Hiking in Bear Country

Posted by: Jordan_Benson

Hiking in Bear Country - 06/08/17 02:37 PM

Hello All.

Me And a friend are going hiking and planning on bringing a rifle/Shotgun incase of bears and other things

i have never really worried about a bear or really looked into what is effective against them if need be

currently planning on bringing my HK USP 45 but if my Glock 19 is effective enough than i would prefer a smaller sidearm
and the idea is also to put either My Mossberg 500 12GA with 3" Slugs or AR-15 SBR (5.56 or 300AAC) on my pack to carry.

now the question being would a 9mm or be effective defense or go with .45ACP?
as well as would 5.56 or 300AAC be effective? or go with the 12GA
i would prefer the AR as it's Lighter Weight and More compact being an SBR

Thanks all
Posted by: Cash is King

Re: Hiking in Bear Country - 06/08/17 03:12 PM

SBR AR-15 would be my choice of the list you mentioned (full mag).

12 gauge second... only because of the weight.

Personally, I wouldn't carry both a pistol and a long gun... but that is just me.
Posted by: troutnut

Re: Hiking in Bear Country - 06/11/17 02:41 PM

Bear country in Va ? If so any of the guns mentioned would work. I tend to carry a G19, 23 , 29 or 43 usually. Really don't feel undergunned with any. If you're talking a long hike the long guns will be more of a hindrance. I spend a fair amount of time in the woods and run into quite a few bears. Most likely once they know you're human they'll go the other way. The only handgun I ever used on bear that I wasn't actually hunting was a .40 , 155 gr XTP worked very well.
Posted by: Gnome

Re: Hiking in Bear Country - 07/04/17 04:54 PM

First question would be which Country are you heading into with bears? Appalachian Bears, Californian Bears, Alaskan/Canadian Bears or the Arctic Polar Bears?

Secondly: How far into the country away from a solid structure or vehicle will you be?

3RD: On Foot, Canoe, or living in the outback near by your own cabin.

4th: Weight of gun, duration on foot and ease/quickness to retrieve.

Once you figure all of that out, then you will know what you must carry.

I have seen a bear attack a man across the street while walking out the garbage to the tote. Have also ran myself into a nearby bakery shoppe with a bear in hot pursuit. Touched a drunk bear on the nose, awoken to find a bear alongside me in the snow, and been awoken by another by its bad breath.
Had to contend with a sally bear that was shot by a Masshole's .357 magnum, she was maimed for life as he "did not want to kill the bear... just scare her off...".
I can go on and on about bears much like most folks on here can talk about squirrels.

Not a Glock fan boy... but if you think you may encounter a bear. Carry a full size 10mm in FMJ for the penetration THROUGH the Fat and thick fur. Perchance a Rock Island 10mm or a Glock 20 or what ever works best for you.
Anything less, and you are kidding yourself and wasting the weight.
Posted by: dustydog

Re: Hiking in Bear Country - 09/05/17 08:46 PM

Long ago enough that I don't want to consider the years ago,I had a job as a cook ,helping out on a ranch in Wyoming.Wanted to take my three day weekend and a horse and do a bit of back country travel,and thought I was well enough armed with a Ruger Blackhawk in .357.Before I left for my little trip,the owner of the ranch handed me a old Stevens 311 12 ga. with 20" barrels and two shells.One was #4 buckshot,the other was a Brenneke rifled slug.He said that while the .357 would probably kill a bear,the combination from that old double would STOP a bear.
Posted by: stagz

Re: Hiking in Bear Country - 11/10/17 10:46 PM

i always carry my 357 5 shot smith, always wondered it that would be enough. i did want a 10 mm for some time just for the bears, but now I'm am thinking about a 44 mag, did take a walther 40 cal a couple of times but i traded that in for a 9mm now. even though that has 17 rounds its a mid/full ppq and just like the way my smith and Wesson fits and it light and out of the way but still on my hip. and if I'm shooting a bear i always though it would be pretty close and in my face as to just empty all five shots. i always keep some med penetration rounds they came 12 to 14 in of ballistic gel. so my two cents