Bear protection advice needed

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Snake Pleskin

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I was just reading an article about other bears who are bigger than a grizzly. Two are now extinct, but one is the Kodiak and the other a Polar. I don't think too many people are going to run into those two guys.
I asked once before but didn't get a reply...if anyone knows if a loud, high pitched hand held air horn would scare off a bear?
The Alaskan brown Bear, from Kodiak Island, have been noted to be quite large.
 

BearBiologist

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When it comes to bear killing, whether you are hunting them or trying to be prepared for a surprise encounter, you guys need to read a little bit of Elmer Keith's writing.
I've read a couple of Elmer's books (as well as Patterson, Ruark, Bell, and Taylor.) You gotta take Elmer with a grain of salt=not that he's all BS but use your head while reading him!
 

BearBiologist

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I was just reading an article about other bears who are bigger than a grizzly. Two are now extinct, but one is the Kodiak and the other a Polar. I don't think too many people are going to run into those two guys.
I asked once before but didn't get a reply...if anyone knows if a loud, high pitched hand held air horn would scare off a bear?
My ex-boss is now Chief of Marine Mammal Regulatory Branch in Alaska for the US Fish and Wildlife. I have pictures of her crawling into a polar bear den!
 

trebor44

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HOW FAST can you re-cock a single action when you are under EXTREME duress? Try it when someone is trying to bean you with a cast iron pan! Or simply put six shots into a target on the 25 yard line in less than TWO seconds! Inquiring minds want to know!

Note: not talking about some fancy quick draw rig, just the normal carry setup (chest or hip)! Bears may 'lumber' but they are quick when the need arises!
 
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trebor44

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Idaho, East of Boisemento, or is it Boisangelos
Any thoughts on the sawed off barrel? If I were to use it as a cut with no choke tube...would I be better off cutting it a bit shorter (it's now about 26") for the sake of ease of use in a quick situation and in possible tight cover?
Take it down to 18 plus inches and shoot it at 10 and 20 yard targets to see where it hits! Slugs and buckshot really don't need 'chokes'.
 

Snake Pleskin

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Take it down to 18 plus inches and shoot it at 10 and 20 yard targets to see where it hits! Slugs and buckshot really don't need 'chokes'.
Just watch out forthe fed laws on barrel length.
Take it down to 18 plus inches and shoot it at 10 and 20 yard targets to see where it hits! Slugs and buckshot really don't need 'chokes'.
I bought a $99 Wally World Hatfield single shot to futz around with. Cut the barrel to 19 in, folds in half etc., AT 15 yds it puts buckshot where it needs to be, and slugs are good too.
 
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Given a choice of long guns my 1895 GS wins hands down. But, I wouldn't feel undergunned with my 20 ga Franchi. What you say, a 20!!! Well Hornady makes a very impressive 20 ga slug that according to the specs leaves the barrel at right about 1800 fps. Five of those delivered as fast as I can, and a 20 had damned little recoil compaired to a 12, should suffice. Too bad bear hunting is basically a thing of the past here. I'd like to see what one would do in the same situation I was in when I took my bear all those years ago.
 

Snake Pleskin

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Given a choice of long guns my 1895 GS wins hands down. But, I wouldn't feel undergunned with my 20 ga Franchi. What you say, a 20!!! Well Hornady makes a very impressive 20 ga slug that according to the specs leaves the barrel at right about 1800 fps. Five of those delivered as fast as I can, and a 20 had damned little recoil compaired to a 12, should suffice. Too bad bear hunting is basically a thing of the past here. I'd like to see what one would do in the same situation I was in when I took my bear all those years ago.
I think a 20 gauge throws a decent size hunk of lead! It should work fine.
 

BearBiologist

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HOW FAST can you re-cock a single action when you are under EXTREME duress? Try it when someone is trying to bean you with a cast iron pan! Or simply put six shots into a target on the 25 yard line in less than TWO seconds! Inquiring minds want to know!
It can be done! I'm not that fast but I've been shooting mostly single actions for almost 60 years!

 
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I left ve these threads. But, it would be fun to know if a poster has ever killed a bear.

My experience is scant. One black bear taken while hunting them. One shot, 30-06, bear DRT. It didn't even know I was there. Range about 30 yds. Of course this was over thirty years ago, so maybe they are armored like deer today.

What I gleaned from this is simple. Bears die just as easy as any other critter. But they are large, strong and fitted out with impressive teeth and claws.

Oh, and I sure as heck don't want one chewing on me.

One of the family we had living in Kalispell MT until he died not long ago had the same to say about bears, they die just as easy but they make take their own sweet time in giving up the ghost. That killing a bear is different from stopping one at times. His kids and grandkids still live there. Dwayne moved up there in the 1950s and got to know all the area around Kalispell and that area of Glacier National Park did the whole outfitter and hunter, camper and all that bit. He was in on the Night of the Grizzlies 1967 hunt for the animals since he was expert with the area and terrain but was not involved with the kill. When he moved to Montana he picked up a bolt action .35 Whelan but also when he moved he took a Winchester 1895 in .405 WCF he inherited from his Granddad and thought Teddy Roosevelt used it for lion and Kenneth Anderson used the same weapon for Tigers in India so that was what he carried in the grizzly hunt.
 

Snake Pleskin

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One of the family we had living in Kalispell MT until he died not long ago had the same to say about bears, they die just as easy but they make take their own sweet time in giving up the ghost. That killing a bear is different from stopping one at times. His kids and grandkids still live there. Dwayne moved up there in the 1950s and got to know all the area around Kalispell and that area of Glacier National Park did the whole outfitter and hunter, camper and all that bit. He was in on the Night of the Grizzlies 1967 hunt for the animals since he was expert with the area and terrain but was not involved with the kill. When he moved to Montana he picked up a bolt action .35 Whelan but also when he moved he took a Winchester 1895 in .405 WCF he inherited from his Granddad and thought Teddy Roosevelt used it for lion and Kenneth Anderson used the same weapon for Tigers in India so that was what he carried in the grizzly hunt.
My Grandfather was a PH. He took a grizzly during one hunting trip that killed two guides in the party. Moving through chest high grass , bear came at them by surprise, moving VERY fast , killed two before they could bring it down. He used a pre 64 model 70, in .300 H&H.! That's him on the wall!
 

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