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Black bear hunting opinions
It's getting closer to spring black bear season. Curious to see what caliber, bullet type everyone will be using? Also what do you consider the "sweet spot" on a bear to aim for?
Me I'll be using either 270win/130gr TSX or 300win mag/150gr TTSX. Aiming for behind the shoulder...
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Its a 9.3x62 with 270 speer handloads, or my recently rebuilt 300 win mag, which hasen't killed in 4 years, with 180gr swift sirocco handloads. I will always try to do an engine room shot on a black bear, aiming from the front shoulder to a couple inches back from there! If really close, i'll shoot for the neck, but usually its a 75-150 yrd shot! Moosin
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
My freezer is still full from last year, so I’m taking a relaxed approach and trying for a bear with the bow. Hopefully I can connect with something worthy of a P&Y entry.
PSE Evo EVL 34 set at 50# and 30” draw. Lobbing a 30.25”, 300-spine, Killin’ Stix Original, total weight is 525gr with a Magnus Stinger 2-blade 125gr fixed-blade broadhead.
I’ll be aiming for “middle of the middle” and forward 2” or so.
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I tend to shoot bears high in the shoulders to anchor them. Definitely wastes some meat though.
7mm RM 160gr Partitions this season. Formerly had good success with 160gr TTSX.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
7mm Rem mag
155g Federal premium terminal ascent
Middle of the middle then 2 inches towards the shoulder.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Be the same as the last handful of them probably, if I see a really big one it’ll be a Montec from a Mathews Switchback XT and it’s the middle of the middle.
Otherwise it’ll be a 75 Amax or 88 ELD from a 223AI. Typically I shoot for shoulders on everything.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Thier vitals are farther back then allot of guys think.
I like to shoot em broadside through both lungs. Imagine a vertical line straight up off the front elbow. At about mid body height, 4 ish inches back will put you right in the center of the lungs with the biggest margine for error. (Or a few inches fwd of middle/middle as stated by savage 10)
Placing any standard deer bullet/arrow/bolt here will result in a dead bear in very short order.
Ive used 7mm-08, 303 savage, 30-06, .50 cal muzzle loader. Results were all the same. 2 holes, lots of blood, dead bear.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Use the 300 and smash his front shoulders.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
I keep it simple. 30-06 150gr and double lung. It's the biggest target and very fatal. Furthest I have had a double lung shot bear go is 15-20 yards. No meat wasted.
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I'm going to be using 180gr 30-06 rounds, but i'm wondering if i could use 165gr if im 300 meters or less away...
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
maze
I'm going to be using 180gr 30-06 rounds, but i'm wondering if i could use 165gr if im 300 meters or less away...
I’d bet money that a bear won’t notice the 15gr difference, supposing you put the bullet where it needs to go.
They’re not bulletproof by any measure - I’ve taken one with a .243, and there are a few guys on here who claim to use .223.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
30cal 165gr bullets would do fine job on black bear. My 308win "truck" gun is set up with 165gr accubonds for anything I encounter in BC within reasonable range....
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
I will probably watch my kid drop another with his .243. I will likely stick with my .308 and 150 grains just because its my newest rifle, but thats a game day decision. Bears aren't hard to kill, just let the air out and they don't go far.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
I'll be using my ole Lee Enfield with a 150gr interlock at about 2500fps on mine and my son's spring trip. I've used it for all my big game so far.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
It all depends which firearm I decide to pack, 300 win. mag with 180gr. Nosler Partitions spitzers, or 338 win. mag with 225 Nosler Partitions spitzers. Shot placement? Close range I'v taken two with 1 to the neck, they don't go very far. If they're out there a ways, say 50-75 yds. double lung them. I don't believe in shooting bear at long range, if you play the wind you can get very close.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Last spring was the 6.5 Grendel with a 115gr Barnes. This spring might be the 22 Creedmoor with 77gr LRX
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
todbartell
Last spring was the 6.5 Grendel with a 115gr Barnes. This spring might be the 22 Creedmoor with 77gr LRX
Isn't a 22 caliber a little on the lite side for bear? I would think that if it's not the absolute perfect shot could wound the bear and cause unnecessary pain ??
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
caddisguy
I keep it simple. 30-06 150gr and double lung. It's the biggest target and very fatal. Furthest I have had a double lung shot bear go is 15-20 yards. No meat wasted.
Same here, other than I've always shot them with a 180 grain .30-06 bullet...
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
I've only dropped one. But the 145g .270 sure did the trick. This year, if I can get my 308 dialed in I'll be carrying that. But, just because my fancy new BLR is light and easy to carry, that's what I want to use.
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Possibly a .308, but I have a 45-70 that I've never harvested an animal with. 300gr TSX sound good.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
6.5-300 wby mag 127gr lrx lung shot
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
maze
I'm going to be using 180gr 30-06 rounds, but i'm wondering if i could use 165gr if im 300 meters or less away...
