Ornery Bear

[JackOfAllTrades]

I know I won't ever give four warning shots from one of my six guns for any wild animal posturing agressively. I'll get large, make noise, first. I will walk sideways, slightly away, and get an obsticle between us if possible. I'm torn with the idea of throwing something at an already posturing/agressive animal. That might make matters worse, but I might try it if I've got something heavy and am confident that I could hit it in the head/nose. If none of that phases a wild animal, then it is certainly not afraid of me. Wild animals of Washington should be afraid.  -OK, if a big ole boar thinks he's king of the woods, or a young one is stupid enough to think so.. Or if a predatory/hungry wolf or kitty, thinks the same, he's gettin some lead when he crosses the 15yd line!  Those of you that have been bluff charged at 10yds, have more patients than I do. (Bigger Cohonay's too!)  I've never been that close to a moose in the woods, Don't plan on it either.

-Steve

[3nails]

 I've been wondering if these types of encounters were going to escalate this year. With the massive snowpack and super late spring-summer the usual food sources are awfully skinny. The blue/huckleberries may not have time to produce this year being they are still under 15+ feet of snow above 4,000'. Might be alot of bear encounters this year.

[Guy]

Heck of an encounter. Was someone else snapping photos or you?

Tell  ya, I'd hate to give up four of the six rounds in the .44 I usually carry in the hills - as warning shots. Critters like that one are why I carry in the hills.

Never have used pepper spray on a bear. Looks like it could be effective in a situation like this.

[h20hunter]

Thanks for posting. I have yet to have a close encounter like that with a bear. It is great to see pics (since the outcome was good for you both) of a bear in an aggressive mood. He looked like he wanted to mix it up a bit. Did you have any extra clean short back in camp?

[saylean]

Was he missing an ear or was it just pinned down? Cool shots Weamag. Glad the both of you are ok.

[50CalJim]

I really don't think that Bear wanted to harm you he just wanted to give you a Bear hug.

[Hornseeker]

Cool pics. I'd say ditto to what Machias said... If my kids were around, that bear may have gotten more than a warning shot. Kind of a touchy situation... by letting him get away with it... will some unarmed guy get beat up in the future?? Tough call... Been nice to have your bow with some blunts! Thwap him good.... or an M80 or two under his feet!   

[Wea300mag]

that brings up a good point...at what point does it become time to take more severe action than a warning shot?  i mean, 4 warning shots and it still came to within 25 yards.  to me that's doing your part to solve the problem peacfully, but it seems like any closer and he could have been on you almost faster than you could have done anything about it. 

what do you guys think?

I had a .40Cal with 4 more rounds left. I wasn't going to waste anymore on warning shots so I would say 25 yards is my limit. Most of the time in the woods it's a sow with cubs that gets testy. They are a much more predictable though, as long a you don't get between her and her cubs then you can just slowly back out of the area.