Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Spring and summer bear protection while hiking

Last summer I had two close encounters with black bears while hiking. The first incident was a cub running right between the middle of a group of five of us. A second or two later mom did the same thing. Neither one made a sound; they were on us as if they came out of nowhere. I could have nearly touched the sow when she came by me. Nothing happened, they were gone in an instant. The second time my Lab, all of a sudden ran ahead of us and right up to a medium sized black bear which was not backing off. When the bear saw and heard us it left with prejudice. I think that if I had been alone on either occasion there could have been some problems. Can I get by with a 30 30 carbine as a black bear stopper at very close range if need be, or should I carry a 44 mag. or something bigger. I hunt bear in the fall with a 358 Winchester BLR but the rifle is a little heavy with scope for leisurely hikes. My Marlin 336 is very easy to carry, actually it is a pleasure to carry. I have a 44 mag super black hawk but I don't shoot it very well and would not count on it under bear scare excitement. Anyone have any ideas?

Quote

DANL - "My Marlin 336 is very easy to carry, actually it is a pleasure to carry."

That'll do just fine on Black bears.

What State???

L.W.

NW New Mexico Leanwolf. Most of the bears around here go 175 to 300 by late summer early fall, but in the spring and summer they are somewhat smaller. Thanks for the advice! I have always been very comfortable with the 30 30 because it is so easy to shoot. I know that it has been shot more than any center fire I have above .243. That must be where the confidence comes from. I'm too old to run or climb a tree so I have to have something good with me. Thanks again.

I should imagine that the 30-30 will do just fine on black bear. I would recommend that you use the 170 grain rather than 150 grain bullets. Should be a fine persuader with the odd miscreant that decides to cross your path.

Im going to a tactical 12 guage for just that purpose , just waiting for my parts to arrive.

dan,

From what I've heard and read about black bears, neither running nor climbing a tree is really an option for ANY human of any age or physical condition considering that black bears are as a rule faster and better climbers than any normal human. I'm guessing I would be as well served by pulling out a big knife on a black bear as I would be trying to outrun or outclimb one (none of those scenarios is a preferred one compared to packing a gun).

I rather like the .454....

For hikes I would be happy with a .357.

I bought a 44 mag S&W revolver a few years ago for just that purpose... I hear you about accuracy, but on the other hand, a little practice can cure that issue and then you have your bear protection on your hip rather than having to carry it around in your hands.

Just a thought.

I grew up in New Mexico and your post made me jealous of you!

-jeff

Don't use the 44.

Almost any rifle is a better choice, especially if you are not a particularly good handgun shot.

It takes more than some practice to be able to hit what needs hitting when a head-bobbing bear is coming full-tilt boogie and you're starting to run up a laundry bill.

That said, almost any handgun is better than a stick.

I had a memorable, though not dangerous encounter with a VERY large black bear in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area about 15 years ago. He waltzed up into our camp late one September, sat on his very fat butt, looked at our food pack and the saliva ran out of his mouth like a faucet. We thought it was kinda funny, took pictures etc., but then we discovered that "Yogi" wasn't interested in leaving. Not even after I sent a load of birdshot over his head. (It was grouse season). He just kept circling around the camp waiting for his chance raid the "pic-a-nic basket".

Prudence dictated a strategic withdrawal on our part. One of the first things I did after returning home was to buy a 7.5" .44 Super Blackhawk. I invested in some entry-level loading gear, and started shooting. That gun became my bear country companion and continued in that role until I found a handier 5.5" Redhawk (also in
.44 mag) last year. I've gotten comfortable with these handguns and find it convenient to carry "hands free" either with a shoulder holster, or, more often, a substantial belt/holster combination.

My preferred load now uses a 300 gr. WFN/gas checked bullet from Beartooth Bullets pushed by healthy doses of H110. The load shoots well in both the SBH and the RH. I'm completely confident that either revolver would disuade future "Yogi's" from anti-social behavior.

Of course, your Marlin will also handle this task with aplomb.

