[Paddlewise] Guns and Bears

I've never shot a bear, and have no current plans to do so, but people I 
trust tell me the only thing to carry is a stainless steel 12 gauge with 
slugs or 00 Buck, a full-length magazine, and practice, practice, 
practice. Pumps are more reliable than autos, but only if you don't 
short-stroke them. Clearing a jam with a bear approaching could be a 
drag. Aim for the chest. Large jacketed bullets have been known to skid 
off the sloping skull of large bears. Apparantly this makes them very angry.

Me, if I was going to be travelling someplace I thought I might need a 
shotgun... I'd probably travel someplace else. So far my most dangerous 
foe in the wilderness has been the Pygmy Grizzly of Northern Michigan, 
aka the chipmunck. I've seen a swarm of them reduce a packed lunch to 
skin and bones in seconds. Chilling.

-- mike

--------------------------
Michael Edelman
http://foldingkayaks.org
http://findascope.com
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