That was a very good post, Bob, I think that you have "nailed it" and your wisdom is sound advice for anyone, IMHO.

I have been there at the death of about a dozen Grizzlies and have witnessed the effects of various rifles on them. My feeling based on this is that I prefer to use a "bigger hammer" and this is due to both knowing a couple of guys who were mauled and using various cartridges on a few dozen animals over 40+ years.

As I remember, I have watched guys shoot G-bears with .270W. .30-06, 7mmRem., .300Mag. and a .338W. I "might" be missing one or two here as most of this was back in the '60s and mistakes in memory DO happen.

While actually working in the wilderness, I tended to carry whatever hunting rifle I owned at the time and never had a purpose-built "Grizzly Rifle" (ta ra) until my last two seasons as a fire lookout with the AFS.

I have never shot a G-bear, as you noticed, simply because I never really wanted to, had no place to display the hide and was not rich enough to pay for the taxidermy. Almost all of the bush workers I worked with felt pretty much the same way and while we encountered the big guys, it doesn't happen as often as one might think, even in the most remote, bear rich parts of B.C.

The way I approach anything to do with outdoors activities, vocational and recreational, is quite simple as I believe in preparing for the worst that can happen, not, depending on "luck"to see me through an emergency situation. This is more important to a backpacker like me than it might be to a "quadjockey" who roars around logging roads, "experiencing the wilderness".

So, like many guys I know here in B.C., with 40+ years of bush experience, I tend to carry one of my .338s more often than not. This coming year, a buddy of mine really wants a Grizzly and I am getting a desire for one, as well, so, I hope to "break my cherry" and I know just where to go, based on many backpacking trips alone in the Kootenays.

Will I carry a .375H&H P-64 or will I carry the "new" Browning CRF .458WM, well, IF it is finished, gunsmiths being what they are, I "might". COULD I do it with a .30-06, well, I think so, but, since "gack" about all of this is what most of us log on for, why not discuss it and enjoy the discussion. Besides, I am in the middle of processing 200 rounds of virgin .458 brass I bought yesterday and THAT is NOT my favourite activity, I need a break from it.

Again, very solid post, tells it like it is.