11 yr Old Boy shots Bear ..with Birdshot !!

[Fox]

When I was dogging deer it was amazing how fast an animal will appear in front of you. I started to shotgun with buck shot for that exact reason.

I can't believe the young man was able to respond at all...the time to react with a bear charging would be so small and with the human instinct to run, he did remarkably well to stand his ground and take action.

I wonder if he is a gamer and has developed a offensive response mechanism and faster hand eye coordination.

The story states that the bear ran past the older men in the party and was headed towards the kid, seems like the terrain was a lot better than the worst case scenario we all picture in our heads. I know I have walked in with my shotgun to my shoulder when walking in to bait bears, can be scary when every other animal around is quiet, including birds, you know that bear is not far away but you cannot see it at all.

[skypilot]

When I was dogging deer it was amazing how fast an animal will appear in front of you. I started to carry a shotgun with buck shot for that exact reason.

I can't believe the young man was able to respond at all...the time to react with a bear charging would be so small and with the human instinct to run, he did remarkably well to stand his ground and take action.

I wonder if he is a gamer and has developed a offensive response mechanism and faster hand eye coordination.

Good point. Reaction times usually improve with regular testing.
Also "kids" don't seem to have the mental baggage that "wise" adults sometimes do in instantaneous dangerous situations. They simply react. No or few preconceived restraints to slow the hands.

Plus I believe he was carrying a pump shotgun, which has always been slow for me although the first shot is as fast as an auto.

I am always amazed by how quickly a wolf or bear can appear from nowhere. Part of that is from the false narrative they we "rule" the wilds. Or that all animals always fear us/avoid us and that is simply untrue. It is part of that mental baggage we have to shed when we are startled and before reacting.

Plus he avoided shooting his fishing partners during a stressful event while targeting a specific threat. Sort of blows the hypothesis that targeting a threat in a "crowd" in a stressful situation, with no "training", results in collateral damage.

[Fox]

Good point. Reaction times usually improve with regular testing.
Also "kids" don't seem to have the mental baggage that "wise" adults sometimes do in instantaneous dangerous situations. They simply react. No or few preconceived restraints to slow the hands.

Plus I believe he was carrying a pump shotgun, which has always been slow for me although the first shot is as fast as an auto.

I am always amazed by how quickly a wolf or bear can appear from nowhere. Part of that is from the false narrative they we "rule" the wilds. Or that all animals always fear us/avoid us and that is simply untrue. It is part of that mental baggage we have to shed when we are startled and before reacting.

Plus he avoided shooting his fishing partners during a stressful event while targeting a specific threat. Sort of blows the hypothesis that targeting a threat in a "crowd" in a stressful situation, with no "training", results in collateral damage.

He may have been shooting a pump for a while, my pump is shot just as quick as a guy with a semi, often when hunting geese I do not even realize I ejected the last spent round and closed on an empty chamber, it is muscle memory.

You never know, he may have more "training" than LEOs, kids can pickup a lot and when you start shooting young you may be a lot more well trained than the adults, for safety as well.

[MikePal]

I'd be more than happy to have a hunter that quick witted with me out in the bush...