Anti-Bear Loads?

[bryan28]

I'm not hunting bears but I'm going to be in an area where there's a chance of attack, so I'm staying defensive just in case.

I was wondering what kind of loads are considered most optimum for defense against bears with 12 gauge and 45 acp?

[CSACANNONEER]

Bear spray is much more effective and easier to use in a stressful situation than a firearm is. That said, a .45acp is far from an optimum choice. Get some slugs for you 12g AFTER you have purchased a can of bear spray.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Bear spray is much more effective and easier to use in a stressful situation than a firearm is. That said, a .45acp is far from an optimum choice. Get some slugs for you 12g AFTER you have purchased a can of bear spray.

Spot on. Click here and here to buy this:



so that you can be this guy in the super-unlikely event that you'll have a problem with a bear:



Note that bear spray is prohibited in Yosemite but otherwise legal under CA law (that brand is legal, others might not be).

[rudigan]

I'm not hunting bears but I'm going to be in an area where there's a chance of attack, so I'm staying defensive just in case.

I was wondering what kind of loads are considered most optimum for defense against bears with 12 gauge and 45 acp?

The rangers use slugs to put them down. For .45 something hardcast I have read is your best bet. Are you going to grizzly country or black bear area. You should be more worried about 2 legged attacks if you are going in black bear country.

[ginman]

In Grizzly country bear spray is a must. If a griz is attacking you, shooting it and hoping for an instant kill is probably not going to happen. Chances are even if you fatally hit it, the bear is still going to have enough time to rip you apart before it dies, and all you did was give it that much more of a reason to kill you. Bear spray should be your first line of defense. If you are going to be in black bear country I wouldn't worry about attacks, but shooting a .45 in the ground should scare one off pretty effectively. I've been close to numerous black bears while hunting, including having a good size black coming to within 30 feet of me, all it took to scare him off was standing up and telling him to get the h#!! away. My second line of defense was my 7mm mag though. I pack a ruger sp101 .357 when im hiking or hunting, .45 should be fine as well in black bear country.

[Pacifik]

Loud noises & appear bigger > bear spray > slugs > well you tried

[joe84780]

Last time I was in bear country, the Ranger said to bang on an aluminum trash can lid. That usually scares em away. Otherwise he uses a shotgun with slugs if he needs to put one down

[Timberwolf]

Make as much noise as possible in bear country. Those annoying can air horns are helpful. Carry bear spray with a 12 ga loaded with slugs. I've had few bear encounters over the years and have only had to shoot (other than bear hunting) once. As with the two legged variety don't stop shooting until the threat is down. A bear intent on doing you harm can absorb alot before going down.

[LMT4ME]

Last time I was in bear country, the Ranger said to bang on an aluminum trash can lid. That usually scares em away. Otherwise he uses a shotgun with slugs if he needs to put one down

I was backpacking out side of Yosemite many years ago and a bear wandered into camp after we were done with everything. He was noising around and we were just getting ready to yell and throw some rocks, when another couple camping a short distance away around the lake started bang pots together. Seems another bear was in their camp. Well the bear in ours upon hearing the racket made a beeline to their camp. They now had 2 bears. We ran over and yelled and threw stuff until they wandered off. The couple was told to bang pots together by the rangers. The bears learned banging pots = dinner.

Many years ago a good friend was up in Alaska backpacking and the rangers were issuing cow bells to hikers to warn bears of hikers presence. The rangers also recommended that if a grizzly comes toward you to throw your pack between you and the bear. Well eventually some grizzlies learned that if they heard a cowbell to run toward it that way a pack full of good food would come their way. Fortunately, my friend met up with some seasoned hikers who had bear spray and a 44 mag and they told him to get rid of the cow bell.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Many years ago a good friend was up in Alaska backpacking and the rangers were issuing cow bells to hikers to warn bears of hikers presence. The rangers also recommended that if a grizzly comes toward you to throw your pack between you and the bear. Well eventually some grizzlies learned that if they heard a cowbell to run toward it that way a pack full of good food would come their way. Fortunately, my friend met up with some seasoned hikers who had bear spray and a 44 mag and they told him to get rid of the cow bell.

Aw crap, the bell thing? He must have missed this sign:

[Kid Stanislaus]

OH BOY!! Just what I'd hoped for, yet one more bear thread!!

[SKSer]

I have a vaquero in 45lc, I think before we go camping again I'm gonna load some 44mag level loads.

I thought just a couple of months ago there was a guy that killed a grizzly with 45acp in Alaska. I think he ended up shooting the bear like 10 times.

[killmime1234]

Well, I've said it before in the other 39 "vs. bear" threads and I'll say it again:

If you kill a bear, be prepared to defend your actions in court.

There are plenty of instances of people killing bears legitimately out of self defense who end up in prison for a long time. Unless you have fresh bear wounds on you to prove that you had absolutely NO OTHER CHOICE but to kill it, you will likely end up in the slammer. Based on what I've read, I honestly believe that you have a better chance of staying out of prison having killed a human in self defense than you do having killed a bear.

Go ahead and bring a gun, I always do; but make sure you have some spray or an air horn handy first.

As far as advice on what firearm to bring. You'd rather have 12 gauge slugs than anything. If you don't have a 12 gauge, bring something that will penetrate, not mushroom as soon as it hits flesh (i.e. FMJ). Bears have thick hides and strong bones.

[berto]

I take my pet bear. He scares other bears.

[Fireguy]

When using bear spray, make sure you are down wind of the bear.