When do you switch from Spray to Gun ??

[ElkArcher918]

My choice is to keep it simple. Archery hunting I carry a 10mm w. 200 gr Hardcast Underwood. I use pepper only for my food. If feasible, avoid hunting/camping solo in griz country. Where I hunt I'm more concerned with rogue moose and camp raiding black bears.

 

[mike.adams.467]

You’re not going to get a chance to switch mid-attack. Choose wisely.

Exactly. When I got charged by a sow grizz and 3 cubs, it was clear she was going to hit my left side, where my spray was (I'm left handed). I drew my revolver with my right hand while protecting my head with my left hand. That move probably saved my life. This all happened in 6-7 seconds.

 

[crich]

Have you ever tried to make effective hits under extreme duress while suffering from the effects of blood loss and pepper spray. I've had law enforcement and riot training where we were sprayed and had to shoot under the effects and it's not effective. Couple that with shock and blood loss and your in trouble.

Blood loss no but extreme stress yes. And you would be correct, which is why I stated bear spray is a more realistic option for certain situations. Another problem that can arise without proper training is having two options and being unable to deploy one effectively. Muscle memory and repetition are key. Most people online like to speculate about what they would do in a high stress scenario until they are faced with one. They are so shaken up their fine motor skills are completely gone or they just simply shut down because they havent been conditioned to stress.

 

[ramhunter]

So you are in bear country. A bear makes it known you are either dinner or interrupting their dinner and it becomes clear you will need to employ measures to make sure you survive. You are carrying both bear spray and a sidearm for just such an occasion.
So you first use your bear spray. How do you decide that the spray is not going to cut it and fall back on your gun ??
Stats say 98% of bear encounters where spray was used ended the attack. I see some stats say the results From using a gun are not as good. Stats can be manipulated to support whatever opinion you want.
So how and when does one decide to use a gun instead of just spray ??

Hold the fluff, pass the gun……Years ago, while hunting sheep in the Brooks Range my partner was packing a magnum can of bear spray with him, I just shook my head! One morning we were awakened to the sound of jumbo arctic ground squirrel chewing on my tent. I opened the fly, and the squirrel was two feet away chewing, I tried to share him off, but he wasn’t having it! My buddy grabbed his bear spray and sprayed him point blank at two feet in the face, the squirrel ran off about ten feet coughed a few times and come right back to the tent and started chewing. The spray was orange colored and that squirrel’s face was all orange…lol

I looked at my buddy and said that stuff is awesome, a one-pound squirrel wasn’t even phased, but I’m sure it will work on a 500-pound grizzly! He never packed bear spray again!

Bear spray is like a parachute, if it doesn’t work, most likely you’ll never need it again!

 

[Elkhntr08]

About a 100 yards out with a rifle, 30 yards with my 10mm, or as soon as possible.
Pepper’s for gravy.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I wont have any spray, no need to switch.

 

[long hunter]

Don't know about bears, but in my years in a law enforcement (correctional institutions) settings have sprayed a bunch of inmates, now this is not the same stuff as bear spray I am sure, BUT I WILL TELL YOU NEED TO WATCH THE WIND, having deployed individual carry cannisters, magnum foggers, and the Israeli riot control unit (both stream and fog units) this is some nasty stuff. They are all based on Oleoresin Capsicum, some of them are a mix of this and CS gas, think SABER RED, go out and get you a can of the stuff that is sold to the civilian market for self-defense (this is not a full-strength product) and let your buddy stand about 10 to 12 feet from you and give you a blast. Then think (once your recovered) do I take a chance on the wind or use a gun. Might be a immediate deterrent but I don't want to bet my life on it. Kind of like the bell on a walking stick thing, what's that pile of bear shit with bells in it that smells like hot sauce. The area I hunt deer in has a few black bears I carry my hunting rifle and a 44-mag revolver, why a revolver you ask figure I am going to be in a combat situation and less chance of a malfunction. Figure if a situation should happen 4 rounds from a 300 win. mag. or 5 rounds from a 30-06 then 6 from the revolver what the hell the bear gets a free meal.

