Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Bear attack in Banff NP

I agree.

I was talking about Tourists that stop and feed grizzlies on the side of the road and get out of their cars to take photos, I have witnessed that myself, that is what I call Timothy Treadwell stupid.

People who do not hunt or spend time in the bush, have no understanding of wildlife in general, to them they are all nice furry creatures. Same thing with people getting close to Buffalo and Bull Elk in parks or moose to get pictures and end up getting hurt. That is what I meant.

When I am in Grizz country I do everything I can to protect myself in case I meet up with one. The worst way to die, at least in IMO, is to be eaten alive by a grizzly!

When the elk are n the field, 100 yards away, their bugling is not too annoying and serves to induce dreams of elk hunting (at least that is the effect on me). When they are right up beside the house though, it's a little intrusive! It's not nearly what it was though. Thirty years ago, we had at least 4x the elk we do today. This is the result of shameful mismanagement. So it is that we are growing an abundance of protected grizzlies, while eliminating as many of our ungulates as possible. GD

Good morning! Canada is truly a wonderful country with incredible natural resources but I find it frustrating that the folks in the eastern part of the country make all of the rule affecting those in the west, starting at say Manitoba. To suggest that residents living in or traveling in rural or wilderness areas don't have a right self defense simply contradicts everything part of my being, I simply can't understand such a concept. I was raised by my father and uncles (six of them) who were hunters and believed in self-reliance/defense. I would never consider venturing in grizz territory without a firearm for the same reason that I keep a fire extinguisher in my home.

it's a national park. Firearms were not allowed in US national parks until recently. People living in rural areas, like I do, do have the right of self defense and defense of livestock. In the US, people are allowed to carry firearms in the parks, thanks to 2nd amendment rights. However, it is stated that people should not consider the gun as defense against animals!
Ultimately, if one feels the need to arm themselves for defense, that is up to them. If it is against the rules but saves your life, it may be considered a fair trade. GD

Most of us average white boys in Alberta want to separate from Eastern Canada.

No Eastern Politician lovers here lol

Gotcha.
I read your initial post too fast, I guess. My apologies.

No worries man I poorly communicated my thoughts!

I really do believe that you are an exceptional member here, I enjoy reading about your exceptional adventures and admire your hunting skills!

Killer Bee, Don’t lump in all easterners as Liberals. You should instead place the blame for our national demise on the Laurentian Elites.

Most rural Ontarians are much like you western folk, we aren’t the problem.

Nick

Agreed.

I actually grew up in Quebec and worked and lived in Toronto as well and have done a lot of bird hunting east of Ottawa with people who owned farms in Ontario, great people, and fun times.

I know Canada well across the board and I agree with your assessment.

I escaped from Quebec in 1987, best decision of my life!

Of course there are good people in the east, most westerners know this, but they also realize that in order to get rid of the elites to which you elude would require separation. I would also point out a Major pita in Quebec, and this idea for separation has been going on for 150 years.

Similar to westerners relationship with firearms, people in the east know FA about Grizzlies and the interaction here.

257Bob;
Good morning to you sir, I hope that this last day of the week has begun in proper fashion and you're getting seasonally appropriate weather in your part of Florida.

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.

As mentioned by greydog who lives many valleys and nearly 8 hours east of us, we are allowed self defense outside of national parks for the most part.

That said, the tools we're able to pull from the tool chest to do that are restricted by folks who have armed security teams and could not conceive in their wildest dreams being solo in the wild, much less facing down a bear in that place.

There was a time when geologists and some guides could apply for what I want to say were called "wilderness carry permits" for handguns, but for those of us unwashed and unimportant folks who just wanted to hike, hunt, pick mushrooms or watch woodpeckers peck, that wasn't granted.

The choices then are to either pack something like a short, light shotgun or carbine or ignore the law and carry something one hopes to never have to use. That's only if that person has jumped through the flaming hoops of handgun ownership up here too of course.

While there are many like me who have worked long and hard and spent time and money attempting to have more logical laws come into play, our current crop in federal power apparently could not give a flying fig if multiple back country users become statistics.

Anyways sir, it is what is for today and regardless of that, I do appreciate your post.

All the best and good hunting.

Dwayne

I know very well one person who frequently carries a 357 Mag while in the backcountry, and has done so for many years. It's an option. Shooting a bear in the park would be a criminal offense in either country, but being alive to face prosecution would be a bonus. GD

Touche!

I don't blame him a shotgun is cumbersome. I don't even go fly fishing in the Rockies or foothills without my defender strapped to my back. A handgun would be awesome!

I have killed many bears, if one so much as sneezes in my direction, it's putting its life at risk lol