Reflex - I enjoyed the video - your shooting was good indeed, from what I saw - I would expect nothing less - we shoot differently offhand, but that's to be expected. I have back problems which don't let me hold as I used to for competition, body rest as you were, however I've overcome any accuracy concerns through practise. We routinely practise offhand at 100 to 300 meters offhand at a variey of targets, with every gun we shoot, evne the muzzleloaders. Too bad most hunters didn't.
: I'd like to see shooting proficiency tests as in Germany and the Scandahoovian countries implimented here, in order to obtain a hunting licence.
; To address the guiding scenario above, I firmly agree with the guide's choice of weapon for a back-up rifle. One must have actually hunted and walked through those alders to appreciate what it's like - almost impenetrable, tough and thick and to miss all offhand shots at a running bear through them - well, I'm just surprised they got of that many before it disappeared. It is sad it suffered overnight, but these things seem to happen wiht guided hunts. It's the first bloody shot's fault for that, not the guide's. I'm not sure I'd have let a hunter shoot at a grizzy from that distance, but I've found hunters usually shoot worse, the closer they are to the bear.
; The only unflappable hunter I've seen, was a Yugoslavian hunter who had hunted all over and on other dangerous game too - a good shot and a calm one. His shot at an 8'3" 'official'measurement griz was taken at 25 yards with the bear easily looking him in the eye - he wasn't a very tall fellow, maybe 5'6". An 8' bear is quite tall, on the other hand - head perhaps 4 1/2' above the ground. The hunter camly put a 9.3 cal. 270gr. Speer Factory Sako round into the centre of it's chest, slightly high and the bear dropped dead. Other hunter's I've been in camp with, have completely missed 7' black bears at the same distance, or shot them in the foot, front leg, etc. The bears generally move out very rapidly after that - on impact, they jump, or roll and FLASH - they're gone. If they go the wrong direction, the guide doesn't even get to shoot.
: The guide's primary reason for packing the rifle is to protect his hunter & himself from being harmed by stopping charges, not to make up for every hunter's bad shooting. It is used for bringing to bag those animals wounded, but for me, at least, it's for protection. That the guide possess a good stopping rifle is esential when guiding longbow hunters - my opinion as shots are 25 yards or preferably, much closer.
: The guide could do much worse than the Marlin .450, .457Custom or .45/70. I think one of those custom guns in .50 Alaskan would be especially nice.
; One guide up here packs an NEF in .30/30 with iron sights because it's light. He tells his hunter - you better not wound that grizzly.
: Have a great day.