Good Thing He Had His Bear Spray....

[Firefighterchen]

The guy mauled by the grizzly said that he carried a .40 caliber Glock, with 200gr ammo. I think that would just tickle the grizzly so he would come back for more fun.

What caliber is sufficient for grizzly country? 357 mag? 44 mag?

[localgirl]

What caliber is sufficient for grizzly country? 357 mag? 44 mag?

30-06 or higher. Some people use 12 gauge slugs. Bear spray is actually your first best line of defense, barring leaving the scene.

Grizzlies can certainly climb trees. They don't do it often, and they don't go far, but they do climb. They are crabby, territorial, and completely unpredictable.

Unless you can get a heart shot, you're unlikely to drop a grizzly. Head shots are nearly worthless unless you can hit the sweet spot behind the eye and below the ear. Straight-on shots have been known to graze right off their skulls. Even a lethal shot to the body can take several minutes to hours to be effective. Then you just have an injured, even more pissed off bear.

Avoidance is the best option. Bells are good, so are smaller dogs; if they're quick, they can harass an angry bear away.

[Nightmare45]

When hunting in bear country I carry 44 mag, but avoidance is the wise option.

[Bighouse Doc]

There is even a group out there who believes bears are impervious to gunfire but are taken out with spray!

-Doc

[Bob_M]

When hunting in bear country I carry 44 mag, but avoidance is the wise option.

Yup, 44Mag mountain gun loaded with 320gn Grizzly Cartridge WLNGC cast rounds plus 4 speed loaders and a 12ga loaded with 3" Magnum slugs and an ammo belt full of those same 3" slugs.............or just not being there in the first place! Hahahaha

[Bob_M]

They're getting smart too.

[kelcarry]

Bear spray? No thanks, Ill stick to my rifle and handgun.



Read more: Alaska bear mauling victim recounts harrowing ordeal | Fox News

When you live in SC and, for that matter, other states, CC/firearms and alcohol in public premises is illegal. So it I am in a nice restaurant with my wife at 10PM and finish eating and need to get my car that is parked on a darkened public street or parking lot with not that many people around, I cannot have been CC since the restaurant serves alcohol, even if I did not imbibe. In this case I would change your first comment to "Cutsey lipstick size pepper spray? no thanks. I will stick to bear spray, which can do the job at 25 ft"

[The_Outlaw]

He was an hour into the hike where the trail is narrow and winding, closed in by thick foliage. Bears were uppermost in his mind, so he kept calling out "hey bear" and "out of my way bear" to warn any of his presence.But the mother grizzly was just around a bend in the trail, poised to attack. Radakovich dropped one of his hiking poles and reached for his bear-repellent spray on his belt. The bear jumped on him, knocking the spray out of his hand and going for his backpack.

"Hey Bear"?
"Out of my way bear"???
~SMFH~

[longslide10]

The guy mauled by the grizzly said that he carried a .40 caliber Glock, with 200gr ammo. I think that would just tickle the grizzly so he would come back for more fun.

I kind of agree unless it is placed in the bear's mouth and rotated to a 45 degree angle but then who really wants to get close enough to check the dental work on a griz. I say nothing less than a 44 mag in bear country and if one can be afforded then a S&W 500 mag. At least if ya miss with the 500 the shockwave is enough to cause temporary dementia to said bear.

[longslide10]

What caliber is sufficient for grizzly country? 357 mag? 44 mag?

To me a handgun is a last ditch effort. If I were to ever go into griz country I think a good lever action in 45-70, 450 Marlin etc would be good backed up by a 44 mag or larger with no more than a 5" barrel.