[Elrojo]

Hi guys, first post.
Know lots of names from the cornsnake forums! Right on!

Here's my issue: I keep bees and quail and have had a bear coming nightly for snacks. Done thousands in damage to the hives already. Tonight I am going to use the ol' 12 gauge on him. My only question is slug or buckshot from 15 yards? I'll let you know how it goes. Gotta get offline to use the phone, but the run around fish and game has given me is comical! "I'd suggest you shoot it, but you might go to jail" is almost a quote. Touch back on the story very soon.
Cheers!

 

[CAV]

A 12 guage?? Why don't you take a look at this thread:Bear hunting

Sounds like you're bringing way too much to the fight. :flamethr:


BTW, is this a "locality" bear or just another look-a-like?? Bout time you showed up!

 

[Elrojo]

Great story!

9:55 pm and still no bear (he was here at 7 pm last night) but I'm still on watch. Four nights in a row, 11 bee hives, amazingly, only three dead qauil (although a couple still in shock and one with a broken wing.
I've loaded with a slug first and buckshot for the follow-up. I threw bottles at it last night (after banging pots n' pans to no avail) but it would back off and come right back. I fired a shot in the air and it ran off. Tonight, I'm armed to the teeth (rifles and pistol for backup should it unfortunately be wounded) so I'll let you know how it goes.
After that story, I think I'll strip naked and just use a steak knife, though! Can never let yourself be outdone!:dunce:

 

[andy]

slugs all the way, Buckshot's very

inferior as to penetration. Even slugs aint great at it, on such animals, if they are fat, or their pelt is matted with mud.

 

[Elrojo]

Funny that this thread would resurface now!

It's getting nice and warm again and the bears are out regularly. For the record, I never did so much as get a shot off last fall. He started coming less frequently, and much later in the night, so I only got to see the aftermath (splinters and feathers). I have no hives now, and only three quail left over from last year, and intend to put up an electric fence before sourwood season.
That's no guarantee that I won't fact this issue agin, so I'll let you know should anything interesting happen.

 

[Elrojo]

Oh yeah

I do have an old 30-30, if that might be a better option...

 

[andy]

even with a 458, head hits are where

it's at, if you need an INSTANT stop. 30-30 will do
fine, with a solid brain hit. That's easier to do when his head is down feeding (frontal) or from the side, at his temple, aiming a bit high above a line across his earhole and eyeball. from the rear quarter, at top of ear, from above rear, at base of skull. From the front, his sloping skull (as he looks at you) can deflect bullets from the brain. I'd either try to break the spine-hump-shoulder, or go for the hollow of the throat-spine.

 

[John in AR]

I'd go with slugs also (over buckshot), ideally the Federal .50-caliber "sabot" slugs for maximum penetration.


If I were in that position, I'd actually consider the .454 Casull, as that's what I carry for black bear in my area. Only carried it two years now, and have yet to see a bear in season, so can't comment on performance.

That would be an interesting comparison, actually. I know the figures on the Casull (1,700 - 2,000 ft/lbs of energy), but not the 12-gauge.


Anyone know what kind of muzzle velocity / muzzle energy figures a 12-gauge has with slugs and shot loads...?

 

[.45 COLT]

The factory 2 3/4" 1 ounce slug load has a mv of 1680 fps, 2740 ft lb. Drops off to 1285 fps, 1605 ft lb at 50 yards. Handloads offer a variety of pretty mean loads.

DC

 

[spurrit]

I'd feed Andy to him, then watch him die of bloody shits.