Yamaha XT1200Z SuperTénéré owners: Show Us Your Bikes!

[Dallara]

Originally Posted by roarin calhoun

Durn Dolara,I'm seriously going to look at that gun. We do bike a lot in grizzly country. And you can't always control how close a bear gets to you,but if it does, a bayonet'd be better than a scope .Probably not by much. Wonder which tastes better to the bear? Condiments?

"Condiments?" Now *THAT'S** funny!!!

The .45-70 should be sufficient, and it's cheaper, too, with more readily available ammunition and bullet choices. After all, there's good reason why the .45-70 cartridge was one of the most popular in bear country for decades. It's got about as good a chance to knock one down as anything.

And if I were to get one of those rifles I'd skip the scope, too. Less weight. Less to damage. And not near as quick as iron sights, not to mention scopes are near useless in the dark.

BTW, used Alaskan Co-Pilot rifles do show up occasionally on used gun web and auction sites.

Originally Posted by pluric

Let me know how the border crossing works out on that.

That brings up an interesting point...

I have several friends that go hunting in Canada fairly frequently, and they always take their own rifles - and handguns - and they have both flown and drove depending on the trip. I can't ever recall them mentioning any problems getting them into, or out of, Canada.

Have to ask them about that.

Does anybody know the law about taking guns into Canada?

OTOH, if you had one these Alaskan Co-Pilot's, in its case, packed down in the bottom of your Jesse bags, would the border guys ever find it? Have Canadian or US customs ever had any of you guys empty your side cases, etc. when riding your bike across the border?

And I am asking that question seriously.

Thanks!

Dallara



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[Philander]

Everything that you didn't know you needed to ask about bringing a firearm into Canada.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/f...visite-eng.htm

Oh, and anyone who told you they brought a handgun to Canada for hunting is lying.

[Dallara]

Originally Posted by Philander

Everything that you didn't know you needed to ask about bringing a firearm into Canada.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/f...visite-eng.htm

Oh, and anyone who told you they brought a handgun to Canada for hunting is lying.

Well, these folks are not liars. Not a one of them.

If there is a mistake there then it is probably mine, and my memory. I've just never known these hunters to go hardly anywhere without handguns along, though the actual hunting was always done with rifles and shotguns. Either they did not take handguns on the Canadian trips, or they had them and were not checked.

Thanks for the link.

Dallara


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[roarin calhoun]

Dallara, NO handguns can be taken into Canada & I sure wouldn't want to be caught trying. I was checked thoroughly(they went thru everything in my truck) just once in maybe 50 pickup truck & motorcycle trips into Canada.But you never know. Canada's a nice place & I try ,usually,to obey their laws---some of which I think are intrusive & nuts. We're catching up fast,tho.It used to cost $50 to take a gun in there(per gun?--can't remember as I stopped hunting up there when that fee hit). As for that gun you posted,I'd get the .50 cal. As I said, I was chased by a grizzly once. Gaurenteed to sober you up fast. I'd want the biggest hunk of lead I could carry if it happened again. Really, it IS something to think about.

[Old Git Ray]

Is there any other (legal) way of putting bears off ? ( i.e.Gas or flask bangs ) I am aware of the food problem and intend to use the rope/tree thing when wild camping.

I know it sounds like a daft question but being a Brit it is not easy to get hold of a gun/rifle in the US/Canada (AFAIK).

Its not that that I have a problem with them, I used to be a soldier, its just that the last time I had one illicitly in a foreign country (Brazil) I came close to spending a long stretch in jail. For a while, life was not very funny.

[Wreckchecker]

Originally Posted by Old Git Ray

Is there any other (legal) way of putting bears off ? ( i.e.Gas or flask bangs ) I am aware of the food problem and intend to use the rope/tree thing when wild camping.

I know it sounds like a daft question but being a Brit it is not easy to get hold of a gun/rifle in the US/Canada (AFAIK).

Its not that that I have a problem with them, I used to be a soldier, its just that the last time I had one illicitly in a foreign country (Brazil) I came close to spending a long stretch in jail. For a while, life was not very funny.

There are NUMEROUS threads about bear preparations, bear encounters, thar-I -wuz, my-buddy says, & it'd be a shame to pollute this thread by degrading into another. Basically, the main two trains of thought are (1) gotta have a gun, and (2) pepper spray. Both have vocal adherents & detractors and my thought is that there is a place for each. Trying to answer your question directly and add a comment about the $2000 Bush Pilot gun:

Yes, hardware and sporting goods stores in bear country carry pepper spray meant for bear defense. I've talked to Alaska Troopers who've used the stuff and I've trusted one of them as my guard on a project. When you are going into the edge of the brush in the dark of night to take a leak, you don't have the time or maneuvering room for a gun and for the first second or so there's the hesitation that comes with recognizing whether you are looking at a lost kid or a bear. The pepper spray works and is non-fatal if you are wrong in that decision, because the following photo is NOT how much time you're going to have:
I plan in terms of walking up to the yellow while unzipping my fly, and waking a bear who is under the yellow. How fast can you ACCURATELY place 5 slugs FAST when you are that close and rattled?

