Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Guns for bear protection in Alaska??

I was watching a program the other night on the National Geographic Channel called Hunter and Hunted. It was about Kodiak Brown Bears attaching two hunters on the islands. The two guys were attached by two bears back in 1999/2000 IIRC. One was attached by a 700 plus lbs. male bear and the other was attached by a 250 to 300 lbs. female bear. The guy that was attached by the 700 lbs. male bear died a short time after the attach. The guy that was attached by the smaller female bear was hurt pretty bad but lived.

A guy with the Alaska Fish and Game (not sure what the real name is) and a bear expert from Florida State University went to the scene of the attach by the smaller female bear. The guy from the Fish and Game had a Remington 870 (it was the nickel plated or some custom finish) Shotgun. The guy from Florida State had a pump shotgun too, not sure what it was though.

Is a shotgun the best choice for protection against big Grizzle, Brown or Kodiak Bears? If so, what type of slugs would be used? I would think a 45-70 Gov. loaded with some stout loads would be a better choice. However, I have no experience of any kind with the above mentioned bears. I just didn't expect them to have shotguns for bear protection in an area where known attacks have happened in the past.

NYH1!

I've never heard of people being attached to bears

I hear Brown bears prefer pump guns themselves. Better handling with the big paws. Blackies strap nickelplated wheel guns - you need one hand for the tree.

Both kinds have no use for the shotguns their dinners tend to bring - its much like a popsicle stick to them - grab, eat and throw away...

never been to alaska personally, but do know a fish researcher at the U of Washington and I guess its common to carry 12 guaage with double o buck for bear protection. As you said in your post, his is cerakota plated and has been polished and teflon coated inside to ensure absolute reliability. Im not sure if he has ever had to use it, but that appears to be the weapon of choice from what little I know.

My personal opinion only with no first hand experience! I would say "Yes" to the use of a pump, 12 ga. shotgun in the situation you describe. The idea here is to protect yourself and to not necessarily kill the bear out right. It's a lot easier to turn the bear than kill/disable him in an outright frontal assault. Later, assuming he's been hit, you can go back & finish the job with a rifle. Were I in that situation, I'd want an Ithaca Deerslayer with rifle sights. Load the magazine first with 1-2 rifled slugs finished off with about # 3-4 shotshells. Therefore, the first rounds thru the chamber are your shotshells. There is no way I'd even consider some type of auto shotgun for this. The Ithaca, as I recall, hs an enclosed receiver - loads & ejects from the bottom. This'll lessen the chances of debris entering the action and inducing a malfunction.
A number of years ago I assistant guided for a guy who originally worked for an old timer up at Chandalar Lake in the Brooks. The old guy's name was Red Adney. Anyway, I was told stories about Red and one of them was that he didn't like bears & shot any he came across. He always used a pump 12 ga. as his bear protection when he wasn't hunting them. To me, if it worked for Red, it should work for me.
One of the most humerous things I read occurs when some guy wants to know what the "best" handgun is for bear protection. I just love that one. I'm sure others will chime in here and inform me that I'm all wet. That's ok, been told that before.
Bear in Fairbanks

As a seasonal employee with ADF&G years ago, I was issued a 12 gauge pump with slugs at times, and a .338 Mag with 250 gr bullets at other times with the warning -" if you have to shoot a bear, there better be tooth marks on the gun". They were being only slightly facetious, and there were indeed claw marks on the shotgun - it had been left in the boat overnight previously and a bear clawed it. On Forest Service trail crew we packed a .375 Win Mag here in Alaska. In Idaho we were not issued a firearm, but I carried my Marlin .30-30 after bumping into a sow grizzly with two cubs where "there are no grizzlies in this area" . Yeah, right! Besides, cougars are right curious, and several times trailed us. The pack mule didn't like it a bit!

Having never had to shoot a bear with any of the above, I cannot give empirical testimony as to the effectiveness. Operative words are "had to" I've never shot a griz/brown, but have taken black bears with several different calibers, including the .30-30. Worked fine, so a .45-70 will certainly work . For my own non-hunting walkabouts, I usually either carry a 12 ga pump or a Win 94 in .30-30. If I ever get to go deer hunting on Kodiak, etc, I'll be carrying my .338 WM

I did once shoot a yearling moose high through the boiler room, just missing the spine underneath with a common 12 ga slug at about 35 yards. It missed bone all the way through and had little or no expansion judging by the same size holes on each side. The moose was in a dead run at the time and went about 100 yards before tipping over in mid-stride, all bled out. It does not lack penetration, at least until it hits bone.

I'd not worry about carrying either the 12 or the .45-70. Chances are greatly in favor of never needing either. Bear worries are way overblown, IMHO, after 40 years experience in Alaska.

That sounds like an internet story but to answer the question, a lot of gov't agencies used shotguns as they were under the impression that they are easier to use and point. Since they were seldom used it didn't matter if they worked on big bears. Now the USFWS is getting rid of the shotguns and getting 375 rifles which are, from my viewpoint, vastly superior weapons for stopping bears.

All workers in Alaska should be issued a 22 Beretta Bobcat and an undocumented immigrant to knee-cap.

Oddly enough, that's in the state legislature right now.

How did an undocumented immigrant get in the state legislature?

Oh you mean murkowski, nm.

Maybe they didn't have to show a birth certificate.

Meant the issuance of said undocumented bait immigrant to residents, to knee-cap and then out run.

I much prefer a rifle - or even a good revolver with heavy hard-cast bullets to a shotgun. I actually felt better about shotguns before I had to use one on a smaller young problem bear - and it stopped a 3" Brenneke slug, and then loped off. Two shots from a 45 Colt carbine (320 grain hard cast) zipped through about three feet of him to end the deal.

I dont know, Gene Moe, one of the guys on that show (the one that survived) did pretty well with just his knife. Hearing him tell the story is funnier than hell. He's got a great attitude. Oh and his knife still hasnt been cleaned, atleast teh last time my wife talked to him.

Thanks guys, was just curious after watching that program.

The fishing guides I know up there use parkerized&plastic 45-70's with 18" barrels. Short and fast, won't get tangled during a 180 degree swing, and don't mind the foul weather. Most of your safety comes from being aware of potential danger and steering clear.

I know a bunch of fishing guides and none I know use a lever gun of any kind. 870s and big handguns rule with most. I would prefer a bolt rifle in 308 or greater capacity and Barnes bullets.

Question from someone who has NO experience stopping bears-
Wouldn't a Remington 760 pump in 30/06 stoked with Barnes or Nosler bullets be far superior to the 870 12 gauge?

Royce

Good question!

No....a 30 caliber bullet is not exactly considered a bear stopper. Sure you can kill a bear with an '06, but to stop a charge?.....doubtful, unless you're real lucky!