Grizzly/Black Bear Encounter Stories

[BeastOfTheTrees]

My wife and I got charged by 2 grizz while bowhunting together. What looked to be an old sow charged and got 4 rounds from my 454 because of it. The boar which I'm guessing was waiting for her to come into heat followed right behind her to see what the commotion was all about then charged once he saw us. Thankfully he only needed one shot as I only had 2 left in the cylinder. I did learn that I don't like grizz within 10 yards of me, swift a-frames are awesome in magnum handguns, and I prefer more than 6 rounds at my disposal.

So if you don’t mind me asking, after having that experience what kind of handgun protection would you recommend since you’ve actually had that situation happen.

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

Nothing I love more than bear stories, my uncles used to tell them at our little family parties religiously.

 

[jhm2023]

So if you don’t mind me asking, after having that experience what kind of handgun protection would you recommend since you’ve actually had that situation happen.

I carry an FNX 45 Tactical converted to 460 Rowland. 15+1 rounds, lower recoil for faster follow ups, night sights, a Trijicon RMR, and the ability to have a rail mounted light were some nice upgrades for a bear defense setup over a revolver. It also weighs less and is a lot more fun to shoot than the 454 ever was.

 

[FlyGuy]

That looks incredible




You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[motts]

Was one last year some college kid near the poconos I believe, was snapping pictures of the bear as the bear walked up on him all the way until it took him down and killed him.....I’m from Warren County, The Allegheny has a whole bunch of big bruins

That actually happened in the Abram S. Hewitt State Forest by Greenwood Lake on the NJ/NY border not too far from where I live. You are corect in that he basically took pictures right up until the bear took him down though; he was a student at Rutgers University. I think it took place two summers ago at this point.

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

That actually happened in the Abram S. Hewitt State Forest by Greenwood Lake on the NJ/NY border not too far from where I live. You are corect in that he basically took pictures right up until the bear took him down though; he was a student at Rutgers University. I think it took place two summers ago at this point.

That’s where it was my mistake

 

[Calcoyote]

As he puts it..."we were singing church songs in our head the rest of the night."

I will be laughing at this for most of the day. Oh my goodness this is funny. Have been there. Have done that. Even did it with a bear encounter once.

 

[TurboSportTSi]

I carry an FNX 45 Tactical converted to 460 Rowland. 15+1 rounds, lower recoil for faster follow ups, night sights, a Trijicon RMR, and the ability to have a rail mounted light were some nice upgrades for a bear defense setup over a revolver. It also weighs less and is a lot more fun to shoot than the 454 ever was.

This makes me feel a bit better about selling my 44 mag (5-shot) and getting the same FN. Planning on running 45 Super for bear protection. That 460 conversion is very interesting.

Never could get used to shooting a revolver quickly and accurately; couldn't hit jack with it after the 1st round. I figure it doesn't much matter the caliber if it doesn't hit, especially if you run out of rounds. Feel a bit undergunned with the FN, but it'll have to do.

I couldn't even imagine 4 shots in a row from a 454...I assume it was a short barrel...

 

[jhm2023]

This makes me feel a bit better about selling my 44 mag (5-shot) and getting the same FN. Planning on running 45 Super for bear protection. That 460 conversion is very interesting.

Never could get used to shooting a revolver quickly and accurately; couldn't hit jack with it after the 1st round. I figure it doesn't much matter the caliber if it doesn't hit, especially if you run out of rounds. Feel a bit undergunned with the FN, but it'll have to do.

I couldn't even imagine 4 shots in a row from a 454...I assume it was a short barrel...

I'm really happy with both the FN and the 460 conversion. I load Lehigh 200 gr. extreme penetrators and 190 gr. extreme defense. I was told by Lehigh to expect around 36+" of penetration with the 190gr. and my MV of 1425 fps. It helps that I can get 5 rounds into the A zone of an IPSC target at 10 yards before the first piece of brass hits the ground.

