On the rare chance a cat is after you its more than likely you are not going to see or hear it before it's on top of you...they are good at what they do! Grizzly....if you arent comfortable with just spray then a pistol 44 mag or larger in my opinion! Good luck crick....also if you haven't bought spray yet I have an unused bottle with a belt case I'd be happy to forward on to ya....collecting dust right now....let me know!
a 500 S&W would certainly do the job but I personally would not recommend it. Ammo is hard to find and very expensive on top of it being big and bulky. I would go with a 460 S&W as it is versatile and ideal caliber for bears. I think it will also shoot a 45 long colt. Also, I would not recommend only relying on bear spray as grizzlies, unlike black bears, will return for revenge a short time after being sprayed.
Utah kitty taken recently. I don't even pretend I will have time to fend off a lion. I carry mostly so I can shoot at jackrabbits, rattlesnakes or signal for help. There are some ornery black bears around.. We have friends who have been bluff charged. I hope I never have to find out how effective a 9mm is on big predators.
I am heading to Arizona mountains in the fall for mule deer and had the same gun info given to me I picked up a used Judge Good for the house and the trip. I do agree that the need for it will be slim good excuse to shop around for a pistol
Once again...NO GRIZZLIES IN COLORADO IN THE WILD. There is a animal rescue place near Keenesburg, Colorado that have a couple in metal enclosures and we have maybe two at the Denver Zoo but none in the wild. I worked with a guy that once swore up and down that there were caribou up where he lived. In his yard every night. Told him to take pictures. Sure enough...MOOSE!! Your friends are mistaken and I suggest they take a wildlife identification course. Wyoming has a bear identification online course that they may find helpful to know the difference between grizzlies and black bears. (Black Bears also come in various colors...black, brown, blond, etc.) Unit 12 is quite a ways SW of Steamboat Springs. Never hunted it but have spent time there camping and fishing around Buford. Flat Tops Wilderness Area. Good elk country.
I think there has been one fatal bear attack in Colorado in the last 15 years. If you are concerned about bears, you might want to bring something to recover from a lighting strike too.
Yep, the grizz, wolves and bigfoot are running rampant here in Colorado. You might want to reconsider and go for western Wyoming or western Montana where it's safer.
My 2 cents Taurus Tracker is a good solid wheelgun 4" barrel in 44Mag, wieght is managable and will stop anything at close range when needed. And the price is good. Plus in the satin stainless rust from field use is not an issue.
I thought you said you were going to Colorado... last time I checked, they don't have man eating bears :D
Dan, sorry I didn't realize there were more pages. I would bet all the income for the rest of my life those guys saw color phase black bears. If there aren't grizzlies in the snowy mtns in WY or any of the stuff by Saratoga... there aren't any in CO. As the crow flies, where we do LOTS of hunting is 60 miles from Grizz country and they haven't made it here in... ever. I would seriously spare the weight of a pistol and pack an extra bottle of water.
I used to carry a S&W Model 29 .44cal magnum when hunting in bear country, but now I prefer my Colt Peacemaker .45 caliber. It's a work of art and is just a great all around handgun.
