Backpacker shoots, kills grizzly in Denali

[tt11758]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100531/ap_on_re_us/us_hiker_kills_grizzly

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A backpacker shot and killed a grizzly bear with his handgun in Alaska's Denali National Park, officials said.

A man and woman reported that they were hiking Friday evening when the bear emerged from trailside brush and charged the woman, park spokeswoman Kris Fister said in a statement.

The man fired nine rounds from his .45 caliber, semiautomatic pistol at the animal, which then stopped and walked into the brush.

The two reported the shooting to rangers, who restricted access to the Igloo Canyon area for fear that the bear was wounded and dangerous.

On Saturday, rangers found the dead bear about 100 feet from the shooting site.

Park officials are determining the justification for the shooting. It's legal to carry firearms in that area of the park but illegal to discharge them.

Rangers said it was the first known instance of a grizzly bear being shot by a visitor in the wilderness portion of Denali, formerly called Mount McKinley National Park.

This should pretty much put to rest the old argument about the stopping power of the .45 acp.     

[GUNS-R-US]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100531/ap_on_re_us/us_hiker_kills_grizzly


This should pretty much put to rest the old argument about the stopping power of the .45 acp.     

I wouldn't go quite that far. The bear did walk off into the woods! And it took 9 rounds. Good stopping power would mean the bear is dead on the trail!!

[Ulmus]

   Hmm... I don't know.  Doesn't sound like a one stop shot to me.  

[fightingquaker13]

Its true. My assumption would always be that the attacking animal would use that last little bit of gas to finish the attack, not go strolling off. That being said, he was able to get to that .45 a lot quicker than I woud have been able to get to a "bear stopping" rifle that would have been my first choice.
FQ13

[ericire12]

I bet it was a Glock

[Sponsor]

[Pecos Bill]

If it's legal to carry on gun but illegal to discharge a gun in that area Denali what that say about the Park Service rules? Now who among us would carry a 45 auto as protection in Alaskan "griz" country?

[Fatman]

 Hmm... I don't know.  Doesn't sound like a one stop shot to me.  

To paraphrase Ron White, I don't know how many it would take, but I know how many he was gonna use.

[fightingquaker13]

To paraphrase Ron White, I don't know how many it would take, but I know how many he was gonna use.

Comment of the Day winner!
FQ13

[alfsauve]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska .......

The man fired nine rounds from his .45 caliber, semiautomatic pistol at the animal, which then stopped and walked into the brush.

Park officials are determining the justification for the shooting. It's legal to carry firearms in that area of the park but illegal to discharge

First he fired 9 rounds.....shoot until the attacker stops.   Sounds good me.

Second, we don't know how many rounds actually connected.

Third, whose stupid idea is it that you can carry a gun, but can't fire it?   What did they think someone was going to do....throw it?
  One would hope there's a self-defense clause in the rules somewhere.

[twyacht]

The GOOD thing is the shooter is 100% INTACT, and the 45 worked.

Sure we can say 44 this, 12g that, big rifle,...etc.... Maybe that's all he had?!

from article:

On Saturday, rangers found the dead bear about 100 feet from the shooting site.

seems the 45ACP worked fine....

Park officials are determining the justification for the shooting. It's legal to carry firearms in that area of the park but illegal to discharge them.

  WTF???

Still trying to figure that one out,....