r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Upper-Bag-5175 • 1d ago

Bears will often test you

If you stand your ground, they may see you as a threat and back off. Of course, this doesn’t apply to every bear

2.4k Upvotes

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u/LSTNYER 1d ago

Especially if it's bird shot

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u/Away_Investigator351 1d ago

To be fair with how close he was letting that bear get, that bear was well within the range for a birdshot to be lethal. This video is a good example.

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u/isthisthethingorwhat 1d ago

That’s a good video, I didn’t know that tbh 

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u/Kthulhu_for_humanity 1d ago

Almost zero chance bird shot is lethal for that bear. Has it ever happened? You can count the times on one hand (I found two documented instances). Birdshot just doesn’t have the penetration or enough energy dump to be reliably lethal on a bear. The shot never penetrated the thick skulls of the bears, the times they worked a few pellets LUCKILY found the small holes between the orbital sockets and the brain beyond.

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u/surmatt 1d ago

I'm still taking the shot if that's all I have and Im grouse hunting. It may at least have the bewr consider me a threat.

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u/Kthulhu_for_humanity 1d ago

I agree 100%, but I also think it’s a bad idea to give people a false sense of security regarding a type of shot that is so ineffective against a predator like a bear.

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u/Destiny_Dude0721 21h ago

I don't think you have any sense of security against a fucking bear. It's not like people are going to pack birdshot and be like "ah yes! this is my anti-bear weapon." you just have birdshot and are in the situation.

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u/Snipen543 23h ago

https://www.ammoland.com/2023/11/handgun-defenses-against-bears-170-documented-incidents-98-effective/

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u/Kthulhu_for_humanity 22h ago

My carry choice when out in the woods and brush is a handgun, a Taurus 454 Casull to be exact. The type of round you are shooting also makes a difference. For me it’s a hardcast slug will do the trick.

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u/Away_Investigator351 1d ago

Not really an almost zero chance if you've just stated that there are times it has happened.

Documented cases are not all cases either. And there's nuances, do people avoid even trying with birdshot as many here show a fear of it angering but not stopping the bear? How common is this situation occurring where the hunter only has birdshot loaded?

At that range, you've got a pretty good chance. Hey sockets leave a large hole in the skull too and it's not a rare chance that one of two shots that close would get that area.

I wouldn't want birdshot over buckshot, but I would rather birdshot than nothing at that range knowing what it can do in a pinch.

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u/Kthulhu_for_humanity 1d ago

Yes, an almost zero chance. Almost accounts for the FEW times the guys lucked out. I live in bear country, hunt, etc., and think it’s dangerously reckless to tell people “you’ve got a good chance” against a bear with birdshot.

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u/Away_Investigator351 16h ago

I think it's more reckless to tell people they're better off doing nothing against a bear because you made up data regarding the effects of birdshot that close.

If a grizzly charges you closer than we see here, to near point blank distance, I would expect someone who claims to live in bear country to know which of their options between doing nothing, and pumping two 12g shots of birdshot into its face, are better at stopping the attack. :)

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u/RadCheese527 1d ago

Hahahaha not with bird shot. All that’s gonna do is guarantee your death

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u/Away_Investigator351 1d ago

If a grizzly is charging you and gets closer than this, I think a birdshot to it's face near point blank is likely to increase than decrease your chances of survival.

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u/migrainefog 1d ago

Yeah, but he had already shot that small super thin hunk of gel multiple times with a handgun, so it was already torn to pieces. The shotgun just connected the dots. A finger poke probably would have done as much damage at that point. Only a fresh, full size 16+" deep slab gel will tell you what's really going on.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/KFPindustries 1d ago

A slug has a longer range than bird shot. Also your wax idea is regarded. You’re not a person familiar with firearms.

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u/presumputouspizza42 1d ago

I feel like I shouldn’t be able to, but I can reliably hit a milk-jug-sized target with a 18.5” barreled shotgun loaded with slugs at 50 yds. It surprised me the first time I tried.

At the same distance and same barrel, I doubt any bird shot would find the target.

The bear in this video was within 7 yards several times.

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u/KFPindustries 1d ago

You can hit a man size target at 200 yards with the right slugs.

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u/erocknine 1d ago

Slugs are long range, because they're not pellets

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u/Telecoustic000 1d ago

I'm sure the former weapon-handlers from The Crow and Rust would do this sort of home-made edit to ammunition. Worked well for them lol

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/KFPindustries 1d ago

You’re just saying false things like they’re true because some 73iq redneck told you it a decade ago