 

[Loo.wii]

Akimbo baby

 

[sjvcon]

I've never had the cause to have to use either, but I generally carry both. I'd start with the spray, because it usually deters the charge from what I've read. But I've also ready that bears will shake it off if they are determined. So I'd hit 'em with the spray ... and if they didn't hightail it I'd pull the sidearm and start hammering away while the spray still had them out of sorts. That is just me.

Sounds strange, but I'd rather get charged by a Grizzly than a Black Bear. Grizzlies supposedly charge mostly out of fear or protection ... black bears to eat. I have seen black bears start eating a deer while it was still alive. NO THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[roosiebull]

Start with the handgun.

Update of Pistol Defenses Against Bears 123 Cases, 98% Effective

In the 2022 update, 20 more incidents have been documented where pistols or handguns have been fired in defense against bears, with a 98% success rate for 123 total incidents.

www.ammoland.com

That will always be my plan. I wouldn’t carry spray unless it was required. For those who do, more power to them but it just doesn’t equate in my mind. A pistol is straightforward, and doesn’t matter what way the wind is blowing, and if the spray doesn’t work, you are way behind the power curve.

I’ll start with a pistol, and give the bear every opportunity, but if it comes to it, I trust bullets more than hot sauce

 

[Tmac]

Shoot some bear spray out of a canister sometime and tell me that it's moving too slow to buck the wind.

The main body of the spray will go against the wind, max range will be reduced some. Not sure what the BC of spray is, but it’s not good. So wind impacts it a bunch, especially the smaller droplets. The problem is the smaller droplets, the mist, can and will blow them right back at you if the wind is wrong. A reason some lateral movement can be a good tactic, if possible.

Movement can also put you in the line of the blow back if you choose wrong. A gel avoids some of that risk but is harder to hit with. The bear sprays I’ve used and tested throw more of a spray/fog out, which are blown by the wind. I want fewer decisions to make under duress, not more, so I carry a gun and can ignore the wind at DLP ranges.

 

[Ron.C]

I always carry my spray even when rifle hunting. Unfortunately here in Canada, handguns aren't an option.

For me, there is no pre-fire planning these situations. Every situation is unique.

Have had my spray out on several occassions (only had to use it once on a mtn lion, and I can tell you he didn't like getting a face full of counter and had a very bad day). A few other times were when I inadvertantly called in bears while elk hunting and they were to close for comfort but not acting aggressive or have a chance encounter with one I have seen from a distance that gives me ample time to assess.

The 3 times I went straight to the rifle without hesitation:

1. Stalked in on what I though was a lone black bear, was a sow with cub and she came at me hard. Was up on aim kneeling ready to fire and she stopped less than 10 yards away, jaw popping and huffing then returned to her cub. Not ashamed to say that encounter left me very rattled and ended my bear season.

2. Ran into a griz at a creek crossing about 4 km into a 12km pack out from a goat hunt. I wasn't paying attention and was about 18 yards from him. Like we saw eachother at the same moment, He stood up and woofed at me. I fumbled like an idiot trying to get to my rifle and trying to drop my trekking poles (was slung over the stay of my external fram pack) and luckily he spooked and ran the opposite direction as he would of been on me before I got to my rifle if he wanted to.

3. Most recent one was walked up on a gutpile on the side of a skidder road and a small grizz feeding on it. Rifle was up, and parter and I made are way back 40 yards and around him in a wide berth. Again, Lucky it was a smaller griz and was more content to drape himself over the meal snarling instead of coming at us.

 

[Rambo85]

I don’t carry it and I have no experience in charging grizzlies but where I hunt is super windy and I feel like best case scenario it’s no effect worst case I’m blind and being charged by a grizzly