[BigO01]

Actually JD is correct depending on what book you read or Television program you watch on the subject .

In Canada for instance the Grizzly is often referred to as the "Interior Grizzly" and the coastal bears are called Brown Bears or Coastal Grizzly .

The difference being their size which is mainly due to their diet .

The Coastal animals having easier access to the rivers mouth and Salmon runs for food seem to grow considerably larger than the interior animals .

The Kodiak's I think are considered a slightly different subspecies and are indeed much larger than "As a rule" your average "Interior" bear though close to the Browns the Kodiak's are typically still slightly larger .

This is a subject that has always fascinated and interested me and I have had several books on it over the years as well as read others and many Net articles .

While many will argue with me , I have read that there are actually more documented cases of Black Bears hunting down humans for food than a Brown/Grizzly .

Most Brown attacks are often more of a self defense measure when a person gets too close to a mother and cubs . She does the same thing with approaching Males of the species but of course they don't suffer the dramatic injuries that a human will .

Blacks on the other hand due to their larger range and familiarity with people have like many predators caught on to the fact that we are much easier to catch than a deer or other natural food source they will and have in many cases hunt us down and eat us .

I think it was in the book "Killer Bears" that I read of a case now 20+ years ago in Canada of a group of teens who loved to trout fish drove to a State or National park there .

Apparently it was a rather long drive and the Driver who was the oldest of the group and brother of at least one of them decided to take a nap and join the others later . When he awoke he called out several times with no answer .

When he went to investigate he found shredded and bloody clothing on the streams bank so he retreated to the nearest Town for the police and Forest Rangers . There were Three teen boys that had all been ambushed from behind by a large male Black Bear as they fished and they found the Bear very close by eating one of them with the other two buried in shallow graves nearby .

Over the years I have read of several cases of hunters or hikers hearing something or just getting "That Feeling" and turning around to find a Black Bear within a yards seeming to stalk them . These stories have been in various outdoor magazines like Field n Stream etc .

Personally I suggest if one is truly concerned about a Bear attack you have two weapons , first a short compact rifle like a Marlin Lever rifle in something like .444 Marlin , 45-70 , 450 Marlin or perhaps the new 308 Marlin Express and a handgun "That you wont lay down" in either 41 or 44 magnum "or something more powerful" .

[Dillinger]

Very informative read Big0 - Thank you for sharing your knowledge...

JD

[RL357Mag]

I have read the same stuff concerning black bears. Generally they avoid people, but when they attack a person it's to feed. Grizzly's are much bigger and more deadly, but more often than not they will attack to defend young or establish dominance, and often leave after the perceived "threat" is neutralized. Either way I would prefer a 12 ga. short-barreled pump in bear country or a revolver in at least .44 mag and preferrably .454 Casull

[bgeddes]

I live in Black Bear country. Most attacks involve the separation of a mother and cub (hiker accidentally steps in between them). Otherwise, they go on their merry way to find the next meal. Seldom reports of rabid bears surface, but it's generally considered exceptional.

[BigO01]

I would prefer a 12 ga. short-barreled pump in bear country

RL357Mag

Well my friend while I agree in that your weapon of choice might just be great as a strictly defensive weapon my problem with it and preference for a rifle is this .

Black Bear country is getting to be just about anywhere including on pavement and due to this I want to carry a weapon powerful enough to just about assure a kill even at longer ranges than a shotgun is effective at .

The shotgun may just prevent the attack on YOU but if it doesn't kill the animal you now have a wounded animal that has already proven aggressive to humans when 100% healthy and in my opinion now even more dangerous wounded .

If I were to shoot at a bear I considered charging me I would then go into hunting mode to assure that I had either hit or missed it . While I most certainly wouldn't want the legal problems of hunting out of season or shooting a protected species "which is what a bear is in my home state" I most certainly wouldn't want to live with the fact that some hiker or trail biker was killed by the animal 200 yards or so away from where I had wounded it before it died from it's wound while I was busy covering my butt and calling the authorities to report it .

From what I have read on Bears they are , especially from a frontal angle very hard to bring down and the preferred shot at this angle is the front shoulder .

I would much prefer a heavy jacketed large caliber bullet for this job as it will both expand and penetrate deeply while breaking heavy bone .

If I were to spend a great deal of time in confirmed Bear country I would probably go with either the 450 Marlin , 45-70 or something like the 358 Winchester or 35 Remington with the biggest for the Grizzly and Browns .

All four of these rounds will make a kill out to atleast 150 yards on these animals though I doubt tracking one in the woods could result in a shot beyond perhaps 50 yards .

Once when deer hunting in the falling snow I began following a fresh track hoping to catch up to the deer , after about 3-400 yards or so I came to a blow down evergreen tree the deer had simply jumped yet I had to walk around . In doing so I found bear tracks coming from the opposite direction I had and they turned and began paralleling the deer tracks . The farther I walked with those bear tracks staying next to the deers "And being fresher tracks from the clarity in falling snow" the smaller and smaller my 30-30 started to look . After a few hundred more yards I decided the Bear could have the deer and turned around and went back to where I came !

[matt g]

Originally Posted by bgeddes

I live in Black Bear country. Most attacks involve the separation of a mother and cub (hiker accidentally steps in between them). Otherwise, they go on their merry way to find the next meal. Seldom reports of rabid bears surface, but it's generally considered exceptional.

Exactly. This tends to be the opinion held by those that are well versed in bears. Those who are unfamiliar with bears feel hugely threatened by them.

[BigO01]

Exactly. This tends to be the opinion held by those that are well versed in bears. Those who are unfamiliar with bears feel hugely threatened by them.

Yep and that one goofy dude from California was so familiar with them he got to go through a digestive tract along with his girlfriend .

I think I'll pass on being that familiar and stick with feeling hugely threatened TY .

[matt g]

Originally Posted by BigO01

Yep and that one goofy dude from California was so familiar with them he got to go through a digestive tract along with his girlfriend .

I think I'll pass on being that familiar and stick with feeling hugely threatened TY .

That guy was a retarded drug addict, which unfortunately, California has too many of any way. I wish they'd all go play with bears.

[iloveguns]

All this talk of bears and nobody has brought up the Polar Bear. Why is that? I would much rather run into a grizzly then a polar bear. LOL. Just playing all. In my opinion the best weapon against a bear is your freaking legs. They will need to carry you out of there as fast as possible.

[matt g]

Originally Posted by iloveguns

All this talk of bears and nobody has brought up the Polar Bear. Why is that? I would much rather run into a grizzly then a polar bear. LOL. Just playing all. In my opinion the best weapon against a bear is your freaking legs. They will need to carry you out of there as fast as possible.

Bears can run at speeds of 35-40 mph, how fast can you run?