What's your motivation?

[cjgregory]

"Rick, thats why fat guys don't hunt polar bears. "

lol now that's funny

[Don Thomas]

As to the original question: my answer is: I don't really know. The question of what really counts as "dangerous game" is more complicated. Let's face it: any large wild animal is potentially dangerous. People have been killed by whitetail deer and moose. I've spent so much time close to black bears, hogs, and cougars that I don't really consider them "dangerous game" even though I know their capabilities (and the statistics) full well. When brown bears are on the salmon streams in Alaska, I bounce off so many of them I get complacent about them too (with some justification: Timothy Treadwell was the only known bear fatality in the history of Katmai National Park, and he pretty much asked for it). Of course, those are the same bears I carry heavy back up for when I'm guiding there at other times of the year. So maybe this leads us back to the original question: dangerous game animals are those that scare you when you're around them. That response is part instinct, part personal experience, and part common sense. Don

[Steve H.]

"It's just too bad the polar bear is off the list for an Alaskan resident"  Tuttu

But its not to bad for at least the one polar bear that would have died by arrow wound if Tuttu had a permit!  Tuttu is White Death to bears and most anything else he has a permit for!

[Steve H.]

I am now officially in the Dangerous Game club!

That said, I have been within 40 yards of probably 20 brown bears and 5 or 6 about 15ish yards or under.

I have had only javelina and caribou square up to me in agression, never a brown bear.  Both had been laced with an arrow before doing so however.

[tradtusker]

pigs i have a lot off respect for them, iv had a few have a go at me and cut up some of our dogs real bad, but always when wounded. i however do not consider them "Dangerous game"

i really can't point out exactly what the drive is, like the others on here when it comes to Dangerous game.

 for me when it comes to plains game it is more of a challenge of wit's, but with Dangerous game its more a challenge of focus and guts. you have a different mindset, different emotions because death is now shadowing the equation

 staring down the barrel of a backup rifle with a big ol Water buff meters away finger on the trigger ready to squeeze if it explodes at you, fear is not on your mind...for me, more like a deep focus of energy and anger as at that moment you and the bulls flaring eyes meet and an age old instinct of battle between man and beast is in full circulation between the two of you, both you and the bull know there are 2 outcomes, you can see it in their eyes either you both back down or one of you is going to Die.

even a African Lion will do the same, and in my experience most of the time will take the option of backing down if you present it by doing the same. Luckily i have never met an animal that that has made the decision to take option 2. thats not counting wounded game they are in a different mind set!

[Longbowz]

Questions like this I find a bit irritating.   Most game is hunted for the sake of the unique experience each species provides, not for the thrill of the potential danger.  I personally wouldn't want to be anywhere near someone who thought that way.  Besides if someone really wanted to go on a hunt that may maim or kill you, take up mountain goat hunting.  Statistically it's right up there.

[TheFatboy]

Well, the odds have to be even, right?

Bears have huge fangs well placed on bonecrushing jaws, and huge paws that will bash your head in. We have bows and arrows  

[tradtusker]

Originally posted by Longbowz:
  Most game is hunted for the sake of the unique experience each species provides, not for the thrill of the potential danger.  

:confused:
with Dangerous game  "thrill of the potential danger" is one of the unique experience's it provides

[Longbowz]

Tradtusker,

Yes I agree.  I wanted to modify  my statement to: "not JUST for the thrill of the potential danger."  But the edit function is not available right now.

Hopefully there is more to hunting then thrill seeking.    

[tradtusker]

Yip forgot the edit function was off for now.

and i agree there is a Lot more to hunting, and those that do it just for the danger are missing out a lot.

[JF]

Hunting dangerous game with a traditional bow and arrows ,forces the hunter into a situation of danger often greater than the game they pursue,it is the ultimate in respect to the quarry and the greatest challenge to the hunter, to perform in a life and possible death encounter. Thus being the ultimate Hunt! John Frick

[landman]

I think polar bears will eat just about anything that doesn't eat them first.    They raid garbage dumps and houses and they'll grab a dog if they get a chance.  Blubber is just one more thing on their menus.

[Ragnarok Forge]

It is interesting to hear that brown bears are more dangerous than black bears being repeated here.  Black bears kill and attack far more people in the US every year than brown bears. This is simple federal and state statistics that are documented every year.   Anyone who thinks Black bears are not dangerous game needs to join me for a ground hunt and have a big boar start stamping his feet, huffing, and popping his jaws as he moves in on your position after a predator calling series.  300 + lbs of black bear can ruin your day.

I think people over exagerate the grizzly due to its large size.  And they underestimate the black bear for the same reason.  Both are very dangerous in the wrong situation.  Every brown bear I have seen on trips to Alaska has been either running or starts running once they know your human.  Same in Montana and Wyoming.

[silvertip73]

For me it would be taking an apex predator, but doing it with just a stick and string and no gadgets!