The plan is a self guided elk hunt, 1 problem. Grizzly bears

[jtoews80]

My father, younger brothers & I have been planning an elk hunt for about 2 years without getting it off the ground. We would like to try one of the general hunting areas in the western part of Alberta, but that is grizzly country and none of us have hunted in an area with them before. For myself I'm not terribly concerned about being undergunned with a 30-378, but the handling isn't great with a 28" barrel. My dad prefers a 30-06, the brothers use either a 300 win or 7 rem, none of these are great for big bears except the 300 win.

Problem is they don't want to use bigger hardware for recoil, but are not comfortable around the big bears with a 7rem or 30-06. For myself I may buy a 338 or 375 RUM and let one of them use the wby. It is a quite ackward for that kind of hunting. Fact is, that darn 375 ruger may be a good gun for this style of hunting.

Terrain is quite rolling, lots of brush and small trees. Shot range most likely will be 300 yds or less. If we have problems with a bear it will most likely be a sudden, up close event calling for a fast handling rifle or a 12 Ga Defender with 1 oz slugs. This will be a totally new experiance for us if I can convince them to get some bigger toys and come out.

CC.

 

[jtoews80]

The AccuBond above 3100fps thread aswered a few questions about the wby, still not thrilled with how clumsy it is tho.

CC

 

[JD338]

Regardless of caliber, a close encounter with a big bear will require proper shot placement. I would suggest 160 gr or 175 gr PT's in the 7mm RM and 200 gr PT's in the 300 WM.
I like your idea the best, 338 RUM or a 375 RUM. :wink:

JD338

 

[6ppcar]

I would use either a 338 win Mag with 250 gr. Nosler PT's or the 375 H&H with 300 gr. Nosler PT. With a little practice you can handle the recoil of either one and the extra energy will be greatly appreciated if you need it.
+ 1 what JD said if you can handle the recoil.

 

[JungleJim]

1st thing I would do is recommend you do lots of reading up on bears more the better. A couple books I would recommend are Tales of Alaska Big Bears by Jim Rearden and Alaska Bear tales by Larry Kaniut.

I had a fair amount of bear encounters in my life In Montana, Alaska, and Northern British Columbia the only ones I ever fired on was when I was hunting them. Otherwise I do my best to avoid them.

Anything you might have heard on how fast a bear can move is true. Its hard to describe their speed until you actually see it.

As for guns recommend lots of practice and more practice, good strong bullets, such as Nosler Partition, Swift A frame ect.. And Perhaps the new Nosler E Tip (it sure sounds good). And what ever gun that feeds rounds well that the shooter can shoot the best (most comfortable with). I would much rather hunt with a guy with a 30 06 or 7 mag that shoots multiple shots well. Than a guy with a big magnum that has a hard time getting a bullet into a fatal zone.

 

[JungleJim]

For myself I may buy a 338 or 375 RUM

I don't mind shooting my Sako 375 H&H but that 375 RUM is something else again, shot a 375 RUM a few times a decided I liked my 375 H&H much better... man do those 375 RUMs kicks hard.

 

[Guy Miner]

Have never shot a grizz. That said, I've backpacked, hunted and fished in grizzly country and I'm still here to type this so something is working.

Be aware - but not paranoid. You're there to enjoy.

Keep a clean camp. Don't attract the bears with odors of food, yours and whatever game you kill. Keep your food out of the tent. I do the old backpacker thing of a bag on a rope up over a tree branch well outside of camp. It seems to help.

Don't hang around the gut pile/carcass. Get what you want off it, the meat, the antlers, the hide if you want it and leave it. If you have to hang meat in camp, don't hang it in camp. Make sense? Why bait the bear into a confrontation with you? He's just trying to fill his tummy - and can be a belligerent cuss about it.

I've walked away from fishing holes in BC and Alaska when a bear wandered in to claim it...

Worry less about the hardware you're packing than on avoiding bear encounters. Push comes to shove a basic rifle with a really good bullet ought to do the trick. When I've dressed game in grizzly country one guy has worked while the other guy kept watch. In some places they seem to understand that a rifle shot can mean a free meal. Same thing while cleaning fish - I do it away from camp, and avoid the area I cleaned the fish in afterwards.

As I said - I've never shot a grizz, and don't really want to do so. I do enjoy the same country they inhabit, but I do so aware of their presence. Yes, I've seen 'em, and up pretty close - uncomfortably close - but we've managed to avoid a fight so far. Thankfully. I have carried a big bore revolver in grizz country, but I understand that may be a bit of a legal problem in Canada... A stout loaded big bore revolver is a real comfort tucked under my parka/pillow when wrapped up in my sleeping bag in my little backpacker's nylon tent in grizzly country.

Regards, Guy

 

[jtoews80]

Thanks for the input. Will most likely try it with the 7 & 300.
If there is anyone reading this from Alberta, has anybody tried the hunter host license program here?? I've lived in Alberta for 7 years and don't know anybody that has tried it. It would be fun to bring some old friends that I haven't hunted with for years along

 

[tjen]

A 30-06 pump is a real popular gun in Brown Bear areas in Alaska. Interior Grizzlies won't be that big more like 400-600 lbs. The 06 with 200gr bullets will mostly penitrate just as far or may be better? The distance required usual dictates what velocity is needed and your dads 30-06 will be great for elk and for a grizzly in a tite spot if its ever needed.

