Hiker Shoots Grizzly in Denali Nat'l Park

[wyntrout]

Uh, oh. This guy's in trouble. It's legal to carry but not to discharge a firearm in in the Wilderness section of Denali National Park. It's the first instance of this there... maybe because it was only recently legal to be armed. It's tough to NOT feed the bears AND defend yourself.
Of interest to some, he fired 9 .45s at the bear, which stopped charging the hiker's female companion and ran into the woods. Rangers found the dead bear about 100 yards from the shooting.
Backpacker shoots, kills grizzly in Alaska park - Yahoo! News

Wynn

[cgo99]

Uh, oh. This guy's in trouble. It's legal to carry but not to discharge a firearm in in the Wilderness section of Denali National Park. It's the first instance of this there... maybe because it was only recently legal to be armed. It's tough to NOT feed the bears AND defend yourself.
Of interest to some, he fired 9 .45s at the bear, which stopped charging the hiker's female companion. The bear then stopped and ran into the woods. Rangers found the dead bear about 100 yards from the shooting.
Backpacker shoots, kills grizzly in Alaska park - Yahoo! News

Wynn

It is probably the first instance of this because in all other instances the bear made a snack of the hikers (everybody been unarmed an all).
If is true that the bear charged first I say good for him, I rather go to jail than let a bear eat my wife. That been said I will probably let the bear eat my mother in law, assuming the bear can take her.

[hsart]

Wow, I wonder what round made the bear turn and retreat. If it was round 7-9 I would be out of luck with my PM45. What is the best .45 ammo for Grizzly stopping??

[Bawanna]

Wow, I wonder what round made the bear turn and retreat. If it was round 7-9 I would be out of luck with my PM45. What is the best .45 ammo for Grizzly stopping??

I'd definitely leave all your hollow point stuff at home. Get the hottest FMJ stuff you can find. Maybe save the last one a hollow point for yourself. I think they even make special hot ammo for like 44's and even 357's, never heard of it for 45's but never really looked. One of the guys fishes the river up there and he got special hot stuff.
It's also best to have your wife carry a nice 416 Rigby as a walking staff, you can switch to that when you toss your 45 at the bear and run for your life.
Just like bad guys, the best defense is avoidance although you just gotta love looking at bears in the wild through very powerful binoculars from a cruise ship half a mile from shore with high greased up sides and no ropes or ladders hanging over the side.
Call me the brave one.

[wyntrout]

If you couldn't be armed, second best survival tip would be to have a companion that you can outrun, though the predator might chase the runner and ignore the person who froze... predator-prey response and all... there's a dilemma!

Hmmm... hey Bawanna' wanna go on an adventure??

Well, there's always Wifey.... I personally plan to never put myself in a position like that... unarmed in a less than desirable position in the local food-chain.

Rules... Don't feed the wildlife... Don't shoot the wildlife.... I would stick with the Don't FEED the wildlife... your self... or a LOVED one!

That's a personal choice, though. I'm sure there are those who would think it noble to be a large predator's lunch rather than harm them... to the point they might remove any indigestible trinkets or harmful things from their body as the predator joins him/her for lunch... a Darwinian moment.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

If you're set on using a popgun, I would suggest the heaviest, most powerful load possible with the emphasis on penetration, not expansion... and lots of them... practice speedy reloading... under pressure.

For the .45ACP, I've read about loads with 245 grains or better... usually hard-cast flat-nosed solids, pushed pretty hard.
Wynn

[Bawanna]

If you couldn't be armed, second best survival tip would be to have a companion that you can outrun, though the predator might chase the runner and ignore the person who froze... predator-prey response and all... there's a dilemma!

Hmmm... hey Bawanna' wanna go on an adventure??

Well, there's always Wifey.... I personally plan to never put myself in a position like that... unarmed in a less than desirable position in the local food-chain.

Rules... Don't feed the wildlife... Don't shoot the wildlife.... I would stick with the Don't FEED the wildlife... your self... or a LOVED one!

That's a personal choice, though. I'm sure there are those who would think it noble to be a large predator's lunch rather than harm them... to the point they might remove any indigestible trinkets or harmful things from their body as the predator joins him/her for lunch... a Darwinian moment.

