I’d carry a pistol but we are t allowed in Chinada, I mean Canada. I’ll usually have bear spray and my quick release kuiu on my pack with my hunting rifle. I’m jealous of people who can carry handguns.

Good info Marcus. I like the redundancy of having both. I've always carried a 357mag but always wanted a reason for a 10mm... Thanks! Can't wait to see what's next.

Thank you for the info, you can't be overly informed going into bear country. Your videos are always good and appreciated.

Great stuff! 👍

I agree, both bear spray and a hand gun in grizzly country! I carry a 357 with 180 grain penatrators

I use the pistol 🔫- I figure if I die with a pistol then I am an idiot and it’s better that I’m out of the gene 🧬 pool. 😆 I would look at a model 12 Winchester shotgun for Alaska. Safari guides went with the model 12 bc you can pump shells and just hold the trigger. Rapid fire. Plus it’s a great gun to have in the collection. Good luck 👍🏻

I'm going with both as well and everything is completely situational.

how does bear spray work when you have a extreme head wind, probably just make blind and taste better . Montana , Wyoming can be very windy , give me a 10mm with 220 buffalo ammo.

great little video

I carry both, and practice with both. Spray on the bottom of my chest harness, setup to spray slightly down and out without me having to remove the can. Pistol with a fast sight (rds in my case) on my hip. I plan to use spray first if at all possible. And when going out in a group, everyone in my party has spray and we all practice with it, together, on moving targets…which has also shown us very clearly the advantage to a cone of spray versus bullets!

I carry both. 10mm on my hip belt with a holster I can take off my pack and wear on my pants belt if necessary - underwood deep penetrator and coated hard cast every other round. Bear spray on the underside of my bino rig. Left hand draw so I can draw my pistol with my right. Best case scenario I never have to use it. Worst case, I have both. Then if we get something down, I return to a kill site with a Mossberg 590 pump with slugs and 00 buck. Good video and topic. Being prepared and aware of your environment will always be your biggest asset.

Everybody is an expert when it comes to this issue 😂. I’ve never had a problem in 20 years of hiking or hunting in bear country. Put away food and always had bear spray ready.

I take both. In fact I have the exact same setup as Marcus, bear spray plus the 10mm Glock in the gunslinger chest rig. It is a great setup with quick and easy access even when wearing Binos. It’s not the cheapest setup but if you can afford it your won’t be disappointed.

After the 2022 season I will never ever carry bear spray again. I have always carried both bear spray and a pistol, the spray stayed on the left hip of my pack as a cross draw and the pistol on my right side because that's how I train. This past season while rifle hunting I got first hand experience with bear spray, I took a direct shot to the eyes from about 3' away. For those that didn't know, it comes out like a squirt gun at that range. As best as I can figure, the safety got knocked off while I was hiking through the sage brush chasing a mule deer, when I dropped my pack to use it as a rifle rest the trigger depressed on a rock and sprayed a direct stream across both my eyes. There was a roughly 5-10 second delay before the searing pain set in. I immediately pulled my contacts out and flushed my eyes, 2 Nalgene bottles and several handfuls of snow later and I still couldn't keep my eyes open for more than 20-30 seconds. I took me nearly 2 hours to stumble the 2 miles back to my rig, then another 30 minutes to drive the 15 miles back home thank God I didn't have to drive on a high traffic road. It was a full 2 days before my eyes stopped hurting and 3 before the redness and swelling went down. Over a week before I could comfortably wear contacts again. I don't know if it will work on a pissed off grizzly but I do know that it was one of the most painful and incapacitating things I've ever experienced. I couldn't see more than about 15' trying to make it back to my truck, had it not been for the tracker on OnX I'm not sure I could have made it back. I sure as hell wouldn't have been able to defend myself had I encountered a bear trying to get back. Two thing I realized from this experience. I know there is absolutely no way for my pistol to accidentally go off in its holster especially when it is strapped to my side no matter the situation. The holster completely negates this being an issue while the safety on a bear spray can most obviously does not. The other thing that I came to realize is that my first instinct isn't to cross draw mt bear spray, my first instinct is to draw my pistol and start putting rounds down range. I've got enough trigger time that I am far more confident with that than I ever would be with bear spray. One recommendation I would make if you intend to carry a pistol, though, is add a light to it. Go out and try shooting your pistol with a head lamp sometime and see how it interferes with your sighting. Not only is a pistol light more directed, it's brighter and also adds muzzle weight which cuts down on recoil and leads to faster follow-up shots.

I have the exact same setup. Even the same bino harness. Lol. But I’m a lefty so it’s on the other side.

