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Posted: 9/23/2020 7:00:41 PM EDT
[#1]
 “...It was a good death...” |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 7:14:21 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ive mentioned before but my 26 year old cousin was eaten alive by a black bear in Alaska a couple years ago. When the heli found her, the bear was guarding the corpse. Her work partner played dead and got to hear what was happening. Erin had charged the bear when it first went after her coworker and it turned on her. She spent her whole life around bears and the outdoors. My aunt and uncle will never be the same. Prayers out for you Erin, Im so sorry. This specifically was a Cinnamon Bear, a member of the black bear family. They dont LOOK that dangerous. Happened in a remote area they were taking geo samples for a gold mine. Damn.  That is rough. That is the kind of thing that nightmares are made of. |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 7:36:53 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Horrific, yes, but after watching my mother’s 10 year bout with Alzheimer’s I would rather be killed by a bear. Plus, can you imagine your grandchildrens pride telling their friends that their grandpa was killed by a griz while hunting moose? Double plus - Avenge me! this |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 7:39:39 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ive mentioned before but my 26 year old cousin was eaten alive by a black bear in Alaska a couple years ago. When the heli found her, the bear was guarding the corpse. Her work partner played dead and got to hear what was happening. Erin had charged the bear when it first went after her coworker and it turned on her. She spent her whole life around bears and the outdoors. My aunt and uncle will never be the same. Prayers out for you Erin, Im so sorry. This specifically was a Cinnamon Bear, a member of the black bear family. They dont LOOK that dangerous. Happened in a remote area they were taking geo samples for a gold mine. She was a brave woman.
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Posted: 9/23/2020 7:44:23 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You are assuming that the dead guy saw it coming and could have done something about it. I have killed several black bears and it is unbelievable how quiet they can be. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: should have had some.....https://counterassault.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/CA-18-smaller.png You are assuming that the dead guy saw it coming and could have done something about it. I have killed several black bears and it is unbelievable how quiet they can be. Thats a fact more than once's Ive smelled them before seeing or hearing them. That's not a good feeling |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 7:46:58 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Did they check the dead guy for a 10mm in the leg? Yep, you don't have to be faster than the bear just your partner. |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 8:04:53 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: RIP to the hunter and prayers to his family..we always stage overwatch on the buggy to make sure we don't get surprise visitors..rarely will a bear try to take on a kill sight if motorized vehicles are involved, such as wheelers/sxs/buggys..just easier to come back for the gut pile after things die down....We are lucky, all the buggy's have booms, all have nice decks well off the ground making it easy to overwatch...plus we have numbers anyway.. This does highlight the main reason the Glock 20 is a favorite for many..light enough to stay on your chest even when processing game..always an easy reach even when surprised..A person just has to bring a few guns/holsters into the woods and try them to really see why many do it the way they do...  Your post reminded me of this.  Grizzly Bear Wake Up - Craighead Brothers Trying to Tag Semi-Conscious Bear. |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 8:13:41 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ive mentioned before but my 26 year old cousin was eaten alive by a black bear in Alaska a couple years ago. When the heli found her, the bear was guarding the corpse. Her work partner played dead and got to hear what was happening. Erin had charged the bear when it first went after her coworker and it turned on her. She spent her whole life around bears and the outdoors. My aunt and uncle will never be the same. Prayers out for you Erin, Im so sorry. This specifically was a Cinnamon Bear, a member of the black bear family. They dont LOOK that dangerous. Happened in a remote area they were taking geo samples for a gold mine. Damn sorry to hear that. |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 8:18:07 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: should have had some..... FIFY |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 8:19:25 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’ve heard rifle shots on Kodiak Island are the same, like dinner bells to the bears. That’s a bad situation because when your done quartering, caping etc, you have to make multiple trips out with that shit strapped to your back too. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: There is a game preserve about 40 miles from here that has special draw elk tags. There are also grizzly in the area. I'm told the bears have figured out that a rifle shot is the dinner bell. There was a guy ambushed up there not long ago that had set his rifle down to begin field dressing the elk. They really need to do something to control the bear population, there are lots of them and they have no fear of man. I’ve heard rifle shots on Kodiak Island are the same, like dinner bells to the bears. That’s a bad situation because when your done quartering, caping etc, you have to make multiple trips out with that shit strapped to your back too. Sitka blacktail deer aren’t that big. I’ve been hunting all my life on baranof island (one of the densest brown bear populations in the world), I’ve killed hundreds of deer and when up off the beach, we just gut em out and drag them to the boat. Never had a problem but situational awareness is important. I was involved (SAR) with the recovery of a drunk guy that was eaten and body parts buried, while the sow was out in the bushes pissed off. We stood guard while AST and law enforcement rounded up what was left of him. They ended up killing 7 bears over the next few days till they got the right ones. |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 9:36:10 PM EDT
[#11]
I do NOT unload my rifle when field dressing elk in grizzly country.
