Will a .38 stop a bear?
- Thread starter litespeedhuskerfan
- Start date
I think if you totally unloaded the magazine right in his head yes. Good luck.
In that situation-would it have been a good idea to pick up rocks to fling at it-or would that just have pissed it off more??
That's what he did. Maybe it would work on a grizzly too?
I felt like it took him way too long to pick something up.. but I'm sure it's different in the moment, walking backwards trying to keep an eye on it, than sitting here watching it on youtubeThat's what he did. Maybe it would work on a grizzly too?
He was lucky to just get backed off, being so close to those cubs.. another one might have just gone after him full throttle.
I grew up in Alaska, and have a cabin on a remote island, I use to have to carry a 45 when I went trout fishing when I was a kid. It was basically just for loud noises, shooting over their heads and encouraging them to go the other direction. It wouldn’t even do it if a grizzly charged me. Same deal, I’d have to wait for them to get as close as possible and shoot them in the mouth. A 12 Gauge with slugs is really the only appropriate angry bear deterrent.
I understand your problem there bud. When I do shoot my revolver I shoot the Hornady light 38 special rounds, easier on the hands. I know they make 357 Bear rounds, but I'm guessing recoil would be your last concern if a Bear was coming straight at you.
Are you talking about a hiker or your wife? Sounds scary in any scenario.I felt like it took him way too long to pick something up.. but I'm sure it's different in the moment, walking backwards trying to keep an eye on it, than sitting here watching it on youtube
He was lucky to just get backed off, being so close to those cubs.. another one might have just gone after him full throttle.
Mmmm you should probably stick to topics you’re more familiar with. It isn’t just a matter of fatalities. While the odds of being mauled by a bear aren’t very high being prepared to deter an attack is always a good idea. I had a black bear scratching at my tent in the Boundary Waters with my 5 year old son in tow. All I had was a pocket knife. A week later in that same area a black bear came in to a campsite, grabbed a canoer by the head and then was dragging him in to the trees to eat him when his canoe partner intervened. He beat the bear with a paddle to get the bear to drop him. It took his buddy over a day to get him to help. The guy lost most of his scalp.
I didn’t own a handgun back then but I sure wish I did that night years ago. The Minnesota GFP easily located that bear, dispatched it, and did an autopsy finding human hair still in its gut. While someone might be biking above tree line you will note that his campsite picture is not. I’ve seen plenty of black bear scat above tree line.
Last edited:
Secured a tactical 12 gauge w/slugs. Wish me luck...unless you don't like me...in which case wish the bears luck.
Put a flashlight mount on it underneath in case of night creatures.
Very good advice. A night time tent attack had always been my biggest fear. Day hiking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness through thick underbrush will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck too. There’s been several predatory grizzly attacks just outside of Yellowstone over the past few years. One on a tent occupant and one on a resident hiking behind his house. Those are just the ones I know about. The wolves have decimated one of the grizzly’s favorite food sources, elk calves.
Not even remotely the same scenario but a small led headlamp is priceless. I’ve been wearing one that last 2 years during calving and it is soooo much easier to handle wet cold babies with mean moms without fondling a spotlight in the process
I don’t mess with them after dark. I feed hay at about supper time and almost always have calves during daylight hours. Every now and then I’ll come out to a brand new baby at first light but it’s rare. The other thing I do is to chain an old light bale feeder to the front of my Kubota 110. I drop it over the calf and don’t have to worry about cows. I wrap the feeder in a cattle panel to prevent escape. I can tag and weigh the calf without worrying about getting hurt.
Another hiker just outside Yellowstone was killed by a grizzly over the weekend.
First thing mentioned was no , “bear spray”, the stuff really does work. She had no firearm either.
Sad deal.
Woman Is Killed by a Bear Near Yellowstone, Officials Say
The woman’s body was discovered on a trail near the national park after an apparent encounter with a grizzly bear, officials said.
Grizzlies don’t cross park boundaries 😉First thing mentioned was no , “bear spray”, the stuff really does work. She had no firearm either.
Sad deal.
Woman Is Killed by a Bear Near Yellowstone, Officials Say
The woman’s body was discovered on a trail near the national park after an apparent encounter with a grizzly bear, officials said.www.nytimes.com
I'm sure Zrob's post above telling everyone it's silly to think that could happen to you brought that hiker great comfort at the time of her mauling/death. See ya'll next week.
Ironically I just watched a hearing where our bureaucrat in charge of the parks was asked if he knew how many grizzlies there were and what the acceptable level was. He had no clue. Turns out the greater Yellowstone area has roughly 50% more grizzlies than it should be able to support. It’s why they’re spreading out in to the Bighorns etc. Coning soon to NW Nebraska and the Blackhills.
They are native to all the areas mentioned, why are you surprised they would spread?
I’m not surprised. In the Yellowstone ecosystem they’re having to compete with expanding wolf packs. It’s time to remove federal protection for bears and wolves outside the parks.
I disagree, but there we differ.
We have ranchers here, albiet small compared to Western USA, they gave up cattle for bison. Even our bears do not tangle with the bison.
They do in Yellowstone. I had a neighbor who raised Buffalo. He got out of it this year. It’s a whole different game that requires different facilities etc.
What number of grizzlies do you want and why? They already walk down Main Street of Cody Wyoming. A number of years ago a ranger told me that one that was preying on livestock near Sheridan had been “relocated”. That’s a helluva long way from the Yellowstone ecosystem. The wolf thing is WAY out of control.
A camper in Washington state was just attacked by a mountain lion over the weekend…..again. There’s been multiple fatalities over the last decade or so of hikers or bicyclists on trails in CA
Didn't read through the rest of the thread, but...
38 Special is not a good bear round. 357 Magnum should be the starting point for black bear, but is inadequate for grizzly. Where there may be grizzlies, 44 Magnum would be my starting point for revolvers. If you like autoloaders, 10mm is plenty for black bear and adequate for grizzlies.
If it were me, I'd be packing a 10mm personally.
38 Special is not a good bear round. 357 Magnum should be the starting point for black bear, but is inadequate for grizzly. Where there may be grizzlies, 44 Magnum would be my starting point for revolvers. If you like autoloaders, 10mm is plenty for black bear and adequate for grizzlies.
If it were me, I'd be packing a 10mm personally.
Are you planning on just shooting your self before an attack?
So has anyone heard from @litespeedhuskerfan? Did he not take a big enough caliber?
