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North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1263 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 7:45 PM
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So what kind of bear? I have bumped into black bears and been within 6 feet of them a few times. I respect them for the wildlife they are but to pack a howitzer into the woods because of some stupid fear of bears , then stay out of the woods .
Grizzlies are a whole different ballgame and I still think you ought to stay home with your nintedo set and not endanger beast or man whilst out tramping around on their turf. |
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 canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6793 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 8:45 PM
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On some backcountry occasions the 870 comes with me,
I prefer to have it with me ALL the time while about in Surrey going to Safeway and running other errands 
Seriously though, I dont mind packing in some areas, just cause people have had many encounters without issues, does not mean, that all close calls end without problems.
How one deals with a problem animal in a tense situation while armed will vary to a great degree, and is likely the key argument for most.
Some may blindly discharge all their ammo in a panic, while other may fire a warning shot, then actually aim if a bluff charge is an actual attack. Or discharge a warning only, and continue on.
These decisions would have to be made within seconds under great stress, if an actual charge occured.
I am confident in my handling, extremely fast reload technique and hitting a reduced target several times quickly. The Tactical 870 excells in this.
However in most real life situations (surprise encounter) I would count on bearspray as the weapon of choice, especially when in very close range.
If in terrain where you know one or more possibly problematic animals are known to wander, I may choose to carry something with more punch.
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6793 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 9:01 PM
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I'd have to add that choice of gun would be a huge difference also.
Some do carry handguns, in most cases very restricted and or illegal, and you'd need to be very good with a .44 or .45 a 9mm mill aint gonna do it.
Rifles are not the best choice and most smaller .270 rounds are not adequate, perhaps 30-30 or so
Shotguns, only 00 magnums or slugs or slug magnums, these pack a big kick, and are difficult to shoot in tense situations. Anybody who says multiple magnum slugs impacts wont stop a Grizz is full of shit. |
Edited by - Aqua Terra on 02/26/2011 9:04 PM |
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 9:02 PM
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quote:
having a bear come within 5-8 meters to use it is a little too close to comfort for me.
You need to practice your cool a little bit more. Bears can sense uptight. Maybe smoke a few bowls.
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153 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 9:05 PM
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| Wow there is a lot of unaddressed aggression here. Do they object to my bear bell because it is a passive method of avoidance, rather than an aggressive response to confrontation? |
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6793 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 9:06 PM
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what are the white sticks in the background? the bones of the first guy they tried to get
a picture with?  |
Edited by - Aqua Terra on 02/26/2011 9:07 PM |
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3022 Posts |
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6793 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 9:29 PM
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that vid was pulled for awhile I thought?
That guy would have been reduced to a few piles of bearshit had he not shot that (warning)round.. obviously lots of contraversy, and is all covered in another thread from last year. |
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353 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 9:38 PM
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Firstly, I did fail to mention that I DO carry bear spray, so yes, I would use bear spray if needed.
Apparently this post brought out alot of hippy stoners from their slumber, So I would rather not take their advice.
Not sure who is all Anti-gun out there, but I reckon a fair bit are, as you all jumped to the bait.
Posted by booewen quote:
Having a bear come in 5-8m is too close for comfort for you? So you would just shoot it with your 12 ga. at 10m in self-defence then? That's great. How manly.
Don't jump to conclusions, What's wrong with a warning shot?
Posted by nmcan84
quote:
if you have to carry a gun into the backcountry when you are NOT HUNTING,then you are not a man, my pigtailed little friend.
Can I just assume you don't hunt in general, and you don't like carrying a gun, or shooting for sport... and we're not friends :)
Posted by Kid Charlemagne
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Do you pack heat in urban areas for your safety as well?
Of course, I always pack a pipe when I'm in BC ;)
cambium, Thanks for the tip, I'll check out the plastic 000 shot.
Posted by nmcan84
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my mindset is that if i go out and i run into and bear and it attacks and kills me,then so be it,one less human to screw this earth up.
That would be superb, you dying? One less person on the trail. As for the human population, I hope you don't have any kids :)
Curiously interested for more threads... |
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3022 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 9:45 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Aqua Terra
that vid was pulled for awhile I thought?
That guy would have been reduced to a few piles of bearshit had he not shot that (warning)round.. obviously lots of contraversy, and is all covered in another thread from last year.
yep , your are right , this was on CT last year , [ I believe ].
However the O.P.[ wildtrekker ] is new and likely not aware of the prior post.
I think the controversy is that the film-maker is one of the grandfathered few that still has a A.T.C.; or that he closed in willingly for a good picture on mother & cub .
Surprising how many grandfathers are out there.
Here on the north island Grizz are now considered as infrequent fauna.
