Backpacking with a RIFLE

Does anyone here backpack with a rifle? I'm one to push bush more than just stick to a trail so I often find myself isolated in bear country. I used to just pack around my 17HMR until last year when I was stumbling around and found myself all up in a bears business who then got all up in my business. Plus I generally ride solo on my trips and I find a level of comfort in keeping protection with me.

Now, that being said, if I lived in the states I would not even be asking this question because I would simply pack a revolver. Living in Canada kinda shoots that plan in the butt. Getting a permit to pack a side arm for 'backpacking' is pretty much unheard of and I like to play on the side of the law. Is anyone else in my similiar situation? What type of rifle would be suitable? As well all know, the weight factor is always an issue and I'm not aware of many light weight rifles. The only thing I can think of right now is picking up a shot gun and load it up with a folding stock to try to cut down on the pounds.

Anyone have any ideas?

.um, how 'bout bear spray. It would work on any critter or person "in your business."
If still nervous, carry two cans. If still nervous, hike in town.
In reality, a weapon large enough to drop a bear in going to be heavy. Anything smaller, just ain't gonna drop him/her before they get to you and their adrenaline runs out.

I know Henry Firearms makes a couple take down type guns.

Google "bear banger" Illegal, but is done and carried by some bikers.

EDIT: I'm pretty sure they are illegal in Canada.

This discussion comes up on a fairly regular basis. Unfortunately, it tends to be the same discussion each time, covering the same ground in roughly the same way. Usually at least one person wants to kick up some controversy and get some heat into the discussion. Usually they fail, but not for lack of trying.

You might try using the Search facility to see what's been said before on both handguns and rifles in a backpacking context. It's been gnawed on pretty thoroughly in about a dozen threads. I suggest using the terms: "rifle", "weapon", "handgun", "holster", and "hunting". Those should dredge up quite a few threads to peruse. If that doesn't satisfy your thirst for info, come on back and give us another prodding.

Any rifle that will kill a bear is bound to be heavy. Honestly in your case I'd pack bear spray and learn how to deal with the occasional bear encounter. Shotguns and the attending ammunition are very heavy. the only shotgun ammo I'd trust on large game is a rifled slug which is just about the heaviest.

I'd try for the handgun permit first and if successful carry what I do when I feel it necessary,and that's rare. What's the worst that could happen? They say no? I have a Ruger Alaskan chambered in .454 Casull. It's a beast to carry and shoot but will dispatch large animals well. However after thinking about it I believe it's been with me once.

With that being said you've survived an encounter w/o a firearm why do you fell the need now? Did it spook you or is this something you've thought about for a long time?

Balls! I actually did use the search function on this one! I looked up Rifle and Gun. I guess I should search a little deeper next time. My bad fellas! I still didn't really see any usefull information...just some henry .22's.

"With that being said you've survived an encounter w/o a firearm why do you fell the need now? Did it spook you or is this something you've thought about for a long time?"

I had a 17HMR at the time. I was walking along paying more attention to the game trail than my surroundings. I wound up being around 30 yards from a bear who started huffing at me and then actually stood up on his hind legs and starting smacking and clawing a tree and stared at me the whole time. I'm sure a few of you have had such encounters. They tend to stick with you for a while. Plus its a peace of mind thing.

Sorry for bringing up the same ol' topic again though, guys! I don't want to be known as "that guy" ha ha ha!

If you have a really heavy caliber rifle and can always aim perfectly enough to kill with your first shot while a big grizz is charging directly at you, fine. Hell hath no fury like a wounded grizz! If you're like 99% of folks, bear spray is undoubtedly safer. At least that's what the statistics on bear encounters prove.

Rough Bearing:

I had a 17HMR at the time. I was walking along paying more attention to the game trail than my surroundings

Were you hunting? If so, you'd need that rifle. And that would send you to one of the GGFs (gazillion gun forums.) If you were out there hiking, with no plans to kill something, then bear spray is the answer, with hiking in Alaska and parts of Canada the exception. A rifle anywhere else is the antithesis of "packing light" -- this forum's focus.

