View Full Version : bears, guns, and the BMT
I just got back from a short trip on the BMT, where I had an interesting experience. A pretty big black bear wandered into my camp the first night, and got within 20-30 feet of me while I was sitting on a log eating my dinner before we noticed each other and he wandered off. I've come across bears before, so I slept soundly that night and didn't worry about him a bit.
The next morning, I was 30 minutes up the trail when a dude comes over a small hill 20-30 feet in front of me carrying a pistol IN HIS HAND. As soon as he saw me, he holstered it on his belt, chuckled, and said, "Sorry if I scared you by carrying this." Of course you scared me, you @$$hole, you're walking around in the woods with a handgun drawn. And as soon as he passed me, he pulled it back out again. Unlike with the bear, I spent the next couple of hours looking behind me to make sure that nut job wasn't coming back.
If you're so scared in the woods that you need to have your firearm in your hand the entire time, then choose a less frightening activity. And if you're just carrying it for attention, then go wave that thing around in an airport or something. They'll give you plenty of attention, and I won't have to carry an extra pair of underwear.
was the guy with the pistol maybe hunting something?
was the guy with the pistol maybe hunting something?
He was dressed in typical hiking/exercise clothes with a small pack and didn't look like he was a hunter, but I guess I have no idea. I don't really care if people want to carry a gun while hiking, I'd just rather they weren't carrying it in their hand, pointed in my direction lol.
who hunts with a pistol?
while it may not be very popular----it can still be done......
after all---hunting involves nothing more than a killing device...........which a pistol is......
TN, it's been a long while since I've seen anyone hunting with a pistol. I bet this hiker came across the same bear in his camp that night. Rather than sleep soundly, he got little sleep and became paranoid. The next morning he decided to keep his pistol handy in case this bear had any "funny ideas".
TN, it's been a long while since I've seen anyone hunting with a pistol. I bet this hiker came across the same bear in his camp that night. Rather than sleep soundly, he got little sleep and became paranoid. The next morning he decided to keep his pistol handy in case this bear had any "funny ideas".
or he was doing target practicing by shooting at random things in the woods........
but, since the OP never found out why the guy had gun---we will never know......
BuckeyeBill
10-25-2017, 16:51
who hunts with a pistol?
Any thing short of a .308 rifle cartridge is worthless against a bear. I know a couple guys that tried deer hunting with pistols in .44 caliber and .45 Long Colt. I also know guys that buy a Thompson Contender with which you can buy various barrels of different calibers including many rifle cartridges. I agree that if you feel that afraid to walk in the woods that you have to carry a gun in or out of its holster, just take up golf where you can walk 18 holes and see plenty of greens.
Berserker
10-25-2017, 17:09
Reminds me of the night I spent at Raven Rocks shelter in MD years ago. There were some younger guys in the shelter that didn't appear to be hikers. They were very courteous when I talked to them, and I ended up tenting on one of the tent pads. The next morning I packed up, said good bye and started hiking North on the AT. I did notice one odd thing though, they had a large duffel bag with them.
So, I get maybe 5 - 10 minutes up the trail and I start hearing automatic gunfire in the direction of the shelter. Initially I was like what the f@#$. I pictured these young guys being shot by someone that came in off the road. Then I realized...duh...it's probably the young guys doing some target practice, and that's what was in the duffel bag. Nonetheless, I hightailed it out of there as hearing automatic gunfire that close was pretty dang weird. Automatic gunfire at a gun range where the people have the proper permits for the guns, no biggie...automatic gunfire at a shelter on the AT where I'm pretty sure these were "black market" guns, I'm gonna get the h double hockey sticks outta there.
rmitchell
10-25-2017, 20:50
Could have been hunting for wild boar. Sometime back we were returning from an weekend hike on Slickrock Creek and encountered a guy leaning up against a tree with a large caliber pistol drawn. We had be hearing a hound baying nearby. He said that it was his dog and she was trying to flush a pig out of the laurel. He explained that he used a pistol because the thick brush sometimes gets in the way of aiming. We moved along wuickly.
Hunting with pistols was fairly common once upon a time. There are record holders who have taken big game with a pistol, grizzlies, included. Not something I would want to do.
devoidapop
10-25-2017, 21:05
Hunting with pistols was fairly common once upon a time. There are record holders who have taken big game with a pistol, grizzlies, included. Not something I would want to do.