 

[Gulfgoose]

Only experience I've had with a bear was when I was a kid. We pulled a camper from south Texas to Red River, Nm when I was probably 8 or 9. Left to our own devices we caught a mess of Rainbows by the end of the day. Not thinking about bears we left them on a stringer in the creek behind the camper. Woke up the next morning to a bear eating our catch up in a tree. Being the bullet proof country kids we were, we decided to throw rocks at it to reclaim our fish. Not the smartest move ever....

 

[Hambone8888]

Was hunting in southern Oregon (general blackmail rifle season). I was maybe 15. I was sitting against a rock watching the ravine across from me. There was a creek below. Out of no where a black bear came bursting out of the tree line at the top of the revine (maybe 300 yards as the crow flies) and was running down the hill at full speed. He was coming right at me.

I got my rifle ready, because if he came up my side he would have ran me over.

He hit the creek and took a 90 degree turn. Just heard him crashing through the creek.

That was the moment I fully understood how fast a bear was!

 

[Droppndrakes]

I was elk hunting in British Columbia a couple years back. Horseback through the mountains. I had very limited experience on a horse and had never seen a grizzly. My guide was a good 100yards in front of me as we bobbed and weaved through a steep wooded area. All the sudden I see a Grizz about 40 yards away. My rifle is in the scabbard and I was worried the horse would bolt and I would be left on the ground with no gun. I yelled to my guide to alert and the Grizz watched us walk away. Made it out alive but it was easily the most scared I’ve ever been.

 

[Beendare]

First time I bowhunter Kodiak early season I was telling my buddy, "I want to see a brown bear"........

"Ugh, No you don't," he replied...and he was right!


We would shoot a buck and process them immediately, then pack it back to camp. Even packing in the dark is better than leaving that animal long enough for a bear to find it and then come back in the AM.

We had processed and packed a deer back to camp and then came back out after lunch on the ridge across from the kill site. Looking across at the site there was a huge mound of dirt will all of the brush torn up for about 30' around. We were shocked the bear had done all that in the 2 hours we were gone. We were about 400yds off getting closer when that big dirt pile moved. Sure enough, it was a huge dark brown phase bear that had been laying on the boned out carcass- huge bear.

Then later on that trip I was bushwhacking across a alder choked canyon to get on a 100" buck I spotted on the opposite hillside and I jumped a bear at about 20'. He must have been sleeping for me to get so close. I think my heart leaped out of my chest it happened so fast. He had a big bed dug two feet into the ground under those thick alders. Lucky for me he jumped up, woofed at me, and took off like a freight train down hill. Crazy how fast they are for a short distance.

Oh and yeah, thats the only time I've ever passed on going after a B&C buck... /grin

...

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

First time I bowhunter Kodiak early season I was telling my buddy, "I want to see a brown bear"........

"Ugh, No you don't," he replied...and he was right!


We would shoot a buck and process them immediately, then pack it back to camp. Even packing in the dark is better than leaving that animal long enough for a bear to find it and then come back in the AM.

We had processed and packed a deer back to camp and then came back out after lunch on the ridge across from the kill site. Looking across at the site there was a huge mound of dirt will all of the brush torn up for about 30' around. We were shocked the bear had done all that in the 2 hours we were gone. We were about 400yds off getting closer when that big dirt pile moved. Sure enough, it was a huge dark brown phase bear that had been laying on the boned out carcass- huge bear.

Then later on that trip I was bushwhacking across a alder choked canyon to get on a 100" buck I spotted on the opposite hillside and I jumped a bear at about 20'. He must have been sleeping for me to get so close. I think my heart leaped out of my chest it happened so fast. He had a big bed dug two feet into the ground under those thick alders. Lucky for me he jumped up, woofed at me, and took off like a freight train down hill. Crazy how fast they are for a short distance.

Oh and yeah, thats the only time I've ever passed on going after a B&C buck... /grin

...

My first Alaska trip I want to hunt deer there or black bear on POW island.... something budget friendlyish