Ever Used Your Sidearm While Hunting?

[def90]

Pistol ammo is cheaper. Broadheads are getting expensive! I haven't had to use a pistol yet tho.
For those using a sidearm for grouse, do you use birdshot? I thought about getting some for my 9mm but read that it wouldn't eject.

.22 is best for grouse. I’ve never try one of those 9mm shot rounds but I suspect they are more of a gimmick than anything.

 

[tkhuntsman]

Dude/ you are bear bait! Lol that’s a lot of action, I do not want to hunt your areas.

I've spent a lot of time in the Backcountry way more than average I'd say. I hunt areas with high bear density it's never been a matter of will we see bears but how often and how close. I guided hunters for over 15 years predators are out there. I also worked for the sheriff's office for 5 years prior to that in a remote area and we handled a lot of wildlife calls.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I’ve had to use mine on several hogs, one or two coyotes and drawn on a “grizzly” that ended up being a nice bull elk I’m not an idiot, it’s a funny story.
I will say do not take carrying a sidearm for granted. I hunted Canada for the first time two years ago. The entire time I kept checking for my sidearm out of habit only to find it wasn’t there. Ended up in a situation with a large (8+) wolf pack charging, surrounding and circling us the 2 miles back to truck. Any time now I think about not carrying because it’s a little annoying or going to be covering a lot of miles and don’t want it on my belt, I remember that feeling and strap up!

 

[steeleb3]

Which are those?

TWS Journals

wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

(PDF) Efficacy of Firearms for Bear Deterrence in Alaska

PDF | We compiled, summarized, and reviewed 269 incidents of bear-human conflict involving firearms that occurred in Alaska during 1883-2009. Encounters... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

 

[Pikespeak]

As the title states, I'm wondering how many have actually needed to use your sidearm for bear (or anything else) protection while hunting. I am guessing it is very rare that one is needed, but obviously one of those "better to have and not need it" situations.

Would love to hear the stories and advice if you have.

Might be archery hunting in Montana this fall so have been thinking about whether to carry and how best to train if I do.

People think about the bear protection with a gun question with a narrow view. I have used mine several times as a noise maker before a situation ever developed. If a bear isn’t immediately running away from me I sling a couple in his direction to scare him away. No waiting to be charged to use the gun or bear spray when they are already on top of me.

I have stopped one charge this way as well.

 

[steeleb3]

Undoubtedly? I doubt it.

I'd shoot hardcast into a headwind any day of the week...can't say the same for bear spray.

TWS Journals

wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

(PDF) Efficacy of Firearms for Bear Deterrence in Alaska

PDF | We compiled, summarized, and reviewed 269 incidents of bear-human conflict involving firearms that occurred in Alaska during 1883-2009. Encounters... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

 

[akcabin]

Once. Me n 2 buddies were back behind Butte Lake where the rivers meet. One buddy harvested a nice boo and we had it near camp hanging. We got up early the next morning and were heading out of camp. And a beautiful blond mountain grizzly was trotting right down the tracks from hauling it back to camp the day prior.
I fired a shot above his head and that got his attention. Was carrying my Smith 629 with lead wadcutters we hand made. That bear ran a quarter mile n across a river up a mountain that was real steep wide open n never missed a beat. Not just a beautiful animal but great strength.
Got lucky n never had any more bear issues there

 

[sacklunch]

TWS Journals

wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

(PDF) Efficacy of Firearms for Bear Deterrence in Alaska

PDF | We compiled, summarized, and reviewed 269 incidents of bear-human conflict involving firearms that occurred in Alaska during 1883-2009. Encounters... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

And? How many of those folks have never trained with that pistol itself defense...or used it in real-world defense scenarios? Probaly the 15% that were unsuccessful.

 

[Beendare]

I’ve used mine multiple times when bowhunting….

When I used to hog hunt with dogs, I used it almost every hunt. I’ve shot over 20 hogs while charging me. What you realize when hunting behind dogs is when you get there, The hog (or Bear) seems to know that you are the major threat.

 

[grfox92]

Can you post a link to some of those studies?

The extensive studies I know of show the exact opposite.

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[grfox92]

I've drawn my pistol twice, both on charging grizzly bears. Wyoming.

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[505Wapiti]

I've drawn my pistol twice, both on charging grizzly bears. Wyoming.

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Would love to hear the rest of the story.

 

[Dos Perros]

The thing with studies are....they're population level. Within the population there is, obviously, giant variation. Tell a Navy SEAL he's safer with bear spray and he'll laugh. Tell my wife to carry a pistol and she'd be a nervous wreck the whole time.

If you are torn on the subject, go hit the range and try them both out, see what you feel most comfortable with. I wouldn't assert to know what's right for someone else through a computer screen.

 

[steeleb3]

And? How many of those folks have never trained with that pistol itself defense...or used it in real-world defense scenarios? Probaly the 15% that were unsuccessful.

