Moto camping in grizzly territory... Ruger GP-100

Firewood, you should know that what to carry in bear country is THR's version of an oil thread on the ADV Riders Forum.

I've ADV'd in bear country and spend a lot of time on foot in remote areas of Maine (Allagash Wilderness), Wyoming (Wind Rivers, Absaroka's) but also Idaho (ID/Mt border area, Utah (High Uintas) etc. So this topic is somewhat near and dear to my heart.

In my younger years I hunted black bear on the northeastern Canadian side of Lake of the Woods and dropped a spring boar that went every bit of 400 pounds and whose skull I measured somewhere in the low/mid 17-inch range (I'm not B&C cert to score). While doing that I belonged to a now defunct monthly book club and boned up on everything bear related.





You've gotten some great advice so far, ESPECIALLY about having a non-lethal first option.

I've always maintained that there are two types of bears... the one with, and the one without a full-on adrenaline rush/dump in their blood. The second one, in my estimation is the problem. There are some incredible, hair-raising authenticated stories of not just grizzly but also black bears in those pages absorbing multiple high power/large bore centerfire rounds and continuing towards their human target as if nothing happened.

Having read numerous books from various authors on this subject has left me feeling that the only reliable and fast to press into action and possibly provide a one-shot stop outside of the tent is a 45-70 with the hottest charge throwing the heaviest hard cast projectile out of a ported guide gun. Something that is fast to point and provides a sight radius that is more stable under what would be some dire circumstances with the possibility to provide a well-placed follow-up shot. Obviously, there are other, more appropriate firearm/caliber combo choices under different circumstances such as if hunting bear.

I know, I know...so and so killed the largest Brown with a .22 LR head shot and this guy dropped a charging brown with a 9mm etc. Those folks got LUCKY. Great that it worked out for them. Ask any of them if that gun would be their first choice if the same circumstance happened again.

Speaking only for myself, everything else is a compromise dictated by the limitations/realities of the undertaking at hand in bear country. I carry a .329PD in backcountry. The lightest mass produced .44 mag currently on the market. I consider it a compromise and am not confident in its one-shot stopping ability on a grizzly rolling into camp at speed...to say nothing of my shooting ability to place 1-2 rounds in the vitals under those circumstances. My FIRST choice would be that ported Marlin with the aforementioned ammo outside of the tent and the 329PD for use inside of it.

However, thankfully bear attacks are rare. Don't overthink this. Do the basics.

Don't camp in a site where it's obvious food hygiene wasn't enforced. Dig through the fire ring. They're the unofficial garbage cans of campsites. Is there partially burned food in there? Empty kipper cans in bear country are NEVER a good sign...move on and find a better spot if the answer is yes. Bear bag your food. Cook and eat a decent distance away from your tent. NEVER eat or store food in it. Bag your toiletries with the food (toothpaste etc.) I NEVER cook bacon in BIG bear country. Don't sleep in the clothes you cook in if tenting.

Occasionally make some noises. You don't want a bear wandering into camp and being surprised by your presence. Also do it while hiking. Keep your bear spray HANDY...not in your pannier or tent.

You're doing OK with a GP100 with 180 grain hard cast loaded on the hotter side. Of course, you could just go for a guaranteed, proven one shot bear stopper like the .22LR or 9mm.

I carried those 357mag HSM 180gr Bear Loads in my Ruger Security Six for a House Boat fishing trip up on Rainey Lake in N. Minnesota back in September of 2019. We beached the House Boat on an Island and fished off 2 boats from there. I didn't see any Bears.

I also had a Glock 19 with me but left my AR15 in my vehicle back where we rented the boat. It was broad Daylight and I didn't want to be seen walking around with a cased rifle.

Who would've guessed? It rains a lot on Rainey Lake!

.357 will be fine and I have more than one. That being said, I myself have moved on to the 10mm for a woods gun. That common sense you mentioned is key as well. Motorcycle trip to Wyoming and Montana in early May during the spring melt is in the back of my mind. Icy spots on the roads in the early AM. Still lots of snow in the high country as well.

@Firewood535 enjoy your trip. As mentioned earlier get a couple of cans of bear spray. And practice with the HSM Bear Loads. I have actually shot all of my HSM Bear Loads for my 357 up and need to replace them!

