Couple barely survive bear attack.

[black1970]

3 axioms come to mind here.
1 Marksmanship is learned through training and practice.
2 When the situation is critical there is no time for Maintance.
3 The battlefield is a very unforgiving classroom.

 

[John in WYO]

“You gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?” Josie Wales
Mic drop
End of discussion.
😎

 

[arcee]

The couple was on an approved Brown Bear hunt. They were there to Kill a Brown bear (which they did). If the primer had not pushed out and dropped into the Action, the rifle would have kept functioning (just plain bad luck). Watching the video I wondered why the shooter kept cycling the bolt but in the after action the bolt failing to close would account for it.

I believe that the shooter would have completed his kill if his rifle had continued to function. He was clearly hitting the bear with each of his follow on shots. I know a .375 Ultra Mag is enough gun. The ballistics on an Accubond bullet at 475 yards are sufficient to make the kill. Maybe not as cleanly as at a lesser distance, but the bear would have been killed without the malfunction of the rifle.

A backup rifle would have been a good idea. I use a marlin 45-70 stainless guide gun with 430 grain hard cast wide nose bullet as a backup for camp and hunting. It is a bone-breaker of repute. My other choice is a 12 Gauge pump with Breneke Black Magic 3" magnum slugs. It is also a bone breaker. Either one would have ended the hunt at the 100 yard mark.

I own and carry a Ruger SBH is 454 Casull. It is a formidable cartridge but I believe one needs to be well practiced with the round and the gun before putting it in play as your last ditch.

The after action by the hunter and his spouse covered the range selection, the lack of a backup gun, the selection of a "down hill" shooting position, alerting the bear to there presence, and the need for survival gear if you are deploying to a remote mountain in the winter.

Yes, yes, and yes, but without the very unlucky malfunction, it would have been a successful and reasonably well executed hunt.

just my 2 cents. v/r arcee

 

[KS25-06]

What I can not understand is why he did not pull the bolt out and look for an obstruction. And, I agree, that is too far to be shooting a dangerous animal. What is amazing is how far that bear traveled after being shot 3 times and leaking blood for that amount of time.

 

[Shamus2022]

this is what gives hunters a bad rep. I can always tell when I start rooting for the bear....

 

[turd]

I actually felt sorry for the bear. It did nothing to deserve that mess. If you can't kill at that range, then don't shoot.

 

[crstrode]

Yes, yes, and yes, but without the very unlucky malfunction, it would have been a successful and reasonably well executed hunt.

They would have also missed out on a good bit of clickbait.

 

[wolfsong]

A little research shows that this particular hunter has taken lots of game at long range distances. If not for the rifle/ammo malfunction it would have been as "routine" as hunting any large, dangerous game in rugged terrain. This was not a canned hunt. Murphy's Law is always waiting to make an entrance in ANY fair pursuit hunt.

She should have at least carried another rifle and handed it off if she was not sufficient at long range shooting. I wondered why they took a bow along! That would not have been my choice for extra added firepower!! 😳

 

[contender]

An interesting thought came up recently in a conversation I had with a friend in Alaska.

If they were in AK,, by law,, they should have had a guide with them. So,, where was the guide?

 

[wolfsong]

I don't know ilf you can self guide if you are a game guide. The gentleman is a licensed guide...

 

[contender]

If that guy was a licensed guide,, he should have known better than to only have a single rifle available on such a hunt. Cold, wet, & other factors have disabled more than one firearm on many trips.

 

[Ranger]

Probably a great adventure; but probably not a great hunting video. At a certain point, I think most start rooting for the bear.

 

[willicd76]

I’m so thankful tho have FINALLY found a forum with hunters as equally skilled as myself who have NEVER had a hunt go sideways for any reason! JK…..I found ANOTHER forum full of hypocrisy. What a surprise. 🤣

 

[Ranger]

Maybe my post should have been nuanced. If so, please accept my apologies.

 

[contender]

"I'm so thankful tho have FINALLY found a forum with hunters as equally skilled as myself who have NEVER had a hunt go sideways for any reason!"

All of us have had "stuff" go "wrong" on hunts if you've spent any amount of time hunting. BUT,, just by the video they posted,, and the info they provided,, the WHOLE story wasn't shown. As such,, many good people make comments & judgements based upon the information provided. Kinda like a court case. Evidence is presented,, and the jury has to judge based upon the information provided. Yet,, a lot of information may not be made available to the jury.

"I found ANOTHER forum full of hypocrisy."

You've been a member here for 9 days so far. Yet,, you've jumped to conclusions based upon just (1) post?
There are MANY good, solid hunters here, and we'll readily admit to mistakes, our own failings, etc.

You just did exactly what you judged us to be doing.

So,, I'll politely say this;
I've been here for quite a while. I've made some wonderful friends,, and seen a lot of good people make a mistake in a posting, (myself included.) This Forum actually has a LOT of very good, helpful folks who have stepped up & OPENLY admitted their mistake(s).

Concerning this thread,, AND the fact we can only judge things by what the couple posted on the internet,, we may make assumptions, judgements, or comments based upon that. Just like what wolfsong posted,, the fact (not in the OP) that the guy was a licensed guide. As such,, it provoked my response of wonder about his abilities & not carrying a good solid back-up firearm.

It's all about the information provided.