Man Kills Charging Bear With .454 Alaskan Casull

[kjtrains]

Scroll down this article to find above topic.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/category/handguns/

[Reinz]

Good read!

In the past, I used to go to the mountains of NM twice a year.  
I hiked by myself off the beaten path.  I always carried a 44mag,  which is considered minimum.  I did at least have some custom Garrett 300 GR loads.

If I ever go back, It will be a Ruger Alaskan 454.


Reinz

[Reinz]

Yes, I did run into a Black bear once, It was more afraid of me fortunately, and ran away from me.  I of course, went the opposite direction as well.

Came across a wolf once, but he bolted.  Fortunately, just one, not a pack.

Having the 44 was quite reassuring.

Don't think the Wildlife people could get there in time if there was a crisis.  Then I would have to deal with them after the fact.

Reinz

[MountainMan]

BEAR PICTURES I TOOK IN ALASKA – ARMED ONLY WITH A CAMERA

Here are a few pictures from a thread I posted several years ago of bears I came across while walking in the Alaska bush armed with only a camera.

The first four was of a female grizzly with three cubs –  she came out of the bush by the trail – I call it Surprise Encounter.
 
Didn’t realize she had the cubs until she turned away from me and walked The other way – one cub pictured.  There is only a little zoom on the first picture and no zoom on the next three.

Was I lucky - you bet - especially since we personally knew someone killed by a mother grizzley a year earlier.









A young, but still large, brown bear I came across at a salmon stream – just small lens zoom.



A black bear I came across in a tree – no zoom

[kjtrains]

Great pictures from the surprise encounter.  I'm thinking the adrenaline had to be flowing.

[tracker]

She didn't look nearly as starved as the one that Greg encountered.
Thanks for the great lens stabilized photos.

[MountainMan]

There were berries all over - she is eating some in the third picture.

Plus the salmon were running.

[Richard S]

MM:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You've got the touch, my friend! Not many men find themselves standing between a mother grizzly and her cubs and come out alive -- much less with stunning photographs such as yours.

As for that story in the original post, the .454 Casull is what Robert Ruark would have called, "enough gun."  

[DTM_39]

Mountain Man great pictures.  You must have nerves of steel.  Weekend before last I was at my house in the mountains.  Karl R had given me 3 boxes of Corbon ammo for my 380.  He said go shoot them up and see what you think.  All fired but last round of every mag stovepiped.    Anyway I decided to hang a treestand in a white oak tree in the middle of a thicket.  When I parted the brush, under the tree was a big old Black Bear.  20 yards and staring me down.  First reaction was to look for cubs, no cubs..  Second reaction was to think gun,  380 on my hip not a good feeling. After sizing me up he went right back to eating Acorns.  I left the treestand right there, snuck out and hung it the next weekend.

[Richard S]

Dan:

Question: What is best technique for using a pistol chambered for .380 ACP as defense against a charging black bear?

Answer: Sticking pistol into bear's mouth or ear, depending on position of shooter, pulling trigger repeatedly until last round is fired, followed (if shooter is still alive) by devout prayer and application of tourniquet(s).  

Stay safe out there.

[rtw]

Came across a grizzly sow and cub once while archery hunting for elk in Wyoming. I carried pepper spray and my guide had a .357. Fortunately we saw her quartering away from us about 100 yards away and she was upwind. We slowly backed the hell out of there. I felt naked with the pepper spray in my hand...

[kjtrains]

rtw.  You and your guide are very lucky people.

[Richard S]

Came across a grizzly sow and cub once while archery hunting for elk in Wyoming. I carried pepper spray and my guide had a .357. Fortunately we saw her quartering away from us about 100 yards away and she was upwind. We slowly backed the hell out of there. I felt naked with the pepper spray in my hand...

Reminds me of the old joke about distinguishing between black bear scat and grizzly bear scat. Black bear scat can often be identified by the presence of nut shells, berry seeds, and the fur of small animals. Grizzly bear scat can often be identified by the strong odor of pepper spray.  

[P7Enigma]

Dan:

Question: What is best technique for using a pistol chambered for .380 ACP as defense against a charging black bear?

Answer: Sticking pistol into bear's mouth or ear, depending on position of shooter, pulling trigger repeatedly until SECOND TO THE last round is fired, followed (if shooter is still alive) by devout prayer and application of tourniquet(s).  

Save last round for yourself...I don't think being munched on while breathing is an experience I would enjoy very much.

[Reinz]

Save last round for yourself...I don't think being munched on while breathing is an experience I would enjoy very much.

I concur!

Reinz