The small vital zone around the bridge of the nose was discussed and accuracy was again emphasized. A Pachmayr Decelerator grip replaced the factory grip. The emphasis is on accuracy, not power. That is inexperience speaking. It contains relatively soft cartilage, and the snout and ocular area are relatively thin and soft compared to the rest of the skull. It's a topic that interests many people, even if they never set foot in bear country. | Grand View Outdoors if i manage to knock him down, im putting one or two more shells in him for good measure. The animal … As that griz barreled past me at the same 25ish yards I coulda sat right in my own chit to avoid being spotted. Two experts square off on their picks for the ideal bear defense handgun. Bachman's 3rd Bear Predator Calling in Alaska June 22, 2011 By Melissa Bachman. Join other outdoor enthusiasts who already get great content delivered right to their inbox. That's a good question and probably has something to do with the fact that handguns are easier to carry than long guns and can always be with a person, where long guns are often carried on a sling making them hard to deploy or are set down to free the person's hands for some other task. It also tends to keep moving in a straight line to the vital organs because it crushes its way through bones and tissue instead of being deflected. First, Take a deep, slow breath and make sure your weapon is ready.Don't run..or move much. Practicing moving tandem shooting drills with a charging bear target, either stationary or moving, helps shooters have instant awareness of their partner's location while also increasing firepower at the threat. © 2021 Grand View Outdoors All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2000-2020 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. It penetrated the right lung, through the chest cavity, and broke the spine. Here's what you need to know. As the bear dropped, the second round caught it in the head. To do so requires training and practice under time constraints and pressure. Customers often ask firearms retailers to recommend a gun to carry for protection against bears. Weight:                            41.5 ounces Taurus Raging Bull. By Will Brantley, Bryce M. Towsley, Tyler Freel, and John B. Even if a potential victim sees the bear coming, time may be short. First adopted by the U.S. military in 1873, the .45-70 Government has been one … If your really interested in surviving a charging grizzly, aim for the back of the knee. I'm not saying that they run out of steam after a couple hundred yards, but simply that compared to Caribou, grizzly are not long-distance athletes. Grenades would work but the fuses are too long. Gunsite's Predator Defense course lasts five days. I think the key is to shoot an autoloader and have a bayonette mounted on it. So, where a long gun may not always be at the ready or within reach, a handgun can be. Drills included tandem shooting with two shooters side-by-side moving as a team to increase firepower on a charging bear and have awareness of each other. Yes, and it doesn't have to be right up close and personal. After repeated practice, we were tested in a training simulator where a bear — actually a bear target on a motorized cart — appeared and charged without warning. The incident is recounted at about 19:00 to 21:30 in the video. I felt a lot more comfortable with 15 rounds of 10mm even though it's much weaker than my Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan that's chambered in … Grips:                               synthetic I have had many bears come a LOT closer than that before breaking off "charges." I would have been [bleep] had he seen me and thought [bleep] chasing this one I'll eat the one that aint running, and this bear was in full predator mode. We were introduced to charging bear paper targets. It was a mediumish sized griz also running at full tilt pursuing this Caribou. Action:                             double action The thought process is if a student could stop a bear attack, he would be prepared for attacks by other predators. (Photo: Doug Larson). We were surprised at our newfound ability and realized we were better prepared to deal with a charging predator. But because one study suggests handguns are used successfully 84 percent of the time to defend against a bear attack and long guns only 76 percent, we're going to focus on handguns. He ended up getting the bull at the top of the hill as the bull went right around the rocks and the bear went left and they ran right into each other. Misinformation about bear behavior and attacks is everywhere, and some experts will disagree on certain points. Latest. While people are advised to take certain precautions when in bear country — like keeping food in tightly closed containers and sleeping in separate tents so if a bear attacks one tent, the person in the other tent may be able to stop the attack — the fact remains that no matter what precautions a person may take, a bear may still attack. Behind the nose, there is a channel in the skull leading directly to the brain. Gunsite Academy, located near Prescott, Arizona, has been in operation for more than 40 years. Capacity:                          6 rounds Bears are better at covering ground than you are at drawing and shooting at charging bears. Barring a perfect or an extremely lucky shot, no handgun has the energy to drop a bear in its tracks. Snow. "By then my gun had jammed," Greg says. Many law enforcement or personal protection sprays shoot out in a narrow stream instead of a dispersed cloud, which makes it harder to hit a charging bear. How to Pick the Right Sidearm for Backup Bear Protection. Caliber:                            .44 Magnum That's when the United States Geological Survey approached Gunsite for help improving a bear defense program the USGS began in 1978 after a female field geologist in Alaska was attacked and nearly killed by a predatory black bear. A 300-grain flat-nosed lead bullet is considered by many to be one of the best for stopping charging bears. Aim for the deadliest point you can find. The best bet to immediately stop an attacking bear is to turn off its central nervous system, which requires a brain shot or a shot which severs the spinal cord. The biggest threat to penetration is the front shoulder – stay away from it. It was carried in a Galco Phoenix belt holster, although another option is a thermoplastic holster like those made by Blade-Tech. We were along the Kuparik river, I awoke to a mountain house rumbling volcano in my stomach and had to get out of my bag and take care of business badly. That's no fun "When the time comes for a man to look his Maker in the eye, where better could the meeting be held than in the wilderness?" I've had some