We have much experience in areas with very high populations of black bears, grizzly bears, and brown bears. Much more than most, but less than some. It is wise to experiment and practice with bear spray. We tried it out in a very light breeze spraying downwind. The wind swirled slightly just as I sprayed. There was a backdraft and I got misted in the face. Imagine being charged by a bear and being sprayed yourself. Maybe the bear likes hot and spicy? Wife and I always carry a firearm as bear defense. We practice regularly and more frequently before going into bear country. What I carry depends upon the type of bears, terrain, and planned activities. Marlin 1895 stainless steel guide gun in .45-70 loaded with Buffalo Bore dangerous game loads, or a Remington 870 Marine Magnum loaded with 3” magnum hard cast slugs, or a Ruger Super Redhawk in .454 Casull loaded with Buffalo Bore dangerous game loads or penetrators. Wife carries a Ruger Super Redhawk in .44 magnum loaded with Buffalo Bore dangerous game loads or penetrators.

Between 3 of us, only one person applies for a NR tag per year in the state/location of their choosing (we take turns then we get to hunt every year). If it is a grizzly area and I don't have the tag, then I carry a 12ga, and .40 cal pistol. If I have the tag (I haven't decided to apply in grizzly country yet), then I'm planning to carry the .40 cal, and bear spray.

I have both. But I reached for the bear spray first when I ran into a black bear sow and 2 cubs tonight. Luckily they went up a tree and I went on my way

Thanks for the info. Side question, what pistol holster do you use while hunting?

Carry the bear spray opposite the gun so you don't have to drop one to use the other

Do not forget that many of the 9mm load ballistics are virtually similar to 45 cap’s.

Live in big black bear country. I have had a number of black bear encounters where the bear sniffs the air and run away. Have omly had a couple of bad situations, and thats only due to momma and cubs situation. Thankfully i was able to get out of there unharmed and momma just a lil perturbed that i disturbed her lunch. That all being said i carry the same set up as you do, but with an oak walking stick due to disability. It also helps to keep smaller animals from attacking me and i can fend them off. To be honest i have more issues with cougar than bear.

This year I will be hunting Montana for the first time and I will be taking both.

I carry garlic and a wooden stake or is that for vampires?

I’m lookin to eventually get a 10mil but currently have just bear spray 👍🏼

I would guess a lot of people far overestimate their ability to wield and accurately aim a pistol in a surprise bear encounter. Not that it's a bad idea to also carry one - I just wouldn't bring one instead of spray.

Bear spray works when the bear is downwind. Never spray into the wind. Pistol in 10mm, 357, or preferably 44 mag or bigger would be last resort. A Henry or Marlin guide gun in 45-70 or my thought on the subject, a Typhoon 12, 12 guage with a 19 round banana mag or a 20 round drum, either the mag or drum loaded with slugs. Pack an extra loaded mag, or 2 for Pistol and shotgun is recommended. It's better to have and not need than to need and not have. 😁

Glock 29/underwood extreme penetrators, but thats Colorado, im not around grizzlies

I carry both as well…also with the Glock 20.

Shooting is a perishable skill. If you carry a firearm, you need to be constantly training to effectively use it. I train, so I carry a gun for bear defense. But the option for spray is always there, and sometimes that's all I will carry.

In Alaska we used to say: "The difference between black bear poop and brown bear poop, is that brown bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper spray." There's one other factor that seems to never get mentioned concerning the general means of behavior if attacked by black/brown bear, and that is that you have NO clue as to what that particular bear's demeanor is. Does it have a raging toothache? Does it have an injury gnawing away at it? Has that bear had its butt kicked by all the other/bigger bears for the last month and just in a foul mood and very hungry? Does it ever know what a human is? And then there is the genealogical factor. Brown bears in Alaska know that people are potentially dangerous and have received that generational fear passed on through it's mother to cub. Grizzlies in States which have "protected status" and are never hazed by people, that fear of people (after generations) fades away. Another example of this is, how many generations does it take for antelope to stop avoiding an area in which fencing was removed years ago? There are things passed along before birth that animals know of from their mothers. Point being, don't bank on the "generalization" information given by "the experts" (governmental propaganda). Learn bear behavior so you can read what it's telling you by it's behavior. And, if you're going hot on a bear who's coming in hot, kneel down on one knee as you prepare to shoot. If pointing your muzzle down, you're going to underestimate the speed of the bear and end up shooting behind it. If kneeling, you're sending that lead directly into that freight train bearing down on you and you don't need to compensate for the speed of the bear.

Carry both…. but, if you’d like Randy Newberg who said he wasn’t that great with a pistol, spend a lot of time at the range getting proficient…😂😂

I use a pointed stick. If that doesn’t work I ask the bear nicely to leave.

