Alaska Outfitter Defends Fishermen from Raging Grizzly with 9mm Pistol

[KFhunter]

https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/8/10/alaska-outfitter-defends-fishermen-from-raging-grizzly-with-9mm-pistol/

I have killed enough bears to know how important shot placement can be, even with large-bore rifles. I was well aware of the limitations of my 9mm pistol, even with Buffalo Bore ammo. I was aiming for a vital area with each shot; because it all took place between 6 and 8 feet, they were not far off. But hitting the head and brain of a highly animated and agitated animal is a difficult shot.

Heck of a story in the link...shot placement shot placement shot placement!

[Cougartail]

Shoemakers daughter carries a 357mag often out there for protection. Tia and Taj went to CWU in Elensburg I believe.

For years he carried an 06 as a backup weapon and has killed some very large bears with it.

[Dan-o]

Wow!!!!!

[KFhunter]

I think it's irresponsible for a guide of this sort to carry a 9mm for protecting clients.  He did his homework yes, and gambled it would be enough and got lucky.
Now if this was his personal carry and took it for himself to go fishing that's fine, but not for taking clients. 

Also why don't they (guides) hand out bear spray to the clients and a quick course on deploying the spray? 

[b23]

I think it's irresponsible for a guide of this sort to carry a 9mm for protecting clients.  He did his homework yes, and gambled it would be enough and got lucky.
Now if this was his personal carry and took it for himself to go fishing that's fine, but not for taking clients. 

Also why don't they (guides) hand out bear spray to the clients and a quick course on deploying the spray?

I'm not sure I'd call him "irresponsible" for only packing a 9mm.  It doesn't sound like this was his first rodeo so he must have had good reason and felt confident in taking the 9mm over his usual 44mag and the way I read it he put seven out of seven into the bear and there is no way to know packing his 44 would have got the job done any better, but I get what you're saying.  As for being lucky, I think any time you can put down an attacking bear at close range, there is a certain amount of luck involved, but I also think shot placement trumps caliber, too.

I completely agree with your statement on clients packing bear spray and going through some amount of discussion on what to do in the event of a bear/animal attack.  I know if I was being guided on a fishing trip in bear country, the least I'd have on me would be a bigazz can of bear spray.

For me, a handgun would almost be used as my backup.  I would think a short 16in. barreled 45-70 or the like, lever gun on a sling of some sort would be my primary.  With a little bit of practice and the right kind of sling, I think I could get on target just as fast or faster than I could drawing a handgun from a holster, and would have considerably more power/energy but be able to place my shots more accurately, but, I'm not an Alaska guide in bear country so I'd have to defer to the professionals.

[mburrows]

I had a good friend and his dad get charged last year by a brown bear up in AK.  The bear came up the draw at them as they were pulling out a deer, 1 shot from a .357 to the chest dropped it about 10 yards from their feet.  They said the bear started its charge about 100 yards out from them.

They had to hand the bear over to the authorities.

[Widgeondeke]

 

That's a combination of luck and skill.

[KFhunter]

I wonder how many times the guide explained his reasoning for carrying a 9mm as his primary client defense weapon to his peers and clients themselves?  It isn't confidence inspiring.

"umm we're going to be in Grizz country and so I'm bringing this little 9mm here but don't worry it's shooting buffalo bore ammunition and I think it will be just enough to get the job done"

[pianoman9701]

I think it's irresponsible for a guide of this sort to carry a 9mm for protecting clients.  He did his homework yes, and gambled it would be enough and got lucky.
Now if this was his personal carry and took it for himself to go fishing that's fine, but not for taking clients. 

Also why don't they (guides) hand out bear spray to the clients and a quick course on deploying the spray?

He got the job done. 

[Cougartail]

LOL, Phil Shoemaker has forgot more about dealing with bears yesterday than anyone on here has ever learned.
He has written articles on this topic for years (Bear Defense) and has a world wide reputation as a bear guide.
There is an old saying in Alaska, "The calibers get bigger the closer you get to Anchorage".  Once we leave fantasy land you realize the average American has a greater chance of dieing going to the store for a carton of milk than being killed while fishing by a brown bear in  SW Alaska.

