Black Bear caliber

[Malsua 1,422]

Yesterday my wife called and said that a bear was molesting one of my gas cans. He emptied it, rolled around in the gas and hung around the yard for about 25 minutes. It was a big black bear.(I posted a thread about it on NewjerseyHunter.com)

 

In August 07 we had a bear attempt to enter our kitchen through the window on the deck. My wife scared that one off with some wooden poles for a single seat tree swing that just happened to be inside at the time. I have a 12ga that I keep 5 rounds of 00 buck in a sleeve on the stock. I also have slugs that are right there that I can grab.

 

I understand that the various handgun grizzly calibers, .460, 454casull, 50 cal will work but I'm wondering what is good on the lower end. I don't believe a .45 is enough. A .40 might be and a 10mm probably would be. I used to shoot a .44 magnum with a 10inch barrel frequently and I'm leaning towards that, but the question is, what is something that my wife could potentially handle(she's small) and is also fun to shoot yet lethal to drop a black bear. My 9mm with a 15 round mag would probably do the trick by the time the mag is empty, but I'd prefer something a little better than that.

 

I don't know what the word is on a .357 and black bear. I've never hunted bear, much less with a pistol, I really don't know what is considered a minimum.

 

Thoughts?

 

Here's the bear in question as he was molesting my gas can. He had also stopped by the Sunday before Memorial day.

 

[tony357 386]

prefrably a spear. you want to confront your assailant face to face do not be afraid we all have these fears, once the process has begun it becomes much easier and their are laws to protect you.

[Lublin 3]

Pretty large blackie. Much larger than the ones that frequent my yard.

[tbtrout 141]

From what I have read, a 10mm will do it as well as a 180gr hardcast 357. It will penetrate deep enough do do the job.

[tgz13 0]

That is a big a$$ bear, I don't think I would be able to do anything more then just freeze and stare.

 

How often do you have bear come onto your property?

[Lublin 3]

How often do you have bear come onto your property?

 

Every night.

[67gtonut 847]

Saw one this morning that size in Rockaway Twp..... :shock:

[hotshot 4]

a nice crossbow would do the job....quiet and deadly.....

[Malsua 1,422]

How often do you have bear come onto your property?

 

This looks like the bear that visited last Sunday. This week is the first time I think I've seen this one. Sometimes we get long periods with no bears then we get them every few days for months. We're in a busy period right now as we're seeing them almost every day.

 

I was thinking that a .357 might be enough and that could make for the next gun. I am leaning towards a .44 mag just because I'm comfortable with one and have run many many shots through one.

[Lublin 3]

I want to walk about 50 yards from my car through a completely dark yard every night to get to my front door. I regularly have coyotes and bear in my yard. Makes me think about maybe carrying a pistol. Not sure how I'd do that legally, though.

[tgz13 0]

I want to walk about 50 yards from my car through a completely dark yard every night to get to my front door. I regularly have coyotes and bear in my yard. Makes me think about maybe carrying a pistol. Not sure how I'd do that legally, though.

I give you credit.. I would run like a bat out of hell every night lol

[Lublin 3]

I want to walk about 50 yards from my car through a completely dark yard every night to get to my front door. I regularly have coyotes and bear in my yard. Makes me think about maybe carrying a pistol. Not sure how I'd do that legally, though.

I give you credit.. I would run like a bat out of hell every night lol

 

I just make sure to whistle very loudly. Chances are that whatever is there will run off when it hears the whistling.

[tbtrout 141]

I have not encounterd bear, but when we would head back to our barracks late at night you would see packs of coyotes walking around them. Right outside our doors.

[tgz13 0]

I don't like things that go bump in the night!!

 

Think I have seen to many movies, and I spook myself out

[Maksim 1,504]

that is just wow. So bears are normal now in north jersey? I remember the first time they were spotted it was a big deal.

 

If he was on a gas can... why not blow up the gas can. :mrgreen: early 4th of july.

 

once again have to say, Mosin 91/30 with a bayo attached. =P 7.62x54 should be plenty.

[Lublin 3]

7.62x54 should be plenty.

 

Agreed.

 

A Mosin or Dragunov are next on my list. 8-)

[Malsua 1,422]

So bears are normal now in north jersey?

 

Yes because no one is allowed to hunt them so they breed like rats.

[Mauser88 0]

.44 Magnum for pistol and .444 Marlin for rifle will work well enough.

[tony357 386]

I want to walk about 50 yards from my car through a completely dark yard every night to get to my front door. I regularly have coyotes and bear in my yard. Makes me think about maybe carrying a pistol. Not sure how I'd do that legally, though.

 

just make sure you do not come home with donuts, you should be ok..

