a bit more likely to listen when I asked them if they were at that time of the month? That got attention, some good some not so good. Then I'd say it that was the case you're ringing the dinner bell for every predator in the area. Then a few would at least listen and ask questions. I miss those hikes for a lot more reason than you might think.
Paul B.
Hankus
Blackhawk
To be up front, I haven't watched the video (yet). I will say, the reason I bought my first big-bore pistol was to carry in a chest holster while bow hunting out in Colorado in the mid 90s. I still have it; a Ruger SBH Bisley in .44 Magnum. I have since gravitated to .45 Colt because, well, .452 versus .429, and I have more than a few .45 Colt Rugers in the safe these days, large frame and not. I went with the Ruger versus a S&W because of 1.- Cost, and 2.-Memories of firing Ruger single actions as a kid then teen back in the 70s. A S&W 629 was a pricey pistol for someone on a soldiers pay back in the 90s. I've never regretted my choice.
contender
Ruger Guru
Very interesting.
One little thing he mentioned was about wounded bear. He said he'd never use bear spray going after a wounded bear in the brush. Plus,, he also discussed the reactions of a wounded bear. Saying; "A wounded bear is fighting for it's life."
Both very true statements.
But he shot the bear 5 times with his .9mm. So, in essence,, he engaged a wounded bear 4 times. In his follow up skinning, he found his bullets had penetrated the vitals, and would have eventually killed the bear most likely. His 5th shot was as the bear was retreating. He fired 4 shots into a bear standing over his clients. Now,, he did NOT know where his clients were located. But it's just as likely the bear could have felt his being wounded, and perceived the clients as the "threat" and attacked them in his fight for his life.
My point in bringing this up, is to allow us as humans to think about the simple fact that animals,,,,, ALL of them,,,,, can react in different ways at different times, and under different circumstances.
Yes,, his 9mm with those Buffalo Bore loaded ammo,,, did a heck of a job. And yes,, you have to be able to hit your target for any ammo to do it's job. But I'd still not rely upon a .9mm in an area where a lot of bears are, and especially knowing the potential for a serious encounter could happen.
I still feel as an overview,, he was complacent on his approach to bears because he'd been around them for so much that he had the mindset; "It'll never happen to me."
Prepared for the worst & hope for the best,, everytime & always.
One little thing he mentioned was about wounded bear. He said he'd never use bear spray going after a wounded bear in the brush. Plus,, he also discussed the reactions of a wounded bear. Saying; "A wounded bear is fighting for it's life."
Both very true statements.
But he shot the bear 5 times with his .9mm. So, in essence,, he engaged a wounded bear 4 times. In his follow up skinning, he found his bullets had penetrated the vitals, and would have eventually killed the bear most likely. His 5th shot was as the bear was retreating. He fired 4 shots into a bear standing over his clients. Now,, he did NOT know where his clients were located. But it's just as likely the bear could have felt his being wounded, and perceived the clients as the "threat" and attacked them in his fight for his life.
My point in bringing this up, is to allow us as humans to think about the simple fact that animals,,,,, ALL of them,,,,, can react in different ways at different times, and under different circumstances.
Yes,, his 9mm with those Buffalo Bore loaded ammo,,, did a heck of a job. And yes,, you have to be able to hit your target for any ammo to do it's job. But I'd still not rely upon a .9mm in an area where a lot of bears are, and especially knowing the potential for a serious encounter could happen.
I still feel as an overview,, he was complacent on his approach to bears because he'd been around them for so much that he had the mindset; "It'll never happen to me."
Prepared for the worst & hope for the best,, everytime & always.