I keep a round chambered. I also make a point of never working for more than a minute or two, and standing up to look around. Dismantling an elk or moose, you get absorbed in the work and get tunnel vision. Once I was cutting the ivories out of an elk up in the Gros Ventre. I'd set one down on a log and got to work on the other one. Suddenly, I caught movement in my peripheral vision. I vaulted over the elk and came up with my rifle. It was a grey jay, who'd landed and grabbed the ivory, and flew off. About had a stroke. |
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Posted: 9/23/2020 10:52:32 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It's true that grizzly bears will wait in the bushes and ambush you when you least expect it. I'd stay the hell away from MT to be safe. And would certainly never recommend that anyone from out of state come hunt here. It's just too risky. @TheGreatCornholio Too late I've got a contract on 20 acres in MT. Florida Man about to roll up on y'all lol |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:09:47 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Thats a fact more than once's Ive smelled them before seeing or hearing them. That's not a good feeling Only way to be sure. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:17:47 AM EDT
[#14]
I just finished a 5 day up in the San Juan Mts of SW CO and had this conversation with a group of bow hunters looking to kill elk. It was in ref to MT though, not AK. Seems that the abundance of Grizz in MT is driving folks to hunt elsewhere. Not sure as to veracity of the premise....
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Posted: 9/24/2020 1:20:42 PM EDT
[#15]
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Posted: 9/24/2020 4:58:42 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Idaho Bear Attack Sept 9. So if you're bow hunting can you carry a rifle for bears? I've never hunted in bear country but I'm not sure I'd only want to rely on a can of bear repellent. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 5:00:55 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So if you're bow hunting can you carry a rifle for bears? I've never hunted in bear country but I'm not sure I'd only want to rely on a can of bear repellent. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Idaho Bear Attack Sept 9. So if you're bow hunting can you carry a rifle for bears? I've never hunted in bear country but I'm not sure I'd only want to rely on a can of bear repellent. Some states let you carry a pistol. Since you will have it in a holster, where it can be reached quickly, I recommend something that starts with a 4 or a 5! |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 5:01:51 PM EDT
[#18]
I hate those pricks. After an uneventful moose hunt o fired my 7mag in to a bank. I told my friend to shut up and wait. Guess what came looking?
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Posted: 9/24/2020 5:03:39 PM EDT
[#19]
Bears are assholes.
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Posted: 9/24/2020 5:10:50 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Bears are assholes. Apex predators usually are. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 5:15:08 PM EDT
[#21]
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Posted: 9/24/2020 5:23:03 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It seems the best factor for surviving a bear attack is have a buddy or two. Alone one has little chance but a second person can distract, attack and get aid. They should have. Stayed together to skin it out or both go back to camp. Or leave one guy just standing guard but not busy field dressing. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: When I started hunting in the Alaska bush, one of the first things told to me is always have a partner and hurry up after getting a kill because a gunshot is a dinner bell to bears. Was told to skin an animal while the other partner stood bear watch. It seems the best factor for surviving a bear attack is have a buddy or two. Alone one has little chance but a second person can distract, attack and get aid. They should have. Stayed together to skin it out or both go back to camp. Or leave one guy just standing guard but not busy field dressing. Hate to say it but I'd rather have a good dog, a good dog and a buddy is obviously better, just saying. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 5:38:48 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryIs that what's left of the knife owner? 
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Posted: 9/24/2020 5:47:38 PM EDT
[#24]
Human, the other other white meat.
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Posted: 9/24/2020 6:06:40 PM EDT
[#25]
Tragic, I think I need to get a 10mm .