For bear? Sounds like we need BradMT's feed back for this one. I will say this though. I was brought up with guns and even now My dad keeps a shotgun with bear slugs loaded at his place just for bear. A rifle is better. But the best is accurate shot placement for stopping power. So, whatever you take with you, you should be practice with it. And if you don't mind the kick, get a Marlin .45 lever action. There is no point in having to put your weapon together if you need it in a hurry.

Ps. I use bear mace myself. My dad takes his Glock, but he practices with the thing usually once a week.

My husband carries what he has named "The Bear Bopper" - as short as legal (had it shortened by a gunsmith to make sure it was legal) with no extras shotgun, loaded with bear slug and a fold stock. No, it isn't the lightest - but neither is my .357 Ruger (joke is with a ruger, if you run out of ammo you can still hit them with the gun itself.) If there is a convenient, light weight, comfortable way to carry said shotgun or pistol, I haven't found it. Husband has been looking at some velcro way of adhering it to a backpack (shotgun.) The biggest prob. with a bear is hitting that sweet spot in their chest as they are charging you... Haven't had to do, don't want to do it. We have been looking at some sort of "flare" gun to carry instead - I'm a good shot, but in a stressful situation I can't guarantee it - so something loud, bright and noisy might be a better option, for me anyways - donno about the legality in Canada.

Still more scared of Moose than bear - though last year we did have a bear pull someone (but no serious injury) out of their tent (about 20+/- miles from me.)

Personally, it has been proven a bear spray canister is more effective. I myslf have a concealled carry firearm permit. I would be comfy in black bear country with my .45 acp . Grizzly is another story. Bear spray first! Rifle wise if I was carrying in grizz country. I would take a AR 15 chambered in 6.8 REM or 6.5 Grendal. Or a AR 10 in .308 , 450 Bushmaster, or 458 socom. My preference would be bear spray.
I just finished reading Andrew Skurka, The Ultimate Hikers Gear List. He was Charged three times bye Grizzlies in the yukon. One time he threw his hiking pole at the Bear before reaching for Pepper Spray! He said Bear ran away so fast it Pooped Berries for 20 feet!
My opinion is it wasnt his time to die! Or he is a very good story teller!
A Charging Grizzley is a Massive animal, that requires Large caliber Firearms with excellent shot placement to save your butt! 25 or thirty round magazines ,I would suggest as well.
I have to beleive odds are better with Bear Spray?
I hope I never find out if Im right! I am very happy with a educated guess! Good Luck, Happy trails

Kent! I've read that too, that bear spray is realiable. and from what I remember was a realiable source...if I could just remember the source I would post it up. Does someone know?

I haven't carried one, and I don't live in Canada, so no help from me. Like you said, I would carry a handgun for that purpose. Maybe look and see what the regs are for Canada. I have no idea where you would look though.

Here is a little trick I learned in the army. While your friend isn't looking, slip it into his pack. Your pack is now much lighter.

I own firearms, have my concealed permit, I don't have a death wish. All that said, I like the feeling of being part of nature. For me that means accepting that I am part of food chain. Fortunately my two encounters with bears (TN/NC border, AK) were uneventful. From less than 50 yards they looked at me, I looked at them, and we went our separate ways.

Here we go. Article on weapony and on bear spray.

Rifles

Pepper spray

This article suggests that only people Proficient with firearms should rely on them for bear deterrence.

Article



The brand I carry is counter assault bear deterrent. I bought one to practice with to see how the thing works. Be aware of the wind direction when using it.

And do remember that if you really are counting on the firearm to save you from the bear, it needs to be almost instantly accessible at all time.

No good carrying on or in the pack when you surprise the bear on the trail...

I am a backpacking hunter AND I spot-and-stalk bear with a bow. When hunting, I carry my .45 on my thigh. When backpacking for the sake of backpacking I would be more inclined to want bear spray.

There is no lightweight version of packing an effective version of either.