Have fun

Might want to push your timeline back a bit----I went to Yellowstone in 16 and 17 in JUNE---in 16, I only brought summer gear and literally froze my butt off---who knew?? Ice was on my tent every morning------In 17, I was prepared, and it started snowing as soon as I got my tent up--in June--and proceeded to dump a foot of snow that night.

I can't image dealing with those conditions on a bike----and I ride --2021 BMW R18. I'm thinking May will be downright wintery.


Back then I had a 4in 629 but now I have a 3in 629-- a G20 and a G40.

You can save a few bucks with a practice spray and then get a regular spray.

Firewood535 said:

I'm planning a motorcycle camping trip to Wyoming/Montana next summer. Early May... grizzly territory.

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Omaha-BeenGlockin said:

Might want to push your timeline back a bit----I went to Yellowstone in 16 and 17 in JUNE---in 16, I only brought summer gear and literally froze my butt off---who knew?? Ice was on my tent every morning------In 17, I was prepared, and it started snowing as soon as I got my tent up--in June--and proceeded to dump a foot of snow that night.

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Yeppers, it’s really hard to tell what the weather is going to be like in May in this part of the country (we’re only about 170 miles south of Yellowstone) but I wouldn’t count on being able to ride a motorcycle at all in Yellowstone in early May. Motorcycles aren’t all that great on snow and ice.
The pictures below were taken while my wife and I were out ground squirrel hunting on our friend's ranch near here. The first two were taken in the middle of May last year. The third one was taken in the middle of May this year. Edited to say: The first two pictures were taken in mid-May, 2022, and the third was taken in mid-May, 2023. I forgot that it's 2024 now.

Armored farmer said:

2. If you shoot a bear you're going to be treated like a murderer by the wildlife authorities until you prove that you were in extreme danger.
3. Just having bear spray shows you are giving thought to non-lethal method for protecting yourself.

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This^^^^
I’ve often said that if you shoot a bear (be it a grizzly or otherwise) in Yellowstone, you’d better be wearing claw marks when the Park Rangers arrive. That’s probably not exactly true though. Because, if you actually are attacked by a bear in Yellowstone, there’s probably going to be plenty of other tourists around, and some of them will be using their cell phones to get the whole thing on video.
BTW, bison attacks in Yellowstone are much more common than bear attacks.
The Most Dangerous Animals in Yellowstone National Park (newsweek.com)

Oddly enough, the last time I drove over Beartooth pass and down into Yellowstone we were on a pull-off near the summit when a late July snow flurry/hail storm popped up. We were in disbelief about the phenomenon when a guy rolled up beside us on a BMW motorcycle. He was camping his way to Sturgis, and planning to tour Yellowstone for a few days first. He wasn't enjoying the hail too much.

Firewood535 said:

Hey 308Norma, thanks for that info! Crazy weather up in the high country, ain't it? So unpredictable. I'm thinking about delaying departure until at least late May. I have a question for ya- you know how you hear of joggers or the occasional mountain biker that gets attacked by a predator because of their motion? Anybody on a motorcycle ever have that happen??

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You're welcome.
Yeah, the weather here is quite unpredictable. As I posted a few days ago, we have a saying here in SE Idaho - "If you don't like the weather here, wait 10 minutes. It will change."
I've also heard about predators, particularly mountain lions attacking joggers and mountain bikers because of their motion. I don't think that applies to motorcyclists though.
However, while not "predators," I'd keep my distance from bison in Yellowstone - especially if I was on a motorcycle. People should keep their distance from those things anyway, but they sometimes don't. And you can find videos on the internet of what happens when they don't.
Our youngest daughter spent two summers working in Yellowstone when she was in college, and she witnessed tourists getting too darned close to bison (just to take pictures) many times. Bison are as crazy unpredictable as the weather here, as well as big and fast!

If it helps I have done the same thing only mine was a Security-Six and I rode a 650 KLR. Another time on a Harley. Grizzly bears have been killed with a .357.

.308 Norma said:

You're welcome.
Yeah, the weather here is quite unpredictable. As I posted a few days ago, we have a saying here in SE Idaho - "If you don't like the weather here, wait 10 minutes. It will change."
I've also heard about predators, particularly mountain lions attacking joggers and mountain bikers because of their motion. I don't think that applies to motorcyclists though.
However, while not "predators," I'd keep my distance from bison in Yellowstone - especially if I was on a motorcycle. People should keep their distance from those things anyway, but they sometimes don't. And you can find videos on the internet of what happens when they don't.
Our youngest daughter spent two summers working in Yellowstone when she was in college, and she witnessed tourists getting too darned close to bison (just to take pictures) many times. Bison are as crazy unpredictable as the weather here, as well as big and fast!

