Grizz hunting.

[Rat]

I bounced this around a few forums a long time ago.

My dream hunt has always been to go to Alaska with a friend or two, and using roundball only, traditional rifles, go on a hunt for Grizz. I'm NOT talkind about a 1600 pound monster, but just a nice average size Grizz. I doubt that I'll ever be able to afford to do this, but it's kind of a dream and a goal.

I know that to do such a hunt in Alaska you have to have a guide. I know that the guide would act as back-up with a modern rifle, but I think it would be neat if before the guide started shooting, the friend or two would act first for any back-up shots. One guy would take his bear, with the other 1 or 2 friends/hunters acting as backup, and then rotate until everyone had his bear.

Responses I got before was everything from I was totally nutz, to "a blackpowder firearm does not have the power to kill a bear".

Anyhow...I would take my .62" Jeager. What would you take? I would want my friends to have at least .58" rifles, and as far as I'm concerned a heavily charged musket such as a Brown Bess would make a great bear-gun. I bet Daryl's .69" would kick some serious bear butt also.

Last but not least, I wonder if there are many guides that would allow three hunters to try and back each other up, with their muzzle-loaders, before he stepped in with his .375H&H.

Curious Rats want to know.

Rat

 

[Rebel]

Hey Rat, when ya get ready to go let me know. I'll take my double barrel .12 ga with a .690 rd ball in each barrel to use as a back up for ya. Ohh, but you can't go to Alaska, there is Too much WATER there to suit you. Ya might even mess up and get some on yer gun. :crackup:

 

[sniper68]

Rebel-ONE!!! Rat-ZERO!!! :applause: :applause: :applause:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Rat's safe. You've got to be pretty solvent to hire a guided hunt. Financially speaking, that is.

I can just see it now. Rat running down-slope with the seat of his pants bit out yelling "I was only kidding when I told you not to use the .458 no matter what! Shoot! Shoot!"

 

[jim gray]

I read an article a couple of years ago about a monster grizz that was killed with a longbow. I believe it was something in the neighborhood of a 120# bow with an 1100-1200 grain arrow.

I think if you have big enough balls, :crackup: and those .62's should be plenty big enough, go for it. :thumbsup:

FYI, I have a .58 caliber on order.

 

[BrownBear]

Speaking of solvent, you might want to check and see if your "backup" friends also need licenses and tags, and if the guide would even let them come along for shucks and grins. I bet they need their own license and tags, plus the guide has only so many bunks, seats on a plane or in a boat. If he has a choice between a couple of $10,000 clients occupying the same space as your backups, guess what it's going to cost to kick out the clients. Lots of phone call in your future. Better to make them now than to have your lawyer make calls to arrange bail for you and all your best friends!

 

[brfire]

:youcrazy:Just remember, your friends don't have to outrun the bear, they just have to outrun you! :youcrazy:

 

[Slamfire]

I think I'll stick to the "griz" you see in the fields around here after makin' hay. Some folks call 'em whistle pigs, but I like the old ones with the gray hair. eace:

 

[Bushwhacker]

Hey Rat, when ya get ready to go let me know. I'll take my double barrel .12 ga with a .690 rd ball

Ya might want to pratice on smaller game first. :crackup:Choke down that 12 ga. Use about 15 grains of powder on wabbits first. Better have some one with a back up. You might encounter one of those "KILLER WABBITS" :blah: :redthumb:

 

Was in Alaska this last summer, and had an ATV trip canceled, because the Bears were starting their Fall feed. We were no longer the highest animal on the food chain, and the ATV's would only do 35 mph,and the bears could do 40 mph. We chose not to be fast food :crackup:

 

I think I'll stick to the "griz" you see in the fields around here after makin' hay. Some folks call 'em whistle pigs, but I like the old ones with the gray hair. eace:

Ah, the much reviled North American Field Grizzly...