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Posted: 9/24/2020 6:46:26 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yeah. I've heard field dressing a kill is bad ju ju when bears are active. There was a local man attacked while on a hunt out west quite a few years ago, and the story was his young female companion shot the bear off of him. The story also said the female companion was not supposed to be along on the trip with the married guy, so he ended up divorced and losing his business. Ever try to put a 500 pound cow, or 700 pound bull on your pack frame? Or sled you are going to drag out? Generally speaking the very vast majority of hunters have no choice but to field dress/quarter them up, before they try to move them back to camp or their vehicles. These threads are generally pretty revealing in terms of who hunts in elk/bear country and who read articles and offer opinions based on regurgitated information, that is in itself often just something some other writer read off the net. That is not a ding on Sparky either, I am speaking in general. I shoot elk every year to fill our freezers, as I don't buy store bought meat (besides bacon). When I am on the return trips, I always carry a Glock .45 with heavy hardcast bullets. We have wolves and mountain lions in addition to bears, so I chose to switch to a semi auto. If I only had to contend with bears, I would stick with one of my .44s in my chest rig. That said, the wolves tend to run in some pretty good numbers and you can run through 6 rounds too dang fast at the fast moving fur missiles. BTW, here is a pic of a wolf tooth next to a 124 grain 9mm for comparison.  Another thing many who don't hunt large animals like moose and elk may not realize, is that they are such large animals, that it often takes two people to roll them over, or hold a leg up while processing. And they tend not to die in the most convenient spots. Usually they wedge themselves up against something that makes field dressing a real chore, and having an extra set of hands makes life much easier. So, while yes, bears are always a threat, you just simply have to weigh the odds against getting the work done, because you still have a massive animal that you have to pack off a mountain, and you only have a limited amount of daylight, since it is usually late fall/winter. Food for thought from a guy who has been running around in elk/bear/moose/wolf/lion country for the last 40+ years. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 7:50:22 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Is that what's left of the knife owner? |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 7:55:06 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ever try to put a 500 pound cow, or 700 pound bull on your pack frame? Or sled you are going to drag out? Generally speaking the very vast majority of hunters have no choice but to field dress/quarter them up, before they try to move them back to camp or their vehicles. These threads are generally pretty revealing in terms of who hunts in elk/bear country and who read articles and offer opinions based on regurgitated information, that is in itself often just something some other writer read off the net. That is not a ding on Sparky either, I am speaking in general. I shoot elk every year to fill our freezers, as I don't buy store bought meat (besides bacon). When I am on the return trips, I always carry a Glock .45 with heavy hardcast bullets. We have wolves and mountain lions in addition to bears, so I chose to switch to a semi auto. If I only had to contend with bears, I would stick with one of my .44s in my chest rig. That said, the wolves tend to run in some pretty good numbers and you can run through 6 rounds too dang fast at the fast moving fur missiles. BTW, here is a pic of a wolf tooth next to a 124 grain 9mm for comparison. https://i.imgur.com/HZpQdm1.jpg Another thing many who don't hunt large animals like moose and elk may not realize, is that they are such large animals, that it often takes two people to roll them over, or hold a leg up while processing. And they tend not to die in the most convenient spots. Usually they wedge themselves up against something that makes field dressing a real chore, and having an extra set of hands makes life much easier. So, while yes, bears are always a threat, you just simply have to weigh the odds against getting the work done, because you still have a massive animal that you have to pack off a mountain, and you only have a limited amount of daylight, since it is usually late fall/winter. Food for thought from a guy who has been running around in elk/bear/moose/wolf/lion country for the last 40+ years. I can't remember how many times I've had to come back a second day. I keep a roll of flagging tape in the pack. Use it to clearly mark the kill site, especially if it's obscured. Then I mark a vantage point I can approach and view the kill site. If I can I'll leave some article of clothing hung in a tree to dissuade (maybe) predators. If I'm coming back in in the Teton Wilderness, I'll pack a shotgun. And a friend. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:02:00 PM EDT
[#29]
Last year I killed this elk first light:
 Attached FileCame back with an old friend and a horse. Since I knew he liked liver, I saved the liver and heart from the kill, and hid them nearby. Well, we came into the kill, after watching it for a while, and the heart and liver were gone. My friend Marv, who was leading Slick, said he thought he saw something big and dark moving up there when we approached. I said "Marv, why didn't you say something!!?" He said "Well, wasn't sure." Prolly Samsquatch. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:12:35 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Why the hell would you leave your partner alone while field dressing an animal? |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:24:02 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ever try to put a 500 pound cow, or 700 pound bull on your pack frame? Or sled you are going to drag out? Generally speaking the very vast majority of hunters have no choice but to field dress/quarter them up, before they try to move them back to camp or their vehicles. These threads are generally pretty revealing in terms of who hunts in elk/bear country and who read articles and offer opinions based on regurgitated information, that is in itself often just something some other writer read off the net. That is not a ding on Sparky either, I am speaking in general. I shoot elk every year to fill our freezers, as I don't buy store bought meat (besides bacon). When I am on the return trips, I always carry a Glock .45 with heavy hardcast bullets. We have wolves and mountain lions in addition to bears, so I chose to switch to a semi auto. If I only had to contend with bears, I would stick with one of my .44s in my chest rig. That said, the wolves tend to run in some pretty good numbers and you can run through 6 rounds too dang fast at the fast moving fur missiles. BTW, here is a pic of a wolf tooth next to a 124 grain 9mm for comparison. https://i.imgur.com/HZpQdm1.jpg Another thing many who don't hunt large animals like moose and elk may not realize, is that they are such large animals, that it often takes two people to roll them over, or hold a leg up while processing. And they tend not to die in the most convenient spots. Usually they wedge themselves up against something that makes field dressing a real chore, and having an extra set of hands makes life much easier. So, while yes, bears are always a threat, you just simply have to weigh the odds against getting the work done, because you still have a massive animal that you have to pack off a mountain, and you only have a limited amount of daylight, since it is usually late fall/winter. Food for thought from a guy who has been running around in elk/bear/moose/wolf/lion country for the last 40+ years. Yeah, I would like to see someone throw a bull moose on their pack/sideXside/wheeler and haul ass...  Attached File |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:24:55 PM EDT
[#32]
Don't fuck around with bears, I used to work with a guy that spend a lot of time working on the "slope" (oil fields) in Alaska. He said if they could see a bear out the window they wouldn't go outside no matter how far away it was.
