Legal Weapons and Overlanding

[MetalMatt1776]

Tried searching this subject and a lot of mixed comments out there.

If you were me, what firearm would you purchase to have on hand knowing you’re going to be camping in bear country? Mainly black bear but future would include grizzly bear area trips.

I am an absolute gun nut, and even with a life of experience from hunting, to sport shooting to military I would turn to bear mace before my gun. Hypothetically though, if I had to use a gun to protect from a bear I'd want my semi auto 12 gauge with magnum 1 oz. slugs. My preferred roung for maximum devastation is the 3" D Dupleks Hexolite 32. I have had great luck with this round against large hogs.

 

[Roam_CO85]

Tried searching this subject and a lot of mixed comments out there.

If you were me, what firearm would you purchase to have on hand knowing you’re going to be camping in bear country? Mainly black bear but future would include grizzly bear area trips.

I know all about cooking away from camp, storage of food, bear spray etc. but this is going to be difficult with all our cooking equipment built into the trailer and us sleeping on top of the camper. I have a wife who is insistent on having a firearm on hand when its us two and our 2 dogs sleeping in our patriot camper. I have no idea what to be looking for.

I grew up in a family of hunters but I never had the patience to go sit in a tree stand or duck blind and have shot a fair share of guns throughout the years.

It kind of has a few thoughts. Your comfort level and mind set. Revolvers generally only have six shots and your reload time is slow. Semi auto pistols you can carry alot more shots and a lot more options in different types or pistol brands. Honestly if i was just gonna by one gun for a bear or backcountry gun for camp is a 10mm glock. Glock has a great rep and has been around the world. The 10mm round is a good animal defense round for grizzlies. Know alot of guides in idaho that carry it for both wolves and bears.

 

[Roam_CO85]

A shotgun with slugs and or even a mix of buckshot and slugs is always a good deal. The thing with a shotgun is alot of them are hard to use. Same with a pistol. They are pretty easy to use but harder for someone with a low level or not alot of trigger time with it can use it accurately. The shotgun can be pretty accurately with less experience but with anything you should seek some training with them

 

[Roam_CO85]

I understand a gun gives you comfort.
Do you understand your gun makes me uncomfortable?

I've never felt a need for one.
Heck I've never thrown a punch.
Altho years of managing bars I've taken a few.
I laugh because I know the sucker is not ever drinking in my bar again.

Truthfully if someone pulled a gun on me I'd laugh.
Anyone who cannot understand that is the problem.

And to the guys who think a gun will stop a charging bear..... first you need to hit him.

Thats your opinion Sir.

 

[LD5050]

I also like that with my shotgun I have the option of having a couple non-lethal rounds loaded before the lethal ones. I have no problem taking a life to defend myself or family, but I would honestly prefer not to have to. And the intimidation factor is about as high as it can get with a short pistol grip 12 gauge (in a defensive situation at close range), possibly deterring further escalation just by making an appearance, or getting audibly pumped/loaded.
Nothing says “quit doing what you’re doing” like the sound of a pump action shotty chambering a round

 

[MidOH]

I understand a gun gives you comfort.
Do you understand your gun makes me uncomfortable?

I've never felt a need for one.
Heck I've never thrown a punch.
Altho years of managing bars I've taken a few.
I laugh because I know the sucker is not ever drinking in my bar again.

Truthfully if someone pulled a gun on me I'd laugh.
Anyone who cannot understand that is the problem.

And to the guys who think a gun will stop a charging bear..... first you need to hit him.

Why does it make you uncomfortable?

Do you think we're gang bangers?
Do you think we're some kind of bandit?

There's all kinds of danger out there. It's wise to be as diligent as reasonably possible. Hopefully to avoid such. Watch your news, there's somxe very bad people out there. Outdoorsy folks are very, very, easy targets. Got blue state plates on your ride? Everyone knows that you're an unarmed mark. I'd be a bit worried traveling through homested miami like that.

My favorite seat on the ferry to Cozumel had a bomb explode it last year. I'm cutting back on trips to Mexico now.

I'm not worried about snakes. I've walked right past hissing cottonmouths. I don't even think they bite. Rattlesnakes seem fairly safe on the east coast. I've stepped right over dozens of them in the morning before I put my contacts in. I thought the were dog poop. FL rattlers must not be the same variety as Texas or AZ maybe?

Camp ground black bears used to paw up over the rails of my truck and wake me up in the morning. It saddens me that black bears had a really bad year, last year. Killed a few people. The ones I've met were friendly, and quite gentle. Please don't blast them unless you really have to.

