Charging Black Bear Stopped with Rifle and Pistol in Montana 1989

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-20 14:13:32 | Updated at 2024-12-28 12:06:38 1 week ago

Charging Black Bear Stopped with Rifle and Pistol in Montana 1989
AmmoLand ^ | December 12, 2024 | Dean Weingarten

Posted on 12/20/2024 5:20:49 AM PST by marktwain

The incident happened in the fall of 1989 near Bozeman, Montana. This correspondent interviewed Alan Yates this year. Alan says this, and a few other incidents involving bear charges are burned into his memory. Alan was kind enough to write about what happened. Alan’s account has been lightly edited for space and clarity. This is Alan’s story:

I was hunting whitetail in the early morning. I had my sort-of-trusty 303 Enfield over my shoulder. As I slipped slowly and quietly along, with the wind in my favor, trying to make no noise in the dew-dampened tall grass, a sound caught my ear … “woof, woof, woof”. What happened next occurred in about four seconds.

I spun towards the sound as my rifle came smoothly to my shoulder. The bear rounded a bush and charged into sight. I immediately saw a problem … the bear was much lower to the ground than my 6’5″ frame, and it’s head was bouncing/rolling with the charge. I had no solid target. Without thinking, I dropped to one knee in the tall grass and began to time the bears head roll – to slip a bullet under its chin. Twice I almost pulled the trigger. I was running out of time and room. I decided it would have to be the last jump the bear made. Steadying myself, all thought left my mind, and the world slowed down. I watched the bear make the 2nd-to-last jump and waited …. the bear stopped dead still – staring straight at me, head slightly lowered, huffing. The bears eyes darted around and re-focused on me.

This began the standoff at three yards. The bear was staring intently at me. The tall grass was between us. My finger was on the trigger, my sights on its lower jaw.

(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...

TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: banglist; bear; charge; guns

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The myth of bear skulls being impervious to bullets has endangered a number of people.

1 posted on 12/20/2024 5:20:49 AM PST by marktwain

To: marktwain

Charging Black Bear Stopped with Rifle and Pistol in Montana 1989...

The nerve. Did they give him a summons or bring him in for illegal possession of firearms?

2 posted on 12/20/2024 5:25:25 AM PST by dp0622 (Tried a coup, a fake tax story, tramp slander, Russia nonsense, impeachment and a virus. They lost.)

To: marktwain

Alan Yates with bear rugs and firearms.

3 posted on 12/20/2024 5:32:23 AM PST by marktwain (The Republic is at risk. Resistance to the Democratic Party is Resistance to Tyranny. )

To: marktwain

I’ve read stories about bears being brought down with a 9mm pistol. Guess it depends where in the head you shoot.
Grizzlies are likely the ones with impervious skulls.

4 posted on 12/20/2024 5:33:00 AM PST by gimme1ibertee (Yeah, let's GO THERE. I'm ready...)

To: marktwain

Damn! Great story, had me on edge all the way through. Nice rug too. Glad it all worked out.

5 posted on 12/20/2024 5:48:28 AM PST by Omnivore-Dan (Shut)

To: gimme1ibertee

6 posted on 12/20/2024 5:49:15 AM PST by marktwain (The Republic is at risk. Resistance to the Democratic Party is Resistance to Tyranny. )

To: marktwain

That is some story. Thanks for tracking it down.

7 posted on 12/20/2024 5:54:01 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)

To: marktwain

1989

“35 years later, the bear is back. And he is pissed!”

8 posted on 12/20/2024 5:56:11 AM PST by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)

To: marktwain

Wow that’s intense! Thanks for posting this memorable story! What a fantastic campfire yarn lol.

9 posted on 12/20/2024 5:57:37 AM PST by DariusBane (Liberty and Risk. Flip sides of the same coin. So how much risk will YOU accept? Vive Deo et Vives)

To: marktwain

The Good Lord was With this Young Man !
.
Awsome.

10 posted on 12/20/2024 5:58:45 AM PST by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)

To: gimme1ibertee

One doesn’t need a gun to stop a bear from charging. All one needs to do is take his credit card.

11 posted on 12/20/2024 6:02:47 AM PST by sport

To: marktwain

I don’t know that much about it - but I wondered about one aspect of the story:

Assuming his rifle was sighted at 100 yards, wouldn’t he have to aim way low at 3 yards?

Like I said I don’t have that much experience, but I’ve missed small game high when I was too close - and I’ve heard of plenty of people who missed way high the first time shooting downward from a tree stand.

I know one guy who was shooting at a whitetail out of an open window of his cabin - he blew his windowsill to splinters because he forgot his barrel was a few inches below his line of sight.

12 posted on 12/20/2024 6:04:50 AM PST by enumerated (81 million votes my ass)

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