survival, foraging, etc

I would never get behind a horse.

Their rear legs are too strong.

So they could get spooked and unintentionally kick a person in the head, even if the head was low to the ground.

somewhere somehow I learned not to stand behind a horse so long ago I no longer remember anything about it

I have little exposure to horses. Once maybe pre-teen or young teen my dad and I were standing out in a field we'd never been in before and a horse saw us and galloped toward us going all out. This scared the crap out of me, but Dad was calm so I also did not run. He must have noticed my state so he said " a horse than runs up to you like that is just glad to see you and hopes you have apples or something" ... this made a big impression on me, enough that, well, here I am telling you the story

I used to have a principal of our school that had that happen to him.

He survived.

He was the father of a girl a year older than I.

Not sure of the extent of his mental damage, but the physical damage showed he had a relatively large divot on the side of his forehead.

Anyone have thoughts on 10mm sidearms as a wilderness weapon? Seems like a good balance to stop the most extreme (brown bear) without being cumbersome?

Also, seems like a good multiuse firearm (everyday carry, home defense, and wilderness).

Beleive it or not I have never shot 10mm so I am curious if anyone has experience? Can it stop bears? (Which I know sounds silly typing it, but serious question).

"Behind the horse" was meant as the horse was to be in between you and the animal you are trying to shoot. The word "parallel" was supposed to indicate one standing on the side of the horse not behind the back legs.

Quote: Gandler

Anyone have thoughts on 10mm sidearms as a wilderness weapon? Seems like a good balance to stop the most extreme (brown bear) without being cumbersome?

Also, seems like a good multiuse firearm (everyday carry, home defense, and wilderness).

Beleive it or not I have never shot 10mm so I am curious if anyone has experience? Can it stop bears? (Which I know sounds silly typing it, but serious question).

I take it you mean the type of bear that is essentially the same as a grizzly as to size etc

when someone I know fished in Alaska, he was told you want to use a 44 magnum and nothing smaller [for a pistol]

I think you could have the experience of shooting a big bear with a .44 and it not do the job, and shoot one with a smaller pistol and get the opposite effect. A 10 mm would not be nuts to use, my guess on the matter, but the odds increase better for you with the bigger gun. Assuming you haven't hit such a vital spot that the bear just drops on the spot, a highly likely scenario [i.e. not hitting such spots is likely], then the damage from several rounds from a big gun in 'good' spots should cause a lot of blood loss and a bear that will maybe quit before you are dead. If you got shots into the neck or the heart/lungs area you'll kill the bear but when will it cease to be a threat to you?

I guess you know the mama bear with cubs is the biggest threat

I think if you ask experts they tell you the skull is too thick to aim for even with the .44

Quote: odiousgambit

I take it you mean the type of bear that is essentially the same as a grizzly as to size etc

when someone I know fished in Alaska, he was told you want to use a 44 magnum and nothing smaller [for a pistol]

I think you could have the experience of shooting a big bear with a .44 and it not do the job, and shoot one with a smaller pistol and get the opposite effect. A 10 mm would not be nuts to use, my guess on the matter, but the odds increase better for you with the bigger gun. Assuming you haven't hit such a vital spot that the bear just drops on the spot, a highly likely scenario [i.e. not hitting such spots is likely], then the damage from several rounds from a big gun in 'good' spots should cause a lot of blood loss and a bear that will maybe quit before you are dead. If you got shots into the neck or the heart/lungs area you'll kill the bear but when will it cease to be a threat to you?

I guess you know the mama bear with cubs is the biggest threat

I think if you ask experts they tell you the skull is too thick to aim for even with the .44

Yeah, but 15 (or potentially 30, but realistically 15 in most cases) versus a hard limit of 6? (and .44s are a pain to shoot, quite literally, you can't shoot quickly), and if you need to reload you are out of luck. Even changing a magazine would be tough when you have a matter of seconds, but there is zero chance of reloading a revolver.

In Alaska I would agree (and probably not go out without a shotgun or rifle). But, Alaska is a different beast, much more brown bears, and polar bears (which are the most dangerous).

10mm seems to be on the cusp of what can be acceptable in the woods (some very much in favor and some not).

I thought you were talking about brown bears? are Alaska brown bears different than the brown bears where you will be going?

I think you've made a case for 10mm with a big magazine

Quote: odiousgambit

I thought you were talking about brown bears? are Alaska brown bears different than the brown bears where you will be going?

I think you've made a case for 10mm with a big magazine

Well Alaska brown bears are a bit different, there are some species (wrong term, whatever) there that make them a bit larger and stronger than brown bears in the lower 48. But, brown bears are also less common (if you do see a bear it's probably black). In Alaska you are more likley to see a bear that can put you in serious trouble fast (brown or white).

Polar Bears are probably the most frightening (and impressive) bear on the planet, and one of the only animals that will intentionally hunt humans. The only reason deaths are so rare is because 99% of the country live nowhere near them. They are also pure predator -only eat meat, and generally meat that they killed- (other bears are omnivores, with most of their food being plant based, they actually do not kill often and mear they do eat can be scavenged).

had to look this up again to be sure... brown bear and grizzly bear are the same, Kodiak brown is considered a subspecies

your usage seems to be to always use 'brown' for the main bear and I think I can say pretty confidently in the US 'grizzly' is used almost exclusively