Interesting read.. always one in the chamber.. other wise, what's the point.

[Daycrawler]

It's a tragedy full of well-documented lessons in what and what not to do while involved in the described activity. To find fault with the victim invites scorn expressed as Monday morning quarterbacking, but had the guided person been the victim, the Guide might have been held accountable for failing to provide the guidance needed to conduct the hunt in safety. I'm thinking when someone holds himself out to be a guide, and receives remuneration for the service, he should have the credentials (training, experience, license, certification) addressing all aspects of the activity. Being armed with a handgun not ready for use ranks right up there with a ND.

I agree, its easy to be a swivel chair warrior when your ass isn't on the line. When I go into Bear country a S&W 500 is on me. While I have never been attacked by a wild animal, I have been by humans. One did try to disarm me. That didn't end well for him. He wasn't a bear with teeth and no where near as dangerous. Ill bet in a sudden bear attack, most would panic.

[Bang]

I know there are variables in animal behavior. For example, you never know what a deer will do when confronted. Some stand and look at you, some paw the ground and blow in an effort to see your reaction and thus figure out what you are. Some just sprint away immediately, some so soon you never know they were there.

So my question is, does a bear always vocalize, giving some advance notice of a pending engagement? I'd guess, if so, that can vary depending on wind direction and terrain, and whether there is anything about you that registers as food, or just mutual avoidance movement.

[wanneroo]

So my question is, does a bear always vocalize, giving some advance notice of a pending engagement? I'd guess, if so, that can vary depending on wind direction and terrain, and whether there is anything about you that registers as food, or just mutual avoidance movement.

I have a lot of close range experience with bears out west and here in PA. Often times no, there is no prior warning. This was a big problem at a apartment complex I lived in out west, the apartments were right next to 50 miles of wilderness and it was infested with bears at night due to open trash dumpsters. In the worst case where I pissed off a mama bear and nearly ended up in hand to hand combat with her, what alerted me over my music playing in the earphones was a loud huff huff grunt and then when I looked over I saw the one big black blob and 2 smaller blobs and my eyes zeroed right in on the teeth.

[RockIsland]

I have had FTF at ranges and really do not want to have the first round FTF when only seconds count

This is one of the biggest reasons why I carry +1.

[Yoder]

Tell that to the fool break dancing FBI agent that shot a bystander.

As for the young man, sad. 2 people there and neither one of them kept eye out for bears in bear country. They knew they were in bear country and threw caution to the wind.

That's what happens when you pull the trigger, it "goes off".

[:-)]

I've seen this educational program and it looks like it takes a lot to get them rowled up in the winter.

[father-of-five]

I lived very close a large, wooded area in the poconos where i loved to hike. With that in mind, i carried a glock 30 just in case i accidentially found myself between mama bear and her cubs. I realize I would probably need a caliber upgrade if i hiked out west.