March 25, 2013, Defensive use of a Revolver against Polar Bear Svalbard, Norway

On Sunday, March 24, 2013, a determined polar bear made a fatal error in the prey selection process. The six year old healthy male would not be deterred from getting at two humans in a cabin located on Svalbard (administered by Norway) at Hornsund on the island of Spitsbergen. Hornsund is the most southern fjord on the southern tip of the Island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago, about 140 km south of Longyearbyen.

The incident was reported in newsinenglish.no in 2013. The incident is confirmed in the PBHIMS database obtained by AmmoLand, which includes many reports of polar bear attacks which happened in the Svalbard archipelago. In the PBHIMS database the incident is number 132. It has not been included in the pistol defense database before, because the type of firearm used was not mentioned in the PBHIMS. 

Map of Svalbard, public domain

From the two separate reports, several interesting facts are gleaned. This was the second time the bear was at the cabin on March 24th. It had been driven off with “several means” previously, and came back. The couple inside the cabin went to extreme lengths to avoid shooting the polar bear, which was forcing  its way into the cabin through a window. They fired four warning shots.  Their defensive firearm was a revolver, which most commonly hold six cartridges. After firing four warning shots, they would only have one or two shot remaining before the necessity of reloading. 

Reloading can involve considerable stress when a polar bear is forcing its way into your residence. The incident is listed as self defense by both the Svalbard administration and in the FOIA database obtained by AmmoLand. This was considered to be a predatory attack. The couple, a man and a woman, were in their 40s. The most common revolver caliber used for bear protection in Svalbard is the .44 Magnum. .44 Magnum  revolvers normally have five or six chambers in their cylinders. Firing five full power .44 Magnum cartridges inside a small cabin is likely to cause measurable hearing damage. 

Not only did the couple fire warning shots, they also threw “lighted candles” at the bear. The phrase “lighted candles” may be a minor translation error, although translation from Norwegian to English is said to be fairly straightforward.  Throwing a “lighted candle” does not seem to be a significant bear deterrent. Most candles will be blown out when thrown. 

The picture taken under the authority of the Governor of Svalbard shows an open window, with what appears to be a sturdy shutter with a heavy beam below the window. Perhaps the shutter was torn off by the bear, or it may have been removed by occupants to allow more light into the cabin while it was occupied.

This is another case where an extremely rapid shot to the central nervous system was not required for an effective defense. Four warning shots were fired. The bear was forcing its way into the cabin, allowing plenty of time for an aimed shot. The shot proved effective at neutralizing the threat by killing the polar bear. The polar bear weighed 671 lbs (305 kilograms). It was a medium sized adult male polar bear. The bear was found to be healthy and in good condition with plenty of fat, sharp claws and healthy teeth.

The government of Svalbard recognizes .44 Magnum handguns as useful for protection against polar bears, although they do not allow them to be rented for the purpose. A more rigorous procedure is required to be able to carry a .44 Magnum for polar bear protection than is required to carry a high powered rifle. The use of bear spray and/or pepper balls is not allowed for protection against polar bears in Svalbard.

©2023 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch