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Bowhunter Sam Kezar says he fired seven rounds from a 10mm Glock during a grizzly charge in Wyoming last September, while his hunting partner also fired. Outdoor Life published Kezar’s account on Oct. 22, 2026; the supplied report does not include independent confirmation, injury details or the bear’s fate.
Bowhunter Sam Kezar says he fired seven rounds from his 10mm Glock during a grizzly bear charge in Wyoming last September, while his hunting partner fired as well. In an account published by Outdoor Life on Oct. 22, 2026, Kezar said months of drawing and shooting practice prepared him to react; the supplied report does not independently establish the sequence, injuries or what happened to the bear.
Kezar said he was bowhunting elk with his friend Jerrad in grizzly country outside Yellowstone National Park. The pair had noticed fresh bear scat and claw marks on a tree before continuing toward a basin. In thicker trees, they heard rustling and a roar, then saw a bear charge from the cover, according to Kezar’s account.
Kezar said the first moments passed in about a second and a half. He recalled having his bow in one hand and his pistol in the other, though he did not remember drawing it. He initially thought the bear might be bluffing and fired toward its feet, he said, then realized it was coming directly at him. The report says he managed seven shots during the charge and that Jerrad fired a round, but the supplied account ends before describing the outcome in detail.
Kezar said he had bought a Glock Model 20 chambered in 10mm after drawing the Wyoming tag. He practiced drawing from a chest-mounted holster, acquiring a target and firing while moving backward. He described that preparation as a major reason he believes he survived without being mauled. That explanation is Kezar’s assessment, not an independently established finding about what stopped the bear.
Practice Under a Sudden Charge
The account highlights the severe time pressure in a close wildlife encounter: Kezar estimates the bear covered about 20 yards in two seconds. His story may interest hunters weighing how to prepare for bear country, but it does not establish that a handgun is a reliable or universally appropriate response. The outcome Kezar describes depends on the circumstances of one reported encounter.
His experience also underlines the difference between a personal account and safety guidance. Kezar said he prioritized his firearm and viewed bear spray as backup. The report does not provide a comparative test of those options or advice from wildlife officials. Readers should not treat his account as proof that one method is best for every encounter.
Glock 20 10mm chest holster hunting
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From Tag Draw to Bear Country
Kezar said he began planning for the Wyoming elk hunt after drawing a tag for a unit near Yellowstone. He knew the area held grizzlies, he said, and chose the Glock after researching firearms for bear country. He carried it in a soft holster attached to his binocular harness, rather than on his hip or in a pack.
Before the trip, he said he practiced dry draws and grip several times a week, then used a limited supply of ammunition for live-fire drills. He set a water-filled jug on a log as a target and rehearsed reacting after being distracted, including drawing and firing while backpedaling. Kezar and Jerrad also recognized signs of bear activity during the hunt, according to the report.
“The next thing I realize is that I have my bow in my left hand and my pistol in my right hand. I don’t remember drawing my pistol.”
— Sam Kezar, as quoted in Outdoor Life
Outcome Details Still Missing
The supplied material does not complete Kezar’s account of the charge. It does not say whether he or Jerrad was injured, whether the bear was hit, or whether the animal survived. It also does not include comment from wildlife authorities or independent witnesses who could verify the reported sequence.
Kezar’s claim that practice and gunfire saved him is his own interpretation. The report provides no independent assessment of what caused the charge to end or whether the bear’s behavior changed because of the shots. The exact number and timing of Jerrad’s shots, and any official response, are not established in the supplied text.
Further Account and Verification
The source material gives no announced follow-up, investigation or official review. Readers seeking a fuller account will need additional reporting on the encounter’s outcome, including any injuries, the bear’s condition and whether wildlife officials were notified. Until those details are available, the event should be described as Kezar’s account of a grizzly charge, not as a fully independently verified reconstruction.
Key Questions
Where did the reported grizzly encounter happen?
Kezar said it happened while bowhunting elk in Wyoming, in a unit outside Yellowstone National Park. The supplied report does not give a more precise location.
What firearm did Kezar say he used?
He said he carried a Glock Model 20 chambered in 10mm, in a soft holster attached to his binocular harness.
How many shots did Kezar say he fired?
The report says Kezar was able to fire seven rounds during the charge. It also says his hunting partner fired a round, but the supplied excerpt does not give further detail about that shot.
What happened to Kezar and the bear?
The supplied account does not provide the full outcome. Injuries, whether the bear was hit and the bear’s eventual condition remain unclear from the material provided.
Does the story show that a handgun is better than bear spray?
No. Kezar said he chose a firearm as his primary defense and bear spray as backup, but this is one hunter’s account, not a comparative study or official recommendation.
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