I've killed moose at 325 yards with 30-06 165gr bullets, so sure you can.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
https://youtu.be/jZZBEBhZxLkhttps://youtu.be/jZZBEBhZxLkhttps://youtu.be/jZZBEBhZxLk
Tried to embed it, but no beuno.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stoneramhunter
Isn't a 22 caliber a little on the lite side for bear? I would think that if it's not the absolute perfect shot could wound the bear and cause unnecessary pain ??
Bullets matter more than headstamps.
Good bullets spun fast enough at an appropriate velocity are a lot more similar across diameters than Joe Average realizes these days.
There is a lot less difference in effective wound channel depth and width across a very wide range of cartridges when you mate good bullet construction with the right twist rate and adequate impact velocity.
https://youtu.be/jZZBEBhZxLk
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Anything you would hunt deer with is appropriate. I've killed bears cleanly with everything from a .223 up to a 375 Ruger.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
todbartell
Last spring was the 6.5 Grendel with a 115gr Barnes. This spring might be the 22 Creedmoor with 77gr LRX
Kinda like that mulie doe you took many moons ago, when Gatehouse was still wearing pink tutu's!! Moosin
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
moosinaround
Kinda like that mulie doe you took many moons ago, when Gatehouse was still wearing pink tutu's!! Moosin
Ah yes, the 'fireballed flat top'...I still remember a picture of gates sporting a mackinaw, balaclava and a set of green ape gloves (iirc)??!!! lol
'rifle
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
I’m running tried and true .308.
I’ve been stuck on using the 175 grain terminal ascent from federal, best bullet out there IMO.
Though I may bust a 500 S&W magnum out for the next bear and punch some half inch holes.. nothing quite like a 50 cal lever gun.. heh
that being said, one of my fastest cleanest kills was with a 6mm creed shooting a 95 grain bullet…
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
.280 Ackley Improved with 155 gr. Edge TLR handloads or 6.5 CM with 140 gr. Accubond handloads. Behind the shoulder, unless angling towards. Then into the shoulder.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
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Originally Posted by
KodiakHntr
Doesn't bullet mass and energy matter? I'm not up much on ballistics but im pretty sure my 7mm mag bullet is more lethal than any 22 at any distance because of mass and energy. The hydraulic displacement difference of blood alone between the 22 calibers and larger calibers would be significant would it not as well as bone damage having said that like i said im not a ballistics expert by any stretch.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
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Originally Posted by
RyoTHC
Though I may bust a 500 S&W magnum out for the next bear and punch some half inch holes..
I hear you on this post man, I have a 500 Jeffery that has only fired 10 rounds to be sighted in, I'm on the fence if I should take it or not.
On one hand it would be overly comforting to have a 500 Jeffery against black bear hunting with my 6 year old son
but
on the other hand I can shoot my parker hale lee Enfield like a shot gun (as soon as I pull it up it going to hit here I'm looking) and I've shot all my big game with it so far in my hunting adventures (mountain goat and 2 black tails)
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
A lot more similar than they are different.
You have to step WAY up in diameter and velocity to begin to make an appreciable difference. Not like a 7 mag pops deer apart like a 22-250 and a ground squirrel.
Not a lot of difference between a 3” permanent hole through shoulders and lungs from an appropriate 22 CF and a 3” hole bored through shoulders and lungs from a 7 mag.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Think I want to try and get one with my compound bow first, if not 300wmg 180 grain accubond or 270wsm win powermax 130 grain
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Evanguy
I hear you on this post man, I have a 500 Jeffery that has only fired 10 rounds to be sighted in, I'm on the fence if I should take it or not.
On one hand it would be overly comforting to have a 500 Jeffery against black bear hunting with my 6 year old son
but
on the other hand I can shoot my parker hale lee Enfield like a shot gun (as soon as I pull it up it going to hit here I'm looking) and I've shot all my big game with it so far in my hunting adventures (mountain goat and 2 black tails)
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You HAVE to take the 500....:)
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Anatomy of a black bear.
About mid point top-to-bottom, and forward of the mid point front-to-back.
Behind the shoulder for a double lung hit, which is very effective. Into the shoulder if bear is angling towards. Shoot for off-shoulder if angling away.
https://i.imgur.com/UF7bKYq.jpg
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gateholio
\
You HAVE to take the 500....:)
Well, that is a very valid point you make, i may just do that to break the gun in. A 570gr bullet at 2200fps should adequate
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
Going to try my hand at a bear with a bow this year. I don’t eat bear so not concerned if I don’t get to harvest one. In Alberta you only have to keep the hide. You can feee the meat to the birds / yotes.
passed on a lot of bears in bc because I didn’t want to deal with the meat. Only lookin for that rare hog of a bear for a rug.
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Probably the .375 Ruger Afrikaans with 250 grain TTSX.
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
6.5 needmoor or 257wby or maybe 300wsm with 210 LR ABs
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Re: Black bear hunting opinions
.308 M77 Hawkeye with 165grain federal fusions.
wait for a good double lung broadside on any decent bear without cubs