Originally Posted By: IzzyJG99
I recall some years ago someone in Alaska actually saying "Just bring a .22. Several shots at a bear will scare it away." Which is like attacking a battleship with a baseball bat. Not gonna work out well.


If the bear is defending food or cubs, you cannot scare it off. If the bear is thinking that you might be good to eat, firing a gun may actually cause it to decide that you are not food.

While your chances of stopping a bear with a .22 is very, very slim, your chances of killing a bear with one aren't as bad. The .22 has a lot of penetration and can cause an infection or a bleed that will eventually kill the bear. You'll most likely be bear scat before that happens, though.