My wife Mary asked me a question I couldn't answer today, regarding bears! What she asked was:- If you are hunting deer, and a bear appears and becomes a potential threat, would you shoot it? Taking into account Regulations within hunting, and not having a licence to hunt bear, or it not being the season for bear hunting etc, What does one do?? I think she is wondering what I would do if I was faced with this situation. So could anyone tell me what I should do if I do find myself in that position. It may seem like a strange question, but we keep hearing about bears that are becoming less afraid of humans, for whatever reason, and there is a good chance that I could encounter one or two on my travels! I don't want to have to be thinking about rules and regs in such a situation!!
Would appreciate some advice,
Thanks in advance,
Grizzled.
If at first you don't succeed...try again!!
Grizzled.
If you truly feel you are in danger, of course you shoot.
However, there may be consequences with the law regardless of how much danger you were in.
I would rather pay a fine then pay with my life.
With that being said, if you feel as though you are putting yourself into "bear country", carry some type of pepper spray, which can first be used to deter a bear before it becomes a threat.
Well. I would think that in most cases. you should beable to shoot over the bear and it would run off. Now if your between the sow and her cubs, sorry but you may have to kill her. I do not know what the laws are, but I do know. if I have a gun in my hands and I can not avoid a fight with a bear, I'm not going to become bear dropping the next day.
If you find yourself in a position of dire danger and need to shoot one for protection ......DO NOT MOVE ANYTHING, AND GO REPORT IT TO THE ATHORITIES. As long as your not hiding anything, they will be able see that you were in danger and then take the bear away.
But your best bet is to first stand up tall, make yourself as big as possible and make noise. If the bear still comes after you, then shot it in self defence.
Tom
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I'm assuming your hunting with a compound bow, right ? You'll definetly know your in trouble with bears. They'll give you some aggressive warning before hand. With a rifle, walk away normally, if you think your still in danger, fire a shot towards him, if that doesn't work, put him down. With a compound bow the same thing, except for the warning shot.
Let's not forget that maybe you got away lucky, but what about the next person without a weapon ?
I finally had to put a bear down this spring. She was coming around our place for two years, both years she had her cubs.
I remember the first year we saw her and her two cubs, it was about in June, the cubs were born that winter in the den. My wife and I and our two boys were on Quads on our property, they were the cutest little guys. About a year later is when things started getting a little scary. I was in our trailer on our property, when 1 o'clock in the morning they woke me up when they started rummaging in the garbage can beside the door. First I thought it was racoons, but when the whole tailer moved, I knew what it was. No harm done, they were on their way, but not before wiping my gun case right off my Quad, when it was still tied down.
Then this spring they were back. I had my truck and Quad by my trailer, with a raging firepit going, while I was on one side of the trailer, they approched from the other side. I just happened to be brushing my teeth when I walked around back. These three bears were not more than 35-40 yards away. They all looked about the same size. I decided to take the biggest one out, letting the other two year olds go. I just didn't want to take the chance of those bears coming onto my kids when they were playing in the forest close by. These bears would of walked right by my kids fort they made out of small trees and branches.
I would try to scare it away first, but the bottom line is that I wouldn't want to end up it's dinner. I'd shoot it and report the incident to the MNR, if it would not back down.
I shot a porcupine once that had made his home in my treestand. He climbed the tree one day while I was in it and all the poking with my rifle's muzzle would not deter him, so I shot him. I was not about to share my seat with that spiney fellow.
If i was put in a situation like this i would not hesitate to put a slug or a bolt right threw him/her! Chances are if he knows your there and is still getting close he is not coming over for a cup of coffee! No hesitation his going down... I would notify the MNR as well and if there was a fine so be it@~!
No idea about regulations in your area, but here in Ohio bears are protected. It seems like bears, bobcats, and rattlesnakes get the most attention and protection. A boy scout leader almost went to jail a few years ago for killing a rattlesnake that he felt was a threat to his scouts. There are a few bears in my area, but I've yet to personally see one. If I did encounter one that seemed to be a threat I'd probably let it at least gnaw off a hand or foot to prove it had bad intentions before shooting it. (just kidding...... or am I )
I'd say in the vast majority of encounters the bear is not a threat. They may bluff and they may try to intimidate, but an actual attack isn't likely. The big problem is determining when it's a bluff or if it's really serious. By the time you figure it out you may be seriously injured or headed to jail for killing a protected species.
I believe if I were hunting an area where an encounter was possible I'd carry a can of the pepper spray. It would probably be more effective than an arrow for stopping an attack. Then as my cousin said, "I'm not worried - a bear can't outrun me when it's slipping in hot sh** !"
bears are notorious blufers,hell,if they ever learned to play poker,look ouy fellas.....highly unlikely any of us will be in a true threatened situation...laying down and playing dead is a myth,just to let everyone know....make lots of noise but do not make eye contact unless you are prepared to act very dominant..........Big Foot
What she asked was:- If you are hunting deer, and a bear appears and becomes a potential threat, would you shoot it? Taking into account Regulations within hunting, and not having a licence to hunt bear, or it not being the season for bear hunting etc, What does one do?? I think she is wondering what I would do if I was faced with this situation. So could anyone tell me what I should do if I do find myself in that position. It may seem like a strange question, but we keep hearing about bears that are becoming less afraid of humans, for whatever reason, and there is a good chance that I could encounter one or two on my travels! I don't want to have to be thinking about rules and regs in such a situation!!
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