Posted on 03/08/2012 10:58:38 PM PST by Zakeet
Conventional wisdom isn't always based on common sense, and sometimes isn't even based on real data, especially when it comes to animals of mythological proportions like bears.
BYU wildlife biologist Tom Smith wants to change that.
A new study suggests that one of the most commonly suggested deterrents against bears in the wild — guns — actually won't protect people any better than not using a gun.
"It really isn't about the kind of gun you carry,” he said. “It's about how you carry yourself. We need to respect an animal that could potentially take our lives."
[Snip]
This isn't the first time Smith has had a study showing that guns aren't as effective against bears as generally believed. In 2008, Smith released a study saying that bear spray is more effective than guns.
Part of the problem is that shooting accurately is very difficult in a terrifying situation like having a giant animal charging at you. Even if you do kill the bear, that's still a problem, given declining populations and the the loss of what a bear can contribute both economically and ecologically.
"It's a conservation issue in that we'll see needless bear mortalities," Smith said.
(Excerpt) Read more at deseretnews.com ...
"Part of the problem is that shooting accurately is very difficult in a terrifying situation like having a giant animal charging at you."
What this really means is that most folks carrying a gun in bear country have not practiced NEARLY enough. It's also a good idea to simulate the stress as much as possible, for instance by running a bit right before shooting. Also timed shooting helps.
Another bottom line is that one should never retreat from the bear - especially don't turn and run! Your only hope is to intimidate it, then use countermeasures as necessary.
By the way, if the wind is wrong for the bear spray, all you'll do is give yourself a nice Szechuan flavor for the hungry bear...
There is a reason they call it “the Utah Effect” and a big reason is BYU. Things seem to happen in and around Utah that are not replicable anywhere else.
Good advice. A lot better than spray and pray. LOL!!!
Ping.
Maybe this Mormon charlatan thinks Freemason icons will work better...
or a Jupiter stone...
while wearing magic Underoos of course...
Silly
bang 2 sticks together...
Didnt you ever see The Parent Trap when you were a kid ???
Look at it again and this time read what is written there. They are all temporarily disabled.
Sorry, that quote comes from the article. You have to click on the complete article.
Sticks are for mountain lions.
Don’t forget how to identify grizzly scat.
Yep, I will look this up later on today. The bottle I have came from bass pro shop.
I was really surprised at how short the range is. If that pitbull had been a charging bear, I think my dog and I would have been hamburger.
You just have to remember to draw your anti-sea bear circle, hopefully it works with land bears, too.
“Spray first, then shoot.”
Huh? You say that as though you’ll have all the time in the world to spray, switch to the gun, then shoot. Bears don’t play that fair.
Who was the manufacturer of the bear spray you used?
More likely a cape buffalo or a gaur but bears would be high on the list. About half of the critical target area of the giant bovines is covered by the boss of those horns which even the most powerful of rifles can't always penetrate.
Explain it to Greg Bush who saved his life by drawing his Ruger .454 Casull revolver and dispatching this charging Grizzly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.