Knife for bears

H

halbschaf

Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
191
Hello everybody

Being nwe in this forum, I hope my English might be good enough to make you understanding my issue.
What I´m interested in, looking for the answer since years and getting many different answers, is, how long the blade of a knife should really minimum be to reach the heart of an adult bear. That depends of the size of the animal, of course. In case of a black bear for example, let´s say around 300 pounds, I suppose a length of 6 to 7 inch should work. But what´s about a 1000 pound up grizzly?
Please let´s not talk about the chances anyhow and about such stuff, that a spear, hand gun cal. 500 or a cannon is by far the better choice – let´s talk about the knives. It´s only for the psyche,because I´m aware about the chances. But nevertheless that´s extremely important.

Making survival trips in Europe, Canada and Alaska, I´ve been among dangerous animals lots of time. Last June tracking near Kodiak Island I used my bear spray and hurt myself – never will take this kind of defense again. As I don´t carry shooting weapons, I have to trust in a good knife. Is anyone in this forum with anatomical knowledge? Have my doubts while looking at an 8 inch blade and thinking about the size of a very big bear . I know that the heart is not the best idea to kill a bear, but that´s what I like to know. Also it is said that the heart is pretty close to the chest wall – similar to a human being. By having that in mind 8 inch might work. On the other hand the knife shouldn´t be unnecessarily long, as it has to be fast to handle – that means as short as possible.
Also the tip shouldn´t be shaped as knives like Busses, as those seems to be not pointed enough, and the CS trailmaster for ex. might have a too thick blade, means to slow in action.

For any helpful informations in this issue thanks in advance. You´re the last hope.
 
I've been thinking about getting one of these for a while now. http://www.knifeworks.com/coldsteelboarhunterkratonhandleplaincordurasheath.aspx but will probably just make myself a nice 12" distal taper bowie instead.

It is sort of a silly idea, but people have successfully defended themselves from bears and the like using small knives in the past, and some bears are big enough to take more than a few rounds from anything less than a high power rifle.
 
Whew! I thought from the title that you were looking to arm some bears with knives. That would be foolish, because bears are pretty fearsome to begin with.


I think what you would want is a large--really large-- fighter. Think bowie with a point. Wide blade for a large wound channel. And long.

Bagwell-style bowies, Cold Steel Natchez bowie, maybe the large SOG bowies, etc.

By the way, if you do find a bear in the woods brandishing a knife, you will probably need a gun.
 
Esee Junglas...
263119_220058184682010_100000334909974_770378_638215_n.jpg
 
I once read an answer to this question answered something like this....

"So you mean a knife so that the bear can use it as a toothpick after
it done eating you? :D
 
Busse Gladius would do it. Have you thought about a short sword, Wakizashi, or a doulble edged thin bladed sword. Something good for piercing, rigid and strong.
 
Halbschaf I think the best thing to do here is to go out into the forest with a multitude of different length knives and then come back and let us know which one is too short.
 
Its almost hard to answer with any degree of seriousness. You would be much better off making like a squirrel and climbing a tree fast. Honestly if you stick a knife in a 1000lb bear all your going to do is get ripped into tiny pieces that much faster because he is going to be really pissed off. I doubt you could get enough penetration to actually do any damage and even if you did by the time it would have any effect on the bear your already dead and in tiny chunks stuck between his teeth.

That said, a really pointy long blade...maybe the laredo bowie or natchez bowie from cold steel, some long dirk type blade, something along those lines. Still not even a remote chance of working but hey gives you a choice.

cricket
 
346553-41016-21.jpg

All you really need is one of these, and use it 24/7, that way if you're attacked by a 1000lb grizzly you can just strangle it with your bare hands (that now make Popeyes look puny in comparison). This thread made me think of my 7th grade science teacher who told us real men go deer hunting by running them down and choking them with their bare hands, like he did at least once a year.
Here's a story for you though, about a relatively small bear my dad shot with a .30-06 that went through both lungs and the heart ran up a very steep hill side for about 100 yards until his second shot which criss-crossed the first one, going through both lungs and the heart again finally dropped it. So once you have miraculously stuck your knife into the bear's heart be prepared for another 30 seconds of mauling.