Everyone's answer on caliber for firearms makes sense, but evidence from the US FWS and US Geological Survey in Alaska show that the best (i.e. least number of injuries) protection in the field is pepper spray in a large cannister. The USGS reviewed bear incidents in Alaska where folks used bear spray and about 90% of incidents ended in bear running off with no attack. The other 10% resulted in injury but no deaths. Similar results from the USFWS in the lower 48. On the other hand, both studies also considered bear incidents where firearms were used. The results were much more mixed, with about 50% of encounters resulting in some injury or death to the person. Don't mean guns can't stop bears, but it does appear that that nasty pepper spray takes the mad out and makes them want to be gone. A can of spray doesn't weigh much, you can carry in National Parks and you can even use it on your brother in law if he keeps taking your beer. I've got a .454 for those rare trips to polar bear country but otherwise I carry a can of bear spray even in hunting season, for close encounters.

The Problems with bear spray are significant. When it works it's flawless, however when it does not it's worse then having nothing.

The great majority of first time users of bear spray begin panic discharge well out of range of the bears approach. As the volume is reduced in the cannister, the bear is closer and by the time it's really needed the can is empty and sputtering. This is not a rare situation, or the only problem. In the wind, your not only charged, but now you're blinded. Ever felt this stuff in your eyes? You might welcome an attack to put you out of your misery!

As far as using any gun, it's worthless unless its in your hands at all times. If your gonna pack it around in a holster under your coat, or over your shoulder on a sling then it's not gonna help you. If you're interested I can post up a reprint of the bear attack I was in. I'm here to tell you that having a big bada$$ 44 mag which has killed at least 100 bears while recreational hunting and during damage control was absolutely worthless in my holster under my jacket.

This is a topic the always seems to generate lots of opinions on what works and what is not gonna help you. I would like to hear how many folks have actually had a bear running right at them full speed with bad intent. It's easy to post up what works when your having thoughts about this in your house. It's usually a bit different when talked about by the folks who work in the woods with bears or around them, and those who have dealt with the "bad intent" factor in person.

Had the attack on me happened 20 years later I would have said black bears are not any worry or consideration. They may have canine teeth, but not much more dangerous then a deer or bunny. Fortunately I was nailed early in my career and recognized from the start just how great a potential they have for harm.

For my money a 44 mag revolver is hard to beat, but you must have it handy, not under your coat!

For my money a 44 mag revolver is hard to beat, but you must have it handy, not under your coat!

Yep, that's the case with all weapons one could carry. If your Marlin is comfortable to carry, I say go for it, just make sure it's easily accessible for usage. The 12 gauge loaded with slugs is also another, probably even better, choice but then again so are a lot things. Your 30-30 will be fine, just keep it loaded with 170 grainers.

JJHack makes a very good point. Accessibility is critical. If I'm carrying when it's cold enough to wear an outer garment (which is most of the time in Michigan's Upper Peninsula) it's easy enough to tuck the garment behind the butt of the gun. For the same reason, I don't use the holster snap, unless my activity warrants it.

On a related note, I just watched a segment featuring the Gunsight (I think) training program for (four legged) predator defense. They had some neat drills which had students practicing accurate and timely response to threats using both long guns and handguns. One of the drills featured a bear target mounted on a robotic buggy which "charged" the student. Tom Gresham looked pretty juiced as he was emptying his Model 29. I also noted that either he is the "Jedi Master" of recoil control, or he was shooting very mild loads. It reminded me that if we are truly concerned about this possibility, we need to spend some time actually drawing/shooting with the loads we carry.

One of the things I really like about my Redhawk is the quick change front sight. I bought a package of those brightly colored sights from Ruger for chump change. The yellow front sight really jumps out even to my partially color blind eyes.

JJ,

I can't speak for everyone, but I would be interested in your attack story.

Thanks,
Carl

+1
Would love to read it.

