Defence from bears/mountain lions
Question:
# # #I plan use a .44 mag. for protection while # # hiking in remote areas. It needs # # to # # #be as effective as possible against mountain # # lions and bears. What # # ammunition # # #is best for this purpose? # # # # # Personally I would load a 350 gr. cast lead to # # about 1100 fps (max in .44 mag) # # this should be plenty for any encounter of any # # kind. # # The first requirement for a bear protection gun is a rounded, # streamlined gun like the new Ruger autos. The caliber is not that # important, Because when that grizzly gets hold of you with a pistol, # he’s gonna stick that gun so far up your #*~ it’s gonna wink at him! # # In the Colorado mtns, where I live, virtually all black bears and all cougars are pretty well tamed with a .357. I carry a revolver to avoid jams. Grizzlys are, of course, a different kettle of fish. — G Boggs In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is. Y. Berra Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
# # #I plan use a .44 mag. for protection while # # hiking in remote areas. It needs # # to # # #be as effective as possible against mountain # # lions and bears. What # # ammunition # # #is best for this purpose? # # # # # Personally I would load a 350 gr. cast lead to # # about 1100 fps (max in .44 mag) # # this should be plenty for any encounter of any # # kind. A 44 mag. is plenty for any bear or cat, the odds of needing it are slim especially with the cat. as for ammo I would load up some 300 gr. hollow points, but keep in mind that if you ever need it you will need it very quick and will have to be able to place a very accurate shot with it, and the only way to do that is to have a good holster set up and to practice a lot. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
# A 44 mag. is plenty for any bear or cat, the odds of needing it are slim # especially with the cat. as for ammo I would load up some 300 gr. hollow # points, but keep in mind that if you ever need it you will need it very quick # and will have to be able to place a very accurate shot with it, and the only # way to do that is to have a good holster set up and to practice a lot. While I agree that the odds of needing it are slim, it would seem to me that a 44 mag. is probably marginal for the larger species of bear. Up against a Kodiak, I’d feel quite a bit undergunned with *any* handgun, even a 44mag. Jared Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
seems like the bear already did his deed to you, a pistol ( 44 mag) with the the job at ranges les than 10 feet if you are man enough to do it, I had a small Brownie charge me and thanks to a 300 gr nosler out of a 375 I had her die 8 yards from me. And I was just taking up the grip when she fell. Hail Nosler
# # # #I plan use a .44 mag. for protection while # # # hiking in remote areas. It needs # # # to # # # #be as effective as possible against mountain # # # lions and bears. What # # # ammunition # # # #is best for this purpose? # # # # # # # Personally I would load a 350 gr. cast lead to # # # about 1100 fps (max in .44 mag) # # # this should be plenty for any encounter of any # # # kind. # # # # The first requirement for a bear protection gun is a rounded, # # streamlined gun like the new Ruger autos. The caliber is not that # # important, Because when that grizzly gets hold of you with a pistol, # # he’s gonna stick that gun so far up your #*~ it’s gonna wink at him! # # # # # # In the Colorado mtns, where I live, virtually all black bears and all # cougars are pretty well tamed with a .357. I carry a revolver to avoid # jams. # # Grizzlys are, of course, a different kettle of fish. # # — # G Boggs In theory, there is no difference # between theory and practice. In # practice, there is. # Y. Berra # # Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: # http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ # # To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
I’m told that wearing bells on your clothing will help keep away bears. I’m also told that you can avoid grizzlies by looking for grizzly droppings. They’re the ones with little bells in them. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
# #I plan use a .44 mag. for protection while # hiking in remote areas. It needs # to # #be as effective as possible against mountain # lions and bears. What # ammunition # #is best for this purpose? # # # Personally I would load a 350 gr. cast lead to # about 1100 fps (max in .44 mag) # this should be plenty for any encounter of any # kind. The first requirement for a bear protection gun is a rounded, streamlined gun like the new Ruger autos. The caliber is not that important, Because when that grizzly gets hold of you with a pistol, he’s gonna stick that gun so far up your #*~ it’s gonna wink at him! Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
> I’ve heard that Mountain Lions don’t like when you put your hands over > your head and scream! I’d suggest federal hydrashock. Have the gun
I would suggest pepper spray as a possible defense mechanism. At the local sporting goods/camping/hunting/fishing.. store, they sell nice _BIG_ cans of pepper spray, just for this purpose. I believe this is the recommended anti-bear attack method in Alaska. Although, some people have sprayed pepper spray on the ground around their house, or campsite, and doing so actually entices bears to come near the area. (!) (I guess they like salsa too!) — brooks [ Anti Spam : Remove leading 'b' on brooks, and trailing 'm' on comm when replying to email. ] Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
For those animals you want penetration. That means FMJ or hard cast semi-wadcutters. Best ask a hunting guide what they recommend. If you *expect* bear trouble, take a 12 gauge loaded with deer slugs. A .44 mag is really wimpy for bear. #I plan use a .44 mag. for protection while hiking in remote areas. It needs to #be as effective as possible against mountain lions and bears. What ammunition #is best for this purpose? # Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
#I plan use a .44 mag. for protection while hiking in remote areas. It needs to #be as effective as possible against mountain lions and bears. What ammunition #is best for this purpose? I’ve been asking the same question. For hiking/camping here in Vermont, I plan to just take my .45 along. However, I’m planning a trip to Alaska next summer to do some backcountry hiking and camping, and at this point I’m leaning strongly towards buying the new Marlin lever-action .45-70 Guide Gun to take along. I’ve heard stories of people emptying all six rounds of .44 magnum into a bear and still being mauled to death. .45-70, most people seem to agree, would be more likely to take the bear out before it takes me out. But as someone else pointed out, make noise as you hike. Bears and other wildlife will generally try their best to avoid humans; maulings are usually the result of startling a bear or making a mother bear feel that her cubs are threatened. As for taking my .45 along here in Vermont, well, the bears are a lot smaller than in Alaska, and besides, human predators seem to pose a bigger threat — there have been numerous robberies, rapes, and even murders in wilderness areas up and down the East Coast, even in Vermont. Sad but true. –mark — . . . . . mark bock Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
# #I plan use a .44 mag. for protection while hiking in remote areas. It needs to #be as effective as possible against mountain lions and bears. What ammunition #is best for this purpose? # Personally I would load a 350 gr. cast lead to about 1100 fps (max in .44 mag) this should be plenty for any encounter of any kind. moonie 
Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
