r/canadaguns • u/dke783 • May 07 '26
Shooting Have you ever had a bear incident?
Honest question: have you ever had to fend off an aggressive bear in Canada? (hunting or otherwise) What happened, and what worked for your response?
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u/Domovie1 May 07 '26
Just once, and I’d say curious, more so than aggressive.
It’s the exact sort of thing that you get taught: make yourself look big, lots of noise. Just be aware of whether it’s a lone bear, or a mother with cubs.
Except in very specific circumstances/for specific professions, I don’t really recommend the *planned* use of firearms for bear defence. Bear spray is very easy to use, convenient, and has far fewer ways to fuck up than any rifle or shotgun.
Like with anything else, 80% of winning is doing the research ahead of time, ensuring proper planning, and taking normal precautions. Use a bear barrel, be aware of your surroundings, all that sort of thing.