When I was working in the bear research and damage prevention program for the Weyerhaeuser Corporation and the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department in Western Washington, I had about 60 feeding stations to maintain on approximately 380 thousand acres bordering the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the Cascades of Washington state. The reason we had feeding stations for black bears is another story altogether. I will just say for now that we were doing work on tree damage prevention by offering a supplemental food source for part of each spring when natural foods were limited.

I would make three trips each week maintaining approximately 20 stations per trip. One day while making the rounds of feed stations my daughter who was about 5 years old fell and cut her knee pretty bad. She was stressed out and nothing I could do would pacify her desire to go home. I found some candy bars in the truck, and gave her some soda. The sugar rush helped for the time being and I really needed to get through the remaining stations so I would not screw up my schedule for the next set of feeding stations.

I did not want to drive all the way out of the woods and have to come all the way back to finish. My daughter was a good sport working with me, as it was all she really knew in her life. We were out working with the bears almost every day together. I would just strap her into the car seat and pack a lunch and away we would go for the whole day.

Because she was hurt and sore I knew she wanted to go home, she always wanted to visit the feeding stations to look at the claw marks on the trees and look for bear tracks in the mud. She was learning to be quite the little tracker and outdoorsmen. Today was much different because of her injured knee, she did not want to go out of the truck. There were some really steep or brushy stations that were dangerous or too difficult for her so she would sit in the truck and watch the road for bears. The deal was if she saw a bear to beep the horn in the truck so I knew there was a bear nearby. This actually happened several times but was not a normal occurrence.

Because of her knee injury I was really hurrying to get done and trying to finish before her sugar rush wore off. We had about 4 stations to go when she started with the �I want to go home now� suggestions. She really had no choice in the matter but I certainly did not want her to hate doing this with me, so I agreed to hurry through the last 4 stations if she would help me. I even reminded her that feeding station number 1 was her favorite because we often saw bears there. Especially the one-eared bear that she thought was really funny looking. I never let her out of the truck at station #1 because the bears there were everyplace and the one-eared bear had been getting more and more bold each week through the spring and summer.


When we arrived at the last station I reminded her about using the horn and �keeping an eye on the road�. I grabbed a 50 pound sack of specially formulated �Land O lakes� bear chow and headed into the woods about 50 yards to fill the feeding station. It was really rainy, typical of this time of year. The trail in was very slippery in several places and because I was in a hurry I almost fell a couple times. I opened up the feeder and poured the bag in, not nearly enough to fill the drum. I reset the motion sensing game counter, exchanged the film in the motion activated camera and ran out to the truck for another sack of feed. I told her I would be right back and ran up the hill to the feeder to put in this final bag.

With my mind on getting home to fire up the wood stove and making something for dinner I was coming around a steep and slippery section of the path when I was hit so hard from behind I lost all my breath. I actually heard something but with the bag over my shoulder I never saw what happened. The bag flies into the air landing right next to my head. At that exact instant I realized a bear was on my back and I was suffocating with the air knocked out of me and the weight of this bear was on top of me. I am now, and was then a pretty fit guy, but working to get out from under this bear was pointless. He had me down and there was nothing I was going to do. He was biting me in the back around the shoulders and neck. One paw was on my head and pushing it down into the mud. I was still struggling to breathe and decided I needed to somehow get my Ruger Revolver out and resolve the problem.

I could not move a muscle without getting bit again and again. My thoughts turned to my daughter who would certainly come looking for me and would also be attacked and killed for sure. Even if the bear left me what would I look like when she found my body? What panic would set in for her? What would a very young child do with a dismembered parent alone in the woods? These hundreds of thoughts go through your mind like the bullet train, one whizzing thru after another. That was probably the single scariest moment of my life.

