Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska moose rifle in bear country

Thoughts on what is adequate in bear country. Will a 7mm Rem Mag with 175 Partitions at 2900fps be sufficient in a situation with a brown bear. I also thought of moving up to a 300 Weatherby with 200 Accubonds @3075fps, seems like a bigger step up than a 300 Win Mag. I'm sure in a real situation, not much would feel adequate in the moment. Just trying to be prepared for worst case. Any advice is appreciated.

Back in the 90s and guide stopped a grizzley in MT with a 7mm Mag (no idea what bullet.) This was after it pretty much tore then face off his client and charged him

The 7 can and most likely has done it. People who hunt in the woods; hunt with what they like. I have a saying; you only need to make yourself happy.
I haven't seen too many professional hunters use 7-mm Mags.
Here is a story from an outfitter in Alaska: I was up there hunting bears, I was using my 338-RUM, I asked him a question, what caliber rifle does most of your hunters use? his reply- Most of my hunters come up here with 300 Winchester Mags. They get their animals, He said, if they are repeat hunter, when they show back up, they most likely using a 375 H-H.
Oh, here is another bit from the same outfitter: He said, most his hunter say-Gee, I didn't realize just how big these animals are.
I hope these 2 cents of info was a help to you. I don't know much about your hunt you have planned. Just wishing you all the best.
I myself, I like a 338-RUM or my 338-06.
Lots of cartridges will work just fine. Like I said, you only need to make yourself happy.

Thanks for the replies. Im thinking of region 17 for moose, so the bear is just precautionary as I can't hunt them without a guide, and the guide part gets expensive and is beyond my means lol. But I want to be prepared for any situation.

I think you're good. Just be good with your equipment and always use your head. What can happen, can and will happen.
Again, wishing you all the best.

When we hunted unit 17, we saw lots of brown bears. They had all the salmon they wanted and were mostly glad to leave us alone. I don’t think a predatory attack was likely as they preferred fish to humans. We had a few close encounters but fired no shots in anger. I took a 30-06 both times, but might take a 338 if I went back. NEVER take a bigger gun than you can shoot well. As always, only hits count.

Oh yea, the bears seem scary, but it’s the weather that will kill you. Prepare for that. The bugs will just make you wish you were dead. 😳

That makes sense. Only the hits count...We will hit. Semper Fi. The downside to a 300 for me is it would have to have a brake, and I'm really not a fan of brakes and that sharp crack. I hunted Quebec last spring for black bear and the mosquitos and black flies were crazy. Had rhino skin gear and good headsets. Couldnt imagine hunting there without it. Makes the -10 degrees in Saskatchewan seem not so bad lol

That makes sense. Only the hits count...We will hit. Semper Fi. The downside to a 300 for me is it would have to have a brake, and I'm really not a fan of brakes and that sharp crack. I hunted Quebec last spring for black bear and the mosquitos and black flies were crazy. Had rhino skin gear and good headsets. Couldnt imagine hunting there without it. Makes the -10 degrees in Saskatchewan seem not so bad lol

I’d rather take a sledge to the shoulder than shoot a braked rifle. BTDT. Once. I guess that if I were more “cutting edge” I’d consider some of those electronic ear deals.

Here's another thought, take your 7mm Mag for the moose, take your 175gr partitions and have them ready to load for moose, but load your rifle with as heavy as possible rounds for chance encounters with bears.

An example, in my 30-06 like to have my first round be a 150gr for deer, but then have 220gr loaded in the rest of my magazine for after I shoot the deer.


I think if the 7mag is what you're comfortable with, you'll be just as prepared as anyone for a surprise charge.

A wise man here used to often say,
Placement, bullet, cartridge.

hint….

Bullet placement is key to a happy ending.

When I was sitting by myself not far from where a brown had been feeding on a recent moose kill my 300 win mag felt very small. Walking out at dark it felt tiny. Hint. Edk

This young man crushed this huge interior Grizz with a 7 mag with 175 partitions.



My interior Grizz took 2 hits from my .338 win mag with 250 gr Speer grand slams.



My Kodiak Brown was dead at the first hit from my .300 Wby mag using 200 gr Partitions.



My Biggest Black Bear was crushed with one hit from my 7mm Rem Mag with 140 gr ball tips.



My son's biggest Black Bear was killed with a single shot from a .270 win with 140 gr Hornady.



Not every scenario is the same.
Shot placement, calm vs adrenaline filled etc..etc.

Personally, in Grizz and Brown Bear country I'd choose a .300 mag over the 7 mag, but if the 7 mag was all I had I wouldn't buy a new rifle for fear of being undergunned.

Your gun should be fine. That's a lot of bullet weight for a 7mm. I am a bit old school and like frontal diameter. I love my 375 Ruger in Alaska. 20" barrel and hits like the Hammer of Thor. 270 grain Triple Shock.

175 grain Remington

Knew a cowboy that killed over a dozen Polar bears with an old, sporterized Springfield in 30.06. He rolled his own with 180 grain cup and core bullets. Was mostly always dark when the shots rang out....

Don't over think the thing... Your 7 will be fine.

Nice pics, Salmo...

Great pics salmon....

338 WM for everything. Don't notice recoil at all when shooting game, and my Ruger is not bad to shoot from the bench. I started out hunting up here with a 7 mag and never felt under gunned, but stepped up to something a little bigger for those less than ideal encounters. That was 20 years ago.