Desert Captain wrote:
"The purpose is to deter the bear if possible and if the bird load doesn't stop it from attacking, then kill it with the slugs."
I can only assume you are kidding or have a serious death wish. :h
Firing a weapon is always a last resort and only when when your life is in imminent peril. If you shoot an aggressive Grizzily bear (that is putting your life in peril), with birdshot....
like the man said/sang:
"Turn out the lights, the party's over!
:S
PS: Flash bangs for a 12 gauge are also good when a bear is posturing.
I don't know how often you get out and shoot a shotgun , but if a bear were intent on eating me(they seldom do eat people)I would still fire that first shot at his face. Bird shot will slow a bear down when the shot hits its face and the next two rounds will be in the bear before it even knows it had been hit.
My intent was to put some info out there regarding a posturing bear. A posturing bear and a charging bear are two different situations. If the bear is charging, I would hope at least one other person had something in the .40 to .44 Caliber pistol or a 308 or larger weapon standing behind me. During a charge a bear does not present a really good target, the head is usually down and that hump draws a lot of gunfire, those who have been trained about what to do during bear encounters generally know when to fold them and kill the bear.
