Last year I got the opportunity to help guide in the Bristol Bay area of Alaska for brown bear. It was a great experience and it's about all I think about now. Headed back in August 19. Our first client we had was shooting a 338 win mag and I thought nothing of it. Well after poor performance on a brown bear at 100+/- yards, tracking it into an alder patch and having to finish her with a 375 Ruger mag. Skip ahead a couple days to bear number two. Shot at about the same distance, bear takes off into the alders never to be seen again, ending the hunt for the client, costing him a trophy fee and really upsetting me. I don't like to leave a wounded animal in the field. It got me thinking is 338wm enough gun? It wasn't till the next day we flew out of camp I saw his bullet selection, 200 grain sst....I'm guessing here is our problem. Caliber is discussed with the client but never bullet selection. No, as a helper/assistant and now apprentice working towards my guide license its not my place to suggest what bullet to use. With the clients we have, alot of them have little hunting experience, they go buy a fancy gun in a large caliber and the first box of bullets they see and go for it.
So going forth in preparation for the bear hunts we are now wanting to suggest bullets for the clients to use for a given caliber. 338 and 375 are by far the most used. I was thinking Nosler partition? but after that I don't really know. Thought about Barnes, but will they expand at close range? Would like some more input on 338 win mag, 375 hh and 375 Ruger. Factory ammo, I doubt any of these guys reload.
Hope you made it through my long/short story and don't bash on me......I'm far from a writer!