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:32:37 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You are assuming that the dead guy saw it coming and could have done something about it. I have killed several black bears and it is unbelievable how quiet they can be. We had a black bear walk right past our cabin and didn't notice it was there until my son looked up and saw it through the open door. It was only about 15 feet away. If that bear had wanted to attack us it probably could have gotten a few swipes in before I would have been able to shoot it. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:41:46 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This. I can't remember how many times I've had to come back a second day. I keep a roll of flagging tape in the pack. Use it to clearly mark the kill site, especially if it's obscured. Then I mark a vantage point I can approach and view the kill site. If I can I'll leave some article of clothing hung in a tree to dissuade (maybe) predators. If I'm coming back in in the Teton Wilderness, I'll pack a shotgun. And a friend. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Ever try to put a 500 pound cow, or 700 pound bull on your pack frame? Or sled you are going to drag out? Generally speaking the very vast majority of hunters have no choice but to field dress/quarter them up, before they try to move them back to camp or their vehicles. These threads are generally pretty revealing in terms of who hunts in elk/bear country and who read articles and offer opinions based on regurgitated information, that is in itself often just something some other writer read off the net. That is not a ding on Sparky either, I am speaking in general. I shoot elk every year to fill our freezers, as I don't buy store bought meat (besides bacon). When I am on the return trips, I always carry a Glock .45 with heavy hardcast bullets. We have wolves and mountain lions in addition to bears, so I chose to switch to a semi auto. If I only had to contend with bears, I would stick with one of my .44s in my chest rig. That said, the wolves tend to run in some pretty good numbers and you can run through 6 rounds too dang fast at the fast moving fur missiles. BTW, here is a pic of a wolf tooth next to a 124 grain 9mm for comparison. https://i.imgur.com/HZpQdm1.jpg Another thing many who don't hunt large animals like moose and elk may not realize, is that they are such large animals, that it often takes two people to roll them over, or hold a leg up while processing. And they tend not to die in the most convenient spots. Usually they wedge themselves up against something that makes field dressing a real chore, and having an extra set of hands makes life much easier. So, while yes, bears are always a threat, you just simply have to weigh the odds against getting the work done, because you still have a massive animal that you have to pack off a mountain, and you only have a limited amount of daylight, since it is usually late fall/winter. Food for thought from a guy who has been running around in elk/bear/moose/wolf/lion country for the last 40+ years. I can't remember how many times I've had to come back a second day. I keep a roll of flagging tape in the pack. Use it to clearly mark the kill site, especially if it's obscured. Then I mark a vantage point I can approach and view the kill site. If I can I'll leave some article of clothing hung in a tree to dissuade (maybe) predators. If I'm coming back in in the Teton Wilderness, I'll pack a shotgun. And a friend. How many trips does it take to pack out a big bull elk out of the back country solo? 6? |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 8:43:29 PM EDT
[#35]
For those wondering how a shot might go awry, look at these black bear skulls. These are some of mine {upper shelf has other non-bear stuff on it} and clearly indicate how at an angle a shot might strike and deflect under the skin. I've had this happen with a mutton sheep before with a .45 ACP. A bear skull is not built like a ramming species, but CAN if presented at the right angle {which means, wrong} allow a bullet to slide under the skin and glance, making you wonder why the thing is acting like you don't have a gun in your hand. Have used the .45 ACP and many others for stock shooting and while I was a devotee of the .45 ACP many years, I left it and went w/ a 9x19 based on my experience in my kill corals and on butcher stock. A very heavy-loaded .45 as I think I cited earlier can be used with a good weight of bullet, but is a very weak caliber {all service calibers are} for heavy game.
 There are some very heavy .45 ACP loads out there that advance the caliber past the 9x19. I have no experience with SWC-type bullets in auto pistols. I know from my tests that the old 1800's Army bullet {Lyman 454190 semipointed will PENETRATE in the .45 ACP if loaded heavy. I suspect if a guy can get some very flat-nosed bullets to function reliably from his auto gun they should do better, but I've never used them on stock so I do not know. I've gotten mixed reports from others field use. You will not on big or small bear {this one is about average for around here, really SMALL/youngster/dink for grizzly} get this performance from a service pistol. 
