Elk rifle in bear country

[ThunderJack49]

What about a shotgun?

For an elk rifle?

I carry a 6mm creedmoor and a 9mm pistol in a chest holster. Those are the guns I shoot the best, that’s why I carry them.
I am not overly confident in bear spray after using old ones as trainers and being sprayed once myself.
Whichever way you decide, I have learned in life that when emergencies happen, there’s no time for planning, staging, anything other than reacting. When it comes to a defensive pistol, or bear spray, it needs to be immediately accessible.
I have unslung my rifle from a kifaru gun bearer during a bluff charge once and my resounding lesson there was that I was never going to get that rifle out fast enough.
so now I make sure that my pistol is accessible and chambered at all times.
But sometimes you do everything right and still die.
Important caveat- I have shot zero bears in self defense or with a handgun.

 

[TradLife406]

6 UM, 22 Creed, 223.

Odds are the rifle will be strapped to my pack. Why I carry a pistol on my chest.

 

[grfox92]

What about a shotgun?

How did you even find this 8 year old thread to comment on?

 

[Teaman1]

What about a shotgun?

I bring a shotgun to carry if I have to pack more meat, leave the rifle at the pickup after first load.
Not as light as a handgun, but I shoot the brenneke slugs plenty fast and way more accurate than I can a pistol.
Now days, I just carry the rifle I’m hunting with. (Still a 300 wsm)