Bear Spray or Glock 10mm?

[Vitals]

I will be going on my first backpacking trip this year into the Marble Mountains. If you are not familiar with the area, the MM Wilderness Area is in zone B6-Northern California. I have been told there are many bears up there by just about everyone who has been there. While hunting, I normally carry my 10mm as a side arm. Weight and space being at a premium on this type of hunt, I am wondering if I would be better off taking a can of some good bear spray. What are your philosophies on the matter? If there is anyone who hunts the area, I would be curious to have your input as well....
My initial thoughts are that it would be great to save the weight since I will already have my .270 with me.

 

[Ryan Avery]

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?2984-Hunting-in-grizzly-country&highlight=bear+spray

 

[justin davis]

Glock 10mm is one bad rig

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Glock 10mm is one bad rig

Boy howdy! I want one ....BAD!

 

[justin davis]

Boy howdy! I want one ....BAD!

Me too! I got a Glock 21. Want a 10mm thou

 

[Ryan Avery]

I have a glock 29 and it's killed a black bear at about 5 feet. Center mass in the chest, it didn't like it

 

[Yellowknife]

While I dearly love my Glock 20 (put a few mags through it to day as a matter of fact), I wouldn't bother carrying it if I had a .270. The .270 is going to kick the 10mm's butt every time. There is also no way I would normally carry bear spray if I was packing a long gun. BUT... that's in Alaska where our bear seasons and bag limits are long and liberal so usually the only consequence of shooting one is that we have to spend the rest of the day skinning out a bear instead of whatever it was we were originally doing.. If you were dealing with bears in an area where they are habituated and used to raiding camps for food, and the season was closed, then bear spray might just save you some paperwork. The issue with pepper spray is always wind direction, but it does have it's uses.

I've dealt with a number of bears in camps, a couple on a carcass, and plenty that I just bumped into in the woods. 90+% of the time, we have a tense moment and then go our separate ways. Three have died when things looked like they might start get out of hand, but I used either a shotgun or a long gun on all of them.

Plenty of good advice in the thread Ryan referenced as well.

Yk

 

[shaun]

500snw snub go big or go home haha. But on a serious note the link Ryan gave you should answer all your questions. In ca you need to be more worried about cats and drugs than bears. Normally I don't carry anything and if you are in archery season you can't carry a pistol. If you are set on carrying something carry the spray. If my memory serves me correct South Cox got mauled pretty good here in CA

 

[littlebuf]

your already carrying a rifle, why do you need anything else?

 

[Hike&Hunt]

When you draw the 10 mm you won't have to worry about wind. What are you more likely to practice with before hand? Don't assume you will just wander into the woods and be proficient because its on your hip. Even a bluff charge is scary and you need to be able to react on auto pilot to the situation.

For me, I carry every day and shoot regularly. For me, the regular practice serves more than to be prepared for Yogi. In reality, I probably have a much greater need for my 10mm in town than the woods. I carry in the woods anyway.

My choice is a glock 29 with a 15 round mag full of double tap 220 gr hard casts. Whatever you choose make sure to practice. Finally, ammo is in short supply at least in Colorado. Make sure you don't drop $500 on a gun and cant get ammo for it.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

500snw snub go big or go home haha. But on a serious note the link Ryan gave you should answer all your questions. In ca you need to be more worried about cats and drugs than bears. Normally I don't carry anything and if you are in archery season you can't carry a pistol. If you are set on carrying something carry the spray. If my memory serves me correct South Cox got mauled pretty good here in CA

Affirmative on south cox.

My dad has been mauled twice! Not pretty....

 

[shaun]

Affirmative on south cox.

My dad has been mauled twice! Not pretty....

That is nuts!

 

[gulicemo]

My dad has been mauled twice! Not pretty....

By Cats or bears? That is crazy!

In CA, I'm much more worried about cats, tweakers and pot grows than bears. That said, at higher elevations in B-zone, you shouldn't have to worry too much about pot grows or tweakers. Once you get into the mid elevations, all three are present.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

By Cats or bears? That is crazy!

In CA, I'm much more worried about cats, tweakers and pot grows than bears. That said, at higher elevations in B-zone, you shouldn't have to worry too much about pot grows or tweakers. Once you get into the mid elevations, all three are present.

Bears.

 

[Vitals]

I am proficient with my G20. I starting to wonder if I should take both. I was thinking if I were to get my buck before my buddies, I could drop the rifle and continue to hunt with them with my 10mm on my side. What spray have some of you used?

 

[Slim Jim]

Bears.

Wow! That blows Travis. How bad was it?

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Wow! That blows Travis. How bad was it?

First time he spent a month in bed, second time a few weeks. Luckily they were smaller bears.

He used to be a guide, we ran hounds and treed/killed lots of bears. His best season was 35 bears.

 

[Rizzy]

I never carried anything during scouting and only my rifle during hunting season when I hunted California D zones. The only bold bears I came across where within a couple miles of a campground, so if you are packing in to the wilderness I wouldn't worry. All the bears I ever saw while backpack hunting where really spooky.
Carry a bear tag, that's what I always did, I got a shot on a bear in D7 and dropped him like a rock with my 270

BTW, I spend a lot of time in the Idaho wilderness with black bears, wolves, and lions and I don't carry a gun unless I'm hunting.

 

[huntography]

I carry both pepper spray and my Glock 20 SF with hardcast bullets whenever I'm in the woods. You never know.

Rudy

 

[Ryan Avery]

I really carry more for two legged animals than four legged. I've walked into two pot growing operation, had a crazy bastard that was convinced that I was trying to steal his RV.

I've had more trouble with moose than bears.