[1911Fan 1]

I would want 15 rounds of doubletap ammo in my Glock 20 10mm or some heavy 44 magnum if I HAD to use a handgun as bear defense. But make sure it is lubed well because Bears are strong and it will hurt when he puts that gun in your A-S for pissing him off if it is not lubed well. Slugs in a shotgun are a much better option than any handgun against a Bear. Believe it or not....Bear Spray is more effective than any handgun caliber. Bear's noses are more sensitive than anything and this spray does make them retreat or at least think twice

[djg0770 481]

that is just wow. So bears are normal now in north jersey? I remember the first time they were spotted it was a big deal.

 

Sarcasm ON

Stop the bear hunt, don't kill Yogi, you horrible people

[Chad 3]

Use a nice air rifle!!! It wont piss him off, I promise!

 

PS: Make sure you have running shoes on!

[djg0770 481]

3 houses down tonight got a visit from a black bear... Followed thereafter by the local PD.

 

40 on the hip, 12 ga in the unlocked locker ready to go...

[ChrisJM981 924]

So you can't hunt them. And we can't carry... so do you have to wait till Yogi eats your pet Mr. Snuggles before animal control comes to fix the problem? Bah. Bear sausage is very tasty...

[matt6669 71]

pretty much. And were not allowed to shoot a bear unless its coming into the house. if its charging your house you can't shoot. If its molesting your child or animal in the yard your "supposedly" not allowed to shoot, you are to call fish and wildlife and they will send someone. Only time your allowed to shoot is if they are already on their way into the house.

 

A guy who lives in UGL is still on trial because he shot a bear while it was on its way OUT of the house. They said they bear was leaving so there was no reason to shoot it. My simple response would of been, ok let me go get that bear and put it in your house, and we'll see what you do Bahhh liberals in this state piss me off.

 

I keep one clip of 6 rounds next to the .40 in my closet. We have a huge atrium door that leads out to our backyard and a dumb chocolate lab that likes to stand by said door and bark at the bears. Outside of that, keep your garbage locked up and hope and pray your neighbors do the same and they arn't really a big problem unless of course they are standing between you and your front door, then you can thank NJ for not giving you a CCW

[ChrisJM981 924]

If there was a bear sitting on my door blocking me from getting in or coyotes for that matter I think I would take pictures of them and demand a ccw. It's real easy for people who are already allowed to carry to tell you "no" though. :roll:

 

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20080611/NEWS/696532934&parentprofile=search

 

After reading this I'd get a hand cannon. And some bear spray.

[Malsua 1,422]

If there was a bear sitting on my door blocking me from getting in or coyotes for that matter I think I would take pictures of them and demand a ccw. It's real easy for people who are already allowed to carry to tell you "no" though. :roll:

 

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20080611/NEWS/696532934&parentprofile=search

 

After reading this I'd get a hand cannon. And some bear spray.

 

His first problem was carrying a .45 anywhere he'd likely encounter a bear. Recall my first post

I don't believe a .45 is enough.

 

I think realistically that I'll be getting a .44 magnum to protect against the event of another bear in the house. In brown bear country I think I'd make sure I had a .460 since you can run .454 casuls in it. A .500 would work just dandy too.

[223lover 9]

Shooting a bear with a hand gun will land you in a world of crap with the PD and fish and game. Of course if you call them

maybe they will send you a supply of rubber bullets to persuade the bear to leave your living room. I live in Sussex County

and when i was walking my dog, I was confronted by a medium size bear. I made all the growling noises and yelled for him to get shoo. He did, and emerged from the bushes with his brother (or sister) I didnt wait to really see if they were twins or not. In any other state you would be able to defend yourself, in New Jersey you'll do 3 to 5 and lose all your guns to boot.

[Malsua 1,422]

Shooting a bear with a hand gun will land you in a world of crap with the PD and fish and game. Of course if you call them

maybe they will send you a supply of rubber bullets to persuade the bear to leave your living room. I live in Sussex County

and when i was walking my dog, I was confronted by a medium size bear. I made all the growling noises and yelled for him to get shoo. He did, and emerged from the bushes with his brother (or sister) I didnt wait to really see if they were twins or not. In any other state you would be able to defend yourself, in New Jersey you'll do 3 to 5 and lose all your guns to boot.

 

One was halfway into my Kitchen in Aug 07. One good pushoff and he'd have made it. Fortunately my wife was batting him on the nose(she never actually made contact) with a 3 foot long 1.5inch pole from a swing the we had just been given so it was in the house. By the time I was up, he was out. We've got bars on that window now but it was only luck that she was up. Had we both been asleep it'd have made it in. Today, if it were to happen it's getting buckshot. Once I end up getting a .44, it's getting 6 rounds of 240grain lead poisoning at 1500fps then maybe some 12ga buckshot if it's still got anything left to breath with.

[JonF 79]

Yikes!

 

Thats all i have to add.