Bear got into my bee hives, pistol suggestion?

[Vinootz]

I keep bees as a hobby. A black bear got into my fenced bee yard and toppled one of the hives. I think the bees laid down a real ass whooping’ because the bear didn’t eat anything and appears to have left posthaste.

I upgraded with a 2 strand electric fence and reinforced the main 6’ fence. But, I’m still feeling a bit annoyed and am considering a pistol. I do not yet own a pistol of any sort, having not had a need for one. (Yes, here comes the jokes).

What do I get? Or should I just shoulder a rifle and poke some .375 holes in it if I catch Pooh bear in the bee yard.

Try a .22LR or an air gun. You got to ask? Lol. Seriously though, they average 250 lbs. and are not that hard to kill. With so much overlap in performance of rifle cartridges, there are many. Folks are using 6.5cm. Many use 30-30.Those are about the minimum. I’d use .30 caliber (or8mm mm) and bigger. There are plenty of cartridges with more energy than a 30-30.
You figure it out. Happy trails,stay safe.

 

[Artur S]

The 9,3x74R double is definitely the most classy suggestion )))
A Bergstutzen combining a >7mm rifle cartridge and 12 gauge comes in second.
A Drilling with 2x12/70 and 1x 9,3x74R would be nice, too.

I used a handy 12g Winchester 1300 defender pump in bear country. Slugs only. Trained decently for such shooting. Thanks god never needed it.
Now a Benelli supernova with a short barrel, too, but it has yet to come visit bear country.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Something just crossed my mind & its non lethal, A fully automatic paintball gun. I’m told they sting like crazy and alternating colors you could have an educated POLKA DOT bear!!!!
no one is injured & a lesson taught in a fun way!!!!

 

[BeeMaa]

Something just crossed my mind & its non lethal, A fully automatic paintball gun. I’m told they sting like crazy and alternating colors you could have an educated POLKA DOT bear!!!!
no one is injured & a lesson taught in a fun way!!!!

Couple of issues with this...
1. You have to spend time and money buying a paintball gun (with all the extras of course). Let's not forget to get ammo and sight that baby in! 2. You have to be there when the bear is there. Ever vigilant, waiting up all hours of the night and day to get a chance to run out and deal with the threat. 3. You need to be within 80-100 feet (effective range of a paintball gun) of the bear Not yards...FEET! Of a bear that is hungry and can run at 35 mph (aka 51.3 feet per second). That gives you about 2 to 3 seconds before a bear can close the distance depending on how fast you can run.

OR...he could spend $30 on upgrading the electric fence, that is always on and never have to be that close to a black bear looking for a free snack of fresh honey.

Which one sounds better to you?

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Turn the amperage up high enough & the fence of course.

 

[USN]

Do not let that bear get comfortable coming to your hives. Talk to game warden and take the necessary steps to nip this problem now. I hunt bears with my bow and they are a stout animal and are not going down easy.

 

[Forrest Halley]

@BeeMaa people are taking this thread seriously again...so in order to offset this, I recommend that someone fly in @Bob Nelson 35Whelen, get him drunk and super glue .243 shells all over him. When he sobers up tell him the bear did it...et voilà... no more bear problems.

This idea was sponsored by a healthy charge of Woodford Reserve...good day to all!

 

[Tra3]

@Forrest Halley we could even develop an easier strategy: we just have to know what the ft/lbs of power a single angry honey bee has, then multiply that by about 50,000-80,000 per hive. The hives are full of bees now and 5 boxes high. And they know the value of honey!

If will be cheaper for me to just add a 5 strand fence and upgrade my smaller electric to the “stain your shorts” electric big boy.
Right now, the smaller system is working.

as a side note, convincing my teenage kids’ friends to make a hand-in-hand chain and touch the fence is still as fun today as it was when I was 12. I bet I’ve been purposely shocked by that fence a few dozen times in the last few years.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@BeeMaa people are taking this thread seriously again...so in order to offset this, I recommend that someone fly in @Bob Nelson 35Whelen, get him drunk and super glue .243 shells all over him. When he sobers up tell him the bear did it...et voilà... no more bear problems.

This idea was sponsored by a healthy charge of Woodford Reserve...good day to all!

@Forrest Halley
Ifn that happened mate I know it would only be one of few few on the short list. That being yourself, @BeeMaa in response for hanging shit on his beloved R8, @CoElkHunter and @Randy F would team up as they are practically neighbours and @CBH Australia just because he would get a kick out of it but he would use the pink tutu and ballet slippers as well.
Bob

 

[MS 9x56]

@Forrest Halley
Ifn that happened mate I know it would only be one of few few on the short list. That being yourself, @BeeMaa in response for hanging shit on his beloved R8, @CoElkHunter and @Randy F would team up as they are practically neighbours and @CBH Australia just because he would get a kick out of it but he would use the pink tutu and ballet slippers as well.
Bob

You da man Bob

 

[WAB]

It’s starting to sound like a double dog dare!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

It’s starting to sound like a double dog dare!

@WAB
I triple dog dares them mate. I haven't heard that saying since Moses played fullback for Jerusalem.
Bob.

 

[Forrest Halley]

@WAB
I triple dog dares them mate. I haven't heard that saying since Moses played fullback for Jerusalem.
Bob.

It's a very popular line in the movie "A Christmas Story". Followed by the triple dog dare I do believe.
Triple dog dare scene - A Christmas Story

 

[colorado]

Unless the bear is attacking you ( and you better be bleeding when authorities show up) it is best to use non-lethal means of deterrence. I live in bear country and have had good luck with rubber buckshot in my 12 gauge. I have never had the same bear come back after receiving a hit from it. Mission accomplished and bear finds a new place to forage and a healthy (for it anyway) fear of humans. Bear is just doing what comes natural, bears love honey too. Good luck with dealing with your natural neighbors. Bears are not good or bad, they are just hungry.

Or you can do nothing. Bears really are cuddly , but they may move right in ...

 

[MS 9x56]

Bears are a lot like women, cuddly but not to be trusted when hungry

 

[colorado]

Bears are a lot like women, cuddly but not to be trusted when hungry

lol!!!