The best caliber for brown bear?

[Salmonchaser]

Having this discussion right now with at breakfast with a couple of peninsula guides; consensus is: no matter the cartridge don’t expect the guide/outfitters to be excited to take it out of the box and mount the scope for you.
Beautiful morning out here today, warm and sunny.
Side note: This years spring Bear will be moved to next spring.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

If you think about it... a lever action 30-30 with hardcast lead or copper solids is going to generate more energy at 10 yards than a lot of the handguns that guys tout for bear. I'd feel undergunned with any firearm against a bear charge, but if I had to make the shot, I'd like it to be with the rifle I know best. Which happens to be an old 30-06AI.

 

[hodgeman]

Its its the one Im thinking of, wasnt he carrying a single stack S&W 3rd gen compact or something like that? Was a hell of a good story!

Yeah, Shoemaker dropped one with a 3rd gen S&W compact and Buffalo Bore.

The Russian River one was 2001 or 2002 and the guy used a Glock with FMJs after his buddy with the 12ga jumped in the river, dropped the shotgun and tried to swim away. A little girl managed to snag the shotgun a couple of weeks later while fishing reds.

It made the Anchorage Daily News a few times that summer.

 

[Blockcaver]

I've arrowed a brown bear at 25 yds, a grizzly at 13 yds and a polar bear at 30 yds. Makes for a very intense hunt,...the most exciting 3 hunts I have ever done. The bears were no-where near WR size, but I'd have had zero issue hunting them with a 30-06.

My Nunavut polar bear assistant guide in Feb 2018, a young Inuit with an iPad, does his polar bear hunting (and seal hunting) with a Remington 700 .222 Remington. He orders his annual supply of 50 gr ammo through the local Inuit co-op store. As per shot placement, he indicated a bear facing him at 70 or 80 yds was desirable and he shot for the heart, often placing two bullets there.

On another Nunavut hunt in late Oct 2018 for caribou my Inuit guide had killed a grizzly a couple days earlier with his .204 Ruger with 34 gr HP ammo. He told me it took two shots to "settle him down". He liked his .204 for wolf hunting. Says it caused less pelt damage than a .223. He also hunted caribou with it.

 

[22lr]

I've arrowed a brown bear at 25 yds, a grizzly at 13 yds and a polar bear at 30 yds. Makes for a very intense hunt,...the most exciting 3 hunts I have ever done. The bears were no-where near WR size, but I'd have had zero issue hunting them with a 30-06.

My Nunavut polar bear assistant guide in Feb 2018, a young Inuit with an iPad, does his polar bear hunting (and seal hunting) with a Remington 700 .222 Remington. He orders his annual supply of 50 gr ammo through the local Inuit co-op store. As per shot placement, he indicated a bear facing him at 70 or 80 yds was desirable and he shot for the heart, often placing two bullets there.

On another Nunavut hunt in late Oct 2018 for caribou my Inuit guide had killed a grizzly a couple days earlier with his .204 Ruger with 34 gr HP ammo. He told me it took two shots to "settle him down". He liked his .204 for wolf hunting. Says it caused less pelt damage than a .223. He also hunted caribou with it.

Ya, ive got to ask. Any picture of those 3 you mind sharing? Ive seen Polar Bears in the wild but have only dreamed of getting a chance to take one. Id like to live vicariously through you.

I remember walking through a little village in Northern Greenland and almost every house had a Polar Bear hide stretched out. Some were on the smaller side, but there were a couple good size bruisers! I remember going out on a seal hunting trip with one of the guys, and he said his polar bear pants were passed down from his grandfather. I was just trying to stay warm in my 4 layers of parka, jackets, base layers and heating pads for that trip, he was just fine with jeans and his polar bear pants! haha.

