Shot placement on bears?

[MichelD]

Where do you place your shot on a bear?

I have usually done a heart lung shot if the area is open enough to determine which direction the fatally shot bear will run before dropping.

But the last couple places I have been seeing bears while walking include some spots where the side road drops steeply for 100 yards or more so I'm wondering if there is a way to anchor one on the spot. Not sure if I'm very enthusiastic about climbing down a sheer 100 yard-plus devil's club laden embankment looking for a wounded bear.

I have done it before, accidentally shooting high and getting them in the spine and through the shoulders once, but I'm wondering if my 280 with Federal 140 grain trophy bonded bullets will go through both shoulders.

I've been bear hunting long enough to know that they are tough.

[srupp]

1/2 way between elbow and shoulder..
I use 140 grain mostly on bb" .270..works just fine
This year used .338 due to guaranteed grizzly encounters.
Cheers good luck
Steven

[Firstblood]

I divide the bear up in thirds and shoot one third from the front, one third from the bottom (of the body, neck not included) hoping to find at least one shoulder. Angles change but tracking bears is no fun so I use a bigger gun. (9.3x62-293gr)

[weatherbyjunkie]

I divide the bear up in thirds and shoot one third from the front, one third from the bottom (of the body, neck not included) hoping to find at least one shoulder. Angles change but tracking bears is no fun so I use a bigger gun. (9.3x62-293gr)

Agreed. Destroy front shoulder, anchor bear.

[tdot]

If I want to anchor them, then a high shoulder will drop them where they stand. There will be considerable meat damage, so I prefer to avoid that shot if I can. Another option if the bear is facing you and standing, center of the chest, about armpit height or slightly higher. I've never seen any CNS shot animal drop as fast. But you better be confident in your shot placement, a miss of only a couple inches to either side will take out one lung and not much else.

I've used both these shots with both a 6.5 and 338 calibers, they were pure copper bullets. I have seen Accubonds used on the high shoulder and it was equally as effective as the copper bullets. Just alot more meat lost.

[HarryToolips]

I've put them down both with double lung broadside or through the heart directly from the front, all the times I've shot bears they've dropped on the spot..

[Fella]

Last bear i shot was through the shoulder. Tipped him over and he was dead seconds later. This was at 20 yards using .30-06 180gr bb feds

[r106]

I've put 3 bullets into a bear once, heart and lungs gone, 1 arm gone still ran 50 yards into some think nasty blow down.

High shoulder for me every time now. Anchor him and put a follow up in him if needed

[steel_ram]

Aim for opposite shoulder.

[finngun]

Texas hearth shot makes winnie really mad.. little messy too..not recommend..

[warnniklz]

https://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u258/elkhunter76/BlackBearShotplacment.jpg

[Rayne]

That’s a great diagram

[Drillbit]

If you want them to drop, hit them center mass when they are broadside. That's with a 222 or 223. Not sure with a heavy slow bullet.

[walks with deer]

shot many in the head..

[madcalfe]

ive shot all my black bears in the noodle works like a charm

[orest.06]

Thanks for the illustration for shot placement.
Who here knows black bear behaviour in the rain? Do they hunker down or wander around foraging as usual?
Appreciate your experienced intel cuz hunting in the rain isn’t an optimum experience especially if Yogi is at home snoozing!

[walks with deer]

they dont move asmuch in rain but once it stops bam