Advanced Black Bear Anatomy and Shot Placement Guide

[Phoneguy]

I found this last year and printed it out. It is done by the National Bowhunter Education Foundation. Has excellent diagrams on the anatomy of the bear and quite good detail on where to place your shot.

http://www.theidahosportsman.com/bear%20anatomy.pdf


James

[wildprotien]

Illustrated by Wayne Trimm I see.
I guided Wayne on a hunt about 18 years ago he loved to bow hunt.

[hunter1947]

That link that you have showen that arrow placement goes for all animals as well.

[srupp]

certainly well done, great learning tool..

Steven

[Poguebilt]

Great post... Hopefully LOC reads it and pulls the trigger on one this year!

[Beardy]

Hey Everyone!

So I'm going grizzly hunting very soon and I've been studying lots of anatomy pics and diagrams (like this one- great reference by the way). Anyways, this might be a stupid question, but for grizzly, I was told that for your first shot, you should aim at the shoulder, breaking it and anchoring the animal. Your second shot should be in the vitals to finish off the bear. SO for that first shot, how hard is it to break the shoulder? Are you aiming at the joint where the humerus connects to the shoulder blade? Or the shoulder blade itself? I guess I'm scared to take the shot and not break the shoulder and just end up with a wounded animal on my hands, since the shoulder and front legs are somewhat far from important vitals.
Thanks for your help!

[Wildfoot]

Hey Everyone!

So I'm going grizzly hunting very soon and I've been studying lots of anatomy pics and diagrams (like this one- great reference by the way). Anyways, this might be a stupid question, but for grizzly, I was told that for your first shot, you should aim at the shoulder, breaking it and anchoring the animal. Your second shot should be in the vitals to finish off the bear. SO for that first shot, how hard is it to break the shoulder? Are you aiming at the joint where the humerus connects to the shoulder blade? Or the shoulder blade itself? I guess I'm scared to take the shot and not break the shoulder and just end up with a wounded animal on my hands, since the shoulder and front legs are somewhat far from important vitals.
Thanks for your help!


I personally, would prefer the lung shot first - this way you know the animal will die a quick death. If you take a second shot.. id go for the shoulder - or another one in the lungs. If you hit the shoulder first, and for some reason do not take out one of the large arteries behind it, you risk injuring your bear. Then your kill shot is under pressure, which may increase the likelyhood of a miss or another injuring shot.

[srupp]

Beardy any premium well constructed bullet coming from a caliber suitable for grizzly hunting at reasonable ranges will break the shoulder and do the job.Do not be nervous..
Nosler..trophy barns TSX..etc etc..in 7mm or larger..from 80-150 yards will do the job admirably.
When I guided I suggested..well expected the client to be shooting between 80-150 yards..too close and the client was too nervous and IF a bad shot it would be difficult to get a second accurate shot off in time IF the bear decided to charge rather than run away..

I decided that most hunters I have guided have had trouble hitting a shoulder accuratly past 150 yards.. that being said as cool headed experienced hunter with a large magnum could close the distance somewhat on the close side and a bit further out also...

Most mistakes are shooting too far back as if the front leg goes straight up instead of angling forward..

You will do fine , go out and enjoy your hunt.

Steven

[Beardy]

Thanks alot for the advice srupp and wildfoot! I'll make sure to also read that thread mpotzold.

[srupp]

hmmm again I strongly suggest NOT to take the "lung shot" grizzly hunting is different than any othert north american game animal your primary goal is to imobilize the bear on the spot..this has been discussed here many times.

By imobilizing the bear on the spot you hopefully wont need to go into the thick stuff on HIS terms..and by hitting the shoulder you are driving not only the bullet but all the broken bone in through the lungs...

Steven

[Mr. Friendly]

a few quick questions:

what parts of the bear are considered edible? are there differences in what's preferred from black bear to grizzly?

edit - srupp, wouldn't a lung shot immobilize a bear? if your lungs are deflated you can't breath, you run out of oxygen quick, your body dies. I can see the heart shot being perhaps more effective...but perhaps I'm missing something? :confused:

[hunter1947]

The link is regarding bow shot placement ,not rifle. If I was going after a grizzly bear with a bow the shoulder would be the last place to put the arrow all the bone that is there you would surly have a problem with penetration concerning bone. If I was hunting a grizzly bear with a hi powered gun different story ,I then would shoot for the shoulder to immobilize.