Absolutly true, It also needs to be cocked Locked and ready to Rock. As does the shooter. A unloaded firearm in a emergency situation is the equivalent of a Rock with a real nice grip!
If not properly trained and experienced you should not carry a loaded gun. 99 chances out of ten you will not be effective with it if you have not practiced extensivly! I shoot allot Rifles, Shotguns, IE skeet and Trap and handguns. One thing is for sure you pull a gun out better be prepared to use it. This is detramental to your own ,and bystanders saftey!
No such thing as being to safe.
I have counter assault bear spray myself. That is what I carry backpacking for the most part. The stuff is nasty! I am confident it will turn a bear, or a national park drug grower around!
I also carry a loaded firearm most of the time I am not hiking. Thats just how I roll. I have never had to use either and hope I never will! Guns that woul be effective on a bear are allot heavier than bear spray!

I just tried pulling down the simple search entry (not advanced), entered a single word and hit "Go". I found the following:


Your search for 'handguns' returned 107 results.

Your search for 'holster' returned 163 results.

Your search for 'shotgun' returned 92 results.

Your search for 'rifles' returned 37 results.

Your search for 'sidearms' returned 83 results.

See. I wouldn't steer you wrong, Rough_Bearing!

Great set of articles and abstracts!

I live in BC Canada where we have a LOT of bears. I have had many a bear encounter. If you are hiking, bear spray (big can) is the way to go. Make sure it is on your hip belt in a holster and easily accessible.
If I am hunting with a rifle, I don't bother with the spray.

Very similar to me, with one change this year. Now I carry Bear Spray when hunting too.

Rifle and Bear-Spray when hunting.

Ruger 357 Security Six with hard-cast LBT's and Bear-Spray when packing out elk meat.

Bear-Spray alone when backpacking.

We have a LOT of grizzlies here and I've bumped into them more than once.

Well said and spoken by someone with experience!

Do you think bear spray will work on a moose? I have run into more moose then bear. Never had a problem....yet.

I have bear spray never had to use it. I would think it would turn a moose around as well. Moose dont see vary well but it would still burn like crazy.

The reason I asked it that I have heard (don't remember the source so...) that herbivores aren't affected by the pepper. Or....maybe it was carnivores. I don't remember.

I saw this article on cnn news headlines tonight. I think it kinda confirms what many of us think. Here is the link if any are interested. To myself it confirms what I already thought!

http://www.mnn.com/family/protection-saf...fer?hpt=hp_bn13

I don't know if it would work on a moose or not. They are so freaking crazy it is hard to say. I'll ask around and see if anyone knows though!

My guess is it's not nearly the deterrent on a moose that it is with a bear... a bear is more at a humans level and getting a face hit is critical.

Also, because of the way (particularly grizzlies) "huff" and breathe when they're coming in, they tend to inhale the spray very quickly... that's the one big reason Capsicum give such dramatic results on grizzlies.

For grizzlies in AK the Game Wardens carry then 45.70. Great rifle for knockdown power, lightweight and short overall length.
"Marlin 1895 Guide Lever Action Rifle .45-70 Government 18.5 Stainless Steel Barrel 4 rounds Walnut Stock Buckhorn Sights The venerable big game dropping performance of the 45 70 Government. is now available in a compact gun that weighs only 7 lbs. It features an 18 barrel and a straight-grip stock for fast pointing. For corrosion resistance our Model 1895GS has all major metal parts machined from stainless steel."

I have nothing to offer on the gun question.

Grew up with them, hunted extensively, still go to the range once in awhile (with a friend's gun collection) and make most of my holes somewhere near the middle of the target.

I know the 45-70 government round well It kicks like a horse unless the gun is very heavy and I think it would stop a freight train. It was very effective on buffalo. But have never had any interest whatever in carrying firearms on the trail, and never regretted that choice. Just can't see it, it's heavy and doesn't fit with my reason for being there.

But just for fun, in something like 65 years of hiking and a whole lot of wildlife encounters (including a mountain lion), the only critter that has ever even threatened to attack me was a very large and very angry moose! If bear spray works on moose, I may take to carrying it in moose country.

Best, jcp