Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Spray vs. gun bear deterrent debate rages
the Missoulian ^ | December 03 2007 | JOHN CRAMER

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 ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; US: Montana
KEYWORDS: animalrights; ar; banglist; bear; bearattack; bearattacks; bears; bearspray; blackbear; grizzly; grizzlybear; grizzlybears; sss; usfws
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-131 next last
To: Doogle

You forgot the un-opened bag of granola.


41 posted on 12/03/2007 6:00:02 PM PST by fishhound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: fishhound

*LOL*..yeah now stomped to crumbs


42 posted on 12/03/2007 6:16:09 PM PST by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Col Freeper
*rotflol*...this is funny, hadn’t laff’d this hard the shower scene..
43 posted on 12/03/2007 6:21:43 PM PST by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Honor above all

I can’t imagine stopping that much mass on full tilt boogie with any special magic mist.

I heard the panic and dissapointment.
That guy had steel nerve.

Definitely clean underwear.


44 posted on 12/03/2007 6:21:49 PM PST by fishhound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Doogle
hadn’t laff’d this hard the shower scene..

see..I missed using words cuz I'm laffin so hard...since the shower scene

45 posted on 12/03/2007 6:24:04 PM PST by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Doogle

I missed adding the envelope of Hillary bumperstickers to the pile.


46 posted on 12/03/2007 6:26:21 PM PST by fishhound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: damondonion

How about a ruger alaskan 454 wheelgun to go with that rifle?


47 posted on 12/03/2007 6:39:13 PM PST by Armedanddangerous (Chuin, Master of Sinanju (emeritus))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: ButThreeLeftsDo

The .45-70 IS the .45 Govt, or .45-70 Govt. It is an 1873 cartridge that consists of a 500 grain flat based soft lead slug over 70 grains of compressed black powder. It launches the 500 grain slug at about 1700 fps, and was designed for, and will shoot through a horse at 600 yards from an original gun. Modern rifles with smokeless powder have slightly higher velocities but with lighter copper jacketed bullets still approximate the same energies as the original Black Powder loads.

If you do your homework you will find that there have been more Grizzlys killed with a .30-06, than with all other calibers combined.


48 posted on 12/03/2007 6:58:01 PM PST by Concho (IRS--Americas real terrorist organization.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: fishhound

I’ll take the rifle, thanks.


49 posted on 12/03/2007 7:03:40 PM PST by ryan71
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: 43north
That’the hardest I’ve laughed in days :)
50 posted on 12/03/2007 7:06:09 PM PST by ryan71
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: george76

How about a bullet filled with pepper spray?

Or a gun that squirts pepper spray and shoots a bullet at the same time?


51 posted on 12/03/2007 7:06:43 PM PST by Age of Reason
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: spunkets
I know you are funnin but there is a serious problem developing in Montana and Alaska. “Griz” have started running to the sound of gunfire believing that a free meal is waiting.
52 posted on 12/03/2007 7:11:09 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Illegal Immigration, a Clear and Present Danger.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Often not with big bears. They do so much damage trying to move you around you may as well be dead.


53 posted on 12/03/2007 7:13:15 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Illegal Immigration, a Clear and Present Danger.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: fishhound

Now that is a 9.9 on the pucker scale!!!


54 posted on 12/03/2007 7:17:12 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Illegal Immigration, a Clear and Present Danger.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: george76

Love that joke.
How do you tell if it’s Grizzly poop?
If it’s got a spray bottle and bells in it!

The success in either spray or gun is determined by your application speed vs. the bears closing speed.
The gun is effective for a longer moment.


55 posted on 12/03/2007 7:19:16 PM PST by G Larry (HILLARY CARE = DYING IN LINE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Concho

More of aobut everything killed with 30-06.


56 posted on 12/03/2007 7:20:33 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Illegal Immigration, a Clear and Present Danger.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: george76

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_yTNo36YOs


57 posted on 12/03/2007 7:24:19 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Illegal Immigration, a Clear and Present Danger.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: george76
This thread needs more gun porn!
58 posted on 12/03/2007 7:27:40 PM PST by TC Rider (The United States Constitution ? 1791. All Rights Reserved.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Age of Reason

“How about a bullet filled with pepper spray.”

You should stop by my place and check the trash can. I was saving mine as a gift for a certain someone who turned out to be a rat not a bear. So, I don’t need it anymore.

‘’
u


59 posted on 12/03/2007 7:30:47 PM PST by 444Flyer (NEVER take a "mark" to "buy or sell"!Jos24:15, Rev 22:17,John 3:1-36, Eph 6, Rev 12:11, Jer 29:13-14)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: 444Flyer

Any takers?


60 posted on 12/03/2007 7:33:15 PM PST by 444Flyer (NEVER take a "mark" to "buy or sell"!Jos24:15, Rev 22:17,John 3:1-36, Eph 6, Rev 12:11, Jer 29:13-14)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-131 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson