Couple barely survive bear attack.

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black1970

Blackhawk
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
500
Location
West Tennessee
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.
 

arcee

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
37
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

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
Messages
131
Location
Moscow, Ks. Stevens Co.
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.
 

wolfsong

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
2,824
Location
Sierra foothills, Ca. U.S.A.
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

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,138
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
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?
 

Ranger

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 20, 2017
Messages
124
Probably a great adventure; but probably not a great hunting video. At a certain point, I think most start rooting for the bear.
 

willicd76

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 25, 2023
Messages
87
Location
TEXAS
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

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 20, 2017
Messages
124
Maybe my post should have been nuanced. If so, please accept my apologies.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,138
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
"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.
 

NewRuger41

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 3, 2022
Messages
87
Location
USA!
Wow I just check back on this forum and saw this. What AMATEUR HOUR that couple was.

When you s##k as a "hunter" don't publish your major screw-ups. And don't smile and congratulate when you are such a poor marksman that you have to unload multiple projectiles into your quarry like you are making homemade Swiss cheese.

They were a joke in this video, they were way out of their league based upon this video alone, and I would love to see the state or province where this "hunt" happened strip them of their hunting licenses. Gawd awful. Just pure stupid.

The bear was a sitting duck so to speak. And you can't drop it with a single bullet? And you bring a pistol to a bear fight as a back up? Send in the clowns ...
 
Joined
Mar 6, 2023
Messages
493
Location
Gorham, Maine
Wow I just check back on this forum and saw this. What AMATEUR HOUR that couple was.

When you s##k as a "hunter" don't publish your major screw-ups. And don't smile and congratulate when you are such a poor marksman that you have to unload multiple projectiles into your quarry like you are making homemade Swiss cheese.

They were a joke in this video, they were way out of their league based upon this video alone, and I would love to see the state or province where this "hunt" happened strip them of their hunting licenses. Gawd awful. Just pure stupid.

The bear was a sitting duck so to speak. And you can't drop it with a single bullet? And you bring a pistol to a bear fight as a back up? Send in the clowns ...
Even worse, she had a bow
 

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