[KFhunter]

more pics, the bullet almost made a full pass through

[CaNINE]

Regardless of caliber used that dude is one cool cucumber under pressure. Glad it worked out in this specific instance and no one was hurt. Goes to show that shot placement and bullet selection can get the job done but I'm not trading my 460SW for a 9mm anytime soon. Shoot straight and shoot often my friends. 

[JimmyHoffa]

I think the star of this show is the ammo.  If it was the 9mm +P+ penetrator, that stuff out performs quite a bit of the .357 mag.  I still wouldn't go 9mm or even semi-auto over revolver though, like said above.

[birddogdad]

single stack 9mm. lucky dude...

[Don Fischer]

I think it's irresponsible for a guide of this sort to carry a 9mm for protecting clients.  He did his homework yes, and gambled it would be enough and got lucky.
Now if this was his personal carry and took it for himself to go fishing that's fine, but not for taking clients. 

Also why don't they (guides) hand out bear spray to the clients and a quick course on deploying the spray?

I could not aagree more. Very irresponsible decision!

[Cougartail]

I think it's irresponsible for a guide of this sort to carry a 9mm for protecting clients.  He did his homework yes, and gambled it would be enough and got lucky.
Now if this was his personal carry and took it for himself to go fishing that's fine, but not for taking clients. 

Also why don't they (guides) hand out bear spray to the clients and a quick course on deploying the spray?

I could not aagree more. Very irresponsible decision!

Are you from Anchorage?

[T-Dozzer]

I think the star of this show is the ammo.  If it was the 9mm +P+ penetrator, that stuff out performs quite a bit of the .357 mag.  I still wouldn't go 9mm or even semi-auto over revolver though, like said above.

Think it was just the +p outdoorsman hard cast

[KFhunter]

Read what other guides are saying:
http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/109570-Alaska-Guides-carrying-10mm-for-Bear-Defence-Sidearm

[buglebrush]

So I shoot the Buffalo Bore +p FMJ 230 grain FN.  Any thoughts on if they are inferior to basically the same load, but with hardcast?

[Fl0und3rz]

For comparison.  Bear spray deployed. Two mauled.

http://komonews.com/news/local/bear-mauls-2-guides-from-seattle-cruise-company-in-alaska

[Bob33]

For comparison.  Bear spray deployed. Two mauled.

http://komonews.com/news/local/bear-mauls-2-guides-from-seattle-cruise-company-in-alaska

One used bear spray. One was seriously mauled. The article does not say which was and wasn't.

"One of the victims did deploy pepper spray and the bears eventually departed the area."

[buglebrush]

Both the guides were mauled. 

[Fl0und3rz]

That's pretty much my point: two mauled versus three not mauled.  At mauling range, i'd rather reach for a firearm.  At greater distances, a non-lethal deterrent would be a nice option to let the bear live, if possible.

[j_h_nimrod]

A 9mm is not my first choice for a bear gun but I would prefer that over canned Tabasco. Many (most) clients cannot be trusted with bear spray, they are already jumpy and bearanoid in most cases and a few cases of clients spraying themselves or having guides and innocent bystander sprayed because they walked up behind someone explains why pepper spray is not handed out regularly. Most clients have no clue and are not outdoors people so giving them a can of bear spray is tantamount to just spraying yourself or throwing the can in the river and letting it float away.

It is kind of funny that people claim the 9mm it is such a weak round and only marginally adequate for human protection but it did a pretty good job on that bear. 

[KFhunter]

A 9mm is not my first choice for a bear gun but I would prefer that over canned Tabasco. Many (most) clients cannot be trusted with bear spray, they are already jumpy and bearanoid in most cases and a few cases of clients spraying themselves or having guides and innocent bystander sprayed because they walked up behind someone explains why pepper spray is not handed out regularly. Most clients have no clue and are not outdoors people so giving them a can of bear spray is tantamount to just spraying yourself or throwing the can in the river and letting it float away.

It is kind of funny that people claim the 9mm it is such a weak round and only marginally adequate for human protection but it did a pretty good job on that bear.

Makes total sense about not handing out bear spray