Some folks in Eastern NC still bear hunt with pistols. They tree the bear with dogs and then walk around for a head shot.
August W.
10-26-2017, 09:08
Anyone who wants to kill a bear that's being kept up a tree by yapping dogs should only do so with something respectable like a fork or a pocket knife. Shooting a bird that's perched is considered unsportsmanlike, like shooting a tin can off a fence post. Same goes for bears whether it's with a rifle or a pistol.
ALLEGHENY
10-26-2017, 09:09
who hunts with a pistol?
UL Hunters
Seatbelt
10-26-2017, 09:22
Any thing short of a .308 rifle cartridge is worthless against a bear
What caliber is an arrow? Lots of archery bear hunters around.
ALLEGHENY
10-26-2017, 09:31
What caliber is an arrow? Lots of archery bear hunters around.
In PA,a minimum 2inch broad arrow.
squeezebox
10-26-2017, 09:36
What does bear meat taste like? I've heard it needs to be cooked well done because of parasites. not my favorite.
And what about wild boar?
What does bear meat taste like? I've heard it needs to be cooked well done because of parasites. not my favorite.
And what about wild boar?
Ive never eaten either one but I've heard wild boar is a tough meat......
and i believe that most bear hunters don't necessary eat the meat but rather hunt for the fur and mounting the carcass on the wall.....
ALLEGHENY
10-26-2017, 09:56
In PA,a minimum 2inch broad arrow.
Correction
0.875 minimum diameter
Alleghanian Orogeny
10-26-2017, 11:08
Could have been hunting for wild boar. Sometime back we were returning from an weekend hike on Slickrock Creek and encountered a guy leaning up against a tree with a large caliber pistol drawn. We had be hearing a hound baying nearby. He said that it was his dog and she was trying to flush a pig out of the laurel. He explained that he used a pistol because the thick brush sometimes gets in the way of aiming. We moved along wuickly.
Most likely this guy was hunting feral hogs. It is often done with large caliber handguns for the reason cited (brushy areas restricting the shooter's movement/aim). I'd further speculate he had his weapon unholstered due to wanting to "be ready" in the event of flushing one at short distance. Feral hogs can go 200-300 lbs, are capable of shocking bursts of speed, and are very aggressive. Those who hunt them are taking considerable risks by doing so, given their capabilities and aggressiveness.
AO
illabelle
10-26-2017, 12:01
Most likely this guy was hunting feral hogs. It is often done with large caliber handguns for the reason cited (brushy areas restricting the shooter's movement/aim). I'd further speculate he had his weapon unholstered due to wanting to "be ready" in the event of flushing one at short distance. Feral hogs can go 200-300 lbs, are capable of shocking bursts of speed, and are very aggressive. Those who hunt them are taking considerable risks by doing so, given their capabilities and aggressiveness.
AO
We were hiking in Virginia a few weeks ago and a guy told us a story from his hog-hunting friend in eastern Arkansas:
Guy was walking along when a hog came out of nowhere, hit him hard from behind and flipped him onto his back. Hog turned on him, pinned him down, ripped up his right arm and would have done more. The man was able to get hold of his gun with his left hand and shoot the hog.
I haven't seen a feral hog, but I'm more scared of them than a bear.
saltysack
10-26-2017, 12:17
Ive never eaten either one but I've heard wild boar is a tough meat......
and i believe that most bear hunters don't necessary eat the meat but rather hunt for the fur and mounting the carcass on the wall.....
I use to bow hunt but gave it up after shooting a bear.....if you hunt don’t ever kill a bear, the sound they make is horrible.....it’s been years and haven’t killed anything since....the meat is greasy but the natives in Saskatchewan seem to like it. They make all sorts of things with it. As for wild pig it’s fine but the mature boars meat is gamey and tough .....we use to go with a crazy bastard who used dogs to catch hogs. He would then castrate release in pen to fatten up for awhile, then it’s not bad.....the catch dogs get the rewards...the freshly cut hog nuts.....yummy...
