[mrsocks]

I recently posted a question on a hunting web site about carrying two slugs in my shotgun while squirrel hunting. Those slugs are after the shot for squirrel. We have a decent amount of bears in the area and these slugs are only for bear if they attack. I have no intention of shooting a bear as it wanders by if it did ever charge, I want to be prepared.

forget any law issues and such....

would you consider i am assuming and thus afraid of bear attacks and should not go hunting, or am i just prepared for something that realistically could happen?

[kevin]

are you in black bear territory or grizzly? I know a bit about bears through reading several books when I had a fascination about bear attacks (still do). either way I'd not be worrying that the fresh squirrel kill is gonna lead bears to you looking to steal your food. In grizzly country, where I have never been, I would not be caught without some fire power. most important is to understand why a bear attacks and good bear country etiquette (camping, food etc) in black bear country (NH where I live) i'm not in the least concerned about hunting and bears conflict.

Read "Bear attacks: their causes and avoidance" by herrero (I think) to learn a ton on this topic.

to your question, I'd carry a slug (why not?) assuming it doesn't put your ammo count over that which is allowed by your fish and game rules; except how is it you are using a bear-suitable gun (say 12 guage) for squirrel hunting?. otherwise, a .44 magnum or better sidearm.

[mrsocks]

I'm using a smooth bore with #6 but have slugs in it behind it. With the pump i have, i am not expecting to get a number of follow up shots anyway, so one shot of the #6 per opportunity is fine with me. The manufacturer says slugs will work, but not be accurate at any medium to long distance. I dont care about that as I wouldnt be using it at those distances. This is all for if it came after me.

We have black bear here in NJ. I'm not worried about attracking them with the meat of squirrel or anything. This is all a matter of if i walked up on it or something by accident.

I will have to check out that book, thanks.

So to you, having it is more of preparedness and not an assumption that you will be attacked?

Thanks.

[Dick]

Personally i think it’s over kill.

I don’t see anything wrong with having a slug or two handy, but the chances of you having to defend yourself against a bear attack are infinitesimally small.

There are some exceptions, but few. I understand that the grizzly bears will move toward a rifle shot in elk country. They have learned that they will be rewarded with a gut pile, if not the whole elk.

I worry that people shoot first and ask questions later. I have been bluff charged by a black bear, and know instinctively that if i had a shotgun with slugs in it i would have shot the bear. Instead i stood firm with my pepper spray in hand only to watch the sow veer off about 5 meters from me...never to be seen again.

[Celticwarrior]

Are you allowed to carry a handgun into the field? Here we aren't allowed to do that, although many still do for a coup d'gras if they have a wounded animal. If you are, then maybe just carrying a large caliber handgun would work better. Either that or carrying a double barrel and only use the top for squirrel rounds and the bottom leave loaded with bear stoppers. It seems taking out shells all the time would be a real hassle on the off-chance a bear might come your way. JMO

[kevin]

Originally Posted by mrsocks

So to you, having it is more of preparedness and not an assumption that you will be attacked?

Thanks.

preparedness for bear possibility (or human animal) yes, but I don't even think about it as being much of a reality on a hike, no bear bells or nothing. black bear are quite timid, they will most likely run off EVEN if you cross them with their young. Due to this characteristic, a black bear, IF it charges you (so very unlikely) it's most often a bluff charge; stand your ground and don't run; raise a bead on him to be ready. If you cross a black bear sow with a cub, or just by accident, then mellow out, don't make eye contact, walk backwards and away slowly, talk nicely - no sense getting him/her angry. If you find a black bear starts stalking you, then you've got yourself a hungry bear who may be looking for you as dinner; even more dangerous a bear that has come to associate people with food (due to poor human behavior!) in this case you gotta whistle, clang metal, or perhaps fire a shot, stand big and tall, open your jacket to look bigger etc. to convey your not dinner. don't try to climb a tree; don't play dead or you will be. read the book. hopefully the gruesome stories don't drive you out of the woods forever!

It's a different ball game for grizzly since the motivations are different; very important to understand the difference. not a concern for you in NJ.

year before last, I headed up an old logging road on my way to a solo bushwhack. thinking to myself an enjoying the day, I was essentially silent. I turned the corner and stopped dead in my tracks seeing a sow w/ cub crossing the road 150' ahead. wind was in my face, so they couldn't smell me. first impression was to grab camera to get pics for my kids! heart was racing as I reached for camera and remembered it was in my pack. the bear lingered in the path. I grew my 0.357 sig w/ solid cast bullets and lined her up, just incase, then carefully backed away and back around the corner. I backtracked a tenth of a mile, then headed back in the same direction this time singing "hi ho, hi ho, I hope the bears will go, hi ho, hi ho..." since I couldn't think of anything else. when i got to that point again, gone. It was very exciting

this would never have happened if I even had a single partner since noise level would have scared them off long before.

[mrsocks]

I too agree that the chances are pretty small that it will happen, but this whole site is geared towards those small chances, so i wanted to hear your opinions.
I have had dogs bluff charge me and it was not fun but yes, if a bear did it, I would probably shoot. But it would have to be close to shoot. I wouldnt starting unloading on him if he was far enough away where I could still have some safe distance. I would try to get out of the situation before firing.

[cowgirlup]

Did someone the other site you posted on suggest that you had an irrational fear of bears? Do you feel that way? Just curious. I see no reason not to be preparred although I think you'd be in more danger from a violent person before a bear would actually attack you. Bear spray might be a better and non lethal (for the bear) alternative if you think that would be a good first line of defense before shooting one.

JMO

[Dick]

Originally Posted by mrsocks

I too agree that the chances are pretty small that it will happen, but this whole site is geared towards those small chances

I don’t think survival topics or forums are geared toward statistically unlikely occurrences (to use my words), quite the opposite. As a community I think we see the odds of finding ourselves in a survival situation as being pretty high. The how’s and whys change from locale to locale, but the threat is perceived. Any major earthquake, forest fire, or flood could put me into survival mode PDQ. In my lifetime I’m assigning 100% to the likelihood of such an occurrence. Bear attack I will give ~1%, and having spent the last 15 or so years hanging with bears, that still seems too high.

Our greatest asset is our ability to accurately assess the probability (likelihood) of an event occurring. This will guide what preparations, if any, are required to change the consequences or outcome.

We do have to look at consequence as well as probability, and the consequences of a bear attack are likely to be really bad. I guess it’s a cost / benefit analysis that we all do. For me I carry pepper spray and keep my wits about me, but had i been attacked 10 years ago I would probably be packing.

[gkckak]

I guess you could but most likely your fine. I have came upon a mother and 2 cubs in Arizona and the mother bear looked at me for 1 second and took off the other direction. I do not think I am that ugly that she took off the other direction but because they should naturally be scared and go the other way.