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Posted: 9/24/2020 9:23:05 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: How many trips does it take to pack out a big bull elk out of the back country solo? 6? If you just quarter, you've got four quarters, two big, two small. If I'm packing on my back, the front quarters won't include the ribs. So, possibly, three trips, depending on the terrain. I packed one out in three a few years back, but it was all downhill for about 2 1/2 miles, except the first 1/4 mile. Four trips is more realistic. Then there's the head, which comes out on the first trip:  Attached FileYou can bone it out and save some weight. When I used to pack llamas I would bone them out. I liked llamas over horses because they are SO much less work in camp, if you aren't going to far in they are fine. Horses are the ticket:  Attached FileCow elk are easier. Shot a cow last year for my second permit: packed him out in three trips, mostly downhill. Snow was getting deep so I could use a sled. Of course, I was 70 then. A younger man would have done it easier. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 9:27:59 PM EDT
[#37]
Big city lawyer went on a salmon fishing trip, he stopped at a local tackle shop to pick up some last minute things.
Shop owner asked where he was fishing and the lawyer told him. Shop owner warned him about the bears in the area that would be fishing too. Lawyer said "no worries I've got my trusty 9mm with me" Shop owner told him "you should file down the front sights on the pistol" Lawyer asked why. Shop owner "So when a bear shoves it up your asshole it won't hurt as bad." |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 9:34:09 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Last year I killed this elk first light:https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/61708/057__2__jpg-1605581.JPG Came back with an old friend and a horse. Since I knew he liked liver, I saved the liver and heart from the kill, and hid them nearby. Well, we came into the kill, after watching it for a while, and the heart and liver were gone. My friend Marv, who was leading Slick, said he thought he saw something big and dark moving up there when we approached. I said "Marv, why didn't you say something!!?" He said "Well, wasn't sure." Prolly Samsquatch. Not only is that a nice looking bull, that was nice shot placement. I killed 6x bull a while back with my 5" .44 Model 29 at last light. Long story short, I was on the last round trip to get a quarter that I had left hanging in a tree. I discovered the bottom of the bag had been shredded by a lion, and a front quarter taken. I had previously felt like something had been watching me, but dismissed it. My headlamp battery had burned out, so I packed out my antlers strapped to my ruck, with my .44 in hand looking at every extended limb, every piece of brush, everything. I know dang well that dang cat had been watching me beforehand..  Made a point of remembering extra batteries after that.  |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 9:48:29 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: How many trips does it take to pack out a big bull elk out of the back country solo? 6? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Ever try to put a 500 pound cow, or 700 pound bull on your pack frame? Or sled you are going to drag out? Generally speaking the very vast majority of hunters have no choice but to field dress/quarter them up, before they try to move them back to camp or their vehicles. These threads are generally pretty revealing in terms of who hunts in elk/bear country and who read articles and offer opinions based on regurgitated information, that is in itself often just something some other writer read off the net. That is not a ding on Sparky either, I am speaking in general. I shoot elk every year to fill our freezers, as I don't buy store bought meat (besides bacon). When I am on the return trips, I always carry a Glock .45 with heavy hardcast bullets. We have wolves and mountain lions in addition to bears, so I chose to switch to a semi auto. If I only had to contend with bears, I would stick with one of my .44s in my chest rig. That said, the wolves tend to run in some pretty good numbers and you can run through 6 rounds too dang fast at the fast moving fur missiles. BTW, here is a pic of a wolf tooth next to a 124 grain 9mm for comparison. https://i.imgur.com/HZpQdm1.jpg Another thing many who don't hunt large animals like moose and elk may not realize, is that they are such large animals, that it often takes two people to roll them over, or hold a leg up while processing. And they tend not to die in the most convenient spots. Usually they wedge themselves up against something that makes field dressing a real chore, and having an extra set of hands makes life much easier. So, while yes, bears are always a threat, you just simply have to weigh the odds against getting the work done, because you still have a massive animal that you have to pack off a mountain, and you only have a limited amount of daylight, since it is usually late fall/winter. Food for thought from a guy who has been running around in elk/bear/moose/wolf/lion country for the last 40+ years. I can't remember how many times I've had to come back a second day. I keep a roll of flagging tape in the pack. Use it to clearly mark the kill site, especially if it's obscured. Then I mark a vantage point I can approach and view the kill site. If I can I'll leave some article of clothing hung in a tree to dissuade (maybe) predators. If I'm coming back in in the Teton Wilderness, I'll pack a shotgun. And a friend. How many trips does it take to pack out a big bull elk out of the back country solo? 6? That absolutely depends on the terrain, as well as the conditions. Plus if you bone it out, it helps a bunch. I almost always try to hunt very late season when it is cold (average hunts are about 10 above to 15-20 below). This keeps the elk down lower. Then I tend to hunt UP, so when I shoot an animal, most of the pack is downhill. Then I quarter it up, and put it in a plastic game sled. Here is a pic of my dad and daughter getting ready to take her cow off the side of the mountain. We are going to drop about 3K feet to the truck.  