When camping in bear country

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Usually when camping in bear country, I just give my friend, in the other tent, my lucky ham.

I used a .690 RB with 100-120 gr. FFg (around 4 drams) with a bunch of cork and card wads. It kicked like the blazes and I had to be careful from a climbing stand. Only problem is the barrels "crossed" at around 40 yds. So I was OK up to maybe 60 yds.? With a bit of thought. At 100 yds. the right barrel shot 4' to the left and the left 4' to the right. It would have missed an entire deer. I did miss a doe I took a shot at around 35 yds. It only had a bead front sight and I laid it flat atop the barrel rib. In my excitement I shot about 4" under her belly and blew a dinner plate size cater raining down dirt.

It was still exciting and a hoot. I've "tried" to shoot skeet, hunt doves, and medium game with that shotgun. I bought it when I was 16 yrs. old. It's a Navy Arms "Magnum" double side lock. I think it's by San Marco, very high quality. I still have it. Stolen when I was 17, I recovered it 10 years later from the police! I still had the box and receipt. Borrowed the $175 from my Granny and paid her back working at a grocery store in 1979. It has taught me a whole lot and I've met a lot of people by my shooting a smoke pole. Even one Game Warden checking that I had a "magazine plug"!