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squeezebox
10-26-2017, 12:45
I've fixed hog nuts before a time or 2. Kinda of like beef liver. But instead of the darker, bloody, almost chocolate flavor. It's a bit of a lighter kinda creamy flavor. If you've ever had lamb liver? Testicles , also known as fries?? Tangy, male stink, though. I think I remember venison liver as sour. Notice I said only a time or 2.
SWODaddy
10-26-2017, 14:27
who hunts with a pistol?
Lots of people.
Lots of people.
Interesting, I've never seen any. Not doubting or anything, it's just I haven't seen any hunters using a pistol, only.
Ive never eaten either one but I've heard wild boar is a tough meat......
and i believe that most bear hunters don't necessary eat the meat but rather hunt for the fur and mounting the carcass on the wall.....
I frequently use the AT in North GA to access Chattahoochee NF for hunting bear, deer, and wild hog. Most of the bear hunters I know not only eat bear meat, but prefer it to venison. A bears diet will definitely affect the flavor of the meat. Bears that live near civilization and make a living out of dumpsters and trash cans would not make great table fare.
Sarcasm the elf
10-26-2017, 22:53
Ive never eaten either one but I've heard wild boar is a tough meat......
and i believe that most bear hunters don't necessary eat the meat but rather hunt for the fur and mounting the carcass on the wall.....
All depends on who cooks it and whether they know what they're doing. One of the best meals of my life was wild boar in marinara over Gnocchi.
Also, we don't have boar in the US, we have feral hogs a combination of domestic swine that interbred with introduced wild boar hundreds of years ago.
Haven't tried bear yet, but I'd like to.
Sarcasm the elf
10-26-2017, 22:55
I frequently use the AT in North GA to access Chattahoochee NF for hunting bear, deer, and wild hog. Most of the bear hunters I know not only eat bear meat, but prefer it to venison. A bears diet will definitely affect the flavor of the meat. Bears that live near civilization and make a living out of dumpsters and trash cans would not make great table fare.
Supposedly in parts of New England and Canada, bears that have been feeding heavily on wild
blueberries are highly sought after because if the incredible taste it imparts in the meat/
rocketsocks
10-27-2017, 03:24
Supposedly in parts of New England and Canada, bears that have been feeding heavily on wild
blueberries are highly sought after because if the incredible taste it imparts in the meat/I love them blueberry bear claws, the kind with a little cheese in the middle too.
Gee, the bad man put his pistol away to make you feel a bit better and you now he is an *******.
Here is something to think about. There are a lot of guns on the trail you will never see.
Yet they are still there. I would bet you have shared a shelter with one more than once. All of us have.
Tolerance for everyone... Except those yucky guys over there.....
Pistol hunting is not common but it is out there. Usually by accomplished hunters who find using a rifle too easy and want the challenge. Pistols are also for self defense. There are a few disreputable people out there you know.
Try camping around Gooch shelter, a lot of "machinegun" fire at night there. But hey, that is where the US Army Rangers are training. Don't forget the evil black helicopters flying around too.
Whatever....
Sarcasm the elf
10-27-2017, 17:54
Gee, the bad man put his pistol away to make you feel a bit better and you now he is an *******.
Here is something to think about. There are a lot of guns on the trail you will never see.
Yet they are still there. I would bet you have shared a shelter with one more than once. All of us have.
Tolerance for everyone... Except those yucky guys over there.....
Pistol hunting is not common but it is out there. Usually by accomplished hunters who find using a rifle too easy and want the challenge. Pistols are also for self defense. There are a few disreputable people out there you know.
Try camping around Gooch shelter, a lot of "machinegun" fire at night there. But hey, that is where the US Army Rangers are training. Don't forget the evil black helicopters flying around too.
Whatever....
Friend, I'm a gun nut myself and a hunter, I also backpack in Georgia with my friend from Banks County who open carries a G4 Glock on trail. That said I cannot imagine a person walking down the BMT in hiking clothes while carrying a pistol in your hand is a hunter and doing so violates a number of basic gun safety guidelines, it sounds borderline negligent to me and having a gun in the hand while walking on uneven trail risks negligent discharge. I'm totally comfortable around responsible hikers with holstered guns, but gun in hand is a different story.
JeffreyH
10-27-2017, 20:07
Just wanted to notice that pistol will not do serious damage to a bear.