Her cow she shot with a T3 .308 at 375 yards:  With one person one each end it is still a struggle trying to get an elk off the side of a mountain, but it is easier than trying to climb OVER a mountain, as I have done many times in the past.  Other animals:   |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 9:53:21 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Big city lawyer went on a salmon fishing trip, he stopped at a local tackle shop to pick up some last minute things. Shop owner asked where he was fishing and the lawyer told him. Shop owner warned him about the bears in the area that would be fishing too. Lawyer said "no worries I've got my trusty 9mm with me" Shop owner told him "you should file down the front sights on the pistol" Lawyer asked why. Shop owner "So when a bear shoves that 9mm up your asshole it won't hurt as bad." That's hilarious. did you just make that joke up yourself? |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 9:57:14 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That's hilarious. did you just make that joke up yourself? No can't claim it as my own. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 10:02:42 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You are assuming that the dead guy saw it coming and could have done something about it. I have killed several black bears and it is unbelievable how quiet they can be. This. My closest brush was several years ago doing some overnight scouting for deer season. Had my dog with me. We are about a mile from where we camped. Didn’t have a fire, just hiked till sundown then strung up my tarp and rolled out my bag. I heard a tiny bit of leaves moving. I thought it was a small bird level of sound. Way quieter than a rabbit or squirrel, any way my dog took off like a shot under the low side of the tarp. Thinking she’s chasing a squirrel I come roaring out from the side of the tarp flicking my headlamp and spotlight on my pistol on. Completely surprised me it was a 250 to 300 pound black bear my dog was squared up on. The bear was trying to circle around my dog towards me and camp. It wasn’t until I started roaring at the thing it decided it had better places to be. It was just starting to cool off and I know the bears get more aggressive about food, but it surprised me the best didn’t run off even I came out hollering at my dog. The bear was maybe 20 feet away from me, I had decided if my dog got out of the way I was shooting since a bear should not in my opinion keep trying to move in on a human unless it is hunting. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 11:11:17 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not surprising. Our neighbors in MT see attacks fairly frequently. Grizzly range has expanded significantly over just a few years ago and now includes all the areas I hunt in including my ranch. My son is a commercial forester and they all discuss the utility of the 9's and .40's they carry. I myself carry a 9 when I don't have a rifle w/ me. Federal support for problematic species include both the wolf and the grizzly. I find it obscene that grizzly would get any support at all, yet the Feds have wrecked SE ID's hunting traditions w/ their obsession w/ grizzly in specific and predators in general. Wolves are truly vermin of the worst sort but rarely attack humans under the conditions in which we live today {as opposed to in past centuries} but grizzly get my attention and that of every woods worker I know who works in their locale. Knowledgeable hunters, too. In terms of numbers of human dead, grizzly will never approach the carnage of a year of living dangerously in Chicago, but they are a concern. I have never shot a grizzly, but have killed many black bear and while they are normally no trouble, have been in on a number of fights that were rather exciting, one of which involved me, my .44 revolver and a bear that did not want to die, but finally did at my ankles. ANY bear is an incredibly tough animal, amazingly fast and they can take an amazing amount of ballistic punishment, an amount that even with a black bear takes a moment to just digest, a moment that with a bear truly intent on doing harm, may wind up being your last moment. I’ve never shot a bear, but I did run over one in Colorado about 20 years ago. I was out on the desert east of Canon City, about midnight. Pulling a trailer with a motorcycle on it behind an F-150. Hit the bear at about 70 mph, caved in the front bumper then hit with the rear axle, then with the trailer axle. I’d guess it was a 200-250 pound bear. It was beaten and bloody and I have no doubt that it died. But before it did it got up and made it off into the brush. |
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Posted: 9/24/2020 11:52:53 PM EDT
[#44]
One year flew in by float plane to a lake in the mountains to hunt bou.
