Mad-Hatter

Granted, but, from personal experience while fishing on the Russian...I saw a sizeable enough bear that I was glad I had my 45-70 loaded with high grain Corbons. I am also very glad I didn't have to fire that hand cannon, but I just didn't want to leave anything on the table in the event I really needed it.

vedo13

It's funny. I remember camping out in Pasagschak and Anton Larsen (Kodiak Is) when I was a kid back in 1973. My father was stationed there at Holiday Beach when the Coast Guard got the base from the Navy. I remember having BAGS o'trash outside, NEVER hanging ANYTHING, and no one in our group ever had any weapons. I don't think there was any such thing as bear spray back then. We saw an occasional bear, but they never came near us. We were out ever weekend when the salmon "ran" (spawning run). Funny how we never really thought it very dangerous........

AK4Dave

Yes......While guiding here in AK. I always had bears all around me. Always had either moose or caribou meat hanging everywhere. Never had a problem. Just because there are bears in the area doesn't mean you're going to have trouble with them. Granted there were times I saw bears close enough to camp that we had to wait until we saw what they were going to do before we could leave camp to go hunting. But usually, even with all that meat smell everywhere, all it would take was for a bear to smell US and they would be gone. I always figured that after a week or so in the woods we smelled worse than the meat smelled good.....lol. What it comes down to is "particular" bears. Usually it's young bears that haven't been around long enough to associate the smell of man with danger. Or, and old bear that is having a hard time catching food on it's own, and even though they know man is a threat, they are just too hungry to care.

Also, I live a few hundred yards from a salmon stream. And in the almost 30 years I've lived here, I've only had one bear come in the yard (that I've seen). And he wasn't stickin' around. Our garbage cans are out in easy reach and no bear has ever gotten into them. Sure the neighbors always tell each other of the bears they've seen, but usually these bears know man is around and they are on the move. Like I say...it's just certain bears that can cause problems.

vedo13

I guess it's like living in Baltimore. Just because its the murder capital of the US doesn't mean they're waiting to shoot you over the border. It's there, but 90% of the trouble is a certain element. It's fine. Just don't do obviously stupid things, and keep your wits about you like ANY inner city. You'll be fine and have a good time.

Outdoors

You wonder how people "survived" back when 44's and 45's were the biggest hand guns around.. and the top hand gun Bear killers too....
Yep, bigger is always better. But seriously I would rather be a better shot first, with either properly loaded 44mag or 45.
Just my opinion..

BudMan5

I carry a .45 but I think the next time we got out, I may pick up a .44mag pistol and maybe a lever gun in .45/70.

We're planning on Alaska next summer in the Jeep pulling a 17 foot Jayco travel trailer.

It would be easier going through Canada with a long berrelled pistol and a lever gun then anything else.

AK4Dave

If you were already planning on getting a 45/70 anyway then go for it. But if you are thinking about it just for the trip up here, and bear protection, you might want to consider a short 12 gauge pump. Most of the Feds, and State biologists up here use these now when in the field. Loaded up with a few rounds of 00 buck followed with slugs. The idea hears is, at close range, the buckshot can potentially blind the bear and make it that much harder for it to get to you. Then follow up with the slugs for the "coup de grace".

And like I said....I used to have a S&W 44mag, but this time opted for the Ruger 45 Colt that I can load up making it a bigger slug moving faster than the 44mag.

BudMan5

The 1897 Winchester below is my normal Jeep gun. I'll pick up the .44 mag because I have always wanted one and she will believe me when I tell her it is necessary <GRIN>

Mad-Hatter

x2. Thats how I used to gear up. I had my shotgun loaded up with buck shot-slug alternating slung on my back and my 45/70 in a chest holster when I was fly fishing up there. We were taught if you get charged: buck shot in the face, slug in the chest...buck shot in the face, slug in chest etc etc. Hand cannon was last resort.