As I explicitly stated "That study needs to be updated, since there are many more gun and bullet options now...." The methodology of the USFS study could probably also be updated, using more modern methods of testing.

However the point remains that if you choose to carry a firearm for bear protection, the best gun is the most powerful one that you can shoot well. The best test is performance on actual bears. The weapons I mentioned (375 H&H, 338 Win Mag, 12 gauge with slugs, etc) are some of those that have been very widely and very successfully used either in bear hunting or bear defense. Certainly many other calibers will also do the job.

I killed a brown bear on a hunt with one shot from a 338 Win Mag using 250 Nosler Partition bullets. I killed a black bear with my 30-06 with 220 gr bullets. Doing field work in the Brooks Range, my employer equipped us with 12 gauge pump shotguns using slugs. I spend a lot of time outside in Alaska. These days my personal choice is to carry bear spray. Spray has achieved very good results in actual bear charges, and is much lighter to carry than any firearm. Your choices may vary.

Shot placement has a little something to do with stopping bears. It's not all about power.

AKSAR,

My daughter first learned to shoot the 12 gauge when she was working for the USFS trail repair crews around Cordova. Normally they had one bear protection person per crew. But her crew is doing salmon surveys in the middle of prime bear food habitat (the salmon spawning streams in PWS). In the photos she sends there are two guys with the 12 gauge shotguns (Remington 870's I think). So far, no problems but she has another 6 weeks on the Sound so Mom's (and Dad's) fingers are crossed.

Bears aren't the only threat, however. Got a picture of her diving off the boat into the sound with the caption " water's great, just have to be wary of the jellyfish and seal attacks..."

That about put Mom over the edge.

That is why in my last post I said "....that you can shoot well."

And further upthread I also said "3. Practice until you are extremely proficient with that gun!"

Sounds like your daughter is having a great time in Alaska. PWS one of my favorite places!

Mom and dad can take comfort in the fact that dangerous bear encounters in Alaska are actually not all that common, considering the large number of people out and about in bear country. From what I have seen the USFS also does a good job of training their employees in good field practices to avoid having bear trouble in the first place.

Not to down play bear hazards, but there are lots of things to be more concerned about. Hypothermia, boating, and flying worry me more than bears.

But Alaska is a wonderful place. One just has to be careful.

I would agree with AKSAR. While the potential hazards of bears should be recognized, falls and drowning are far more common causes of death, although you wouldn't know that from internet discussions and news reports.

One of the easiest ways to avoid bear trouble is to keep a clean camp and secure all food-like items. One of the very best back country camps I have ever experienced was in Denali NP (I believe the location was known as Sunshine Pass)- beautiful weather and a gorgeous sunset. We were mindful because grizzlies had been reported from the spot just the day before. We clean up , cooked away from the tent, stowed our food at still another spot, and enjoyed Alaska.

There's the rub in this case. They are picking up salmon post spawning, making measurements, hacking off the heads, extracting the ear bones (the otoliths) and collecting other DNA; all in the bears' backyard. But she's been doing this for some years and knows how to keep the bears aware and away. She's never had a close call but will occasionally get a little too close for my comfort...



Been to Alaska a couple of times, everyone needs to go there once.

Yes, some activities put one at a higher risk. Working in a salmon stream during the run, covered in fish blood and gore, is certainly one of those activities. Sounds like her crew is going about it in a safe manner, with two guards.

#9 shot? Blind it before you dispatch it? Probably gain a second or two to do so. Just remember to pack T.P...

I'm not endorsing this guys method, but he actually used the technique successfully. Yeah, I expect that blinding it is the idea, probably pretty hard to do much with no eyes, etc. It sounds awful I grant you, but if the alternative is being killed...