If you do carry a pistol, hope you're lucky enough to get it unholstered or out of your pack when an encounter happens. As far as negative bear encounters, I've only had them in areas bears congregate. Like salmon streams and large berry patches. As far as big cats, I called one in elk hunting, haven't seen another. Packing a whistle will probably prevent more attacks than any weapon. Get big, stand tall, be loud, grab a big stick and get ready. Odds are you've won the battle. If not fight. If Brown bear play dead and ya better be good at it.

I see several a year but this one was about 30 yards from me. I whistled at him and he clear cut a good 40 getting away from me. Don’t worry about the damn bears here. They don’t hurt anything but feeders. He left out and the deer returned 10 mins later. Even they aren’t scared of them. I may be uglier than you and that’s why but seriously don’t not hunt. [align:left][/align]scared

You are lucky to be alive.

Bunch of funny corksuckers. You never know about a wild animal. Even a raccoon can attack a man if it has rabies. It's better to be safe than sorry, or don't you comical morons understand that?

this cat likes to start drama fo sho! Haha.

The vast majority of these "tough" southern boys are terrified of a friggin snake!
You'll never convince them that a bear is actually very little threat.

They kill black bears with a .243 up north. These black bears are more scared of you than you SHOULD be of it. Some of you guys wouldn’t make it 24 hours on a camp out 😂😂

I’ve turkey hunted in Valleyhead(below the brow of Mentone). Saw bears there. They were just as docile as the Ga ones. Maybe even more.

I have killed two black bears. First one fell out of the tree at my shot and proceeded to maul one of the dogs and themas who owned the dog as they rolled downhill. I screwed my 357 into its ear and ended it. Very exciting.

Second one I shot and it ran off. Guide and I tracked it 200 yards and found it, apparently dead. NOT!!! When I got to within six er so FEET of it, it roared and lunged to its feet whereupon I shot it THREE times in 1.5 seconds with a single shot Ruger#1. Pretty damn exciting.

Why are you so angry Mr. Troy?

because of that fkn flashing message icon......

Another chapter in the book you should write.

So you're scared of 20lb kitty cats too?

I had no idea we had so many sissy boys on this page. Some of y'all should stick to shopping online and playing the flute.

I saw one cross the road in front of me 20 + years ago north of Jacksonville, AL.

The bear?

If it makes you feel better, then go for it. Hell, everyone here tells me I shouldn't worry about hunting property covered up in hogs (and they're probably right), but they still freak me out, so I carry my pistol on me. I'm sure if I hunted in an area with bears instead of hogs, I'd still carry it. Although, I might opt for a 10mm Glock instead of a .44mag, but to each his own.

I saw one in a zoo one time.

And to think I have been co-existing with the elusive Alabama black bears all this time and never knew they were so dangerous! This has been a very entertaining thread lol

I would suggest you carry a couple of 44 magnums and a backup on your ankle with all of the big bad bears in your area. You can never be too careful.