 

[teamr2]

Hunted Polar Bear in Arviat in 2004/2005 and my experience mimicked that of Blockcarver. No Inuit had anything larger than an old 303 British. They routinely killed Polar Bears with 22-250 and 222. I used a Bansner 375 RUM on PB and BB. Cant' remember what the 270gr bullets were but they and the 300gr Swift A-Frames worked with authority. That being said, If I lived where my quarry did and had plenty of time, I'd have no problem using a 308 of some variety.

 

[Marbles]

Nothing smaller than this in 20mm http://www.anzioironworks.com/MAG-FED-20MM-RIFLE.htm

If you don't have the stones to shoot and maneuver it like an M4 you should just never go outside in bear country.

 

[gbflyer]

My neighbors guide coastal brown bear. They ask their customers to bring minimum .375 with 270 gr. soft nose bullets. I think that setup fits their particular hunting style as most bears are taken right before it gets too dark to shoot. That and it’s very brushy country. They like to get close and hit them hard the first time. If there’s some open ground I could see the appeal of something on the smaller side. I hunt deer in brown bear country and I feel pretty good with 35 Whelen.

 

[Blockcaver]

I wore caribou clothes, a parka and pants the guide’s sister had made. They were super warm. Never brought them into the warm tent though. Dropped them off outside. In the morning I’d shake any snow off them and put them on.

I wore my usual mountain hunting gear under the caribou....all of it all the time, never came off from when I went hunting until I returned. Merino/poly next to skin, KUIU zip-off 220 fleece bottoms, then Attack pants followed by the original Superdown puffy zip off pants. Top included a Cabelas microtex shirt, Original KUIU hooded Superdown puffy and a Costco down coat. The guide’s sister also made the mittens I used...fox fur and very warm over my fleece gloves.

To shoot the bow, the caribou parka came off. My iPhone froze in about a minute during the brief photo session. So did the tip of my exposed little finger.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Back in the late 50s early 60s dad was flying around the territory/state working in the remote villages trying to solve dysentery and other related problems. Often his efforts were rewarded with hunts for just about anything Alaska had to offer.
He was amazed at how effective they were with the very popular.222, or 30/30.
One of his favorite stories was sneaking in on a bull moose, local guy punches the bull, back lungs with the .222. The bull wades out of the lake, up on dry ground and laid down, still very much alive. 15 minutes later one guy slips up close and puts one in the bulls head.

 

[grizz_bait]

I remember that one...FMJ to boot. Phil Shoemaker tipped one over with a 9mm a couple years ago as well. Still not going to try it.

In the ye olde days people tipped bears over with all kinds of stuff. Read "Last Voyage of the Karluk". Those guys dropped a number of bears with a 6.5 Mannlicher and a Winchester 94. Good stuff.

Notice how when someone kills a charging bear with a pistol it's an "oh shit, I can't believe that worked" type of situation. And yet people still try to argue that a pistol is the superior tool for bear defense. Yeah, it was a 9mm, but is an extra 1mm really going to make a difference when a 700-pound bear is charging you at 40 mph? The expert pistoleer stands a chance, but not the average hobbyist.

 

[TREE ‘EM]

I have two friends who have taken polar bear. One with his .270 win and the other with his 6.5X55. Both took broadside shots at 90-100 yards. Both reported the bears took a few steps and slumped over dead.

Years ago I remember hearing about a guy rowing up as a quietly as he could to a sleeping brown bear and shooting it behind the shoulder twice with his 10/22. He went back a couple hours later and skinned it.

I’ve carried my 375 Ruger for brown bear twice. If I’m ever so lucky to go again I’ll probably take my .270.

 

[sneaky]

Tim Wells stoned one with an arrow.....

Giving Credence to Nicks comment on shot placement.

_____

He also said that wasn't where he was aiming lol

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[22lr]

Notice how when someone kills a charging bear with a pistol it's an "oh shit, I can't believe that worked" type of situation. And yet people still try to argue that a pistol is the superior tool for bear defense. Yeah, it was a 9mm, but is an extra 1mm really going to make a difference when a 700-pound bear is charging you at 40 mph? The expert pistoleer stands a chance, but not the average hobbyist.

