No BS: Real-life encounters bear vs. saw

[johncinco]

You know what the bears call pepper spray carried by a camper?




Seasoning.

 

[1Alpha1]

I'm surprised that with the noise a chainsaw makes, that a bear would even be in the area.

And if one did happen to "sneak up on ya", while your saw wasn't running, I 'd think that once you started it up, (if ya had a chance to do so) the bear would take off as much as they hate loud nosies.

 

[bwalker]

Might have family that bear? What about a stun grenade, that'd stuff it up. Perhaps hand held flares would too, I'm just not much into the killing thing if it's not going to be used for something.

How about a win mod 70 stoked with a stiff loaded Nosler?

 

[P_woozel]

I grew up and worked in the bush in AK and for one thing whena bear decides its going to engage another creature pretty much unless you're another bear you'll get hit harder than you've been hit in youre life. If they can fit your head in their mouth youre a dead man. Getting one with a saw would require a real cool customer, and a lot of luck. As far as weapons go leave the pistols at home unless you practice alot. A shotgun could work with Breneke slugs , any caliber above .30 with heavy Noslers, but none of this means crap if you cant shoot when piss is running down your leg. The fact is for every time you see a bear there was 20 times you didnt. The chances of gewtting beat up by a bear are insanely low. So rest easy, I would be more concerned about thge women in your lives than taking on a bear witna saw.

 

[JohnL]

Bearpaw...

 

[bvaught]

I grew up and worked in the bush in AK and for one thing whena bear decides its going to engage another creature pretty much unless you're another bear you'll get hit harder than you've been hit in youre life. If they can fit your head in their mouth youre a dead man. Getting one with a saw would require a real cool customer, and a lot of luck. As far as weapons go leave the pistols at home unless you practice alot. A shotgun could work with Breneke slugs , any caliber above .30 with heavy Noslers, but none of this means crap if you cant shoot when piss is running down your leg. The fact is for every time you see a bear there was 20 times you didnt. The chances of gewtting beat up by a bear are insanely low. So rest easy, I would be more concerned about thge women in your lives than taking on a bear witna saw.

Well said and the same goes for snakes. Seems everyone around this area is terrified of snakes. Most snakes you can step on and they wont bother you, unless you molest them or corner them. I imagine this is the same with bears, just leave them alone and they wont bother you.

More likely some crazed person will come bother you to steal your wallet than a crazed bear for a meal.

 

[rdbee]

Pepper-spray Will Work

Yeah P Woozel you are right about the slim odds of getting offed by a grizz compared to say squishing yourself etc. It's just one of those topics you never hear about (saw vs. bear). Iv'e read in the Province about a guy who fought off a black (I think) with a big hunting knife, then there was that guy on the island who slit the throat of a cougar that jumped on him. I personally know that bear mace DOES work on a grizzly if it's very close and there is no wind. Bear bangers- some people call them percussion grenades are pretty much just for fun no telling if the bear cares about it or not.
As far as bears running from noise, most of the time definitely, but 2 years ago I
was in a helicopter (500D) chasing a boar (male grizz) out of range of a unarmed female geologist and the sonofabirch turned and lunged for the chopper skid, missed by about 6 ft.

 

[Splunk]

I do not know what type of snakes you have dealt with but that has not been my experince with them. I stepped on a timber rattler in my pasture and he bothered me.
Luckily i had on high leather boots. One of my buddies kids stepped on a cooperhead when he was 3. It resulted in a life flight and 2 weeks in the hospital. I know you said most snakes and there are exceptions to the rules and i imagine grizzleys are one of those exceptions.

 

[whatsnext]

This is somewhat OT but did anyone hear the audio of the two tree hugging grizley stalkers getting munched by the grizley they were stalking? I'm sure it was kind of horrible for their family and all but it was a pretty stupid thing to do.
John..

 

[WESCOMAN]

Well I dont think if you are working with loud chainsaws you are startling them but it might be wise to be packing some long range Bear Repellent on you so if you have another close encounter you can spray that bear.

I wouldn't be messing with trying to chainsaw that guy, and trying to shoot it with a pistol ... poor bear, you're in his house!

This coming from a guy who cuts Palm trees! Since you are in Austraila what would you do if you where somewhere up by Gator country and a big Croc came after you? Spray him with pepper spray? (WE know you wont have any gun since your Government doesnt trust you all with guns) Just for your knowledge Big Bears happen to like pepper spray. That is now a proven fact. It doesnt really bother them. As far as being in the bears house B.S.. Man is the king in the wilderness. Anywhere on Earth. God made us above the animals not the other way around. And as for shooting it with a pistol you bet. .44 Mag, 454 Casual, 480 Ruger, 500 S&W ect ect. Any of those top off with Buffalo Bore Ammunition and got one Dead bear. (Of course that is if you know how to use it)

 

[John Ellison]

The cottonmouths around here arent very amiable.
What really makes me nervous, is to be in the woods with someone who is scared of bears and has a gun.
I worked on Chichagof Is. one season. It is one of the ABC islands that has a high brownie pop. One day a sow and two cubs crossed the waist line while we were hooking a turn. We noticed them just as the lines started to move. They would run like crazy and then stop as they came up to the singing, dancing haulback (cable)then turn around and run the other way, and the same thing would happen. We finally felt sorry for them and stopped then slacked the lines down so they could cross.
Certain times and certain places it is best to have the big bore protection, but I would spend more time worrying about alien abduction.
I dont have any idea if a saw would be any use in a full blown charge. Probably want full skip non safety with a min. of 60" bar.
John

 

[Chris J.]

