OT - Bad Decision

Info, pictures, advice...
Post Reply
abwehr
Veteran member
Veteran member
Posts: 888
Joined: November 8th, 2005, 11:31 am
Location: Upstate SC

OT - Bad Decision

Post by abwehr »

I made a bad decision a couple of weeks ago and will not do this again! As some of you know, I had to take a short trip to the Nortwest again, but after I got here, I had to stay about 4 weeks. I do take Satrudays off so I can relax a little by hiking in the mountains. When I was here last year, I brought my .44 Spec. with some hot loads for protection. Since I was only going to be here for one hike, I didn't bring my handgun.

Yesterday, I had started my hike on a trail that allowed horses. I always look at the trail for boot tracks, animal tracks, etc. to know if there are others ahead of me (I hit trialheads about 0700). I always listen and check when I hear something to be on the safe side. On this hike, I had just gotten started and noticed hoof tracks going in and none coming out. I figured there was a rider ahead of me somewhere as the tracks appeared fresh, but the ground was damp so it could have been later the previous day. It was very quite, and I had walked about 2/10ths mile when I heard some sticks break. I stopped, listened, as I thought it may the rider coming back as the trail was narrow and brushy. As I listened and looked ahead, I saw a Black Bear come out of the brush, turn his head and looked at me. I took a quick look at him and then took my eyes directly away from him, but could still see him. I gently moved my arms up and gently waved. The Bear kept moving across the trail and on into the brush where he went out of sight. MAN, I wish I had brought my pistol now!!! Since I was close to my vehicle, I started back to the car in a standard walk and kept listening just in case he may circle me. I got back to the car and never heard him circling (I think).

This sure made me wake up about NOT having a firearm with me, even in the forests! Needless to say, I got out of that trail area. I am jusst glad the Bear was not hungry, LOL!
Last edited by abwehr on June 3rd, 2007, 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
nbender
Forum supporter
Forum supporter
Posts: 687
Joined: April 14th, 2006, 6:35 pm
Location: Washington State

OT - Bad Decision

Post by nbender »

Abwehr, while backpacking here in Washington, one late night I left the campfire to go up to my tent and there was a black bear with my pack in his mouth heading into the woods. I went after him with my trusty 4-inch pen light. After about 150 feet, he dropped the pack and turned around to look at me. There were the 2 of us, deep in an old growth forest, having a stare down. I looked down and found about a 6-inch rock and tossed it half way between us to break the ice. He turned around and slowly walked away, but turned once to look back at me. His jaws were open and slobber was dripping off his chin. Sort of un-nerving, but I got my pack back.

We have a bear come visit us at home periodically. One evening while I was away my wife loaded up the truck with our garbage to take to the dump the next morning. Early the next day the dog was howling and she looked out and a bear had his two front paws up on the bed of the truck sniffing the garbage. My wife ran outside, got a stick and chased him down the driveway. Well, you have to know my wife.

I've had black bears follow me on trails before and I've always found it interesting. If they get close, wave your arms and tell them to get lost and they'll leave.

There has never been, to my knowledge, an incident of a black bear attacking a hiker in Washington. I treat them like dogs. Now cougars - that's another story. Since they banned trapping and hunting them with dogs a couple years ago they've started to get closer to population centers. Cougars are dangerous.
abwehr
Veteran member
Veteran member
Posts: 888
Joined: November 8th, 2005, 11:31 am
Location: Upstate SC

OT - Bad Decision

Post by abwehr »

nbender, yea the Black Bear in the NC Mountains are the same way. I was not sure when the Washington bears came out of hibernation and how hungry this one may have been, LOL I still would have felt better to have my .44 with me. Black Bears are common to come into the town area in SC, but they get cought quickly and returned to the mountains. A friend has a cabin in the mountains and he has problems with Bears & garbage. When I was young, I camped with my grandparents in the NC mountains and all food had to be put into the car trunk each night. The folks who just put their food into the backseat area sometime had their glass broken out. At least the Black Bear is not a normally aggressive bear unless they have young with them. I did not see a cub, but I did not linger too long either.
saands
Senior member
Senior member
Posts: 263
Joined: November 17th, 2005, 12:09 pm

OT - Bad Decision

Post by saands »

Funny how the bear education system has worked ... in the Sierras, the black bears were always a curiosity when I was a kid, but not much of a threat. Food in the trunk was nearly as safe as silver in a safe deposit box. Fast forward 30 years and the Sierra Black Bears have all been through some sort of training and I've seen pics of trunks that are peeled open like the sardine cans they resemble! Any time wild animals get brazen, they get unpredictable and anything the size of any mature bear that is unpredictible is cause for concern in my book!!!