 

[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

It kind of has a few thoughts. Your comfort level and mind set. Revolvers generally only have six shots and your reload time is slow. Semi auto pistols you can carry alot more shots and a lot more options in different types or pistol brands. Honestly if i was just gonna by one gun for a bear or backcountry gun for camp is a 10mm glock. Glock has a great rep and has been around the world. The 10mm round is a good animal defense round for grizzlies. Know alot of guides in idaho that carry it for both wolves and bears.

Thanks for the info. One of two things are going to happen, either by dog is going to go nuts, start his loud ass vicious sounding growling and barking and piss the bear off challenging it or my dog is going to go nuts and have the bear leave camp. Wolves or mountain lions, thats a whole other story and he’s definitely territorial around camp. First time out dispersed camping, on the way out, spotted a bear about 50’ from my truck and was glad I had him tethered down in the truck.

 

[Desert Runner]

I also like that with my shotgun I have the option of having a couple non-lethal rounds loaded before the lethal ones. I have no problem taking a life to defend myself or family, but I would honestly prefer not to have to. And the intimidation factor is about as high as it can get with a short pistol grip 12 gauge (in a defensive situation at close range), possibly deterring further escalation just by making an appearance, or getting audibly pumped/loaded.
Nothing says “quit doing what you’re doing” like the sound of a pump action shotty chambering a round

Many years ago i would have said....12ga, first and last. Now years later and older, and hopefully a little wiser, i would go for the bear spray first, then the 12ga, hoping i had the time to do such. Once you pull the trigger, all your options a gone.

 

[Roam_CO85]

Dogs can be a huge tool in camp security. I travel with my three dogs they go nuts if anything is around

 

[Roam_CO85]

A few years ago i talked to a game warden from up in Alaska. Said he carried a 44 mag revolver for the bears up there polar grizz anything. Said if i cant get the bugger in five shots the sixth bullet is for my self.. we just have black bear around here. Any real loud noise they run off like a raccoon trash panda. They scare easy. Never have went into big bear country. Anything that could kill you with one blow with a paw. Kind of like my mental triggers. If i feel something can physically take me with out much I personally will not tussle with. A life is a life and i feel an animal is just as much value as mine. Thus as why i prefer guiding over hunting. I dont like pulling the trigger on much of anything anymore. Rather just sit back and take pictures and enjoy what nature has brought us. I came up on a bear at three am one morning guiding a elk hunter crawling up a steep incline hands and knees and looked up with a head lamp and stared into his eyes. I had a hand on my weapon and stood my ground he turned and walked away. When it comes down to that split diction if its life or death what are you gonna rely on. I am the type. You leave me alone ill leave you alone tell you step on me.

 

[Ubiety]

Tried searching this subject and a lot of mixed comments out there.

If you were me, what firearm would you purchase to have on hand knowing you’re going to be camping in bear country? Mainly black bear but future would include grizzly bear area trips.

I know all about cooking away from camp, storage of food, bear spray etc. but this is going to be difficult with all our cooking equipment built into the trailer and us sleeping on top of the camper. I have a wife who is insistent on having a firearm on hand when its us two and our 2 dogs sleeping in our patriot camper. I have no idea what to be looking for.

I grew up in a family of hunters but I never had the patience to go sit in a tree stand or duck blind and have shot a fair share of guns throughout the years.

Shotgun with slugs or mix of slug and buck or a powerful pistol. I sleep with a Ruger Super Redhawk chambered for .454 Cassul. Keep it loaded with .454 at night or when worried about bears, otherwise .45 long colt for plinkin. Mine is around a six inch barrel but they do come in shorter versions. The .454 does pack a punch so make sure you are practiced up and know what to expect. Consider concealed permit so it can be left in the vehicle loaded between campsites, etc. Of course there are other details to consider such as reciprocity...

 

[MetalMatt1776]

I also like that with my shotgun I have the option of having a couple non-lethal rounds loaded before the lethal ones. I have no problem taking a life to defend myself or family, but I would honestly prefer not to have to. And the intimidation factor is about as high as it can get with a short pistol grip 12 gauge (in a defensive situation at close range), possibly deterring further escalation just by making an appearance, or getting audibly pumped/loaded.
Nothing says “quit doing what you’re doing” like the sound of a pump action shotty chambering a round

I've never bought into the chambering a round scaring people off. Two reasons, first is I would never have a self defense gun without a round chambered and secondly it doesn't take much meth to remove the fear of death from someone. As far as non-lethal rounds go you really shouldn't pull the trigger if you don't intend to kill, and definitely don't expect non-lethal rounds to slow down some who is blitzed out of their mind.

 

[Roam_CO85]

I've never bought into the chambering a round scaring people off. Two reasons, first is I would never have a self defense gun without a round chambered and secondly it doesn't take much meth to remove the fear of death from someone. As far as non-lethal rounds go you really shouldn't pull the trigger if you don't intend to kill, and definitely don't expect non-lethal rounds to slow down some who is blitzed out of their mind.

