Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 22 cal CF and bears

Just so you know, that out in the bush, particularly with the natives, they tend to lean toward centerfire .22s and .30-30s. Just about every boat or sno-go (in winter)running up and down the Yukon or Koyukuk Rivers has a Mini-14 in it or strapped on it. The younger generation is more into the ARs and SKSs. But they see them and use them as general everyday utility guns for everything from mice to meese and sometimes when necessary, bears.

I've asked several of them over the years why the .22s and they acknowledge they may be small, but they carry a lot of ammo if needed. You almost never see them take a body shot either. They all aim for the head........wastes less meat that way.

Even out here on the AKPEN in big bear country you find most of the rifles being toted by locals are .270 Win or smaller. It's only the outsiders that carry the big boomers.