Saands
nbender
Forum supporter
Forum supporter
Posts: 687
Joined: April 14th, 2006, 6:35 pm
Location: Washington State

OT - Bad Decision

Post by nbender »

I don't think you want to try hugging one ...

I should modify that flippant response.

Abwher is a hiker and has been around bears. But I work all over the country and some people from NYC, or Houston or such places that haven't been around the Northwest have a completely different opinion of bears. I know, because people don't believe what I tell them of my experiences in Washington (Alaska is a different story; so is Glacier National Park and a few other places where the Brown Bear roams).

I'd just hate to see someone shoot a bear on a trail here in Washington. It hasn't been done before. Bears here are still real timid, and they want to get away from you. They want a gracefull exit. If you shot a bear on a trail here you'd have some explaining to do. I don't think Abwehr was posting about shooting bears when you're hiking! ... but I wanted to say something about not shooting on first site.
Last edited by nbender on June 3rd, 2007, 10:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bartos061
Member
Member
Posts: 155
Joined: December 18th, 2005, 3:59 pm
Location: POLAND
Contact:

OT - Bad Decision

Post by bartos061 »

Hi,
I'm going to go with my dog in the "Tatry" mountains in Wednesday,
There are Brown bears. I'm planing to sleep outdoor so I take my MAG-95 with "GOLD SPEER" HP bulets ammo - just in case. ;)
Greetings for those who like - hiking and climbing ;D

B.
zbysiu23
Member
Member
Posts: 97
Joined: March 4th, 2007, 9:42 pm
Location: Naperville, IL.

OT - Bad Decision

Post by zbysiu23 »

Hi Bartosz,

Last summer I saw a mother brown with two cubs on the trail to Kasprowy Wierch...nothing you want to walk into.. ...I always mix some FMJ when hiking in big beast country my concern is that HP will not penetrate....
Bartosz, as they say in here... make sure you file down the front site on your MAG .....
so it does not hurt that much when the pissed off bear shoves it up your behind....
well enough of the joking..be carefull I have heard that there is more vipers in Tatras this year..so just be careful..Have good trip

zbysiu23
zbysiu23
Member
Member
Posts: 97
Joined: March 4th, 2007, 9:42 pm
Location: Naperville, IL.

OT - Bad Decision

Post by zbysiu23 »

Hi Bartosz,
Just one more thing.. if you have an old TT33 (TTka) the 7.62x25 load will penetrate kevlar and steel well should go through a bear's skull as well...
bartos061
Member
Member
Posts: 155
Joined: December 18th, 2005, 3:59 pm
Location: POLAND
Contact:

OT - Bad Decision

Post by bartos061 »

Hi zbysiu,
Thank you for warnings.
I hope that I don't met any bears and vipers there.
It's nice idea to mix different kind of ammo especially that my MAG working without problem with all kinds of ammo. I have heard that some pistols can easily jam with different kinds of ammo. I made some tests few years ago I loaded three mags with different ammo(almost every round was different - different bullets, manufacturer, shells etc.), than I shot all mags as fast i could - and there was no jam. ;D
For everyday use I carry two first rounds - "stop patron"(a kind of non lethal ammo - rubbered canvas bag with leads balls). But in such a case - outdoor use. I use HP and FMJ only.
I never think about mixing it in one mag. I really like your idea - Thank You

B.
trent
Veteran member
Veteran member
Posts: 856
Joined: March 1st, 2007, 8:10 pm
Location: Georgia (USA)

OT - Bad Decision

Post by trent »

actually I'm concidering a tokarev, and was wondering the same thing,

kind of off topic but I hear the going price from sog for a romanian tokarev is around 229, is that any good?
normsutton
Global moderator
Global moderator
Posts: 3575
Joined: February 26th, 2006, 6:59 am
Location: LAKELAND FL.

OT - Bad Decision

Post by normsutton »

Trent
I think that's a good price J&G sell's them much higher

http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/handgu ... ath/16_235


NORM
NORMSUTTON@AOL.COM
N.R.A. LIFE MEMBER 1976

ImageImage
Post Reply