[hunter1947]

a few quick questions:

what parts of the bear are considered edible? are there differences in what's preferred from black bear to grizzly?

edit - srupp, wouldn't a lung shot immobilize a bear? if your lungs are deflated you can't breath, you run out of oxygen quick, your body dies. I can see the heart shot being perhaps more effective...but perhaps I'm missing something? :confused:
Lung hart shot would be my placement if I was going after a black bear or Griz. Just make sure you have lots of back up like a shotgun or other when your hunting for bear.

[Phoneguy]

The link is regarding bow shot placement ,not rifle. .

Actually, in the text it also discusses rifle shots as well as bow shots. It does make distinctions between the two different types of projectiles.

James

[RiverOtter]

Put me firmly in the "Bust Bone" camp.

A grizzlies heart beats at a fraction of what a humans does(beats per minute) and thus they don't take as many breathes per minute either. That all boils down to taking longer to die, which is not good if they still have mobility.
Your best shot is your first one. If you can put him down with your first by breaking shoulder(s), you will have a stationary target for a follow up shot, if he tries to get back up.
With a lung shot, he'll be doing anything but sitting still.

This is one of the reasons that some guys "waste" money on expensive bullets, so they don't have to worry about a bullet stopping short of the engine compartment, because a shoulder got in the way.

RO

[blackwater]

Not disputing any of the above, but I have read and witnessed some differences. A lung/heart shot on an non-threatened animal often results in the animal standing there wondering why his legs aren't working so well - then a little stumbling around and flop. I have read that a bone-busting shoulder shot will stimulate some animals into great activity - for instance - a shoulder-shot goat will take that "immobilizing" kill shot and jump off the cliff. The same animal shot in the lungs will probably just wobble and crumple. This doesn't apply to an animal that knows you are there and is at full alert already...those ones are just waiting for something bad to happen.

Of course this isn't specific to bears but they are air breathing, blood circulating mammals just the same. Oh, and I'm talking rifle not bows.

[Mr. Friendly]

just a wee bump to see if anyone is up to answering my question about the edible portions of the black and grizzly bear?

[RiverOtter]

I have read that a bone-busting shoulder shot will stimulate some animals into great activity

I haven't read about it, but I have experienced it plenty. A bullet passing through both shoulder joints, not blades, renders the front end pretty much useless. Add to that, the heart is in close proximity, as well as the spine and you have a very good chance of anchoring a bear with one shot. I've seen deer, bears, moose and elk plow along with their back legs, while their front end skidded, but broken wheels make mobility nearly impossible. A heart/lung shot alone, although eventually fatal, does not limit movement until the animal physically bleeds out. On critters that bite back, that is a very important consideration, especially if they choose fight over flight.

RO

[Gateholio]

I haven't read about it, but I have experienced it plenty. A bullet passing through both shoulder joints, not blades, renders the front end pretty much useless. Add to that, the heart is in close proximity, as well as the spine and you have a very good chance of anchoring a bear with one shot. I've seen deer, bears, moose and elk plow along with their back legs, while their front end skidded, but broken wheels make mobility nearly impossible. A heart/lung shot alone, although eventually fatal, does not limit movement until the animal physically bleeds out. On critters that bite back, that is a very important consideration, especially if they choose fight over flight.

RO

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[srupp]

of course I wouldnt try to bust shoulders witha arrow..then of course the only shot is a broadside through and through of both lungs..WITH a reliable ,cool thinking, backup with a reasonably large rifle for if things go sideways..

EATING the meat...the 4 quarters is what i save..with the NON GUT METHOD..

The shoulder shot is for rifles..sorry If I missunderstood..

Steven

[blackwater]

I haven't read about it, but I have experienced it plenty.

RO

Are you saying you've experienced the increased activity or that you are speaking from greater experience? As I said I've only read about it...I've never shot anything through the shoulders as heart/lung or neck shots have been sufficient. This comes from growing up hunting little Island Blacktail for meat...mostly neck shots - despite all the negatives involved. The longest anything ran was 50 yards with a neck-shot (obviously didn't hit the neck-bone) whitetail. However, that doesn't negate the observations that in some cases (the afore mentioned Mountain Goat) a shoulder shot isn't perfect - and remember I'm talking calm un-alarmed animals. I will bow to your experience in the Grizzly category as I have zero other than bear spray.

Anyway, this thread was about bears so I will shut up now.

[RiverOtter]

I could have worded the first sentence a little better, as I wasn't trying to belittle you. To clarify, no, I have not noticed an increase in activity on shoulder shot animals, bears included. I have seen many impressive bang flops though, as the carpet is pulled out from under the front legs, via broken shoulders.

RO