I like the saying, "a Pistol is not a weapon, its a tool designed to get you back to the weapon you should have been carrying in the first place."

Starting this thread was a great decision! haha, im having a blast with this. Some great stories out there! I love the stories of people making it work in a pinch. Coincidently ive gotten hooked on the old Fred Bear videos, crazy dude was out there taking tigers, bears, and freaking elephents with his recurve! Another person id love to have met.

 

[Blockcaver]

Fred Bear was a great advocate for bowhunting. Had the pleasure of meeting him at a Colorado Bowhunter banquet and a P&Y convention. Very gracious and neat guy.

Those old videos on American Sportsman were awesome. Especially his Alaskan Brown bear in the beach, the BC grizzly and polar bears. I think they might have influenced some of my life choices!!

 

[22lr]

Fred Bear was a great advocate for bowhunting. Had the pleasure of meeting him at a Colorado Bowhunter banquet and a P&Y convention. Very gracious and neat guy.

Those old videos on American Sportsman were awesome. Especially his Alaskan Brown bear in the beach, the BC grizzly and polar bears. I think they might have influenced some of my life choices!!

Very cool you got to met him! He comes across as a cool and collected very level headed kind of guy.

 

[jmez]

Tim Wells stoned one with an arrow.....

Giving Credence to Nicks comment on shot placement.

_____

And a spear.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[Marbles]

I like the saying, "a Pistol is not a weapon, its a tool designed to get you back to the weapon you should have been carrying in the first place."

I use to repeat the similar saying 'if you are going to be in a gunfight, bring a long gun.' Then I had someone reply 'if you know you are going to be in a gunfight bring a long gun, bring all your friends and have them bring long guns, have your friends bring their friends, get an armored division, than find an air wing.'

Better the tool you have than the tool in the safe, or left in camp, or on the shore 15 feet away because it got in the way of your fly cast. Or even 3 feet away....

How one man fought off a Kodiak bear | Shoulders of Giants

Armed with a four-inch Buck knife, 69-year-old Gene Moe fought a 750-lb Kodiak brown bear to the death... and won.

shouldersofgiants.com

Tools can help, but solid nerves are needed for any of them to be applied effectively. Of course there is also the story of Old Groaner, which could be used to argue the other side.

 

[22lr]

I use to repeat the similar saying 'if you are going to be in a gunfight, bring a long gun.' Then I had someone reply 'if you know you are going to be in a gunfight bring a long gun, bring all your friends and have them bring long guns, have your friends bring their friends, get an armored division, than find an air wing.'

Better the tool you have than the tool in the safe, or left in camp, or on the shore 15 feet away because it got in the way of your fly cast. Or even 3 feet away....

How one man fought off a Kodiak bear | Shoulders of Giants

Armed with a four-inch Buck knife, 69-year-old Gene Moe fought a 750-lb Kodiak brown bear to the death... and won.

shouldersofgiants.com

Tools can help, but solid nerves are needed for any of them to be applied effectively. Of course there is also the story of Old Groaner, which could be used to argue the other side.

Always find an Air Wing, those 2,000lbs of laser guided freedom will be a one shot stop for anything out there!

I love how Gene now has the hide hanging up on his wall! Talk about 1 heck of a trophy (I think it's safe to use that word in this context)! Now for the debate, was that a fair chase trophy, or how are we supposed to feel when the tables are turned the other direction for fair chase?

Brings another whole level to the joke about if all you have is a knife and a bear attacks, fight, you won't win but you'll die like a man. I think I'd prefer a good 10" Bowie or spear point though.

 

[Sourdough]

Fred Bear was a great advocate for bowhunting. Had the pleasure of meeting him

He was a very polite and pleasant man, I also had the great pleasure of spending time with him........long-long ago.