Happy Medium rifle for partridge and black bear protection?

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Don't worry KC - your .444 still gets used with 265 grains for deer and .410 for grouse. Haven't shot a bear with it yet. It's a real nice rifle.

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One of the few firearms I regret selling, Werner! And the price on them has really started to climb! I'm really glad it went to a good home!

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Originally Posted by Kilo Charlie

Some people want to protect themselves from bears. I believe others want to carry guns,

To the OP: If I wanted the best combo grouse gun/bear gun, I would recommend a 12-gauge with slugs. I would personally, for myself, carry a .444 Marlin with .410 birdshot for grouse and 265-grain bulleted loads. But I sold my .444 so that's a moot point.

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And the OP explained that he liked to bird hunt with a 22 but wanted to move up to something that he could also use for bear. While I have killed numerous birds with my 270, once I switched to a forty caliber like you and WR, it became a lot easier, just in case you made a body shot. I wasn't the least bit worried about protection, just enjoyed the hunt.....

Good thread. The back and forth was great.

I just had my first bear encounter of the year last night, and I will be checking out the spray w/holsters today. That said, I chose the shotgun last night for the deterrent.

I periodically get bears wandering through the property, and they've all run away pretty quick when confronted - I like to give them a loud sendoff with the shotgun to persuade them to hurry up.

Last night was a bit different; it was a younger bear than I usually see - maybe 200lbs, but what do I know - and was sitting 50 feet from my house munching on clover at the edge of the septic field. I didn't see it, so we spooked each other as I got about 30 feet away (I was headed to the chicken coop). I yelled at it as it ran away, then I grabbed some broken branches and hucked them at the trees where the bear had run into the bush. Problem solved? I waited and listened and one minute later there were bush noises getting louder 75 feet to the right of where it went in. Guess it was checking whether the coast was clear. I yelled some more and made a ruckus, then heard nothing. At that point I figured I may need something with a bit more oomph.

I told my wife we had a visitor, so she grabbed a flashlight, and I grabbed the shotgun and flashlight, and hi-vis. We headed out, me going out back by the septic, and her going to look from the front. Cheeky bear was back. Its only reaction to seeing us was to look and then ignore us. Yelling produced a s-l-o-w stand and saunter. It was getting pretty low light, so I had no inclination to take a slug-shot with the bead and leave a wounded bear in our bush. I hurried it up with a 3" load of steel shot fired behind it (I like the extra bright flash I seem to get from the steel shot at night). Done Deal? Nope. Nosy thing circled back just inside the bush staring at me (good thing their eyes light up with the flashlight). Another shot over its head sent it packing for the night.

I don't like that bear's cavalier attitude toward us, or its persistence, especially with the critters and my kids around. I'm pretty sure that bear used up its first and second chances all at once.

That said, a holstered spray would be a lot less cumbersome and more accessible when out and about.

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Originally Posted by waltman

What about just hunting with a shotgun and birdshot? Fully legal and enough power at close range to persuade a bear to leave you alone.

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Or not, you might just end up pissing him off. My preference is to come big or stay home. I've done the math, and the fine, for being caught, with slugs, without a bear licence and hunter orange on, ranges around $300, with possibly other repercussions. The bear licence is above $50, buying a bear licence each year, with a $300 pot at stake, will give you at least 6 years of peace of mine, while your out hunting grouse. Just don't forget to comply with the hunter orange requirement and the mandatory bear survey. If there is a better argument it would be to limit the extent of the bear season, and run it to coincided with the deer season, in my WMU it starts September 1 or 2 and runs to November 30. I will omit I have no interest in doing bears, or am I not likely to shoot one unless I haven't any choice.

You don't stop hunting because you grow old. You grow old because you stop hunting.
- Gun Nut

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Originally Posted by Gun Nut

Or not, you might just end up pissing him off. My preference is to come big or stay home. I've done the math, and the fine, for being caught, with slugs, without a bear licence and hunter orange on, ranges around $300, with possibly other repercussions. The bear licence is above $50, buying a bear licence each year, with a $300 pot at stake, will give you at least 6 years of peace of mine, while your out hunting grouse. Just don't forget to comply with the hunter orange requirement and the mandatory bear survey. If there is a better argument it would be to limit the extent of the bear season, and run it to coincided with the deer season, in my WMU it starts September 1 or 2 and runs to November 30. I will omit I have no interest in doing bears, or am I not likely to shoot one unless I haven't any choice.

You don't stop hunting because you grow old. You grow old because you stop hunting.
- Gun Nut

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I've encountered a few bears in my life-time and wouldn't feel "under-gunned" at all if I carried a 12ga. (even with bird-shot) . --- Since bear wouldn't be on the "agenda" while bird-hunting I'd shoot ONLY if I had to . --- Keep cool and let it come close enough before pulling the trigger ; shooting at the head will do the trick . --- Years ago I was forced to "dispatch" one with a 22mag. handgun at 10-15' . --- I wrote about that in a previous post .

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Originally Posted by JBen

The point I was hoping for Trimmer is that attacks are so bloody rare. I stepped out of my tent and he was close enough to spit on. We looked at each other and he went about his business. What are people "afraid" of...."really".

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I'm well aware it's a rare event,JBen. I've had great success simply hollerin' and bouncing rocks of the Blackie's old coconut. Bear spray works well. We got messin' with it at an in-service training session and wound up clearing out half the detachment (janitor was PO'd and we got shyte for that).

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Originally Posted by Gun Nut

Or not, you might just end up pissing him off. My preference is to come big or stay home. I've done the math, and the fine, for being caught, with slugs, without a bear licence and hunter orange on, ranges around $300, with possibly other repercussions. The bear licence is above $50, buying a bear licence each year, with a $300 pot at stake, will give you at least 6 years of peace of mine, while your out hunting grouse. Just don't forget to comply with the hunter orange requirement and the mandatory bear survey. If there is a better argument it would be to limit the extent of the bear season, and run it to coincided with the deer season, in my WMU it starts September 1 or 2 and runs to November 30. I will omit I have no interest in doing bears, or am I not likely to shoot one unless I haven't any choice.

You don't stop hunting because you grow old. You grow old because you stop hunting.
- Gun Nut

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I wear blaze orange no matter what we happen to be hunting (except ducks). I regard the purchase of a Bear license the same as you,simply an insurance policy to carry heavy duty stuff with me,only to dump one if necessary or to go on a last minute organized hunt with the gang.

A meteor could fall from the sky and take off your head. We should not live our lives in fear.

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