Wynn

So I guess I'd be the slower moving companion as apposed to the loved one? I'm feeling just a little bit like pogey bait here Wynn. I will remove my rings and watch, wouldn't want to cause Mr. Bear indigestion and such. What if when we meet Mr. Hungry Bear you panic and run and your scenarion unfolds and the bear chases you and I'm shooting from the back trying to prevent you from becoming a free dollar meal and accidently shoot ya directly in the ********? I'd not only feel terrible, I'd have to pack your wounded backside out of the wilderness. No doubt feeling equally terrible.
But in answer to your original question. I'm up for it, thanks for the invite. Think I'll bring my electric chair and pray the diehards don't die in a critical moment.

[wyntrout]

I'd definitely leave all your hollow point stuff at home. Get the hottest FMJ stuff you can find. Maybe save the last one a hollow point for yourself. I think they even make special hot ammo for like 44's and even 357's, never heard of it for 45's but never really looked. One of the guys fishes the river up there and he got special hot stuff.
It's also best to have your wife carry a nice 416 Rigby as a walking staff, you can switch to that when you toss your 45 at the bear and run for your life.
Just like bad guys, the best defense is avoidance although you just gotta love looking at bears in the wild through very powerful binoculars from a cruise ship half a mile from shore with high greased up sides and no ropes or ladders hanging over the side.
Call me the brave one.

That reminds me of those tours to see polar bears in their habitat, using special-built high-off-the-ground heavy steel vehicles. The bears aren't afraid of those at all. You can probably Google the tours. I like your thinking Bawanna', though I'm content with documentary videos on my big-screen. I have Boomer next to me with reloads. You never know when someone might want to join you and share your stuff.
Wynn
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[wyntrout]

I was thinking of the unarmed scenario... which ain't gonna happen. If you're armed, I'm gonna be armed. I wonder if a 5 mega-volt baton would deter a charging bear? I wouldn't mind seeing that test... in a video!
I like animals but I'm not crazy about feeding them... my self.

I would rather eat THEM, than they eat ME!

Wynn

[jlottmc]

I have a friend who has some 300gr hollow points loaded to push 1100-ish fps out of a 1911 (the heaviest HP he can find from a 45 colt, stuffed into an ACP). I would take those if I were limited to 45 acp. Personally, 1 I'm gonna be packin, legal or not there, 2 I'm taking not less than a 454 Casuall, and lots of ammo. I like the eat them idea better than I do the eat me. The other thing I would be bringing would likely be a 45-70 Marlin (follow ups), maybe a Phelps revolver in the same. I respect the critters and like to see them, just don't want to know what teeth and claws feel like.

[jlottmc]

I was thinking of the unarmed scenario... which ain't gonna happen. If you're armed, I'm gonna be armed. I wonder if a 5 mega-volt baton would deter a charging bear? I wouldn't mind seeing that test... in a video!
I like animals but I'm not crazy about feeding them... my self.

I would rather eat THEM, than they eat ME!

Wynn

If you want to get that close to try it, go right ahead. I'll let you play with the bear, while I run screaming like a school girl.

[kahrseye]

Ok, call me a stickler for details but.....why is it legal to carry a weapon, but illegal to use it? What's the point of having the weapon if not to defend yourself in just this situation? Is the guy just supposed to let the bear eat him or his wife or both?:33:

[hsart]

Grizzly Man (the movie). It chronicles the life and death of bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell. I do not think I saw a gun anywhere in that movie. Eventually he and his girlfriend were eaten alive.

[jlottmc]

Apparently, they didn't have a problem becoming lunch. I do, and FTW guns and our brain put us on the top of the food chain. That sounds like a great idea, let me go into the bush, play with the bears and then when they want a snack, I'll let them have me and my GF. At least there are two fewer idiots in this world.

[Bawanna]

Ok, call me a stickler for details but.....why is it legal to carry a weapon, but illegal to use it? What's the point of having the weapon if not to defend yourself in just this situation? Is the guy just supposed to let the bear eat him or his wife or both?:33:

I think in the tree hugger world that's called taking one for the team. Treadwell had no firearms, he believed he was actually bonding and connecting with the bears. Maybe they were, their IQ's were certainly at comparable levels. I don't know if his girlfriend was as devout in his beliefs as he was but I feel sorry for her if in fact she was collateral damage only for her affection for him and his misguided beliefs. I would not wish a bear attack on anyone, well maybe one or two but as a general rule, I'd violate the law and switch to guns while I'm rolling away as fast as I can roll.

Earth first, we'll log the rest of the planets later?