As for guns, the most common gun I've seen in the Alaska bush has been a short barrel pump shotgun. We did have spray but also the pumps on the packs in front of us:


On a more humorous note about the question: Do bears shit in the woods? The answer is absolutely! They shit in the woods, on the rocks, on a shoreline, and anywhere else they damn well please!

[icebox]

Bears and guns

Park service just noted a study of hundreds of bear encounters in and out of parks, Bear spray is effective over 90% of the time

long guns are effective 83% of the time

and pistols less than 70%

that saying the time I spent in Alaska and in camps around Yellowstone a 12 ga slug gun with the first round #2 and followed by 550 gr. slugs was the weapon of choice. Bear spray is fatal to neither party, you or the bear. One of the last grizzly/ bow hunter encounters in Northern Idaho the guy died, his buddy shot him with a large calibre hand gun. That probably feels pretty good for the rest of your life.

[Dallara]

Originally Posted by Wreckchecker

As for guns, the most common gun I've seen in the Alaska bush has been a short barrel pump shotgun. We did have spray but also the pumps on the packs in front of us...

Originally Posted by icebox

...that saying the time I spent in Alaska and in camps around Yellowstone a 12 ga slug gun with the first round #2 and followed by 550 gr. slugs was the weapon of choice...

I like the shotgun advice... Nothing I prefer more for close encounters than a good shotgun.

Problem is that nobody makes nice, new, quick "breakdown" pump or auto shotguns any longer. That said, there is one great choice in shotguns that easily and quickly break down and re-assemble like that Alaskan Co-Pilot rifle...

The Winchester Model 12.

And they are readily available for reasonable prices on the used market. Grab one of those with a shorter barrel, a nice soft "breakdown" shotgun case, and some shells and you've got something that will pack just as nicely in most ADV bike side cases.

Here's some info on the Model 12, as well as a couple of sites that have a number of them for sale:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgd9JDFoYJA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1912

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you..._Serial_607799

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/ad...4&subcatID=184

http://www.bedlans.com/collector%27s_shotguns.htm

One of the great things about a shotgun, IMHO, over pepper spray is that it's effective on other dangerous critters, like snakes... or multiple, potentially predatory humans.

And regarding bear pepper spray that might get accidentally get used on people...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...9230617AAtKEvQ

You might not kill your buddy, but burning him bad enough he requires hospitalization, and perhaps blinding him for life is not a pleasant thought, either. Something to consider with the wide fogging, range, and Scoville heat units bear sprays are capable of.

Just my less than two cents...

Dallara



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[Old Git Ray]

Originally Posted by Wreckchecker

There are NUMEROUS threads about bear preparations, bear encounters, thar-I -wuz, my-buddy says, & it'd be a shame to pollute this thread by degrading into another. Basically, the main two trains of thought are (1) gotta have a gun, and (2) pepper spray. Both have vocal adherents & detractors and my thought is that there is a place for each. Trying to answer your question directly and add a comment about the $2000 Bush Pilot gun:...............

Doh. Shoulda searched first. Thanks fo the advice anyway.

[Animo]

Funny how a great thread can mutate to a bear thread.

SHOW US YOUR BEAR ON YOUR BIKE THREAD NOW!!!

[pluric]

Originally Posted by Supa12 Pilot

Funny how a great thread can mutate to a bear thread.

SHOW US YOUR BEAR ON YOUR BIKE THREAD NOW!!!

At least it's still a Yamaha "Big Bear".

[roarin calhoun]

Well,yeah,you guys are right,this isn't a bear thread(it is a great thread tho--thanks for all the great picts). But my Tenere does & will take me into bear country often( I live in it) & bear encounters,esp grizzlies, are frequent( I had one). So Teneres & bears aren't entirely unrelated. One question tho, can you take pepper spray into Canada???

[pluric]

Originally Posted by roarin calhoun

Well,yeah,you guys are right,this isn't a bear thread(it is a great thread tho--thanks for all the great picts). But my Tenere does & will take me into bear country often( I live in it) & bear encounters,esp grizzlies, are frequent( I had one). So Teneres & bears aren't entirely unrelated. One question tho, can you take pepper spray into Canada???

They're better with garlic.

When I went up North I only took one of these. They must work because
I made it back.

[icebox]

Depends on the border crossing, have been allowed and have not, depends on the whim of the officer. Just had to suck up and buy a new can. Funny thing as bad as US TSA is, no problem going the other way. Go figure

[roarin calhoun]

Originally Posted by pluric

They're better with garlic.

When I went up North I only took one of these. They must work because
I made it back.

Pluric, they say when dead grizzlies get cleaned & gutted those bells are often found in the bears' stomachs....along with M&Ms.