Posted on 05/08/2014 5:46:56 AM PDT by JoeProBono
Larry Fitzgerald and a pal were moose hunting near Fairbanks, Alaska, when they came across fresh bear tracks in the snow. Three hours later, the auto body man had taken down the grizzly that left the prints, an enormous bruin that stood nearly 9 feet tall and earned Fitzgerald a place in the record books.
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Considering that by just falling down the bear closed over 1/7th of that distance, yeah, that's scary big and scary close.
Most guides in Alaska carry a 12 gauge loaded with slugs as a back up.
Ok now that’s bad but damn sure funny!
he was hunting moose... and 300 win mag is sufficient...but if I was in Grizz country I would want to carry at least a .338 win mag....and if I wasn’t expecting long range shots I would shoulder a Marlin model 95 Guide gun in either of the two .45s....the .450 marlin you can buy the hard hitting store bought ammo. the .45-70 you have to reload to get the most from your Marlin. I bought my youngest son one in 45-70 and for the deer and black bear in my area a slightly hot reload using only a .300 grain bullet is sufficient and the three deer he shot fell right down...did not ruin too much meat....
if I were using it for protection in Grizz country I would load up a 500 grainer....
As far as I know its too far to swim from Kodiak Island to the mainland.
“SAKO 300? What was the actual caliber, anyone know. Did he go out for these with a 300 win mag. I used to have one before my boating accident, Savage, but I felt it a bit light for something like this.”
An old hunting buddy of mine had a 300 H&H Mag built on a Sako action. Slightly better performance than the WinMag, IIRC.
Some of the hunters in Ak carry custom built rifles, but any 30 cal is a touch small for the big bruins, IMHO
Not only that, he was using but a .300 mag.
I have to believe his buddy was backing him up with something heavier...like 12 gauge with slugs.
It takes a lot of guts and/or whiskey to take a shot at a big grizzly from 60ft.
“I have to believe his buddy was backing him up with something heavier...”
Like SEAL Team Six.
I’ve got a Marlin in .45-70.
Unless something has changed since I bought mine, don’t know if you can go 500 grain in the Marlin, too long.
Hunting for food is one thing. Hunting for the joy of killing - “kind of cool”, “a rush” !!!!
In a Sako, it could be a .300 Win Mag or .300 Weatherby. There are tons of dead grizzlies shot with 200-220 grain .30-06’s, and it still kills them. I do have a tendency to carry my .338 when in grizzly country. They are an impressive animal in the wild.
Trust me, the rush is from being that close to an animal, whether you kill it or not. You misunderstand the dynamics of what’s happening, I think.
If you can’t get a rush from seeing (not killing) one of the big bears, a leopard, lion, moose, or elephant, then you won’t enjoy hunting.
35 Whelen is still one of the most popular in Alaska.
Crikey! That’s a big bear. Not sure what the Alaska laws are about hunting with a crew-served weapon but I don’t think I’d really want anything smaller, especially at 20 yards. Geesh.
I mean, isn't there a danger that when your particular B&C Grizzly charges, you'll be busy at your portable reloading bench? Perhaps you should consider taking me along. With my trusty (slighty rusty) Iver Johnson loaded with a 12-gauge slug (Ted Williams Ammo, Sears, 1954) I could watch your back. Unfortunately, I do not pose for photographs with it, as the friction tape on the stock is somewhat embarrassing. For the right kind of money, I would consider that Camo Duck Tape, though.
Kodiak and coastal brown bear are the same species...actually they are just all large wild salmon fed grizzley
Turbo, a real man would be using a .38-55 Winchester.
load em deeper if you have to(I don’t have to).
I load hard cast lead 500s for my 1884 Trapdoor. they fit in my sons Marlin and shoot well, with his ballard rifling. they have copper gas checks.
I use IMR 3031 for both guns...I just use less of it for the trapdoor. and I use nickel plated brass for the Marlin as an indicator to make sure that I do not fire high pressure loads in my trapdoor
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