Posted on 12/03/2007 3:09:30 PM PST by george76
Long ago, grizzly bears thrived in Montana as did tales - some tall, some true - told by frontiersmen of a man-eater even more fearsome than the other two bogeymen of the forest, wolves and mountain lions.
Today, the reputation of Ursus arctos horribilis - along with other major predators ...
Also changed is how people can handle encounters with grizzlies, using a chemical spray rather than guns to improve the odds that both humans and bears will escape the encounters unharmed.
But Workman believes that if a bullet was good enough for his great-grandfather more than a century ago, then it's good enough for him when confronted by a charging grizzly, especially since he's wielding a modern, high-powered rifle.
It's an opinion held by many hunters, but Workman also is a member of Montana's Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission, the citizen board that oversees the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
And that agency, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, devotes considerable resources each year on bear awareness programs that emphasize chemical spray, not bullets, as the way to keep both people and bears safe in the woods.
Last week, Workman drew widespread criticism from bear biologists, wildlife officials and some hunters when he shot a charging grizzly - and later said bullets are far more effective than bear spray in fending off such an attack.
“These people who think that they're safe with bear spray, I'm here to tell them it's a false sense of security,” he said.
“The spray is better than nothing, but I'll choose a firearm every time.”
Workman...also drew fire for saying grizzlies have become so populous in Montana that they should be taken off the endangered species list and hunted to make them afraid of people.
(Excerpt) Read more at missoulian.com ...
/s
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I have a right to spray armed bears!..............
Chris Servheen, a Missoula-based bear biologist is not happy.
8-)
If you are in a group, pepper spray the bear, and while he is temporarily blinded hand the spray can to someone else in the group.
That's right. It's always good to announce dinner's arrived. I'm sure the bear appreciates the diversity of cuisine in a pot luck that includes hot and spicy.
The bears just might LIKE spicy hot man meat.
running faster than the person next to you is better than either.
brown bear...twigs, berries,fish scales,bee remains..
grizz...twigs,berries,fish scales,pepper spray cans,whistles,sneakers,sunglasses,maps of bear locations for liberals and greenies
You got it, THAT is basically America’s most lethal gun, period. The mildest ammo you can find for a 45/70 will absolutely flatten any North American game including grizzlies.
These Yogi's are a lot smarter than some give credit for. A new problem is that bears are adapting to hunters by stalking them to either get the leftovers from their kills or even stealing the kills outright. There have also been human encounters during these circumstances.
Know how to tell if bear scat is from a griz?
It smells like pepper spray, has tiny bells in it and it’s full of human bone chips and hair...
As long as you have both the nerve and the skill to hit the bear in the right spot. Especially if it’s moving. Most especially if it’s moving at you, as in this case you may not get a 2nd shot.
Not saying that you don’t, just pointing out that it’s not for everyone.
” I’m sure there are situations where bear spray could be adequate, but the only weapon that saved me from getting eaten was my rifle,” ...
Playing dead doesn’t work?...............
Shot placement is far less critical with the 45/70 than with the usual 30-cal rifles most people hunt with. With 420 - 500 gr bullets the big Marlins will put African game down quickly and a grizzly simply isn’t that big.
Heck, sometimes playing “real” dead doesn’t work !! Then they eat you, and it’s not a very pretty sight.
I must retire to my chambers to consider and contemplate all the evidence in your appeal.......
Man (spraying Bear): Come on, make my day. I’ve got a super-sized can of “Kick Some Grizzly Butt!” pepper spray just for you!”
Bear (killing Man): “Ummm, nice of this creature to bring along some pepper. They always taste better with some seasoning. After I’m done killin’ it, I’ll drag its body over to the salt-lick, and have my meal with a full set of condiments.”
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