Shotgun loads for south-central Alaskan Bear Defense

[The Walrus]

I don't expect to run into anything the size of a Kodiak Island Grizzly, but may encounter small-to-medium sized bears in my summer hikes through Alaska. For use in a Mossberg 590, what would be the preferred loads in bear defense?

3" 00 Buck Federal ?

Slugs?

[KSFreeman]

I don't know much about critters as we wily Hoosier killed off all them thar danged predators off years ago. However, I do know that several shooting skul instructors who have gone to the Last Frontier or acted as guides up there really liked the Brenneke slug. Just passing along hearsay, and double hearsay.

[C.R.Sam]

Search the archives for threads by Keith Rogan. He has been and is there and doin that. He also has a good bear website.

Sam

[dfaugh]

00 buck myself(preferably magnums)...probably short range, quick shots if you really need it...12 or 15 .32 caliber hunks of lead pretty daunting for any creature

[The Walrus]

The bonus is, that I can take my 12 gauge through British Columbia/Canada with relatively little paperwork hassle. It has a barrel over 18.5" and doesn't meet any of the canadian "evil" standards.

I'll also be taking a CZ-75 along, but it will be shipped by air to an FFL in Anchorage. No way will I deal with the canadian hassle involved in taking a semiauto pistol through the country.

And the sad part? I'M A CANADIAN. I live down here in the USA to earn a higher wage, and enjoy the united states' freedoms. I am really quite ashamed of the reputation canadians have earned worldwide as spineless cowards and pacifists. We have such a proud WW1/WW2 battle history! My own grandfather served on corvettes in the north atlantic dropping depth charges on nazi u-boats.

Yet, I, a mature and responsible non-felon, can't easily possess proper firearms in my country of birth. Canada is very quickly going the direction of the UK and Australia in regards to gun control.

[The Walrus]

found it:

http://web.archive.org/web/20010831195118/http://www.bearbite.com/