Agree with this post 100%. That’s exactly what youd be dealing with!

 

[MidOH]

Non lethal rounds are tough. Problem is, if you intentionally used a LL round, did you need to shoot at all?

Always try bear spray first. Big nose on bears. They can take pain really well. Have you ever seen one tumble out of a tree or dumpster? And big noises just confuse them.

 

[grubworm]

The main reason I bring a firearm is for the two legged type .

No kidding. I didn't know this, but I ran across a news article a while back and it was talking about all the people missing and murdered in state parks. Apparently there have been serial killers who specifically go to state parks to find people alone and isolated and then rape and/or kill them.

 

[MidOH]

Easy pickin's.

 

[Roam_CO85]

Probably alot of places now but here in colorado we have a huge problem with transients that are spread along the front range and have run into some cases where they go up to the hills to camp because they arent messed with for pitching a tent or a tarp in a city park. Most of them are so drugged out that they can barrely stand. See this more and more. Can uselly spot that type of camp pretty easy. Closer to town they camp along the river trails and natural areas. People get stabbed or messed with quite often. Had a lady last year get killed walking home from work late one night. Hear about fighting amongst them selves or getting desperate when weather changes. Things come up missing or who knows if they get desperate enough.

Public land and places like that you never know what or who is lerking and tent camper.. think it was last fall. A guy was running from the cops trying to hide in a forest camp ground. Came up armed to a camper and damned a drink of water ( camper was an former PD officer. Went in told his wife to ready her pistol. Guy came out of his camper with a rifle. Bad guy fired at him. Ran off back to his suv. Good guy ran his rifle dry had another rifle in his pickup ran a few more rounds. Made sure threat no longer a threat. Cops came found the bad guy. Was on the run because of a domestic issue that ended as a shooting. Cops figured he was gonna steal another car or hid. Lots of drug traffic in the forest as well. You have to be diligent as reasonably possible.

 

[JoelIII]

No kidding. I didn't know this, but I ran across a news article a while back and it was talking about all the people missing and murdered in state parks. Apparently there have been serial killers who specifically go to state parks to find people alone and isolated and then rape and/or kill them.

Watched an interesting documentary on either Netflix or Hulu... can't remember but it was Missing 411. The episode told the story of a couple different children over the decades that have went missing with no trace and under the circumstances shouldn't have happened. Later in the episode an individual speaks of the amount of missing cases all over the country in state parks and has petitioned the federal government to start tracking missing persons's cases because apparently there is no solid number. Its sad but theirs seems to be a lot more crazy people around now and you have to be careful about letting your guard down even in area's where you think it's safe.

 

[trikebubble]

I'm not under any illusion that even though I try to be as prepared as I can, and always be aware of my surroundings (as well as aware of my dogs and their reactions in a given area) that we could still be attacked by wildlife while in their home. I still dont see why I shouldnt be prepared with at least some of the tools available to me. Most important, I think, is to bring my brainbox along for the hike or camp. I carry bear bangers, bear spray, have the dogs around, and usually bring the short shotgun in my pack as well. I've lived in BC my whole life and encounters with wildlife of all sorts is part of life if you go outdoors here. We have never been attacked yet, but I certainly don't see that as reason enough not to bring along the tools that may help defend us if the circumstance arises and timing allows us to deploy whatever tools we deem necessary. I've never had a house fire, though we keep a fire extinguisher and fire insurance on our home. Dogs have never had rabies though we make sure to keep them vaccinated. To me, these "tools" whether bear spray or a firearm are just part of our "insurance policy" when heading outdoors.

 

[Roam_CO85]

I'm not under any illusion that even though I try to be as prepared as I can, and always be aware of my surroundings (as well as aware of my dogs and their reactions in a given area) that we could still be attacked by wildlife while in their home. I still dont see why I shouldnt be prepared with at least some of the tools available to me. Most important, I think, is to bring my brainbox along for the hike or camp. I carry bear bangers, bear spray, have the dogs around, and usually bring the short shotgun in my pack as well. I've lived in BC my whole life and encounters with wildlife of all sorts is part of life if you go outdoors here. We have never been attacked yet, but I certainly don't see that as reason enough not to bring along the tools that may help defend us if the circumstance arises and timing allows us to deploy whatever tools we deem necessary. I've never had a house fire, though we keep a fire extinguisher and fire insurance on our home. Dogs have never had rabies though we make sure to keep them vaccinated. To me, these "tools" whether bear spray or a firearm are just part of our "insurance policy" when heading outdoors.

View attachment 105006

What is a bear banger? Is it like a flash bang? L