AKA: The Dirt Beaver

 

[dheisner]

Count me in! If I could afford it, I'd be there with you. I would take my .58 Mississippi rifle and the biggest Minie's I could find. Call me crazy, but I always wanted to grizzly hunt with a bow. If Fred Bear can do it, so can I! Doin' it with the Mississippi rifle would be the next best thing!

That Minie ball has plenty of umph. I had a guy tell me that he did an experiment with 1/4" plate steel. He shot it with a 30-06 and with a .58 cal muzzle loader using a Minie ball. He dented the steel with the 30-06 and punched a hole clean through it with the Minie ball. Now he may have been telling me a tall tail, but it sounded good. Who knows?!?!?!?!?

Of course, I also heard about a .44 mag round bouncing off the skull of a grizz. Wouldn't want to be in that situation!

My two cents.

 

[Rebel]

Well, for some reason i had another reply disappear. So once again, i can run pretty fast when scared for an old guy. Rat might have trouble keeping up while carrying that fancy Jaeger of his cuz i'm dropping that double barrel before i head out. :crackup:

 

[Rebel]

Bushwhacker, i have used this old double on a LOT of jackrabbits, not to mention doves, duck, geese, and a few other things. I have also shot it with the round balls some, and it does real well with them. Fire both barrels, if bear is still moving, drop gun and outrun Rat. :crackup: :crackup:
SO where ya at Rat. No reply. Whatsa matter, don't ya wanna have fun no more? :: ::

 

[Rat]

O.K. BrownBear...I was thinking in terms that both or all three hunters would have tags for bear, just that when one guy was filling his tag, the others would hopefully be able to do all the back-up work...and hopefully one would not have to fill his tag with a bear that had to be finished off with a modern rifle. Everyone would take turns filling their bear tag, and then being backup when the other guy did.

BP Newbie, I think any of the .58 Rifled muskets would make fine bear guns, and I'd consider a Mississippi rifle "Traditional" as I would minnie balls.

Now Reb, I was gone having ANOTHER tooth pulled...if THAT'S not fun I don't know what is. Ouch.

:cry:

Actually, I don't mind floating on water, or when it's in streams and lakes and such...just don't want it IN MY RIFLE!!!!! Even ON the rifle is ok, don't mind rain or snow ON the rifle...just not IN it!!!!!! SHeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!

:curse:

Anyhow, your double barrel would be a great backup for bear rifle, IMHO. I used to play around with .69" round balls and black powder in my modern double...those are some serious chunks of lead. I'd feel fine knowing you was behind me with it.

:master:

I kind of doubt that old grizz would stand much of a chance against a Mississippi, 12 gauge double smoothbore, and the Jaeger.

Stump, when all three black powder weapons are empty, and the grizz is still coming, I won't be "too" insulted when the guide opens up with the .458!!

And Sniper....WHY I OTTA!!! DO'H!!

What other 3-gun combinations would be good?

Rat

 

[Rebel]

How about 1 of October Country's 4 bores, and one of Cabela's .72 cal double barrel rifles, and maybe a small scale Mt. Howitzer? ::
Sorry to hear about the tooth. Toothaches ain't no fun at all. So, how long before we can say, Hey Rat, go brush yer tooth? :crackup:

 

[Bob J]

October Country's 8 bore double with roundballs backed by 300 grains of 2f..now that should eliminate the Guide's use of the .375! ::

 

[BrownBear]

Sounds like a great spot for a 4 gauge single or double.

Another fact of life here in bear country- It can rain for weeks on end. I'd be thinking about how you would waterproof your charge and your prime.

 

[Bushwhacker]

i have used this old double on a LOT

If you're a true sportsman, like I think you are...Load one of them barrels up with RAT shot just enough to piss him off, then when's he's charging you...KAaaaPOWwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Run like hell. After smoke clears turn around and see if he's down WAUGHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :blah: :redthumb:

 

[Rebel]

If i use RAT shot, do i use it to shoot the bear or RAT? :crackup: If i use it on RAt, then i won't have to worry about the BEAR coming after lil 'ol me. :crackup: Great idea there Bushwhacker. :thumbsup: