Oh, how they laughed when I schlepped a Smith & Wesson .460 snubby into the American outback, snug in a chest rig that looks more like bondage gear than a holster. So be it. It will suffice until Grizzly Custom Guns finishes my lever brush gun. Sure, bear spray is a proven deterrent and a lot less cumbersome. Yes, bears tend to leave bipeds alone. But I can think of few deaths more, uh, grizzly than getting mauled to death by a grizzly bear. As TTAG writer Nick Leghorn likes to point out . . .
the odds of needing a gun are small, but the failure to have one when you need can be catastrophic. Is there anyone amongst you who wouldn’t want to carry a gun when reading this [via theguardian.com]:
A man has been killed by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone national park, according to the US national parks service.
The Montana man’s body was found on Friday afternoon in a popular off-trail area near Lake Village.
The victim’s name has not been revealed.
Authorities were not releasing an official cause of death until after an autopsy and other investigations.
Based on tracks found at the scene and other evidence it appeared that an adult female grizzly and at least one cub were likely involved, authorities said.
Here’s the kicker:
Bear traps were set in the area on Friday evening , with the Elephant Back Loop Trail [below] now closed to hikers until further notice.
If bears are trapped and identified as having been involved in an attack they are euthanised.
Call me insensitive, but I’d rather “euthanize” an attacking bear BEFORE it rips my face off and makes mincemeat out of my spleen. Provided that’s what it’s about to do.