Thats exactly the point. The majority of people in the bear woods do not have the skills to deal with that situation with a firearm. This while bear spray proves effective for all people (regardless of firearm skill). Secondly, the majority of firearm carrying people, likely over-estimate their capabilities with a firearm under a bear attack circumstance. Hence why the rule is bear spray is better than firearm, with he exception being a very select few having the same efficacy with a firearm as bearspray.

 

[Dos Perros]

If bear spray worked in a tent or upwind I think a lot more people would prioritize it.

 

[grfox92]

Would love to hear the rest of the story.

This is copied and pasted from the Grizzly Story thread.

September 2021 NW WY Archery Elk.

Started heading up the mountain at first light, hiking through single track engulfed by elderberry. Literally had to step over pile after pile of bear chit.

About 5 miles into that hike at around 9 am we came sidehilling out of the timber to cross an avalanche chute. My buddy was looking up the chute and I could tell by the look on his face and his body language before he could say Bear. I looked up and there was a sow with 3 cubs coming down the avalanche chute straight at us at 100 yards.

She had no idea we were there and was only getting closer so I ran out into the clearing and starting waving my arms over my head and yelling at her. She darted back towards the timber immediately, stopped just at the edge and turned to look at what was making all the noise. She locked on us and started bounding towards us.

Spray and pistols were out, and we both continued yelling and waving our arms. She made bounded down the hill, straight at us, doing that sideways run that they do with all 3 cubs bopping along behind her. And just like that she spun and entered the timber about 50 yards from us.

2022, Early November, NW WY. Rifle Mule Deer.

I was after my first mule deer, last day of rifle season. We glasses up a branch antlers buck exactly a mile away, across the river. He was working his way up a little ridge. We figured he was going to bed and made a plan. Hiked straight down, across the river and followed out pre-planned route. The buck wound up feeding back down the ridge into an old burn / meadow. I shot him at 210 yards. He didn't go down and a small rodeo ensued with 2 more shots taken from 200 and one taken from point blank, we never got to do an autopsy to figure out why.

We knew where we were and how bad the bear situation is, so we knew we had to work fast. I got to work breaking him down right away while my partner got out game bags and kept an eye out for bears. Yes there are so many bears in this area that they will be on a carcass sometimes before you get there, and you need a look out. Good thing we had a look out....

I had the whole buck broken down, and in game bags in 20 minutes from the last shot I took. As I was working out the last Backstrap, my partner screamed "BEAR! BEAR! BEAR!"

I jumped up to look and there was a lone bear (boar) running FULL SPEED dead at us at 80 yards and closing fast. I grabbed spray off my harness and he had his 10mm out and we started waving our hands over our head and SCREAMING at this guy. He seemed unphased. When he got to 40 yards he spotted us and spun, ran 10 yards parallel and stopped and faced us. I kept screaming "get out of here bear" and all this kind of stuff. He ran 20 yards back and stopped to face us, we expected him to charge every time he did this. He did this routine about 5 times until he disappeared into a small stand of timber about 100 yards away.

We loaded the buck on out packs and got out of Dodge. We crossed back over the river and up the steep nastiness we hiked down to get to him and made it back to our original glassing spot. We set up the spotter and that bear was sleeping on the carcass we had just left 1 hour ago.

I think what saved us from that bear being on top of us was he was running slightly uphill at us and through old burn. The craziest thing to me was he came in with the wind at his back from the exact spot we had hiked through just before shooting the buck. Meaning he was coming running full speed, towards the sound of my gun shots.

That was our 3rd day going in that trail head. Over the previous 2 days we saw 2 guys come out with bucks, they both had mix ups with Grizzlies while they were in there.

I expect this type of thing to happen every year unless I draw a tag that takes me out of the immediate area. The bears are just so dense there is no escaping them. They are everywhere.

Call me crazy but I love it. I love being around them and I love the action. It's a thrill for sure.

Edit: didn't draw my pistol, the second time, my partner had his out already and it happened so fast I went for the spray.


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[grfox92]

If bear spray worked in a tent or upwind I think a lot more people would prioritize it.

Where I'm at in Wyoming it's almost always too windy to use spray. Due to the sheer volume of bears I still carry it.

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[Dos Perros]

Where I'm at in Wyoming it's almost always too windy to use spray. Due to the sheer volume of bears I still carry it.

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If I ever get back in that country up by you whoever doesn't have a tag is carrying an AR.

 

[steeleb3]

If bear spray worked in a tent or upwind I think a lot more people would prioritize it.

I would imagine tent and upwind scenarios come out in the wash as part of the studies that assessed all bear conflicts in Alaska over the last however many decades. And to be honest, if a bear is coming in the tent in the dark, I think i trust the spray more than i trust trying to find the off button of the bear with a 45. Might suck to deploy the spray, but the chances of survival are probs better.

 

[grfox92]

If I ever get back in that country up by you whoever doesn't have a tag is carrying an AR.

I mentioned I carry an AK while I shed hunt on here once and was mocked. No one understands what grizzly country really is until they spend 5 minutes here.

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