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Thread: Grizzly with a revolver!

  1. #1
    Cast Hunter

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    Grizzly with a revolver!



    Took a grizzly bear with my Ruger Blackhawk .41 mag yesterday. I was hunting over bait (yes, legal in my area) and expecting a black bear. I had seen 2 grizzlies on the trail cam, but they usually came in pretty late and not often. A black bear sow with 3 cubs came in first. After taking a few pics I shooed them away. Not an easy task as the cubs really didn’t want to listen to mom when food was right there (All kids are the same right?).

    Sow


    I did the old girl a favor as the grizz showed up an hour or so later. I had my Marlin 45-70 guide gun along, but really wanted to use my pistol if a decent shot presented itself. Mr. Grizzly walked in like he owned the place and very quickly gave me a 15 yd broadside shot. I took aim and hammered him high in the right shoulder with the bullet exiting low through the left. Not only did the bullet rip through the boiler room, but also clipped the bottom of the spine and paralyzed the back two legs. The bruin let out a RAWR and proceeded to use his two good legs to pull himself downhill. I could see bright red blood pouring out, but have experienced in the past just how tenaciously grizzlies will hang on to life. They really die hard. Not wanting to walk up to a bear that is just “mostly dead” I put a couple of insurance rounds through his chest. All shots were pass-throughs, so no bullet recovery.

    Two of the exit holes.


    The load:

    NOE 411-251-FN (WW + 2% tin)
    Felix lube
    17 gns 2400

    I forget the velocity. I’ll have to check at my next range session.


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  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy Rainier's Avatar
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    Excellent Work! Great report and great pictures - thank you!
    Not wanting to walk up to a bear that is just “mostly dead...”
    Seems like a very reasonable thing to avoid when possible
    "Truth is treason in the empire of lies" Ron Paul

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    You are the man! AC or WQ? I dream is to harvest a grizzly. I have three blacks under my belt and I have yet to see one roll over dead from the set yet. Bear remind me of chickens and turtles. They don't know they're dead...after they're dead!
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-10-2017 at 11:25 PM.

  4. #4
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    nice job!!!

    what did he weigh?

  5. #5
    Cast Hunter

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    You are the man! AC or WQ? I dream is to harvest a grizzly. I have three blacks under my belt and I have yet to see one roll over dead from the set yet. Bear remind me of chickens and turtles. They don't know they're dead...after they're dead!
    Air cooled. Most of my black bear have been taken with a bow. My lone gun kill and my son's 2 gun kills have all been bam-flop. Grizzlies on the other hand, are unbelievably resilient and usually soak up multiple hits.

    Quote Originally Posted by tdoyka View Post
    nice job!!!

    what did he weigh?
    I had to skin him on the spot and pack him out to my truck, so he didn't get weighed. It wasn't a real giant, but I was very happy to take him with my pistol.
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  6. #6
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    That is very cool, congratulations. I doubt I'd have the steady nerves to be able to pull it off.

    I have had a hankering to get a .41 for some reason lately, not sure why. Guys that have them sure seem to like them.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Congratulations. Getting a griz period is on my wishlist, but with a handgun would make it even better.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Congratulations on a fine bear! I have used that exact same load for quite a while, a 250 gr. WFN cast & 17 grs of 2400, its never failed me & I always get pass throughs. You did good!

    Dick

  9. #9
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    RugerFan that is a job very well done. Congratulations are in order. Yes I expect that it takes nerves of steel to do that. I believe having the Guide Gun is good insurance. There is a world of difference here, but I have only taken one black bear at sixty yards with my 35 Whelen. It was a spring bear with minimal fat. The meat was superb. I wonder how the griz is compared to the black bear as far as the quality of the meat? Looks like it would be good eating to me.
    Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by smoked turkey View Post
    RugerFan that is a job very well done. Congratulations are in order. Yes I expect that it takes nerves of steel to do that. I believe having the Guide Gun is good insurance. There is a world of difference here, but I have only taken one black bear at sixty yards with my 35 Whelen. It was a spring bear with minimal fat. The meat was superb. I wonder how the griz is compared to the black bear as far as the quality of the meat? Looks like it would be good eating to me.
    Thanks. I've eaten grizzly bear before and it was ok, but not as good as black bear. I hope this turns out decent.
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  11. #11
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    Congrads a Grizzly with a revolver ..that's fine work in my book
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  12. #12
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    That is a nice bear,a great load and a wonderful story! Griz with a wheelgun ;you are the man!

  13. #13
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    Sounds like a great experience, nice shootin

  14. #14
    Boolit Master Thumbcocker's Avatar
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    Awesome!
    Paper targets aren't your friends. They won't lie for you and they don't care if your feelings get hurt.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master
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    excellent job on the griz
    I would have done the same as you better to have a couple extra hole than
    to get tore up a bit or worse from a not so dead bear
    should be good eatin enjoy
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  16. #16
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    Excellent report. Well done!
    You can miss fast & you can miss a lot, but only hits count.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Wow!!

    I am too much of a kitty cat to ever consider going grizzly hunting with a handgun. Nice job!
    Don Verna


  18. #18
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    Just curious, how difficult is it for a resident to get a tag to hunt grizzly bears? I lived up there for a year and a half and it seemed like everybody hunted black bears, but it seems like tags for grizzlies were hard to get even for residents.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    Nice work and great pictures. I have The Ruger 41 BH and that same NOE mould. Thanks for sharing your load. They don't let us shoot Grizz down here and doubt I'm up to the task anyway but I do load for two buddies that hunt black bear. Wait until I show them your kill. Gp

  20. #20
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    Congrats on good shooting and a nice bear.

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