What pistol?

[Shane13]

What pistol do you carry in black bear/mountain lion country? And what holster do you like while backpacking?

 

[JimP]

If I am just out scouting or hiking into a remote lake for some fishing I will have a number of pistols to pick from.

If I am serious about black bears I'll be packing my Ruger 44 mag Super Redhawk. If I just plan to scare them then I'll pack my Ruger GP100 in 357 or one of my semi automatics in .40 S&W. I don't worry about mountain lions since they run away from you 99% of the time..

Holsters are a personal preference but I prefer shoulder holsters for packing a heavy firearm

 

[cking13]

I pack my Kimber 10mm out west. I use just a hip holster here but have a bino harness with a built in holster when hunting out west.

 

[Sawfish]

Not likely that you will run into a hungry bear, but it only takes one. S&W makes some excellent J frame revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum that are both rugged and lightweight. That has been my choice of a trail gun for over twenty years. I have even killed a couple of deer with it. Never had to fire mine at a bear though. Holster choice is a Simply Rugged cross draw.

 

[Shane13]

I'm not too worried about either. I've never had a problem with bears or lions. I did have a bear popping his/her jaws at me in the oakbrusk in the dark at 10 yards one time. I backed out and went around.

Blowing cow/calf sounds in cat country is probably the main reason I'd think about carrying a pistol. I've had a couple .454 Casulls in the past, but I sold them. Don't currently have a .44 or anything bigger than 9mm. Whether it's a real need or not, it's a good excuse to buy another pistol.

"Darlin', I need a bigger pistol so I don't get eaten by lions and bears."

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Think I'll carry an RPG when there's critters like this around!! LOL

 

[Shane13]

Fo sho! If I was hunting in grizz or brown bear country, I'd buy another .454.

 

[nv-hunter]

If your hust backpacking id be way more worried about 2 legged varmits

 

[RICMIC]

It is probably more effective to just travel with fat hunting partner that has a bad leg and high blood pressure. I'm sure a few of us fit those parameters.

 

[sneakypete]

Kimber 45!

 

[Slugz]

I think in black bear /mountain lion country its a waste of weight to carry.

Grizzly/Brown bear now thats another topic.

Google all the testing done with a big wheel gun vs an auto. It will change your way of thinking in the area of self protection. Look at functionality and getting multiple accurate shots off.

 

[mallardsx2]

I don’t carry a gun when I’m hunting with my bow. I just don’t like the extra weight.

I did start taking my 22 pistol with me when I drive into my deer lease on my side-by-side. It isn’t for bears or mountain lions though…

 

[CrimsonArrow]

Outside of the black bear rut, I don’t have any concerns about being attacked by them or mountain lions. If I were, I’d probably carry a 357 or 44. I know they aren’t the most powerful, but a lot lighter than the big hand cannons

 

[ScottR]

I have a Walther PPQ 45 that I use for this purpose.

 

[Timber Stalker]

I don’t worry about toting a pistol for black bears or Mt Lions. I live in Oregon where they run amuck those critters are more scared of me than I am of them.

 

[Maxhunter]

If I’m in grizzly country a Glock 20 10mm. Otherwise I don’t carry.

 

[swampokie]

I carry whatever happens to be in the seat beside me. Glock 40 is the biggest I have right now. Glad to see most of u haven’t had issues with black bears but I have. The bears here in Oklahoma are like you describe. Scared and wary for the most part but I’ve had 2 experience with Colorado bears that didn’t require a shot but I was half way home on the trigger both times. One was a sow with Cubs that I had no idea were there or I was between mother and Cubs. The other was with a western Colorado bear last sept that was starving after the drought and record fire had ravaged his home range. I had a bear in camp each night that would walk between our tents so close I could hear him breathing. So save weight if u choose but I’ll be packing as any gun is better than no gun when 4 legged critters or 2 legged critter become primal. Glock 40 and uncle Mike’s is what I’ll side sept 2.

 

[Bullcan]

10mm Kimber. I wear it on my hip and do not really notice it.

 

[Hilltop]

I carry a 40 on my hip while hunting and on my pack belt while packing- non grizzly areas. I'll second that 2 legged predators are way more likely than 4 legged ones. The 40 is plenty for that.

 

[mallardsx2]

For most of the two legged creatures I’ve encountered I’m pretty sure a BB gun would be sufficient. Lol