Thought I saw one last fall in the twilight while picking lobster mushrooms, at about 150 feet , scared the holy-spirit out-of-me . Only had a .22 single , and thought i was dead .
Turned out it was the tanned brown-hump of an 5x5 elk playing light-trick on me-eyes.
Still, I backed out quietly. |
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6793 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 10:37 PM
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| Had a very large Cinnamon (Black bear) walk into camp....had nowhere to go, and no defense, turned out it was a nearly mature Grizz. he was spooked easily, but did not leave the area entirely. Not a comfortable feeling when you have nothing but interest to offer. |
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974 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 11:06 PM
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Originally posted by wildtrekker
Can I just assume you don't hunt in general, and you don't like carrying a gun, or shooting for sport... and we're not friends :)
That would be superb, you dying? One less person on the trail. As for the human population, I hope you don't have any kids :)
Curiously interested for more threads...
no,i do not hunt,never will. Don't NEED to carry a gun and YES, you sound like a person i would never be friends with.
as for the other comment you made,all i have to say to you mr.troll, is that i hope if a bear charges you,your gun jams and the bear spends the rest of the evening knawing on your skull.  |
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353 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 11:20 PM
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| I like being a troll. Best compliment.Ever. |
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Terrace, BC
957 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 11:30 PM
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quote:
I like being a troll. Best compliment.Ever.
so....now that you've achieved your objective, we won't hear from you again? |
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6793 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 11:33 PM
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And that is another SNL epsisode for CT...
Whats fun about CT its been around long and is stable, and one can go back, years.. and review headlines and topics and read the comments, it really is the best capture of time and people moving thru live.
Thanks for putting up with us Jim 
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
262 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2011 : 03:27 AM
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If anyone wants to acclimatize to bears within 8m, head to the Conuma River and the area above and below the fish hatchery (45min from Gold River) in late September-early October. I spent 3 days in the area on the river and some tributaries and would regularly have pairs of juveniles and fat adult black bears cruise back and forth on the bank behind me or into the water to see what I had on my line.
Despite the mountains of salmon carcasses they were dragging into the bush, they were still keen on stealing a few of my catches from the bank while I wasn't looking. I managed to tree a mother and cubs by accident while backing off from another bear into them.
At first I had my spray out, but after seeing 15 or so bears in a day you start to relax and can guage how close they intend to get and how relaxed or not they are. |
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353 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2011 : 12:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by MJB
quote:
I like being a troll. Best compliment.Ever.
so....now that you've achieved your objective, we won't hear from you again?
I'll be sure to send you a few gall bladders, so...no. |
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2421 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2011 : 10:07 AM
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This was indeed covered last year. The best stats that we could turn up showed that bear spray works way better than a gun.
If you haven't figured that out, check the thread.
Now walking around in Surrey at night is a different matter entirely... |
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2421 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2011 : 10:16 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bluefoot
Hmmm - who would rather know was within 100 meters of you, unseen in the woods - a bear or some dude with a gun?
I'll take the bear.
Agreed. The most dangerous animal in the forest is another person. |
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Say Nuth Khaw Yum, British Columbia
Canada
418 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2011 : 12:55 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by cambium
Turned out it was the tanned brown-hump of an 5x5 elk playing light-trick on me-eyes.
Still, I backed out quietly.
I don't pack any heat, or bells or bangers or spray for that matter, and a couple years ago I was running in Fernie. I was a bit hungover after my band had a gig the night before and headed out for a run into the backcountry with nothing but running shorts and racing flats without thinking to grab so much as some water. I ran into some very scared mountain bikers who were scared because they'd seen so many bears and were totally lost and they were relieved to see someone so scantily clad and carrying nothing. I tried my best help them locate where we were on their map but I explained I was from Vancouver and I didn't even know what direction I headed out of town. I had just followed some trail for 15 kms or so and was going to eventually hang a left somewhere and see if that got me back to town. As I headed off I found it kind of funny how they were so panicked when they looked to be extremely well prepared and they were locals, while I was having a great old time and really had no idea where I was or where I was going.
When I eventually started back I hit some powerlines and saw several bears including 3 grizzlies. All at a distance along the powerlines but I have never seen that many bears in such close proximity and you just had the feeling one could pop out from anywhere. I was going fast downhill, now headed back towards town on a skinny single track, I went around a corner and not 3 feet from my face around a bush is a big clump of brown. As soon as I spotted the fur it seemed to explode with movement and before everything registered I had a fleeting moment where I thought I was dead, much like when a 2nd world war Nazi bayonet came flying towards my head and hit me right in between the eyes, then I realised it had hit me handle side first and I was alive (a bizarre accident while camping not claiming I was in WWII). It was an elk's arse and it was heading away from me. |
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Packing Heat on the Trail