Will a .38 stop a bear?
- Thread starter litespeedhuskerfan
- Start date
You’ll be fine what’s the worst thing that happens we all miss your posts on here??
.38 isn't even good enough to stop humans which is why law enforcement of yesteryear upgraded to .357 mag. I wouldn't trust it to stop any predatory animal. If you are going handgun you probably want to look at .44 mag if you can handle the recoil or go with a 10mm which has similar ballistics to a .357 mag but with more rounds. Otherwise, go with a long rifle or 12 ga shotgun with .00 buck and/or slugs.
I once made the mistake on a boyscout trip to Yellowstone of woofing like a bear and and scratching the tent fabric of a tent holding four 17 year olds. They didn’t sleep a wink that night.
My problem has become arthritis in my hands. Hurts like hell to shoot my 38 let alone my 44 mag.
While hiking at Philmont, the scouts next to my tent (1981) didn't put all their contraband in the bear bag. Needless to say there was a visitor that night 😆 🤣 😂
So right about the bike trails. Two summers ago I was on the Cowboy Trail about seven miles east of Valentine when a mountain lion crossed the trail about 80 yards in front of me. I hadn't seen it before then and it disappeared into tall grass after crossing.
I stopped, waited a couple of seconds then turned around and high-tailed back to town. Reported the sighting to the sheriff who said it was stalking. They cross in front of you to size you up, then come back towards you. He said I was fortunate it didn't pounce.
I now carry a weapon on the trail
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They went hungry for at least half a day then. One of the reasons our troop never went to Philmont. I would have pitied the bear that came in to our camps. Our scoutmaster was a grizzled old lineman whose hobby was guns and shooting. He had the barrel light and laser sight for night time. His pack was always 60lbs plus. Helluva guy rest his soul. One of his Eagle Scout sons is an outstanding gunsmith in Ft. Pierre SD. He builds competition rifles from scratch. Teton Traders.
Yes. I camp in Grizzly bear country regularly. You need quality rounds and you need to be a good shot. A .38 round will stop most things if it is placed right.
Having said that, bear spray and campsite hygiene along with hiking awareness is your best friend. We all carry titanium airweight .38s strapped to our gear, but it's no substitute for spray, hygiene, and awareness.
I always laugh at the big and heavy gun dudes out in bear country. They neglect everything and focus on guns/rounds. Big mistake.
Having said that, bear spray and campsite hygiene along with hiking awareness is your best friend. We all carry titanium airweight .38s strapped to our gear, but it's no substitute for spray, hygiene, and awareness.
I always laugh at the big and heavy gun dudes out in bear country. They neglect everything and focus on guns/rounds. Big mistake.
41, 42, whatever it takes.
The problem with guns is accessibility. Bears won’t usually give you much time. Many bear mauling victims aren’t able to discharge a gun or bear spray quickly enough. I’ve read multiple stories where people carrying firearms never got the gun unholstered. We carried guns where we weren’t supposed to but had to conceal them. We would take them out at night and lay them by our side in a boot.
Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.
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That is about where you were then...rode that a while back while we were there for the river.
Couple other cool photos from there....
Just want to comment and say thanks for riding the cowboy trail, i hay about 20 miles of the trail each summer, I get very frustrated with people who bike on hwy 275 when there is a trail 20 yds from them. Miles of that trail get very little traffic
That is about where you were then...rode that a while back while we were there for the river.
Couple other cool photos from there....
Only one fatal mauling in Kodiak in 75 years this says.
Lots of bears get killed.
My Sweet Babboo grew up in a small village 300 miles down the Peninsula from here. She was chased home and nearly caught at 12 years old. Her Uncle shot it out on the flats, the tide took it out.
5 years ago she was chased again, but was 20 feet from car. I was in Dutch Harbor working, helpless.
The bear are really big here. For the most part they leave us alone.
www.adfg.alaska.gov
Lots of bears get killed.
My Sweet Babboo grew up in a small village 300 miles down the Peninsula from here. She was chased home and nearly caught at 12 years old. Her Uncle shot it out on the flats, the tide took it out.
5 years ago she was chased again, but was 20 feet from car. I was in Dutch Harbor working, helpless.
The bear are really big here. For the most part they leave us alone.
Kodiak Brown Bear Fact Sheet, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
That highway would be a roadie's dream...I get why they'd ride it over the Cowboy. Two different disciplines that would require two different bikes...and 275 has a shoulder.
Whoever laughed at this is uninformed. I have read numerous outdoor survival experts say that bear spray alone is your best defense against getting mauled by a grizzly. Try to understand it like this. A dog cand smell very well and a lot better than humans. I have talked to many cops that say simply spraying a pissed off pit bull will make them run off. It hurts. Smelling that pepper spray is probably like getting kicked in the nuts to a dog. A bear has far superior power of smell than a dog. You spray a much more potent form of pepper spray towards a charging bear and you are essentially attacking their brain. It is sensory overload and they get the hell out of dodge. You spray four hundred .38 rounds at a charging bear and at best you will have a bear full of holes mauling you to death as it bleeds out. Hope that helps.
The Tmarts of animals
Come to Kodiak.
Bear spray is the deterrent of choice first.
12ga slug next.
Bear Spray works. Not like mosquito repellant, spray it at bear, not on you.
Sounds like you need to do some testing of all the suggestions made. Maybe LiteSpeed should take each of the suggested weapons out west to cattle country and then practice shooting cattle out in the pastures. Bears and cows are probably about the same size, so figuring out which weapon is best to bring down an animal of that size should be fairly easy to figure out. Feel free to let us all know how this experiment works.
20 years ago, yes. They changed the law in 2010 allowing firearms in National Parks. They are allowed as long as you're following federal, state and local laws.
You can possess one but it’s against the law to discharge it or carry it in to any “facility” which could include a restroom. Definitely includes lodges and restaurants so that means you have to leave it in a vehicle at times.
The NPS explicitly says that firearms should not be considered protection against wildlife☹️.
Cows are way bigger than black bear
I think a .38 shot in the air would spook a black bear enough that it runs away
They’re kind of like really big raccoons unless cubs are around
I kind of read that to mean they don't want people doing target practice in a NP and they don't want discharging a firearm as the first line of defense. Basically if you use it, you better be able to prove it was last resort.
Gonna admit IDGAF about gun laws. I have one, and if I need to use it I will. I'll deal with the consequences later.
I left mine in my vehicle at all times. If I was hiking deep into the park, I'd have it on me.
Leadville area near Turquois Lake / Breck area (top of Boreass Pass actually, not necessarily Breck)
Tons of high alpine singletrack you don't see a lot of people on.
fun spot, certainly high country
definitely black bear territory
they have an ultra marathon (50-miler, maybe 100-miler) on those singletracks every year and it brings some real freaks out of the woodwork across the country
enjoy!
This video cuts off right before the bear runs headfirst into a hotel window. It also reinforces my earlier post that you don't want to mess with moose.
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