I think that guy was carrying the pistol not for a bear but for feeling safer and calmer.
DownEaster
10-27-2017, 21:40
Just wanted to notice that pistol will not do serious damage to a bear.
True for most pistols, but there are exceptions.
40798
rocketsocks
10-27-2017, 22:41
Location location location!
greentick
10-27-2017, 23:23
Just wanted to notice that pistol will not do serious damage to a bear.
....
Don't tell this griz...
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2010/07/no-charges-forthcoming-shooting-grizzly-denali-national-park-and-preserve6320
and with an anemic 45ACP.
Another example: My wife lived in a remote community in the interior of AK for several years. We went and visited a few years ago and one of the guys was giving me a walking tour. Showed me some dumpsters that had been destroyed by brown bears. He was walking to one of their greenhouses and had a brown bear stand up in some thick brush about 20yds away. He carries a 44mag and shot it once, it dropped an stood up again. He shot it again and it dropped only to stand up several yards away in a different section of brush. Bang and it drops. Turns out it was 3 separate bears. He turned himself in to the AK state patrol. They confiscated the pistol (and the bears) and after investigation gave him the pistol back and he was fined for shooting the bears out of season but no other charges.
AT black bears are more person sized. I think any self defense load that would work on a human will work on an eastern black bear.
Like rocketsocks said: location, location, location
greentick
10-27-2017, 23:25
Ugh. Can't edit. I wasn't there during the shooting... he was describing it as we walked around where it happened.
Longboysfan
10-30-2017, 13:36
you would need a pretty big gun to stop a bear.
The next morning, I was 30 minutes up the trail when a dude comes over a small hill 20-30 feet in front of me carrying a pistol IN HIS HAND. As soon as he saw me, he holstered it on his belt, chuckled, and said, "Sorry if I scared you by carrying this." Of course you scared me, you @$$hole, you're walking around in the woods with a handgun drawn. And as soon as he passed me, he pulled it back out again. Unlike with the bear, I spent the next couple of hours looking behind me to make sure that nut job wasn't coming back.
If you're so scared in the woods that you need to have your firearm in your hand the entire time, then choose a less frightening activity. And if you're just carrying it for attention, then go wave that thing around in an airport or something. They'll give you plenty of attention, and I won't have to carry an extra pair of underwear.
I’m trying to wrap my head around the definition of an a$$hole...why does the mere presence of a firearm cause you such fear and dread, particularly when the guy carrying it was clearly very rational and engaging? This reaction strikes me as odd, given the previous night’s presence of an instinctual vice rational animal caused you no concern. We have no idea what lead to gentlman to carry a firearm, so speculation is of no value. On your end, you do realize that, in a normal course of your day, 5-20% of the people around you are armed? They are no threat to you, so why this irrational fear of inanimate objects? I guess it makes a good story to tell to your ‘friends.’
FYI, for all the pontificators, I hunt solely with a pistol, for deer to boar to bear. I don’t carry it when I hike, but that is a personal decision. When I hunt, I use a 454 Casull with cast 325g LBT truncated cone bullet over H110 handloads for 1250fps, which is suitable for anything in America.
greentick
11-01-2017, 15:30
...I use a 454 Casull with cast 325g LBT truncated cone bullet over H110 handloads for 1250fps, which is suitable for anything in America...
That'll do it.
rocketsocks
11-01-2017, 20:52
Don't tell this griz...
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2010/07/no-charges-forthcoming-shooting-grizzly-denali-national-park-and-preserve6320
and with an anemic 45ACP.
Another example: My wife lived in a remote community in the interior of AK for several years. We went and visited a few years ago and one of the guys was giving me a walking tour. Showed me some dumpsters that had been destroyed by brown bears. He was walking to one of their greenhouses and had a brown bear stand up in some thick brush about 20yds away. He carries a 44mag and shot it once, it dropped an stood up again. He shot it again and it dropped only to stand up several yards away in a different section of brush. Bang and it drops. Turns out it was 3 separate bears. He turned himself in to the AK state patrol. They confiscated the pistol (and the bears) and after investigation gave him the pistol back and he was fined for shooting the bears out of season but no other charges.
AT black bears are more person sized. I think any self defense load that would work on a human will work on an eastern black bear.