There is a article in Rifle written for barns (well almost), titled forget pound pounds, where a 300RUM and a 30-06 using the barns thripple shock 180gr were fired side by side into billistic geliton at 100 yards and the 30-06 out penitrated it. The guy from barns bullets made these comments. " foot pounds is meaningless by its self its what the bullet dose that counts", and "a bullet that expanse well and makes complete penitration makes a more lethal wound."

So load up with strong 180-200gr bullets and that 06 will be just fine.

 

[HunterJim]

Thanks for the input. Will most likely try it with the 7 & 300.
If there is anyone reading this from Alberta, has anybody tried the hunter host license program here?? I've lived in Alberta for 7 years and don't know anybody that has tried it. It would be fun to bring some old friends that I haven't hunted with for years along

I have a hunting friend in Alberta, and we have talked about doing the host program for a mule deer hunt. I expect we will get it done -- at least as soon as he gets his sheep!

jim

 

[Thebear_78]

One ounce of common sense is worth much more than the biggest piece of shooting hardware you can find. One thing to remember, if you smell like food don't be surprized if something tries to eat you. A bear is led by his nose, keep a clean camp, no cooking or eating where you sleep. A second "cook camp" a half mile down wind will help a lot.

 

[honkeetonkin]

Another safety tip - wear tennis shoes so you can outrun your father and brothers, :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[FOTIS]

Simple.....Whatever you carry for elk ensure will not only piss off a Griz.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Your Weatherby is a fine rifle. With a heavy AccuBond it's more then a match for a Bear. There's just something about the look of that 200gr AccuBond that says, " I've got it covered".
It's sounds like part of your concern is the loooong bbl in close quarters?
You may wish to consider what I do. In places where I'm worried about Critters that might be a little on the dangerous side, In addition to my rifle I carry a large caliber pistol. Of course there is no comparrison between the momentum/energy/die and down get up levels of a 44mag vs 338mag, but the revolver doesn't have the clumsy issues, and will Always be on my, not on the other side of camp if I need it.

 

[Charlie-NY]

Another safety tip - wear tennis shoes so you can outrun your father and brothers, :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well said. I have often heard that it is not nessary to be capable of out-running a grizzle bear. You only have to be faster than your hunting partner. :lol: :shock: :lol: :shock: :lol:

 

[Remmy]

Where abouts are you hunting? I have spent a pile of time hunting Western Alberta, either with a bow, rifle, or guiding. I have had the odd encounter with Grizzlys. Best advise is obviously to avoid them if you see them. Most of all keep a clean camp. Our biggest issue was them sneaking in at night and raiding the oats brought in for the horses. That was with the electric fence. Hang any meet well away from camp. If you do run into one and it is giving you grief, think long and hard prior to shooting it. A fella shot one a couple years ago and got a huge fine. He shot it to defend his kid. The bear was in camp coming at his kid. He shot the bear in the side, and apparently was fined due to that fact. If he would it shot it front on, different story. Anyways dont let the thoughts of the brown furry pigs ruin your hunt. Have fun. Maybe check with the fish and wildlife to see where they have released problem bears and avoid those areas?

 

[RMiller]

A 30-06 pump is a real popular gun in Brown Bear areas in Alaska. Interior Grizzlies won't be that big more like 400-600 lbs. The 06 with 200gr bullets will mostly penitrate just as far or may be better? The distance required usual dictates what velocity is needed and your dads 30-06 will be great for elk and for a grizzly in a tite spot if its ever needed.

There is a article in Rifle written for barns (well almost), titled forget pound pounds, where a 300RUM and a 30-06 using the barns thripple shock 180gr were fired side by side into billistic geliton at 100 yards and the 30-06 out penitrated it. The guy from barns bullets made these comments. " foot pounds is meaningless by its self its what the bullet dose that counts", and "a bullet that expanse well and makes complete penitration makes a more lethal wound."

So load up with strong 180-200gr bullets and that 06 will be just fine.

I doubt there is any difference in shooting a bear with any of these rounds.

If your shooting a good elk load it will do well on a bear too.

Something like 160-175 partitions for the 7mm and 180 and larger bullets for the 30 cals.

Hitting the bear with a good bullet will be the priority.

 

[jtoews80]

We were planning on the 340 & 342 hunting zones between Edson & Hinton. Thanks for the heads up on the sticky regulations with shooting a bear from the side in a difficult situation. I doubt I'd hold fire in the same situation. Shouldn't come to that tho. I do remember having bears rooting thru our garbage dumpster at a drilling rig camp in the same area, tho those bears were not very intrested in anything beyond the food scraps in there. Just made us nervous having a grizzly in the area.

CC.

 

[FOTIS]

Your Weatherby is a fine rifle. With a heavy AccuBond it's more then a match for a Bear.

I agree actually.

 

[Last Spike]

Having hunted 340 and 342 with a 30-06, I didn't feel uncomfortable using it in grizzly country. I was using handloads with Nosler's 200 and 220 grain partitions which would do the job on elk, and if necessary on grizzly.

If you want a heavier cartridge, check out .338-06, 35 Whelen, 9.3x62.