Montana Bear Hunt 2019 -Rifle carry question

[EcoastDG]

My wife, her best friend, and I will be hunting the Hungry Horse area in a few weeks. This is their first time out there and my second. I was lucky enough to shoot a nice bear in the same area a few years back. My wife and her friend both have tags. Will there be an issue if I carry a rifle (grizzly bear protection) without a tag while I assist them on their hunt? I read through the regulations and was not able to find anything except the blaze orange requirement.

Thanks

 

[Selway]

Nope, you're completely legal.

 

[EcoastDG]

Nope, you're completely legal.

Thanks!

 

[elkchsr]

Second amendment still works here.

 

[MTCHIRO]

I wouldn't go in that area without carry a rifle or at least a pistol. Too many dang grizzlies

 

[Gumbo]

You will be legal, but if I wanted bear protection I'd take a 12 gauge over a rifle for sure (and bear spray). Hitting a charging bear with a rifle (or pistol) would be far harder (unless you are an African PH), and if it isn't within 20 yards or so there is no reason to shoot anyway, so why a rifle. Fewer questions from enforcement too if you do get checked. Just get heavy buckshot loads with plenty of charge behind them.

 

[Terrancethelonghorn]

My 2 cents, if someone in my group already had a rifle (or other firearm capable of taking a bear down), I’d be carrying spray and leave the rifle at home. No sense packing the extra weight for the potential of an encounter when spray is effective and eliminates all the paperwork and interrogation that would probably arise out of a group of bear hunters shooting a grizz


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[Straightshaft91115]

I'd second the shotgun. I'd stagger buckshot and slugs. You didn't say what kinda rifle you'd carry but if it's scoped that would make acquiring a sight picture on a charging critter real hard. Pepper spray is good but not as good as buckshot.

 

[EcoastDG]

Ended up just carrying my Ruger Blackhawk and some bear spray. Just got back from a great week. Saw a lot of sign but never spotted any black bears. Glassed up a big grizz on a ridge top but didn’t see any other bears. Did find some moose sheds. Might come back in the fall. Good luck to the rest of you.