The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Help, deer and black bear hunting .357 mag

RdKill · March 18, 2011, 02:22 PM

Before you "play dead" with a black bear, you need to know what sex the bear is. Female black bears don't typically attack humans for food*. Males sometimes do. *Either may if they are desperate enough for food. If you lay down and play dead for a male who is stalking you, you are just making his meal easier. Males are less likely to want to "fight" though if they aren't defending anything. They will stalk and slowly come closer and usually attack when someone panics and starts running...initiating an instinctive, reflexive reaction to chase prey. Standing tall and confrontational as you slowly back away has it's advantages. However, a sow with cubs won't be as respectful to you standing up to her. It should be noted though that female black bears do not typically actually attack to protect cubs unless you actually have one of her cubs in your possession. She may threaten an attack...but when the cub or cubs run off, she will leave you be and follow after them..usually...or quite often run up a tree and try to get her cubs to follow her. I do not believe there is a recorded case of a black bear actually killing someone to protect cubs though...playing dead would certainly make you less of a perceived threat. Grizzlies on the other hand...

I live in black bear country and occasionally have them around the house at night. I have never had to shoot one because they usually just run away. If I ever do, it won't be with anything that doesn't start with at least a .4 though. Anything else, I figure my chances would better using it to fire warning shots to scare them off...which is quite effective...as is pepper spray. Wounding a bear up close that you feel "might" attack you upgrades the situation to an immediate guaranteed attack.

In some areas, bears have learned that gunshots mean food on the ground for them to claim, and they will go to the source of the noise sniffing for fresh kill. .. Something to keep in mind while you are field dressing that trophy buck

Watch your back! Despite what's fair or not fair, if a bear claims your kill, they are VERY defensive over it and will gladly take your head off to defend it.

As far as hunting them for sport...I have no advice other than please don't come shoot any of mine

March 18, 2011, 02:22 PM	#11
RdKill Senior Member Join Date: February 6, 2011 Location: Blue Ridge, Georgia Posts: 151	Before you "play dead" with a black bear, you need to know what sex the bear is. Female black bears don't typically attack humans for food. Males sometimes do. Either may if they are desperate enough for food. If you lay down and play dead for a male who is stalking you, you are just making his meal easier. Males are less likely to want to "fight" though if they aren't defending anything. They will stalk and slowly come closer and usually attack when someone panics and starts running...initiating an instinctive, reflexive reaction to chase prey. Standing tall and confrontational as you slowly back away has it's advantages. However, a sow with cubs won't be as respectful to you standing up to her. It should be noted though that female black bears do not typically actually attack to protect cubs unless you actually have one of her cubs in your possession. She may threaten an attack...but when the cub or cubs run off, she will leave you be and follow after them..usually...or quite often run up a tree and try to get her cubs to follow her. I do not believe there is a recorded case of a black bear actually killing someone to protect cubs though...playing dead would certainly make you less of a perceived threat. Grizzlies on the other hand... I live in black bear country and occasionally have them around the house at night. I have never had to shoot one because they usually just run away. If I ever do, it won't be with anything that doesn't start with at least a .4 though. Anything else, I figure my chances would better using it to fire warning shots to scare them off...which is quite effective...as is pepper spray. Wounding a bear up close that you feel "might" attack you upgrades the situation to an immediate guaranteed attack. In some areas, bears have learned that gunshots mean food on the ground for them to claim, and they will go to the source of the noise sniffing for fresh kill. .. Something to keep in mind while you are field dressing that trophy buck Watch your back! Despite what's fair or not fair, if a bear claims your kill, they are VERY defensive over it and will gladly take your head off to defend it. As far as hunting them for sport...I have no advice other than please don't come shoot any of mine __________________ A 9mm bullet MIGHT expand, but a .45 will never shrink.