When Bear Go Bad

[ADMIN]

Black bear can look oh so cute and cuddly to some. But when you come across a "bad" one, you'd better be prepared. Two years ago my son Cody, who was then 15 years old, came across one such bear. We were up hunting one of our favorite spots near beautiful Priest Lake Idaho. We were elk hunting and were seeing quite a few bear. Now bear was not our top priority so we were only going to shoot a bear if it was a really nice boar. We loaded up our quads and headed up to look over a couple of our spots. We are always prepared for encounters with bear, but hope we never have to test our shooting skills in self-defense.
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This is a thread for discussion of the article, When Bear Go Bad , By Bryce Wells. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

 

[winmag]

Great story. Glad it all worked out well.
I agree that if I were "hunting" bear with a handgun the .44mag or bigger would be among my first chioces. But I rifle hunt, & call Elk for my bow huntin buddies, so my sidearm is much smaller.
I have a Passion for Bear hunting, & have anchored my share. (tho not from 10 yds on a charge). I've had bears at 6 feet, & they were so lightening quick it scared me. I've killed bear from 27 yds on out to a few hundred yards. I Always have a side arm, but mine is in .40 S&W, & ya it goes right thru a bear skull at close range with Win PDX1 bonded hollowpoints, REM Golden Sabre hollow points, & American Eagle FMJ. It's a proven performer for me, but id much prefer a bigger gun in a full on charge. That must've been one Incredible experience as a hunter facing the charge, as well as for the father watching his son!!
My hat is off to you both. Your raising him right, & it looks like he's gonna be a contender in years to come. Definitely has "sand", & at times that's what it takes. I can only hope my sons turn out the same. Either way hindsight for both of you would be quite an experience, & a great father, son bonding memory.
You must be one proud dad.
(& ya, with that much sand he'd be a good choice in any kind of fight).

 

[Eaglet]

Really enjoyed reading that!

I'm glad you both are doing well. Thanks for sharing it!

 

[Timber338]

Amazing story. Cody sure is a good shot, especially under some serious pressure!

And the 44 mag seems to be great bear medicine. I always carry mine when I'm packing elk quarters.

 

[HARPERC]

Good story! I think the point of having gun in hand regardless of caliber when bears get close can't be overstated. It's so easy to get complacent about how close to let a bear get, and more folks are finding that out these days. It looks like a decent bear how big? Did the other bullets, or muzzle blast have any effect? Post mortem did the bullets penetrate as you hoped? You gotta love a happy ending. Hopefully Timothy Treadwell is watching from somewhere thinking so that's how you do that.

 

[Bullet bumper]

There is no bad bears . People hunt bears and they reserve the same rights to hunt us. If you don't accept that and be prepared for it then you are a potential meal .

 

[canoetipper]

Check cochranepolarbear awarenessweek to see how some people view bears.

 

[melsdad]

That is a great story! I'm sure glad things worked out the way they did for Cody! So how big was this bear, and what barrel length & model 44 is that, that Cody carrys?

 

[WildRose]

This is a thread for discussion of the article, When Bear Go Bad , By Bryce Wells. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

Good article. Lucky kid! Monster black bear.

Congrats to dad for having the forethought to prepare his son for such an encounter.

 

[Goofycat]

There is no bad bears . People hunt bears and they reserve the same rights to hunt us. If you don't accept that and be prepared for it then you are a potential meal .

I totally agree. Tim Treadwell ("Grizzly Man") felt compelled to rub elbows with Kodiaks on Kodiak Island, took great pictures, gave lectures to kids and seemed to feel that bears were warm, fuzzy creatures with whom we could live successfully if only we "understood" them. An admirable goal (perhaps 'questionable' is a better adjective), but Treadwell forgot that bears are WILD animals and treat humans only as would a wild animal. Treadwell was ultimately was killed by one of his "friends," as was the woman who accompanied him. A sad ending, but not exactly unexpected. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizzly_Man

Regarding Cody, it amazes me that the kid could pack around a .44 Mag and accurately pump four bullets into a charging bear without flinching. Great job, Cody. As Val Kilmer remarked to Tom Cruise in Top Gun, "You can be my wingman anytime."

 

[Eaglet]

The more we think about what Cody's done the more impressed we are. He truly is the man. A great example to all our youngsters and parents. Parents because Cody couldn't have done it without his dad's great training. Great job from Dad and Cody.

Goffycat, I could be wrong but my understanding is that the bear that got Tim Treadwell was the one he liked the least and was in the process of trying to
make friends with him.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Your right the bear that ate Treadwell and his girlfriend was the bear he always said he disliked the most, was unpredictable, and could never make friends with. It was their last night there and grizzlies are extremely attracted to sex odors. I think that could have been a contributing factor to the bear coming into the tent and eating them but I have no inside info on it although I have talked to the rangers who investigated it.

I have been in close around grizzlies many times over the years and several times in that area of southwest Alaska. Virtually every year I have encounters within 15-50 yards either while hunting or in Yellowstone and in the past filming bears near where Treadwell got ate. They can be docile one minute and slap you dead the next. No big deal to them just a little slap is all it takes killing you when all they meant was to give you a stern warning. All in the body language and understanding it.

There was a man and his wife got ate near an area where I caribou hunt in Alaska on occasion. They had done everything right with their camp and food and were experienced in the Alaska bush. Again in that one sex may have been a contributing factor. I know one year while I was at Yellowstone backpacking a big boar grizzly drug a girl camping alone out of her tent and ate part of her. She was having her menstrual cycle which also attracts grizzlies.

 

[Aussie_hunter]

When I went hunting in America the bloke I stayed with had a 454 pistol for bears we went for a trip to mississippi for a shoot and to sight his rifles in and I shot a 454 for the first time that gun had some serious power My knowledge on pistols is limited I know enough about them but because of our harsh gun laws pistols are a hard one to get but if I was to get a pistol that would be one I'd like to own, has anyone shot a bear with a 454? What's a 9mm or .45 like for stopping a bear, iv noticed they mainly use revolvers over a semi-auto or what the Australian goverment has changed the name to self loading pistol, do use choose the revolver because they almost never jam? That story sent a shiver down my spine the poor kid and the poor father must have been very worried for his son in a situation like that.

 

[WildRose]

When I went hunting in America the bloke I stayed with had a 454 pistol for bears we went for a trip to mississippi for a shoot and to sight his rifles in and I shot a 454 for the first time that gun had some serious power My knowledge on pistols is limited I know enough about them but because of our harsh gun laws pistols are a hard one to get but if I was to get a pistol that would be one I'd like to own, has anyone shot a bear with a 454? What's a 9mm or .45 like for stopping a bear, iv noticed they mainly use revolvers over a semi-auto or what the Australian goverment has changed the name to self loading pistol, do use choose the revolver because they almost never jam? That story sent a shiver down my spine the poor kid and the poor father must have been very worried for his son in a situation like that.

Unless you can stick them in the bear's mouth a 45acp or 9mm are just going to make them very mad and get you killed.

The reason mainly it is revolvers used is because the auto's won't chamber the rounds large enough to be effective on bears, at least in a platform that is useful and practical