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Disclaimer: I have spent months in Alaska in areas where bears frequent, including the Kenai peninsula. I have also spent time in Montana, including in GNP and a few other areas where bears are known to be a problem. I once spent an afternoon off from work in Yellowstone. I have a bear that crosses my property from time to time (others have seen them and cougars). I have hunted both WA and Orygun for years until I could no longer make the treks required.
I have never seen a bear in the wild. I have seen their fecal matter (yes, they do **** in the woods) and their tracks (including brown bear tracks in Alaska).
I do not feel threatened by the fact that bears and cougars are in the woods. I carried often in Alaska and Montana, but I am regularly out in the woods on my property with little more than a pocket knife. I feel more threatened by dogs - both domestic and feral - I've seen them attack other dogs and humans and I've had them chase me and act very aggressively.
More people are attacked and injured/killed by moose than by bears. More people than that have been attacked and injured/killed by domestic dogs.
So, I have noticed the frequent topics here and there "what is the best bear gun/caliber".
Given that a full sized brown bear was once taken down by a woman with a .22 rimfire rifle, I would say whichever one you have with you at the time - which is why my choice is a S&W 329PD because if I am going to carry something, I want it to be light enough to be hardly noticeable and I don't mind that it is a pain to shoot - I can handle it if necessary.
Which brings me to this article which I just now stumbled onto:
Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 Incidents
I have never seen a bear in the wild. I have seen their fecal matter (yes, they do **** in the woods) and their tracks (including brown bear tracks in Alaska).
I do not feel threatened by the fact that bears and cougars are in the woods. I carried often in Alaska and Montana, but I am regularly out in the woods on my property with little more than a pocket knife. I feel more threatened by dogs - both domestic and feral - I've seen them attack other dogs and humans and I've had them chase me and act very aggressively.
More people are attacked and injured/killed by moose than by bears. More people than that have been attacked and injured/killed by domestic dogs.
So, I have noticed the frequent topics here and there "what is the best bear gun/caliber".
Given that a full sized brown bear was once taken down by a woman with a .22 rimfire rifle, I would say whichever one you have with you at the time - which is why my choice is a S&W 329PD because if I am going to carry something, I want it to be light enough to be hardly noticeable and I don't mind that it is a pain to shoot - I can handle it if necessary.
Which brings me to this article which I just now stumbled onto:
Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 Incidents