Like rocketsocks said: location, location, locationthat is some story, I’ll prolly pass that one along, crazy.
gpburdelljr
11-01-2017, 20:56
Just wanted to notice that pistol will not do serious damage to a bear.
I think that guy was carrying the pistol not for a bear but for feeling safer and calmer.
I saw a picture of a very large grizzly bear, in a hunting magazine, that a hunter had shot with a .44 magnum pistol.
MtDoraDave
11-01-2017, 20:59
If someone pulls out in front of me, causing me to use my brakes (gasp!), that person is often an @$$hole...
It's a term we like to use when someone startles or scares us.
A lot of people, 80 - 95% using someone above's numbers, don't carry a firearm, so if you are one of these people and you suddenly see a guy with his gun drawn.. well, I imagine it can be anywhere from disturbing to terrifying.
So I understand Tagg's reaction.
The person who pulled out in front of me possibly isn't really an @$$hole, and the hiker with the gun might not be, either.
I’m trying to wrap my head around the definition of an a$$hole...why does the mere presence of a firearm cause you such fear and dread, particularly when the guy carrying it was clearly very rational and engaging? This reaction strikes me as odd, given the previous night’s presence of an instinctual vice rational animal caused you no concern. We have no idea what lead to gentlman to carry a firearm, so speculation is of no value. On your end, you do realize that, in a normal course of your day, 5-20% of the people around you are armed? They are no threat to you, so why this irrational fear of inanimate objects? I guess it makes a good story to tell to your ‘friends.’
It wasn't the mere presence of the firearm that caused "fear and dread," it was more the context in which it was presented. I'm well aware that many people around me are armed every day. I have a CWP and sometimes carry, myself. I even carried a pistol on my first AT hike until I figured out that it was heavy and unnecessary (in my opinion). I assume anyone I meet might be carrying, and it doesn't bother me. But when I was alone in the woods and a dude wearing hiking clothes and looking nothing like a hunter popped out in front of me carrying his Glock like he was about to raid a crack house, it scared me. His demeanor was odd, he made me uncomfortable, and in that context he was an @$$hole (in my opinion). Carry it on your hip or on your chest or wherever you want, just don't go skipping down the trail waving the thing around was my point.
...But when I was alone in the woods and a dude wearing hiking clothes and looking nothing like a hunter popped out in front of me carrying his Glock like he was about to raid a crack house, it scared me...
Tagg, I think I get your point. The story has changed from him carrying it IN HIS HAND but reholstering and apologizing for startling you, to he pointed it at you, to him now carrying it in a ready position. My point is that the mere presence of a gun is used as alarm call in the general pop and gun owners are derided as some kind of nuts. If this guy was waving a pistol around then you’re right, he is an a$$hole, because he furthers the stereotype for all of us...not to mention the consequences of the inevitable negligent discharge in his future. It disturbs me, as I’m sure it does the other gun owners herein, that our rights are threatened everyday by this juvenile and reckless behavior, and the perpetuation of stories like this...particularly in the state of heightened security awareness our country finds itself in today.
Tagg, I think I get your point. The story has changed from him carrying it IN HIS HAND but reholstering and apologizing for startling you, to he pointed it at you, to him now carrying it in a ready position. My point is that the mere presence of a gun is used as alarm call in the general pop and gun owners are derided as some kind of nuts. If this guy was waving a pistol around then you’re right, he is an a$$hole, because he furthers the stereotype for all of us...not to mention the consequences of the inevitable negligent discharge in his future. It disturbs me, as I’m sure it does the other gun owners herein, that our rights are threatened everyday by this juvenile and reckless behavior, and the perpetuation of stories like this...particularly in the state of heightened security awareness our country finds itself in today.
I was probably too vague in my original post. I saw him a nanosecond before he saw me, and he was carrying it in the ready position. Since we were coming head on, that meant it was in my direction. As soon as he saw me, he holstered it and said sorry, I should put that away, but I had already pretty much soiled myself by then. He was just an odd sort of guy and gave me a weird vibe. I'm sure he was just some harmless dude who thought he was alone playing with his gun. But as soon as he we passed each other, I saw him pull it out again. I respect an individual's right to exercise his liberties or to protect himself, but good gravy...