Well, I didn't say it was a sure bet! Just a better bet than doing the same with a bow. That said, my USP45 Tactical is capable of accuracy in that general range. Although I'm usually not!

I do burn between 200-500 rounds a week, rimfire through centerfire. In my youth I shot rifle and pistol steel and some pinshooting. Overall I'm pretty handy with a rifle or pistol but you won't see me winning Top Shot anytime soon.

here's a couple of web links I thought were interesting.

the first is to the hunting guide who is telling would-be hunters to go home and improve their accuracy. although he doesn't say it, I'm pretty sure he doesn't really require people to hit a quarter at 20 yards with a bow & arrows. but I think his point is that if people can get really accurate on a stationary target, then in a real situation they should be pretty good for hitting something the size of a saucer. which would give them a heart shot, or worst-case a lung shot. so the animal is coming down, and the amount of tracking is not too big. I'm just guessing this is his real rationale, because he doesn't spell it out completely. most of his article is about the virtues of using heavier arrows on wild boar (750 grain arrows, or thereabouts).

http://www.boar-hunter.com/articles/article/7379302/138283.htm

the second link is a very interesting set of articles on blood trailing wounded game. it is set up as an interactive experience, so you can match your own judgment against the authors.

http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/bloodtrails/

Pete2

I know some archery guys who can probably outshoot me and my handguns with their bows. The accuracy of a skilled archer is very impressive. As a kid I got into archery a bit but abandoned it around age ten; that's when my dad lost his right eye in a construction accident. He was an avid bowhunter (shot a Bear compound) but after losing the eye his depth perception was too poor to continue shooting his bow. So he switched to handguns and muzzleloaders and sold his bow. I got into guns more and forgot all about archery. Now I wish I'd have tried to master it better.

Striving to hit such a small target is time well spent. The smaller the target, the harder you work on fundamental marksmanship skills. It forces you to get better. Even if you don't think you ever will be able to, it is worth trying.

i'll tell you one thing about a bow. I got my 50-pound recurve bow a while back. naturally I strung it (had to learn how to do that), and then pulled back the bow string. it's a LOT of force. you really can't imagine how much force is behind a powerful bow until you pull it to maximum extension.

I thought about firing a sharp arrow with that amount of power. I decided that if ever I got wounded, I would rather be shot with a handgun than somebody putting an arrow through my body with a 50-pound bow. that is a bad way to go.

these days we sort of write off what the early explorers and adventurers went through during the colonization of America. anybody who got shot with an arrow from a strong bow - that person suffered terribly.

Pete2

The pictures I've seen of arrow wounds suggest an arrow through the center of mass will cut a hole 1 to 1-1/2 inches diameter and pretty well through and through. A pistol bullet wound probably is much smaller and has less penetration. I think it's likely a victim could survive a single bullet wound, assuming nothing vital was hit.(brain, heart, major vessel) An arrow wound could easily bleed out before effective hemostasis could be achieved.

I too would much rather be hit with a handgun round than an arrow! Modern compound bows are extremely lethal. A multi-bladed broadhead does an amazing amount of damage.

anyway benjammin ...

what exactly do you plan to do with "that thar critter" after you hunt it? are you going to grind up the meat and make 100 steak-and-kidney pies? are you going to skin it, tan the hide, and put a rug on the floor of your great room? do you plan to whack its head off with a machete, take it to a taxidermist, and mount it on your wall over the fireplace? what's the goal here :-)

Pete2

Well, I am definitely not a trophy hunter, but if I do get one worthy of it, I will get it mounted and put it on the wall.

My interest is the meat. I think wild game is generally healthier eating, and in some cases tastes better than regular store bought beef or poultry. I'll grind some of it and can it or make it into sausage, some I will fillet into steaks or roasts, some will become soup bones, and some will be for Doug to chew on (our Viszlah).

I'll take the hide to a processer here and get it tanned. Since I don't much care for the taste of bear I am not inclined to hunt them, but if I have to shoot one, I would make a rug at least, and if I can't find anyone who wants the meat, Doug will eat well.

Not much left after that. I am an organ meat eater, though not as gung ho as most. I like liver and heart and kidney, the rest usually stays in the gut pile out in the woods. I never really developed a taste for sweetbreads (the thymus gland) like Grandad did, but then he came from a different background. I suppose I could find a way to incorporate more of that in my sausage making, but if it is salvageable, it most likely goes in the dog bowl instead.

Benjamin-

As I recall you have indicated that you have only recently moved to Alaska, so you may not be familiar with our laws/regulations regarding shooting a bear in defense. You should review those before heading afield. To summarize, you may shoot a bear to protect yourself. However if you do shoot a bear in self defense the bear becomes the property of the state. You must report it immediatly to ADFG or AST, surrender the skull, and hide with claws attached, and fill out a report of the circumstances.

If you were to shoot a bear in defense and keep the hide it would be considered poaching. The only exception might be if you were in a unit with an open bear season. Note that in many game units, bear hunting is by drawing permit. Alaska is a very big place, and fish and game regs vary quite a bit depending on which unit you are hunting in.

See http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=livingwithbears.conflicts:

"You may kill a bear in defense of your life or property if you did not provoke an attack or cause a problem by negligently leaving human or pet food or garbage in a manner that attracts bears and if you have done everything else you can to protect your life and property (5 AAC 92.410)."

"Property means your dwelling, means of travel, pets or livestock, fish drying racks, or other valuable property necessary for your livelihood or survival. While game meat is considered your property, you may not kill a bear to protect it unless the meat is critical for your survival. Even in this situation you still must do everything possible to protect the meat (i.e. proper storage, scaring the scavenger, etc. See Safely in Bear Country) before you may kill the bear."

"If you have to shoot a bear, be sure you shoot to kill - wounded bears are potentially more dangerous than healthy bears. Also be very careful of what lies beyond your intended target - stray bullets can travel over a mile and still be deadly."

"Bears killed in defense of life or property belong to the state. If you kill a bear you must remove the hide. If it is a brown bear you must also salvage the skull. You must give both the hide, with claws attached, and the skull to ADF&G. You must also notify your local ADF&G Wildlife Conservation office or Alaska State Troopers Bureau of Wildlife enforcement immediately. You are required to fill out and submit a Defense of Life or Property Report Form (PDF 172 kB) questionnaire concerning the circumstances within 15 days."