Dale53
Blackhawk
Cholo;
l enjoyed your story. I got treed by a mama bear with three cubs in Spence field. The bears came in at dusk, came right up to the shelter and the moma made a big display. I was in the top bunk and it was before they put the cyclone fence across the front of the shelters. She kept coming back and was puzzled when I didn't leave. She scared the bejesus out of me, I'll tell you THAT! She kept coming back until finally, about 1:00 A.M. after one more pass at me she and her cubs left for good.
When I came out of the woods, I checked in to the Chief Ranger and made a report on the bear. It turned out that she was making part of their living by rousting hikers in the shelter, then ravaging their packs, etc. Apparently, I was the first one to fail to leave. It must have been quite a scene with me giving her a cussin' and her doing the same thing right back...
That night I made a promise to the man above, to NEVER, EVER travel without a handgun. That has been about forty years ago and I never broke that promise!
My choice is a .44. A .357 magnum depends on barrel length for much more of it's power than a .44 or .45. Using a Blackhawk either the .44 or .45 properly loaded will definitely get the job done. In the S&W a 629 .44 Magnum gets my call. A short barrel in the two larger calibers doesn't give much up in stopping power. Anything less, unnh-unhh!
I spent a lot of time hiking by myself in the Smokies. The Cades Cove loop was my favorite but I, over time, covered most of the Smokies. I also did a good bit of flyfishing there, also. That was a good bit like wading in fast water crotch deep, walking on greased bowling balls!
FWIW
Dale53
l enjoyed your story. I got treed by a mama bear with three cubs in Spence field. The bears came in at dusk, came right up to the shelter and the moma made a big display. I was in the top bunk and it was before they put the cyclone fence across the front of the shelters. She kept coming back and was puzzled when I didn't leave. She scared the bejesus out of me, I'll tell you THAT! She kept coming back until finally, about 1:00 A.M. after one more pass at me she and her cubs left for good.
When I came out of the woods, I checked in to the Chief Ranger and made a report on the bear. It turned out that she was making part of their living by rousting hikers in the shelter, then ravaging their packs, etc. Apparently, I was the first one to fail to leave. It must have been quite a scene with me giving her a cussin' and her doing the same thing right back...
That night I made a promise to the man above, to NEVER, EVER travel without a handgun. That has been about forty years ago and I never broke that promise!
My choice is a .44. A .357 magnum depends on barrel length for much more of it's power than a .44 or .45. Using a Blackhawk either the .44 or .45 properly loaded will definitely get the job done. In the S&W a 629 .44 Magnum gets my call. A short barrel in the two larger calibers doesn't give much up in stopping power. Anything less, unnh-unhh!
I spent a lot of time hiking by myself in the Smokies. The Cades Cove loop was my favorite but I, over time, covered most of the Smokies. I also did a good bit of flyfishing there, also. That was a good bit like wading in fast water crotch deep, walking on greased bowling balls!
FWIW
Dale53