These are usually the same people who recommend buckshot for bear defense. Or even better, alternating foster slugs with buckshot for bear defense. Classic.
I’ve heard this one a lot what’s your thoughts?
The only shotgun round I would trust on brown bears is a magnum Brenneke. Better yet is something mid-large caliber at a middling velocity with a bullet that digs deep. Bears killed in defense generally have to be shot very quickly at less than ideal angles. I think there's a huge difference between hunting brown bears and defense against them. For just hunting them, I could be comfortable using a .308 and a premium 150gr bullet-broadside through the lungs with a calm animal, they'll die just fine. For wading into the brush after them I like something bigger, like a 9.3x62, .375, or a .416. A .458 would be fine, but I can't shoot those fast enough for my liking.
Brown bears are like people in that each one is an individual, with it's own reactions to different stimuli. I find that if you're within a certain distance (say 50 yards) and surprise one suddenly, you'll get a fight or flight response from them. Just the same as individual humans would react differently to walking into their living room, flipping the light on, and there's a burglar there. Some of us would run, and some of us would immediately fight. One time I a was jump shooting ducks and made a shot on a flushing mallard. A bear immediately ran up towards me from a side channel about 35 yards away. I did alot of yelling and he veered off, crapping as he went. That bear had no clue I was there until the shot and then reacted aggressively to what scared him.
