Happy Medium rifle for partridge and black bear protection?

[terrym]

I have to chuckle a bit with those who hold up "stats" as the be all. I clearly remember getting into an argument here about the need for snow tires once and provided clear indisputable statistics and some discounted them and said to drive slower.
Anyway back to Bears. How does the research know without doubt if the bear attack was merely a bluff and would not have led to injury or fatality. Because anybody with bear experience knows bluff charges are typical. If the bear wasn't going to seal the deal then often times a stick to the face or yelling at it would stop a charge. Nobody here is saying spray won't work at turning a bear most times. But most isn't all the time. I never carry a gun while baiting. I also never carry spray. The sound of an ATV and the cursing and bug swatting on the way in will move a bear off a bait. They usually don't hit baits mid day so that's s good time to bait.
The simple reality is if you are charged and everybody agrees that is a very very Low possibility the only way to guarantee you will stop the charge by a bear intended on killing you is to kill the bear. Spray just won't do that. In the end most people will never be in the situation to need to defend themselves. I have. I had to shoot a boar at point blank range that was climbing up my ladder stand to escape the sow trying to kill him. I put a bullet into him when his muzzle crossed the last step. He dropped like a rock and the sow gathered her cubs and slowly walked away huffing. An enraged bear is not a posturing or bluffing bear. I also made the point that virtually nobody has the nerves of steel to go digging for a weapon and that what is in your hands is what will save you wether that is spray, a .22 or a side by side 12g with 00 buck. Let's just say if I had to track a wounded bear I wouldnt have spray in my hands.

[patvetzal]

Used to be so much simpler when we could carry our gun of choice in a shoulder holster. Never needed it for bears but did get a few birds and snowshoe hares...Did have twice when I followed wounded bears but never caught up with either.

[welsh]

The simple reality is if you are charged and everybody agrees that is a very very Low possibility the only way to guarantee you will stop the charge by a bear intended on killing you is to kill the bear.

This is simply untrue. It works from the assumption that a bear intent on killing you will continue its attack until dead. This is not the case.

As for how the research can tell what's a charge and what's a bluff, obviously there is no way to know with certainty. But given that bluff charges are rarely reported while attacks almost always are, and that the research is based on reported attacks, it would seem that the incidents studied would skew towards actual attacks. Also, it is worth noting that the same problem affects the research on the effectiveness of firearms to stop bear attacks -- there is no reason to assume that the reported firearms incidents included a significantly higher or lower percentage of bluff charges than did spray incidents.

[73hunter]

But I think Terry has it right with this: "what is in your hands is what will save you whether that is spray, a .22 or a side by side 12g with 00 buck."

[werner.reiche]

But I think Terry has it right with this: "what is in your hands is what will save you whether that is spray, a .22 or a side by side 12g with 00 buck."

I'd agree with that - whatever you're planning on using has to be immediately accessible.

[Snowwalker]

http://m.imgur.com/gallery/47mEzZ5

You could just wear the right clothes.

[sawbill]

If a bear is serious and gets you down with the intend of adding you to the bait bucket then a rifle is only good as a club. Only a handgun or spray will help at this stage.

[pbonura]

If a bear is serious and gets you down with the intend of adding you to the bait bucket then a rifle is only good as a club. Only a handgun or spray will help at this stage.

8 page thread and this the most important advice on this 8 pages. An actual professional who runs 50 baits. Surprise surprise. My friend who runs 30 baits recommends the same advice. My friend who guides would never never allow hunters with him tracking unless they were unharmed. He knows they have a better chance of shooting others than the bear.

[werner.reiche]

If a bear is serious and gets you down with the intend of adding you to the bait bucket then a rifle is only good as a club. Only a handgun or spray will help at this stage.

Well the entire point in carrying a rifle or shotgun is to keep out of this situation. Bear spray is only effective out to about 15 feet. I wouldn't intend to let a bear get that close.

[welsh]

Chances are in a bear attack the bear will be that close before you can react.