close encounters, but this time both my nerves and hunting instincts were put to the test. Once he's too close to shoot then make use of the bayonette. A warning shot near a bear that doesn’t know you are there will usually make it run for cover. Instead, the defender must shoot a smaller target moving much faster than a human. Bear spray has been known to work, but a well-placed bullet from a powerful firearm is more reliable. Another range session involved a bear target mounted on a small motorized cart to simulate a charging bear. To watch how fast that grizzly covered ground from so close away was plain [bleep] amazing! Overall length:                 9.6 inches When it comes to stopping a charging bear, having the right firearm, ammunition and knowledge about what to do is critical. Be sure to check if your brand of bear spray is allowed in certain parks, or allowed outside of the United States if you’re travelling in a park that shares an international border. Grizzly bear takes shotgun blast at point-blank range and keeps charging October 25, 2018 When a Canadian family noticed a group of bears on … More Survival. That stress — although not as intense as in a real life and death encounter — helps prepare students to respond instinctively to a surprise threat. From what I hear, its extremely painful...and the amount of noise your hunting partner makes after being shot should destract the bear long enough for you to retreat to a safe shooting distance. Most charges are bluffs. If missing is possible, I'd rather miss in front of rather than over a bear. I now never leave camp to take care of business without a weapon as I have twice been caught off guard by a griz while taking a chit and it aint no fun! But bears have thick, strong skulls shotgun slugs or even rifle bullets may not penetrate. "Almost" every grizzly that we get busted by while closing the distance to bow range will want to get a better birds eye view or smell of you before checking out. But just shooting the bear may not be enough to stop the attack. |, Deer Hunting’s No. And then realize that you probably won't start shooting until 20 yards. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments. While it is reported that about 75 percent of grizzly, or brown bear, attacks are sows protecting cubs, sometimes bears, especially black bears, attack people with the intent of eating them. Casey Anderson prepares to halt a charging grizzly with bear spray Anderson, by this time, had his canister out, safety off, and calmly followed the sow’s progress. Even the .big 500 S&W has little more energy than a .30-30. Sure, the bear may die, but not before the victim is dead. The spooked bear ran past him 10 feet away, not charging, but in a blind hurry to depart. And a flat nose bullet will penetrate further than a hollow point because it does not expand,  which slows a bullet. The course, taught by Il Ling New, a longtime Gunsite instructor and experienced big-game hunter and guide, got its start in 2000. With the knowledge above, you now understand you are in a dangerous situation: tight quarters with what appears to be a mother bear and a cub. The first shot took the bear in the chest. What to do if faced with a charging bear. Numerous factors are involved in trying to stop a charging bear, including the right firearm, ammunition, knowlege and much practice to hit the vital areas to end the threat. So the agency came to the firearms experts at Gunsite for help. In summary, I like to shoot about 4-5 inches back from the shoulder on a broadside bear. 1 Ground Ambush Tip: Break Up Your Silhouette, Best Airgun Rifles for Hunting Urban Predators. But it's a small area, the bear is moving, and the victim is under tremendous stress to respond instinctively before the bear makes contact. So, the first challenge is for the bullet to penetrate deeply enough to get to vital organs which, when damaged sufficiently, will cause the animal to stop the attack immediately. Because the class round count was high, Black Hills .44 Special 210-grain lead flat-nose Cowboy Loads were used; they produce less recoil than standard or heavy .44 Magnum loads. In a typical attack, the victim may have as little as .5 to 1.5 seconds to react. Bears are tough with heavy muscle and hide and very strong, thick bones. Gunsite teaches the student to draw quickly under stress, aim carefully for the bridge of the bear's nose, and shoot until the charge stops and the threat goes away. If the bear is a threat to a person's life or your property you may either call the Police (911), your local Fish and Game office, and/or shoot the bear yourself. The class is in two parts, one covering protection using a handgun and the other using a long gun such as a rifle or shotgun. But I am not gonna lie and say that when they start coming right towards you to check you out that chit dont get a little giddy in your head. B.C. Especially where we are always trying to defeat their ability of winding us and approaching them from down wind. Consider Hair and Fat: Don’t Shoot Too Low It turned out to be a 90-pound female. Knowledge of what to do if attacked by a bear is important, but actually practicing the techniques in a training class is what makes the difference between life and death. He ran for about 150 yards before dieing on a gravel bar just off the closest braid of the river. The weakest part of a bear's skull is behind the face, in a small triangular shaped area roughly bounded by the eyes and the tip of the nose. Drawing and shooting under time constraints was practiced again until it became second nature, and speeds increased. At 40 yards that was not even close to a charge. Power and accuracy are critical. Comments on this site are submitted by users and are not endorsed by nor do they reflect the views or opinions of COLE Publishing, Inc. Why are handguns more successful? So keep in mind that a bear that comes inside 40 yards is most likely just checking you out to decide whether to run from you or eat you and you have to pay close attention to body language cuz I am always thinking, this chit can go real good or real bad right now! ... charging bear sooner than most lead core bullets of similar weight and shape. If you intend to hunt moose, brown bear, or bison in Alaska, use the most powerful rifle you can accurately shoot. I've never shot at a charging grizz but have shot a couple of charging blacks. Remember, if the bear has been attracted to your home or camp by improperly stored food or garbage, it can NOT be legally killed. The student must be very familiar with his firearm, and the gun and ammunition must be up to the task. Training and practice are essential to survival. WARNING: Some viewers may find the video in this story disturbing . That's what Gunsite provides.