A bear spray can help against a curious or half defensive bear, but is totally useless against a bear that really wants to take you out. Most bear that "attacks" do a mock attack with no intentions to hurt you at all. It wants to scare you away or test you. The bear spray deter or scare away most bears that do mock attacks, but the shooting can very well injure it, specially with a handgun, and suddenly you have a bear that really wants to hurt you. And handguns are far from ideal against bears that really want to hurt you. Most people are really bad to shoot with a handgun and because of this, is it by far the worst bear defense tool for most, and that is not even considering how little "stopping power" and penetration ability you have with most handguns. And the ones that have decent "stopping power" are even worse to shoot with. Making it less than ideal for most that are decent/good with a handgun as well. Specially against a bear full of adrenaline. Many people have a silly Hollywood idea about "stopping power" of handguns that is extremely far from reality. My first choice as a bear defense tool is always a high quality semi-auto shotgun with slugs or my 375 Ruger if I already hunt bear or other big game animals in bear country, as I use that as my hunting rifle then and both are very good at stopping a bear's attack and killing it quickly. I totally prefer a semi-auto shotgun over a pump action one as it is far easier and better to keep the shotgun pointed towards the charging bear and shoot multiple shots at it in a short time with a semi-auto. And this is my clear advice for all, as it can become very difficult to move the pump action in a correct and fast way when your life depends on it. Of course you need to hit the bear rather well, but it is far easier for most to do that with a shotgun or rifle than with a handgun and their "stopping power" is far better. My second choice is a bear spray and a handgun is my 3rd choice and my backup if shit happens and I have not been able to stop the bear with my shotgun/rifle, even if that is unlikely. I will never rely on a bear spray alone as it is totally useless against a bear that really want to hurt you. Most bear do mock attacks with no intention to hurt you, but you can never know if/when you encounter the one that wants to do that. I will never rely on a handgun alone as it is very difficult to hit an attacking bear well enough with it to stop it from reaching you and hurt you when it is full of adrenaline. It might be dead on it's feet, but it can do serious damage in a very short time. The first bear defense tool I would leave at home if I needed to save weight, would be the handgun. The second tool would be the bear spray, but I think the bear spray is extremely good to have for people not able to read bears and not able to understand when it is a mock attack or not, and mostly I bring it to scare away nosy bears to avoid bad situations. I would never leave my shotgun/rifle at home as I know I will be able to defend myself and others from bear attacks with it.

i pack a shotgun for bear defence two rounds of buck shot one slug..havent had any bears get back up.

Same, primary is bear spray, secondary is pistol. At least for bears.

My question is whether a 10mm or bigger revolver, say 44 mag, if forced to stand a charge, head on, with snapping jaws, thick skulled bear, where is the best bullet placement to be aimed at? Not like you're going to have much time! Are we just shooting to create noise and skip a couple off the head for pain to reinforce the sound? Or say 20 yards or less, there's a killing shot to be had on frontal charging bear? Of course after theatrically using spray first to get rid of any presiding legal issues! Seems to me there's always the chance a sprayed in the face bear can still charge you, without retreating and use its nose and hearing to still come into your personal danger zone! I'm kinda like the old cartoon rooster, foghorn leghorn, who said fortunately, I keep my feathers numbered!😛

If your into bear spray bring two cans It’s the reason I bring the pistol as back up

9mm and the buddy system for me.

Important reminder bear spray is only effective for an hour or two after every application so be sure to reapply throughout the day. Just like sunscreen 👍

Whistles at night work

The sprays definately expire. I bought one from some hunter that was going home and wouldnt be needing it. I carried it on the remainder of my western hunt. Continued carrying it for another 4 or 5 years. While on an archery blackbear hunt i had one literally climb into my tree stand with me. When i deployed the spray.....nothing except a few choice words . It was enough to make it scoot back down the tree and leave. Check the dates!

Six solid broadheads on arrows, and

S&W M&P 2.0 in 10mm and may carry bear spray

I also carry both, spray first

Carrying both can create hesitation, you need to have conviction in whatever you carry, having both shows lack of that. Practice with one and ditch the other.

Both pistol and spray

Anyone carry bear deterrent in black bear country, like Colorado? I've never carried anything for black bears because the encounters I've had, they just run at the first sense of a human.

Ngl I have a hard time believing the play dead part since bears routinely eat dead animals.

i like the wife to travel 5-8 yards in front , it gives me a cuppla minutes to get my chilly powder out of my backpack while she fights it .YMMV

Glock, 10mm :-)

what about a very loud air horn

Less legal issues using a spray vs having to shoot a bear.

That last bit on playing Dead versus fighting back is dangerously incorrect. I suggest people learn to distinguish between predatory and defensive Behavior and Act accordingly

You have two hands, so put one in each hand! Duh!

Glock 20 all the way

First