Motor Cycle Full Face Helmet & Bears & Bear Baiting

[AGL4now]

I have had 5 close friends mauled, I have had several (Not Close but still) friends mauled. And some have died. On the occasions that I have had to dig out wounded bears, I always had the same thought, "I wish I had a good full face Motorcycle helmet, I wish I had my riding leathers, I wish I had one of those plastic neck braces things, but mostly I wished for some recoil-less weapon that would fire a 16 pound bowling ball at roughly 2,000 FPS.

Now to my point. If I was a bear baiter I think I would have a helmet in my truck to carry in pack till I was with-in say 50 yards of my bait pile, and put that helmet on till I was clear the station was super safe.

[tailwind]

A helmet would make using your ears impossible. That would be bad.

[bkmail]

Yeah...I don't want to do battle with one, I want to shoot one at 50 yards.
BK

[moose-head]

I wonder if it might make you more succeptible to a broken neck because they could easily gain purchase of the bottom of the helmet with their claws and cause injury without biting.

[AKDoug]

Ever try to shoot with one on? It's tough. I'd rather be able to shoot and aim well than have my head protected.

[strangerinastrangeland]

I dont know anybody whos been mauled......
Havent heard of any recent maulings either, maby Im inna void or something, but Ive never had "Bear problems". Close encounters, acouple raids on the fish rack, yes, but nothing like an attack.
The last guy that was mauled and killed was a New York Laywer who had no weapon, nor his friend up the Noatak, back in the early 90's......they killed the bear later, I guess it was the same Bear, maby to protect other people, maby a mercy shot for the indigestion........

[Mike Echo]

I would work on the 16 lb at 2000 fps without recoil first.
Then forget about the helmet. Wearing a helmet might rob me of the chance to try it out before he's gnawing on the helmet.
Mike

[Bsj425]

I dont know anybody whos been mauled......
Havent heard of any recent maulings either, maby Im inna void or something, but Ive never had "Bear problems". Close encounters, acouple raids on the fish rack, yes, but nothing like an attack.
The last guy that was mauled and killed was a New York Laywer who had no weapon, nor his friend up the Noatak, back in the early 90's......they killed the bear later, I guess it was the same Bear, maby to protect other people, maby a mercy shot for the indigestion........

There was someone mauled in Nome a couple days ago that is now in a coma and not looking too well it was in the paper and there was a link to it on another thread.

But as far as a helmet no way! I have tried shooting with a full face on in the winter I was on my snowmachine and a big black wolf ran out onto the river about 200 yards out. You cant even get close to lined up for a shot. by the time i ripped my helmet off and chucked it the wolf was back in the woods. I would much rather be able to see and shoot than not.

[AGL4now]

I dont know anybody whos been mauled......
....

I have had a few where the .458 Winchester Magnum was pushed hard against the bear and when lit'off I rolled one way and they rolled the other way.

Of the close friends who have been mauled and lived, Everyone said the same thing, "Hear a crashing noise, looked around, started to raise firearm, was impacted by bear. Everyone as good of an outdoorsman as I consider myself to be, and one Brent Hudson, I would consider a better outdoorsman than myself. So it can happen quick.

Killed Cappy and he knew the Bear was there.

[Roger]

Havent heard of any recent maulings either,

Spoke to soon
http://community.adn.com/?q=adn/node/157040

[Akgramps]

I wonder if it might make you more succeptible to a broken neck because they could easily gain purchase of the bottom of the helmet with their claws and cause injury without biting.

I doubt that I would credit the bear with enough intell to grab the helmet and start pulling, but you never know.

Off the subject some (kind involves a bear) but remined of a incident that happened some 32 years ago while riding my old Ducati on a country rode in Wisc. I was passed on this two lane road by a guy in a big ole gold colored Lincoln, clear day light traffic, slight rise in the road so limited visibility.

I am toolin along enjoying the day a few miles over the speed limit and I see this big Lincoln coming up behind me. Not being in a hurry I figure he will go around as soon as we crest the rise. Well the driver had other thoughts and just simply didnt bother to mover over.....!

He would have ran me over if I handnt moved onto the shoulder, now I could have given it the throttle and pulled away, but I wasnt in a hurry and my the time I realized what he intened to do, he was on me. So once he got by me I did the righteous thing and flipped him the bird.....................So, what does he do but stand on the brakes, the same guy that coulndt be bothered with my prescence now has the time to stop and hassle me........................!

So I pull to a stop well behind the car thats stopped in the middle of the road, the door opens and out steps the flippin HULK, now I was about 150 pounds back then and this guy looks like he could put the hurt on me. So I pull into a driveway on the other side of the road and get off the bike quick. We exchange a few expletives and he proclaims he did what he did because he had a big car and I just had a motorcyle...........!

We square off and he wants me to take off my helmet............I was wearing a old Bell helmet with the real small opening and I figured leaving the helmet on was the only chance I had. A few badly landed punches are thrown, I have my leather jacket on to. Not much came of it but he ended up getting a hold of the bottom edges of the helmet and throwing me in the ditch (how degrading that was), then he jumps in his Lincoln and drives off.

Later in the day, I find out the guy was a ex linebacker for the Bears and a Chicago cop, so there, thats the bear in my story, jeez........ hadnt thought of that in years............LOL

[Smokey]

There is no doubt that the thrill of the "danger" element in bear hunting mysteriously draws many of us to do it - yet in reality the bear is the superior predator in this situation and we only fool ourselves into believeing we will always be able to control the outcome. Its a funny combination of excitement, and fear, one feels when venturing in after a wounded bear - even a small one for sure...
Kinda like marriage I reckon?

[fish_stix]

maby a mercy shot for the indigestion........

I don't think many caught your sly humor on that one!

[sayak]

Have you ever tried shooting with a full coverage helmet on? Difficult if not imposible to line up.

[Rock_skipper]

Try walking around with a Philly two piece neck brace on, lol, you had better hope nothing is coming at you from the side or behind.

A couple of years ago I was launching my boat wearing the brace, and a couple of guys that were duck hunting wanted to have some fun with me, smart-a-s's, lol. ( "what would you do if I told you that you have a lady following you?" " Just don't tell me she's beautiful.", Thing is you can't turn and see.)

The brace is only attached by velcro strips so it would be tore off in a mill-a-secound.