Odd question, for the hunters..

[Chena]

Larry’s comments on coats and situational awareness are spot on.

[Beaverhunter2]

I have a HK USP45. It's what I would carry if I didn't have a .480. (I also have a 6" 586 and a couple .40s.) My "carry in the woods load" is a Lee 252gr SWC loaded to 750fps. It's a hammer and penetration is excellent. With the USP I get 12+1. Definitely +P but a mag or two probably wouldn't hurt a 1911. JMO

[dogrunner]

Years ago I was flyfishing in Wyoming. Standing in the middle of a small river waist deep. I was carrying in a shoulder rig a 4" barreled Ruger Security 6 .357 magnum loaded with some 180 grain bullets a friend loaded up just for this trip. Along the shore walking stiff legged was a Grizzly Bear, about 50 yards distant staring right at me. Just me and him. I was warned this might happen, but probably wouldn't somebody said. I knew immediatly the .357 wasn't gonna cut it. Any Bravado I had earlier was Gone. At that moment, I would have traded my 401,my house, my boat and my car for a Mossberg 12 HUNG on my shoulder loaded with slugs rather than pondering taking that guy on with a handgun. Fortunate, He kept on walking. I didn't feel like fishing anymore that day.

You got it! I had a similar experience on the McClaren river on the south side of the Alaskan range......buddy and I had floated down river on a moose hunt....got socked in with rain but we finally spotted one about a mile distant on a hillside, had to wind our way thru heavy alders on a game trail and came on pie pan sized grizzly tracks in the mud with NO water in 'em, been raining like hell for over three hours at the time! My '06 '70 and Ruger .44 BH felt like bb guns and we got the hell out of there asap. At best, total reaction distance would've been perhaps ten feet!

You cannot have enough gun under some circumstances and defending yourself with a handgun is a fools dream!

[M-Tecs]

You cannot have enough gun under some circumstances and defending yourself with a handgun is a fools dream!

These people might disagree with you.

https://www.ammoland.com/2022/04/upd...#axzz7uiPGI8Pm

https://www.ammoland.com/2021/06/han...#axzz7uiPGI8Pm

[dogrunner]

Don't get me wrong, I did not say I would NOT pack one, I never set foot in the bush in the three years I lived in Ak. without that old flat top on me.......my point is that it'll go a long way towards getting you killed or maimed very easily. It is a last ditch go to hell desperate attempt at survival.

Doubt that, then take a look at the published photo's of grizzly survivors, that shot gun over the shoulder stoked with modern slugs is a GOOD idea. Frankly, if I was going back I'd pack my liteweight BAR in .338..........along with minimally a .44 mag..

[Edward]

Whatever causes less damage in your body /demise as, usually anything less than a rifle/slug gun is just gonna piss off the bear !/Ed

[GregLaROCHE]

Im not sure what you will be doing. Are you going there to fish and want something to make yourself feel safe ? Or are you going there to bag a brown bear with a hand gun? Nonetheless, there should at least be someone with a 12ga shot gun, a 45/70, or even more powerful rifle. You don’t take chances with bears or underestimate them.

[WVHunter460]

Now personally I agree I wont even go black bear hunting without a second.
Second meaning a trusted good shooting friend who can trade off on the watch duties with a shotgun. While you fish. Each of you should pack a handgun 44 or 454 short barrel on the person. The shotgun is traded off. When those suckered run across that water they are super quick. My uncle lived in Alaska all his life and said to go out fishing alone was crazy. The handgun being as stated above last ditch effort to save your hide.or your buddies hide.

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[elmacgyver0]

Personally, limited to what you have, I would carry all three.
There are times I have more than that on me going to the supermarket.