I used to hunt bears with hounds, you don't need much when they are in a tree. Things can get a little hairy on the ground if ya got a bear that wants a go round. I guided a cat hunter who used an Encore pistol in .243 Win. And shot vmax bullets. A black bears brisket isn't very thick at all. I think this would work well for what I'm describing above. There are to many different ways to hunt them, to answere th3 question farely
Hi TG, I know what your perspective on this subject is, we've had this discussion before! I'm on the other end of the continuum. I'm there for a week, I've paid a considerable amount of money, for my budget, and I'd like to get the job done. My artillery is comprised of 35 Whelen, .358 Winchester and an 1895 Marlin Guide gun in 45-70. I've never used the Guide Gun, however have seen a number of bear that have been shot with the 45-70 with impressive results. I've shot a number of bear with the 35 Whelen, and one bear with the .358 Winchester, great calibers for bear hunting.