I would be more concerned about thge women in your lives than taking on a bear witna saw.

So very true. I didn't know that you'd met my wife .

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

And as for shooting it with a pistol you bet. .44 Mag, 454 Casual, 480 Ruger, 500 S&W ect ect. Any of those top off with Buffalo Bore Ammunition and got one Dead bear. (Of course that is if you know how to use it)

There's a big difference between HUNTING a bear and DEFENDING yourself against an angry bear attacking.


.44 with ANYTHING is inadequate for defense. The others are marginal.

 

[hornett22]

4 inch Colt Anaconda in45 colt with buffalo bore.........

350 gr cast lead.the others mentioned would work too.so your saying if i'm in downtown Hartford and Tyronne decides he's gonna carjack me,since i'm in his house i shouldn't defend myself?i call BS on that liberal crap.

 

[Gypo Logger]

I doubt that any self respecting bear would come anywhere near a chainsaw anymore then they would run into a forest fire.
Unlless you were trying to ride one her cubs bareback, a chainsaw running full bore would simpling be too intimidating. Not because of it's cutting ability, but due to the high decibels.
I worked in Toba Inlet on the West Coast where Grizzlies were thicker then thieves and some of the loggers would not even shut their saw off they were so sh!t scared.
Ive had many encounters with bears wolves and even a cougar once, but never was charged, except once in a boat on a lake close to shore, but I think it was just a glorified bluff. Bears are opportunists and will rarely risk a confrontation unless provocated by iterference with young or a recent kill.
It's hard not to be scared, but bluff them out whenever possible. Using excessive force such as a gun is seldom required.
John

 

[WESCOMAN]

There's a big difference between HUNTING a bear and DEFENDING yourself against an angry bear attacking.


.44 with ANYTHING is inadequate for defense. The others are marginal.

Well Blueridgemark,
I dont know how many Grizzlies you have crossed paths with but most of those handgun calibers I quoted are more powerful than 30-06 rounds. (Buffoalo Bore ammunition) The 454 480 and 500 will drop the bear in his tracks!

 

[WESCOMAN]

I doubt that any self respecting bear would come anywhere near a chainsaw anymore then they would run into a forest fire.
Unlless you were trying to ride one her cubs bareback, a chainsaw running full bore would simpling be too intimidating. Not because of it's cutting ability, but due to the high decibels.
I worked in Toba Inlet on the West Coast where Grizzlies were thicker then thieves and some of the loggers would not even shut their saw off they were so sh!t scared.
Ive had many encounters with bears wolves and even a cougar once, but never was charged, except once in a boat on a lake close to shore, but I think it was just a glorified bluff. Bears are opportunists and will rarely risk a confrontation unless provocated by iterference with young or a recent kill.
It's hard not to be scared, but bluff them out whenever possible. Using excessive force such as a gun is seldom required.
John

And yes I agree with John. The chances are very low you will have to even unholster your sidearm. When we were fishing we all were packing 454 Casuals (back then that was the biggest around) and they never came out even when the HUGE Grizzies were around. They left us alone and we left them alone. The only scare was when went after one of my brothers hooked fish that was splashing. He just cut the line and that was about that. BUT when in Bear Country you need to be prepared. Is any hand cannon better then a 338 Win Mag. NO. But dont think the big ones wont do the job. For years My dad (and uncles)were Hunting guides in Alaska. (Its required if your an out of state hunter to have a hunting guide if hunting Bear). Back then they all carried 44 mags as a sidearm (that was the biggest back then). They worked just fine. There rifles were four .338 Win mags and one .458 Winchester Magnum.

 

[Chris J.]

John, I agree with you wholeheartedly, but I must say that I never figured you as a bearhugger .

 

[Justin Garrison]

One time I was simply hiking down a the Appalacian trail In Shenadoah by my self and come to find out there was a mamma bear and 3 cubs (black bears) roughly 5 feet away from me just off the trail. I was pretty freaked but just casually turned around and seemingly onbotherd just walked away. They just kept on what they were doing and left me alone. Another time at the same campground I was riding my mountain bike when a black bear cub ran out of the woods and started chasing me! I never never pedaled so fast before. I got away safe and sound. I guess he just gave up.

 

[jp hallman]

OK, my encounter wasn't with a bear, but those durn Sage Rats can get mean! If he'd a made it up my pant leg I'd have screamed like a girl!