Camped at a old Sami reindeer herding camp my family had up there. Area is know brown bear country. We had bou hanging on a meat rack but the bears never bothered them. Peed on the ground all around the meat rack.   But our canvas tent was another thing. Almost every other night a bear would come to sniff and push on the tent. At times we would see the side of the tent push in and by the time we got out to look the bear would be gone. Always slept with loaded rifles. |
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Posted: 9/25/2020 12:22:32 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: How many trips does it take to pack out a big bull elk out of the back country solo? 6? Answered better by posts below by folks in condition. Last cow I killed was about 4 miles from the truck, first mile was uphill and not on a trail. I had to rope the carcass to a tree to keep it from sliding down hill any further. Fucked up the first attempt and she tobogganed about another 100 feet down through the lodgepole before she piled into a couple close trees. I worked fast getting her tied off while trying to avoid getting below her on the hill. I was just starting to bone her out when my son in law showed up (we split up a bit earlier in the day). I boned her out using the 'gutless' method. Then when we had a pile of meat, we took what we could cary and headed to the truck. Son in law is built like a brick shithouse and is in good condition. I think he took a hind 1/4 (boned) and a game sack of misc trim. I took a front 1/4, boned and a bit of trim. We dropped most if it when we hit the main trail and beat feet to the truck for the game cart. Ultimately by the time we went back to the truck for the game cart and got it back to where we dropped the first load, then a couple relays for the rest, got it all on the game cart, and back to the truck it was all day and getting on to dark. And that was a boned cow. I think that piece of rope I used is still there. Its a lot of work. Frankly at 63 y/o im not sure I'm up to it anymore. I don't want to shoot something and then depend on the calvary for a bailout. |
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Posted: 9/25/2020 12:42:22 AM EDT
[#46]
If work is the mother of invention would work's second cousin be invention's second cousin once removed?
Mike |
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Posted: 9/25/2020 12:56:16 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: For those wondering how a shot might go awry, look at these black bear skulls. These are some of mine {upper shelf has other non-bear stuff on it} and clearly indicate how at an angle a shot might strike and deflect under the skin. I've had this happen with a mutton sheep before with a .45 ACP. A bear skull is not built like a ramming species, but CAN if presented at the right angle {which means, wrong} allow a bullet to slide under the skin and glance, making you wonder why the thing is acting like you don't have a gun in your hand. Have used the .45 ACP and many others for stock shooting and while I was a devotee of the .45 ACP many years, I left it and went w/ a 9x19 based on my experience in my kill corals and on butcher stock. A very heavy-loaded .45 as I think I cited earlier can be used with a good weight of bullet, but is a very weak caliber {all service calibers are} for heavy game. https://i.postimg.cc/2SmLb8xM/hmongknifecasebullets-091-1024x576.jpg There are some very heavy .45 ACP loads out there that advance the caliber past the 9x19. I have no experience with SWC-type bullets in auto pistols. I know from my tests that the old 1800's Army bullet {Lyman 454190 semipointed will PENETRATE in the .45 ACP if loaded heavy. I suspect if a guy can get some very flat-nosed bullets to function reliably from his auto gun they should do better, but I've never used them on stock so I do not know. I've gotten mixed reports from others field use. You will not on big or small bear {this one is about average for around here, really SMALL/youngster/dink for grizzly} get this performance from a service pistol. https://i.postimg.cc/ZRVThdMv/Bear-Tree-Husky.jpg You switched from .45acp to 9mm... for bears? The only mainstream service pistol caliber (I don't put 10mm in this category) I could see myself humoring for defense bears is .40S&W with barrier penetration and cheap used guns being the key benefits. |
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Posted: 9/25/2020 1:58:30 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You switched from .45acp to 9mm... for bears? The only mainstream service pistol caliber (I don't put 10mm in this category) I could see myself humoring for defense bears is .40S&W with barrier penetration and cheap used guns being the key benefits. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: For those wondering how a shot might go awry, look at these black bear skulls. These are some of mine {upper shelf has other non-bear stuff on it} and clearly indicate how at an angle a shot might strike and deflect under the skin. I've had this happen with a mutton sheep before with a .45 ACP. A bear skull is not built like a ramming species, but CAN if presented at the right angle {which means, wrong} allow a bullet to slide under the skin and glance, making you wonder why the thing is acting like you don't have a gun in your hand. Have used the .45 ACP and many others for stock shooting and while I was a devotee of the .45 ACP many years, I left it and went w/ a 9x19 based on my experience in my kill corals and on butcher stock. A very heavy-loaded .45 as I think I cited earlier can be used with a good weight of bullet, but is a very weak caliber {all service calibers are} for heavy game. https://i.postimg.cc/2SmLb8xM/hmongknifecasebullets-091-1024x576.jpg There are some very heavy .45 ACP loads out there that advance the caliber past the 9x19. I have no experience with SWC-type bullets in auto pistols. I know from my tests that the old 1800's Army bullet {Lyman 454190 semipointed will PENETRATE in the .45 ACP if loaded