Just got done watching a survival tv show (Discovery Ch, I think), that covered what to do in case of a bear attack. They went over several things like running, playing dead, dropping your backpack and running, fighting back, climbing trees and pepper spray. What they never talked about (although I did tune in a little late and possibly missed something but I doubt it) was firearms. They said to "arm yourself with knowlege", but they said nothing about a stout revolver, which would seem in my admittedly non-expert mind, the best defense you should consider. The word "gun" never left their mouths, as if the option didn't even exist. Am I such an antiquated caveman that I don't understand society anymore? Does the mainstream really act as if firearms just don't exist? Ok, like I said, I don't have much knowlege of bears, but if I had to make a list of "defense vs. bear" items that "big frikin handgun" would rank much higher than condiments.... wouldn't it? Seriously, correct me if I'm astray. I've only seen one "mama grizzly" attack on tv, the guy shot in front of her with a large revolver, and the flash/noise scared her into breaking off the attack and running away. So I know that it can work. I dunno. Am I missing something?
It would be a horriable thing to carry a handgun oopps self defence tool in the woods, please be PC. pepper spray? Play dead? NEVER EVER hurt the 'critter'. OH, out run a ursiline beast, at @40MPH. OH. just like a mugger give him your 'wallet' ie backpack. The flash/noise scared it (her), I think the lead to her head is a little more effective. I LOVE BAMBI, slow roasted......
I see.... no guns in national parks. Well, guess I won't be hiking in any national parks that feature "grizzly bear rides" eh?
If no guns were available,I think Anthony Hopkins approach from the movie The Edge would be in order.
Carry a very small pocket knife and sharpen tree limbs with it and play cave man is the general idea here , not an approach most on this board would take . If I were headed to the deep back country of Alaska I would have on Sealskin as a first layer and military BDU's as an outer layer . The pockets would be stuffed with survival goodies including ammo for the handgun "357 minimum" that I will have strapped to me via a shoulder holster and a second on a fully loaded belt or perhaps a combat vest or all three , LOL ! Might even be wearing a sissy fanny pack stuffed with junk too .
Yea i'm not going into Bear country without a Firearm, Hell when I go Deer Hunting we have a posibilty of Bear & I have my .308 & my .45 + 2 mags. This is a option S&W 500 Bear Kit Includes : S&W Model 500, 2 3/4" Barrel with Bright Orange Grips Waterproof Case Blast Match Saber Cut Saw Jet Scream Whistle Star Flash signal mirror Polaris Compas 2 Mylar Space Blankets S&W Extreme Ops Folding Knife Bear Attacks of The Century - True Stories of Courage & Survival
Not quite a accurate description.They sharpened several 2-3" or so diameter small trees, that were about 5-6' long ,into spears and placed them along a escape route.Then when the Kodiak came back around they lured him to the area and when the Kodiak was towering over Anthony Hopkins he wedged the spear into a corner of some rocks and the bear impaled himself as he was coming down on AH.He used the weight of the bear coming down to his advantage. This is actually a old style of hunting used by the indians.I believe it was the Eskimos who also used it. So what approach would most take with a mankiller Kodiac bear,who had stalked them,killed and ate a 3rd member of the group and was continuing to stalk and chase the remaining 2 members??And it was obvious the bear wasn't giving up the chase. Remember,no gun and stranded in the Alaskan wilderness.
How good a friend is guy # 2? [begin monty python british accent] If you couldn't use a sharp stick, you could always attack him with a banana, an apple, or a pommegranite. Very effective against large carnivores actually.
Problem is in the movie they had a choice of being in the wilderness , they were trying to find an old Indian to take his picture . About the only way someone would just "Find" themselves in the wilderness would be if they were a passenger on A) a commercial flight that crashed or B) a cruise ship that sank . In A it is unlikely one would live to worry about Bears , in B if the ship were close enough to shore that they could swim to it the land would be crawling with rescuers and the air and sea with the Coast Guard as a distress signal would be sent out . So if I were in the far northern wilderness it would be by some sort of choice "probably a hunting trip" and I wouldn't be wandering around with nothing more than a pocket knife on me . There are plenty of pants and jackets that have an abundance of pockets as well as many holsters that would attach to you that you wouldn't lose them or the gun in them if you had to go for a short swim .
Just remember, you dont have to be faster than the bear, just faster than the slowest guy in the party.