I was terrified she would come looking for me, I needed to do something but was completely helpless to get up. This was really a horrifying situation. Then as quick as I was knocked down the bear jumped off and ran into the bush, I briefly caught a glimpse that he had only one ear. I was in shock for several seconds sitting up and trying to get my wind back. I felt like taking out the revolver and throwing it as far as I could. What a worthless piece of dead weight I had been lugging through the woods for many years. The one time I really needed it, I can�t use it! Then I heard the horn of the truck blowing and my daughter yelling out the window that the bear with one ear was in the road. �Hurry up papa, he is leaving.� I am not an exceptionally religious guy, I certainly believe in God but am not a frequent church going person. I guarantee you this, no one is an atheist when a bear attack is occurring!

I eventually got to my feet and filled the feeding station. I went back to the truck trying to clean off my face and hair with my shirt. I was really choked up, knowing how close I was to losing my daughter and my own life, it was difficult to remain calm and un-emotional about what just happened. When I arrived at the truck my daughter stated sharply, �What took you so long, you missed the one eared bear, he was standing in the road, didn�t you hear me beeping the horn? --- What happened to you? How come you�re so muddy, what happened to your face? Are you okay, what happened to your shirt?

She was like some kind of semi-automatic question machine, those of you with children can probably relate. I explained what took place and that I was okay and we could go home now. Of course at this point she wanted to stay and go shoot the bear. Going home and allowing the bear to run free was just unacceptable to her. We did however go home. As it turned out I had massive bruising on my back and neck; many of the bruises on my head and neck look like shoestring licorice in purple. I had many long purple blood blister type marks from the claws. The claws did not break the skin. My heavy blanket lined Carhart jacket has holes in the back from the bites. I feel very strongly that it saved me from much worse injuries. There was a minimum of blood; the biggest fear was my very difficult breathing, and the injuries I would find when the adrenaline wore off and when the mud was cleaned off. At least I had no broken bones or Serious blood loss.

I told a few of my coworkers about the event, and one of my F&W contacts. He suggested I shoot or snare that bear as soon as possible. It would be a shame to lose the program we had managed and developed for this one problem animal. I took a F&W employee out several times who really wanted to shoot a bear. We eventually shot the one-eared bear. I have it shoulder mounted in my shop. He was a 2.5-year-old male that weighed 210 pounds. The most �typical� gender and age for a problem bear. They have no home range, girlfriends, food source, or dominance over any other bears. They take out the frustration they have on what ever they can. It seems that the majority of bears removed from dangerous situations are those young males trying to establish their own home area. Older dominant males don�t get too worked up about things. They are the king of the area, and usually strongly nocturnal. People simply don�t get into contact with them very frequently. The younger bears are far more active during the daylight, and often in contact with people and in places that create conflict.

Over the last 20 years I�ve done this work the average age of black bears killed in Washington state has been 2.5 years old, and male. Go figure! They are the ones hunters see most frequently during shooting hours while spot and stalk, or bait hunting, and they are the ones most likely to run up a tree when chased by hounds. They are also the ones forced into bad decisions based on hunger pains!

Watching these bears around a bait is amusing. They are clearly far more afraid of other bears then the people hunting them. I remember yelling at a 2-3 year old bear to �get lost� when my wife and I were in the tree at dark. She was a bit nervous about climbing down to walk back to the truck with that bear 30 yards away. He just looked at me and walked slowly around woofing at us. Yet on another day with a bigger bear nearby, he would wind that bear and leave a vapor trail behind in has wake.

So why did that bear hit me? Well I�m not a bear mind reader, but in the discussions with other professionals doing this kind of work and from my own experiences, I concluded that he may have felt I was taking �his food�. I�m thinking he made this contact to define his space and property. When after a few moments (seemed like a heck of a long time to me) he realized I was not another bear and bolted away. Outside of that theory, I�m not sure. One thing is for certain, nobody is walking away from a �small bear� if it wants to kill and eat or dismember you! This bear was a puny 210lbs, but with a speed and strength that no equal sized human being could possess. Not sure how many people reading this have had the wind knocked from them, but that is also a paralyzing condition which causes its own panic without the bear added into to the mix! When combined into a simultaneous event it�s life changing to be sure!

Thanks JJ! You've shared that before, but it makes my hair stand on end every time I read it!!

I just carry Pepper Spray...