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Build a rifle for sheep or bears?
- Thread starter bigngreen
- Start date
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Alaska regulations:
Nonresidents:
A nonresident who hunts brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide OR by an Alaska resident 19 years of age or older who is within the "second degree of kindred"
Last I checked,
Guides like the hunters to have a rifle they shoot well, but I have never heard a single guide recommending smaller than 30.06 with 200 grn bullets. There might be some out there, just never heard of one. Personally I would take a 338 WM or LM, might even take my 375H&H and will carry my S&W 629 44 MAG
Nonresidents:
A nonresident who hunts brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide OR by an Alaska resident 19 years of age or older who is within the "second degree of kindred"
Last I checked,
Guides like the hunters to have a rifle they shoot well, but I have never heard a single guide recommending smaller than 30.06 with 200 grn bullets. There might be some out there, just never heard of one. Personally I would take a 338 WM or LM, might even take my 375H&H and will carry my S&W 629 44 MAG
Cliffhunter
Well-Known Member
Cliffhunter
Well-Known Member
That is terrifying. Glad he didn't take a swipe at you. When I hunted Alaska seems like you can never relax because of the grizz.
Cliffhunter
Well-Known Member
About 25 years ago I was a guest of an older gentleman at his ranch! He hunted onever continent, (not Antarctica of course) the big 5. Small 5, polar and grizzly and was a member on the committee that set the trophy standards. This is what he told me 25 years ago, and I still remember it. When hunting in an area with dangerous game, you don't take a rifle that will kill an animal in ideal conditions. Yiu take a rifle that will still do the job, when things don't go just right!
You don't have to follow this advice! I do!
You don't have to follow this advice! I do!
gyrfalcon
Well-Known Member
Why bother with a side arm?
You are carrying a fully adequate 300WM, why weigh yourself down with awkward redundant gear?. Griz usually avoid human contact where ever they can. Best go out and enjoy your black bear hunt and don't obsess over grizzlies, otherwise it is best to stay home. I worked for 10 years on blackies, grizz and mostly polar bears. When I am out hunting in Alberta my biggest worry in the first and last light of the day are nervous fellow hunters with loaded rifles, sitting somewhere in ambush for deer, elk or moose.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
This thread is pretty old. I'm sure bigngreen has decided what to do, and also has left the thread due to the stupid bashing. He is one of the better and more knowledgeable members here. However, his dilemma is very valid and interesting. Both his options are valid and would carry pretty much the same weight up the hill.... Here is what I think, right or wrong. Primary weapon is a bolt action rifle that may be needed for a 500 yd shot on a Ram. If the only weapon it needs to be able to stop a charge from a Grizzly at close range with one shot. AND, you are only going to get one with it. That starts with a .338 and 250gr bullets as a minimum IMO. I think if it were me, I would build the lite rifle, but ditch the .454 in favor of a double stack semi auto in 10MM. Load the 10 with heavy non expanding bullets like solid copper fluid transfer or WNHC as heavy as you can get and I think you not only would have a better chance, you would never get caught with it leaned up against a tree.
Well this one lasted a little longer than the last one who earned the ignore button. The last one who got the ignore button lasted only 2 days after he joined the forum!!! I believe that sometimes people's fingers type faster than their brain can work properly.
Cliffhunter
Well-Known Member
I responded to somebody that didn't like my (dumbest) remark. But I did apologize. I looked for it but I can't find it. I forgot I got to be nice on these forms.
Cliffhunter
Well-Known Member
Yeah. That's most hunts in Montana. I try to take a trip out to eastern MT once in a while just so I can relax a little bit. I'd be pretty hard pressed if I was relying on a 6.5 anything for ample protection in grizzly country. When I archery hunt I'll usually carry my 10mm as a sidearm. When rifle hunting my 329PD is the one I'm usually carrying around since I'll have extra rounds in the rifle too and it's light. Unless you're on horseback or darn close to the truck, nobody is carrying around an extra long gun for grizzly protection, yeah a shotgun would be nice to have but carrying one is unrealistic for most people.
If I was the OP, and I intend on it soon, I'd be building a lightweight sheep gun, I want to shoot for the 6-6.5lb range with optics. I'll carry a pistol too. It's like you said, when you run into a grizzly, they're going to be close. A short light handy rifle is going to be easier to swing on a bear if it comes down to that, but in close quarters the pistol is going to be better.
There was a guy that was archery hunting in MT, last year I think, that was charged by a grizzly. The warden that came out marked first blood at 4' from where he was standing when he took his first shots. FOUR FEET. I don't want to try to swing a rifle on a bear that's a mere 48" away, hell, I might have to shove the barrel in his mouth at that point, just to have a chance.
I'd build the sheep rifle and carry a pistol with ammo that you have confidence in.
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