My suggestions:
bear-knife.jpg

Spectacular_Grizzly_Bear_Bowie_Knife.jpg


Also blue spandex pants may help, make sure to get your open hand under the jaw of the bear to control its head/jaws, this will also throw it off balance, so that it can't swing at you because it will be flailing its arms to try to regain balance, giving you a chance to stab it in the heart.
3-1.jpg


However, if you run into one of these, note that they have 2 hearts one on each side of the chest, you will have to stab both to take it down.
man-bear-pig.jpg
 
Last edited:
BF needs an "impractical tactical" section for questions like this...

But I second the Junglas recommendation. If you don't find yourself slaying bears with a knife, you'll still have a pretty nice knife.
 
No offense but, if you hurt yourself w/ pepper spray, would you be safe w/ a sword? Any weapon, even pepper spray, takes training and practice to be effective. Learn as much as you can about bears, their behavior, and how to be around them safely. If you go back to Alaska there are many opportunities to learn about bears; the national parks teach classes about them, and there are also guides and other experts to learn from. The original bear experts, the Native Americans, used to hunt bears with dogs, and long lances/spears. Now they use hunting rifles. A knife might make you feel better, and be useful for other things, but it won't work against a bear. Even if you did manage to mortally wound it, it would kill you first. If you are feeling afraid of bears on your trips, your best weapon is knowledge.
 
HandofCod said:
Halbschaf I think the best thing to do here is to go out into the forest with a multitude of different length knives and then come back and let us know which one is too short.
Click to expand...

Well played sir, well played.
 
Im no expert, but I've had the impression that you'll have really hard time killing bear with most pistols. So good luck with the knife, whatever knife it is.
If you ask me, buy bell instead or sing/talk along when you walk around the forrest..

Or buy golden desert eagle with armor piercing bullets or something.
 
halbschaf said:
Hello everybody

Being nwe in this forum, I hope my English might be good enough to make you understanding my issue.
What I´m interested in, looking for the answer since years and getting many different answers, is, how long the blade of a knife should really minimum be to reach the heart of an adult bear. That depends of the size of the animal, of course. In case of a black bear for example, let´s say around 300 pounds, I suppose a length of 6 to 7 inch should work. But what´s about a 1000 pound up grizzly?
Please let´s not talk about the chances anyhow and about such stuff, that a spear, hand gun cal. 500 or a cannon is by far the better choice – let´s talk about the knives. It´s only for the psyche,because I´m aware about the chances. But nevertheless that´s extremely important.

Making survival trips in Europe, Canada and Alaska, I´ve been among dangerous animals lots of time. Last June tracking near Kodiak Island I used my bear spray and hurt myself – never will take this kind of defense again. As I don´t carry shooting weapons, I have to trust in a good knife. Is anyone in this forum with anatomical knowledge? Have my doubts while looking at an 8 inch blade and thinking about the size of a very big bear . I know that the heart is not the best idea to kill a bear, but that´s what I like to know. Also it is said that the heart is pretty close to the chest wall – similar to a human being. By having that in mind 8 inch might work. On the other hand the knife shouldn´t be unnecessarily long, as it has to be fast to handle – that means as short as possible.
Also the tip shouldn´t be shaped as knives like Busses, as those seems to be not pointed enough, and the CS trailmaster for ex. might have a too thick blade, means to slow in action.

For any helpful informations in this issue thanks in advance. You´re the last hope.
Click to expand...

All I have to say is "get real!" Way too many fantasy posts nowadays.

Biggest+Grizzly+Bears+4.jpg
 
Thanks a lot for all these interesting answers and informations. This means many inspirations for me and I´m afraid that also means that I cannot await to buy some more knives.
I´m sure every knife has advantages and disadvantage, even a short of a long blade, a wide or a slim one. I´ll never find the solution - no other chance than to try it :))
But additional one question again: How long must the blade be to reach the heart of a 1000 pounder anyhow - shortest distance?
Would an 8 inch blade do the job - only theoretically - or do you indeed need 12 inch? First time I asked this is 45 years ago - no joke - but till now no answer – or answers like some of those I find here.

I need a brown bear butcher.
P.s. You can hurt yourself with a knife – and I think most of the guys who worked with them has made this experience – and as well with bear spray. In case a bear suddenly appears I have a better feeling – not a good one - to draw my knife as to think about wind directions etc. and press the buttom of a spray.
 
If your really serious about this, pick-up an ESEE 5, add about 2500fps and hope you dont miss. Keep a fully serrated Endura 4 near by, if the ESEE 5 dosnt find its mark, take the Endura and slit your wrists and neck, then hopefully youll have time to rest up next to a nice pretty tree and bleed out before the 1000lb Grizzly begins de-boning you. Good luck!
 
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