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Yes. @.308 Norma.
I truly believe the Bison bulls have a strong dislike of Harley Davidsons. I think they feel challenged by the low thump of the engine.

Armored farmer said:

Yes. @.308 Norma.
I truly believe the Bison bulls have a strong dislike of Harley Davidsons. I think they feel challenged by the low thump of the engine.

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Probably from the idiots crowding them. I got close to several in the Black Hills on Harleys but I tried to give them room.

I have ridden my KLR through Jellystone in early June and got snowed on. Slept in a hammock and was pretty darn cold. I remember thinking that the inside of a Griz was probably a lot warmer...

I carried my 4" Model 29 that trip.

Rode over from my home state of Idaho, to Cody. Visited the Cody firearms museum. Spent a good bit of time there, rode back, via the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, which is a must for amazing views and a great motorcycle road.

I spend a LOT of time in Grizzly and wolf country. These days I normally pack a .45 ACP with heavy loads. 45+Ps at 925 FPS.

I will say up front that these are of my own making, as I own a very small custom ammo company.

I prefer the heavy .45s over the 10mm just simply for the fact that I have spent so much time shooting a .45 (especially in a Glock 21 and 1911) that I am very comfortable in the recoil impulse and find shooting those guns to be second nature.



A good .45 loaded with heavy loads and some bear spray are standard fare on most my trips in Grizzly country. Every once in a while I will carry something of a different caliber, for whatever reason, but I tend to stick with the same gear.

Here is an older pic.

I very often wear my HPG Kit bag, with M4 pouch attached and gun carried in the M4 pouch on the outside for faster presentation.

I rode over 60 years, never really needed a weapon although I felt better having one. I have needed rain gear and a helmet, warm long underwear, a warm sleeping bag and a rain fly. I camp in Northern Minnesota in the summer and see Black bears every year but I don't worry much about it. In Grizzly country I would be concerned though. My .357 is enough for me. I have a .44 but it is too bulky and heavy for me to carry on a motorcycle. But to each is own and what suits your comfort level.

I was thinking about the trips that I have taken to Yellowstone in the past. The first time 2005, no firearm. I didn't have a CCW yet.
2012 I carried my Taurus 415 41mag with HSM Bear Loads. In 2021 I carried my Taurus 605 357mag and my Taurus 415 41mag, both loaded with HSM Bear Loads.

I am planning on a trip to Yellowstone next October and will bring two handguns with me again. I'm leaning towards taking my XDM compact 10mm loaded with Underwood 200gr hardcast and my 442 38 special +p 158 grain hardcast.
I will pocket carry the J frame all the time. And will have my XDM in my Alien backpack holster. The holster disconnects from a bracket that goes on my backpack shoulder strap. I don't like to advertise that I have a gun with open carry, but on remote less traveled trails I think it's less of an issue.

My experience with bears is mostly with black bears. I find that black bears are, when not frightened of humans, can be curious which will bring them in close proximity to you, while Grizzly tends to be more of a loaner.
All bets are off with bears that are living in close proximity of people that will change their attitude. And cubs, all bets are off.

Frulk gives some good advice in his write up.

My experience with black and brown’s has been with bears that usually haven’t had to interact with humans.

I’ve not lived around bears since leaving Alaska in 2001, but I follow the discussion and enjoy reading first hand accounts. I will definitely agree that this subject has a lot of misinformation and mystique surrounding it.

But one interesting thing I have come to believe is the frequency and intensity seems to have increased in recent years. Speculation is where bears are no longer hunted hard, they adapt to humans. We become a source of groceries versus a danger…same with coyotes and lions.

I really enjoy following Dean Wiengarten on Ammoland. He write a lot about both 2A issues and Dangerous Animal encounters. His data compilation is quite interesting and eye opening.


Main threat in the woods IMO is nefarious humans, not bears of cougars. But regardless, I want a gun I can shoot well, plenty of high quality ammo, and a good light. Bad actors in the boonies rarely travel alone, and dangerous animals often cause issues at night and need multiple rounds.