Who has had to use their "backup" pistol?

[Gunnersdad49]

I've used a .357 twice to run off otherwise very adamant cow moose. Once on the Resurrection trail in a very narrow area. She was 25 yards in front of us, and we assume had a calf near by. There was no moving left or right due to terrain. Shouting and backing up only led to a couple of bluff charges. A pair of shots into the dirt in front of her turned her without anyone getting injured. Similar event near Kenai.

My brown bear experiences never required a shot to be fired, but walking back from the river with a pack full of salmon in the dusk was slightly more comfortable with a .44 on my chest.

Colorado black bears have been curious enough (not aggressive, just not afraid and curious) that I carry a pistol bow hunting now. Haven't had to use it yet.

I did bump into a sow on Kodiak in the dark with a pack full of deer meat. All I had was my .300 Weatherby, as did my friend. She was growling and popping her jaw. We both leveled our rifles preparing for a charge, and clicked our safeties off. At the sound of the clicks, she cocked her head like a dog and ran away.

 

[Crewsader]

I wouldn't feel under gunned with a 40. My 10 did about 10" more than it needed to. I actually carry my g23 90% of the time now .

I didn’t feel under gunned with the .40 until this encounter. The .40 was fine for black bears and mountain lions but that Grizzly was huge. So I picked up the TRR8 on 10/31/18, just over a month after the encounter. Technically it’s a R8 as it was the first generation model but more commonly referred to as a TRR8. I also keep the detachable rail light/laser combo in my pocket after dark around the camp. - Ted.

 

[5MilesBack]

I sometimes carry a backup pistol in an ankle holster, and my primary on my hip, but never while hunting. While hunting I only carry my G20 on my hip, and my bow in my hand. But thank goodness I've never had to use my primary or backup handguns.

 

[chindits]

Never on bears but twice CONUS on humans. One was off duty camping and the other was on duty. Both times I would rather of had a rifle. Even a hunting rifle. I’m not a fan of handguns in lethal encounters and have yet to carry while hunting. Overseas I hand receipted that 9mm to another TL so I wouldn’t have to carry it, on my other deployment I didn’t have the option to get rid of it.

 

[Wrench]

My thoughts on bears is, their heart beats like twice a week. If you think tissue damage will stop them.....you're going to be sore. It's a CNS hit or nothing. Choose something you are accurate and familiar with. 3 clicks of a 22lr in an eye socket is going to be better than a 500 to the liver.

 

[Redside]

Only had to pull out my handgun one time. My first encounter with a grizz in SW MT I was solo bow hunting elk. I saw the bear first, it was going in the opposite direction on a trail below me, the wind was going downhill. I could just barely see the top of it and was hoping it was a cinnamon black bear, which I had a tag for, but in my mind I think I knew what it was.

Once it hit my wind it ran up the hill at me then stood on its hind legs looking for me at 14 yards. Getting a good look and realizing it was not a cinnamon, but indeed a Grizz, I put the bow down and pulled out the spray and handgun. Apparently I have a scary voice as I said "hey bear" it hit the ground and ran away down the hill.

I carry a Springfield XD .45 because that's what I have.

 

[Totoro]

A few years back, ran into some 2 legged animals in the middle of Tahoe National Forest practicing horticulture. They raised machetes and I raised my tuned G20SF with 15rnds of Underwood 200 XTP on tap. Mexican stand off, I backed off the mountain and went two ridges away then circled back to my SUV.

Last year, black bear rolled into camp and O-dark-thirty tearing up the tents scaring the bloody ba-Jesus outta everyone. Lit it up and it ran on then circled back around. A couple warning shots to scare it off.

Early this year, snowshoeing had to put down a rabid coyote frothing at the month.

Anywhere I am in-state and out in the field, the G20SF is always with me. If for nothing else, a piece of mind for me.

 

[AK Troutbum]

My thoughts on bears is, their heart beats like twice a week. If you think tissue damage will stop them.....you're going to be sore. It's a CNS hit or nothing. Choose something you are accurate and familiar with. 3 clicks of a 22lr in an eye socket is going to be better than a 500 to the liver.

I would have agreed with this a few years ago but can’t say that I do these days. I shot a brown bear, at about 15 yards, and missed (his forehead), where I was aiming. I ended up hitting him in the right neck/shoulder area and the bullet traveled the length of his body and exited out his right hip just beside his tailbone. I was shooting a S&W .500 and 440gr. hard cast bullet. Anyway, the bear didn’t do too well, and the 440gr. bullet did better than I had expected, considering the fact that my shot was bad.




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[Jardo]

We were bow hunting with recurves in the Manzano mountains on 9/23/18 at just before noon. I snapped this picture of the tall canopy we were walking through about 5 minutes before we walked up on him. We could hear an elk moaning so we stupidly decided to walk in that direction to see what was up. Just before we saw the bear about 10 huge vultures flew out in front of us. Their wing span was so big that the sound of their wings moving the air sent a chill up my spine. About 10 seconds later from where the birds had flown out of we spotted the bear/elk. We both drew out side arms and began backing away. The bear didn’t seem to even notice us. After we backed away it a bit we hustled back to the truck. We were nervous and in an area of the woods we weren’t familiar with. We ended up passing the truck and wandering around for 15 minutes looking for it. We finally found it and got out of there. We told the story to some people who kind of made fun of us about seeing a Grizzly as they are not suppose to be around this area. I did a lot of research and turns out the Mexican Grizzly are considered exterpation (locally extinct) rather than extinct. They ranged from mexico to CO, from CA to NM. Apparently there are still some left in the deep woods of NM. - Ted.

I don’t mean to sound like a dick, but I’m sure you saw a cinnamon black bear. I was born and raised in Santa Fe and my family has lived in New Mexico since the 1840s. The last grizzly anywhere close to NM was killed near Durango in the 60s.

Nobody has seen a Grizzly in NM since 1921. The last Grizzly in Mexico was killed in 1964 and paraded through town in chihuahua.

The Manzano Mountains are less than 30 miles from Albuquerque and are probably the 2nd most visited, hiked, and camped mountains in New Mexico. These mountains are not considered remote by anyone in NM.

Again, not trying to be a dick or pop your balloon but It is my opinion that you are mistaken and did not see a griz.




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