heavy. I suspect if a guy can get some very flat-nosed bullets to function reliably from his auto gun they should do better, but I've never used them on stock so I do not know. I've gotten mixed reports from others field use. You will not on big or small bear {this one is about average for around here, really SMALL/youngster/dink for grizzly} get this performance from a service pistol. https://i.postimg.cc/ZRVThdMv/Bear-Tree-Husky.jpg You switched from .45acp to 9mm... for bears? The only mainstream service pistol caliber (I don't put 10mm in this category) I could see myself humoring for defense bears is .40S&W with barrier penetration and cheap used guns being the key benefits. No. I switched from .45 ACP to 9mm on butcher stock. The best loads in a .45 ACP are still nothing compared to a rifle even in the medium deer calibers. The semiautomatic service pistol calibers {9mm to .45 ACP} are pretty much of a similar thing, with only the heaviest with the best bullets pushing the .45 ACP to the top of the heap. This has been proven in law enforcement and self defense shootings so it's no secret. Heavier calibers such as the .41 and .44 Magnums and heavy loaded .45 Colt at the bottom and on up to the .460 and .500 revolver calibers are in a different league but a lot of folks simply cannot shoot the heaviest of them well at all, or, in truth, even the .41, .44 or heavy .45 Colts. Tracing wound channels in animals shot w/ most loadings 9mm and .45 ACP would leave you scratching your head wondering which one done did it unless you already knew. Based on my experience over the years and truckloads of stock critters, I'll say this, if a guy was stuck with a 7-shot 1911 .45 or a 21-shot 9mm SIG P320 the latter guy couldn't be criticized to much for his choice. Not because the 9mm is "better" but because it holds more bullets and both of them are marginal on large animals. I might leave the door open a little bit on some loads in the .45 only because I haven't used them all. I was a devotee of the .45 ACP till I started shooting animals with one and got to experimenting with other calibers and found the 9 and .45 quite similar. |
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Posted: 9/25/2020 2:08:46 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Answered better by posts below by folks in condition. Last cow I killed was about 4 miles from the truck, first mile was uphill and not on a trail. I had to rope the carcass to a tree to keep it from sliding down hill any further. Fucked up the first attempt and she tobogganed about another 100 feet down through the lodgepole before she piled into a couple close trees. I worked fast getting her tied off while trying to avoid getting below her on the hill. I was just starting to bone her out when my son in law showed up (we split up a bit earlier in the day). I boned her out using the 'gutless' method. Then when we had a pile of meat, we took what we could cary and headed to the truck. Son in law is built like a brick shithouse and is in good condition. I think he took a hind 1/4 (boned) and a game sack of misc trim. I took a front 1/4, boned and a bit of trim. We dropped most if it when we hit the main trail and beat feet to the truck for the game cart. Ultimately by the time we went back to the truck for the game cart and got it back to where we dropped the first load, then a couple relays for the rest, got it all on the game cart, and back to the truck it was all day and getting on to dark. And that was a boned cow. I think that piece of rope I used is still there. Its a lot of work. Frankly at 63 y/o im not sure I'm up to it anymore. I don't want to shoot something and then depend on the calvary for a bailout. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: How many trips does it take to pack out a big bull elk out of the back country solo? 6? Answered better by posts below by folks in condition. Last cow I killed was about 4 miles from the truck, first mile was uphill and not on a trail. I had to rope the carcass to a tree to keep it from sliding down hill any further. Fucked up the first attempt and she tobogganed about another 100 feet down through the lodgepole before she piled into a couple close trees. I worked fast getting her tied off while trying to avoid getting below her on the hill. I was just starting to bone her out when my son in law showed up (we split up a bit earlier in the day). I boned her out using the 'gutless' method. Then when we had a pile of meat, we took what we could cary and headed to the truck. Son in law is built like a brick shithouse and is in good condition. I think he took a hind 1/4 (boned) and a game sack of misc trim. I took a front 1/4, boned and a bit of trim. We dropped most if it when we hit the main trail and beat feet to the truck for the game cart. Ultimately by the time we went back to the truck for the game cart and got it back to where we dropped the first load, then a couple relays for the rest, got it all on the game cart, and back to the truck it was all day and getting on to dark. And that was a boned cow. I think that piece of rope I used is still there. Its a lot of work. Frankly at 63 y/o im not sure I'm up to it anymore. I don't want to shoot something and then depend on the calvary for a bailout. Getting anything out around here is hard work. We bone them out sometimes and that helps, but it's still hard work. Even getting our smallish bear out will break a sweat! 
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Posted: 9/25/2020 2:30:00 AM EDT
[#50]
I did 9 days of solo back-country archery elk hunting in grizzly country this month including 4 consecutive overnighters just laying out in a sleeping bag. Saw grizzly sign most days but no sightings other than on the trail-cam of another hunter I met at a trailhead.
Did see 9 black bear though, all under 30 yards. One of them charged me when I made a lost-calf call. Black bear I don’t mind, but I hate grizz. Rocky Mountain states. What can I say. It’s how we roll. |
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