RE: [Paddlewise] Guns and Polar Bears

I'm not a polar bear or firearm expert, but have spent 6 weeks wild
camping/overland in Svalbard  (spitsbergen). Luckily the only polar bear I
saw was a skeleton on the tundra. As Jochan Grikschat pointed out though the
Norwegian administration there insist that travelers carry appropriate
firearms while out of town limits. FWIW we took a 7.62 semi auto rifle,  12
guage shotgun (pump action, long magazine, rifled slugs and big buckshot),
and a .42 handgun.

I recall two films in which polar bears were shot - in one a woman (in
churchill I think) shot a bear point blank with a rifle in the head when the
bear stuck its head through her house window. The bear wandered off, to be
put down **some time*** later by the authorities. In the second two
Norwegian soldiers reported bringing down a bear as it was charging them.
They started firing at approx 100 meters, bear dropped at something like 20
meters. Two times 20 round 7.62 assault rifle magazines emptied. 38 holes in
bear.

There is a chilling display in the museum in the main settlement on
Spitzbergen, Longyearbyen - a bolt action rifle with a round jammed in the
breach 'found next remains of owner, taken by polar bear'

Be afraid of polar bears. If you see one, its because it wants to eat you. I
would not consider going into polar bear habitat without a firearm. IMHO the
bigger the caliber and load that is practical the better.

12 guage shotgun would be my preferred choice. Light and fairly easy to
stow, pump action is reliable. Slugs are going to be more effective and
therefore safer I think than an incy little rifle round no matter how fast
its going, or a handgun (which maybe would be easier to stow). If 1000 kilos
of hungry polar bear was charging at me or my companions I would like a
magazine full of rifled slugs, or alternating slugs/big buckshot.

I'm not a polar bear or firearm expert, this advice is free and without
guarantee.


Cheers

Colin Calder

57:N 2:W
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************