That from a dumpster bear by chance? Never see anything remotely like that on a Rocky Mtn bruin, they have to work too hard to make a living...
What bullet for black bears?
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That from a dumpster bear by chance? Never see anything remotely like that on a Rocky Mtn bruin, they have to work too hard to make a living...
Side note regarding bear fat, I've yet to see any on Rocky Mtn bruins anywhere but near the back end and up on top. The shoulder area is this country just doesn't gather enough to consider.
One more thing to consider regarding black bears, they're shoulders aren't much to punch thru. Most anything from a 223 on up will do so. The downside to a hard bullet is that if one errors towards the rear (IE bad hit in behind the lungs) in the soft tissue then IME one is better off using a softer bullet, one that will tear up as much of the guts as possible.
One of the best bears I've ever guided a fella to and the fella was one of the most experienced hunters I ever hunted with the fella launched a hard bullet (SAF) at the big boy (out of his 340 Wby) and hit it back in the guts. We searched for two days for the bruin, never found it. To this day I'm convinced that if he'd of been using a softer bullet like the 200 NBT that we'd of found it. But then again that's just a guess...
One more thing to consider regarding black bears, they're shoulders aren't much to punch thru. Most anything from a 223 on up will do so. The downside to a hard bullet is that if one errors towards the rear (IE bad hit in behind the lungs) in the soft tissue then IME one is better off using a softer bullet, one that will tear up as much of the guts as possible.
One of the best bears I've ever guided a fella to and the fella was one of the most experienced hunters I ever hunted with the fella launched a hard bullet (SAF) at the big boy (out of his 340 Wby) and hit it back in the guts. We searched for two days for the bruin, never found it. To this day I'm convinced that if he'd of been using a softer bullet like the 200 NBT that we'd of found it. But then again that's just a guess...
Badlands Bulldozer.
ofbandg
Well-Known Member
It is true black bears can be killed quite readily with just about any big game rifle but regardless of what rifle or caliber you are using I don't believe they should be shot at long range. Unless they are in full sunlight it's hard to tell their size, whether it's a boar or a sow, and if it is a sow whether it has cubs. Even inside of 500 yards, in any kind of poor light they are just a black blob and putting your crosshairs on the vitals is a guessing game. Hit a black bear anywhere, even in the foot, it will go down and then jump back up and take off running. They don't react to hits like other animals so you are left guessing how solid your hit was. Finally, anyone who has done a lot of bear shooting will tell you one of the ugliest sounds you will ever hear in the woods is a wounded bear crying. Get as close as you can and make a one shot kill.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
That from a dumpster bear by chance? Never see anything remotely like that on a Rocky Mtn bruin, they have to work too hard to make a living...
Nope - We were hunting in New Brunswick near the Bay of Fundy.
memtb
Well-Known Member
I agree with this post in many ways…..one of which, shooting at long range.
My wife's last bear showed up in a very small opening on a timbered ridge right behind our camper while we were elk hunting.
While she was getting comfortable on her shooting sticks, I ranged the bear at 378 yards. I told her, "hold high on the shoulder"! Moments later her .338WM sent a 225 Barnes TTSX on it's way. The bear instantly collapsed, disappearing from view....and we were on our way up the ridge.
I got to the bear before my wife, observed the bear and called out to my congratulations with….."I got some good news and some bad news!" I answered her "what?" with……." The good news, a beautiful shot…..the bad news, you shot a baby"!
She got the bear she had wanted for a long time, a beautiful, fully "furred-out", jet black bear with a white blaze on the chest. The bad part, a young, small bear which was only 5' nose to tail!
She made a good shot, he made beautiful rug…..but it was a bit smaller rug than she would've liked.
Bears are very hard to judge, especially in timber/brush at distance! memtb
Back when I was chasing bears a lot, I'd look at between 35-50 different ones a year (all spot n stalk no baiting). During those days I felt pretty comfy in my assessments. I was only interested in mature males, that would go 19" plus and square over 6'.
Of the 35-50 that I would look at during the course of the year normally one to three of them would meet what I was looking for. Course getting on them is another deal...
All that said is to say that bears are incredibly tough to judge for body size (squaring), sex and size of skull.
From time to time they could still fool me, the good deal is/was I just didn't care if I took one or not so I spent a lot of time sizing them up.
I do love watching and studying bears, I've been a crazy mad student of them since 1982.
Memtb, your wifes 5' from nose to tail bruin is more than likely the average bear taken in the Rocky mountains on a yearly basis. Side note, a shot of the sticks at 378 yards is a hell of a shot on a bruin.
Of the 35-50 that I would look at during the course of the year normally one to three of them would meet what I was looking for. Course getting on them is another deal
...All that said is to say that bears are incredibly tough to judge for body size (squaring), sex and size of skull.
From time to time they could still fool me, the good deal is/was I just didn't care if I took one or not so I spent a lot of time sizing them up.
I do love watching and studying bears, I've been a crazy mad student of them since 1982.
Memtb, your wifes 5' from nose to tail bruin is more than likely the average bear taken in the Rocky mountains on a yearly basis. Side note, a shot of the sticks at 378 yards is a hell of a shot on a bruin.
memtb
Well-Known Member
Back when I was chasing bears a lot, I'd look at between 35-50 different ones a year (all spot n stalk no baiting). During those days I felt pretty comfy in my assessments. I was only interested in mature males, that would go 19" plus and square over 6'.
Of the 35-50 that I would look at during the course of the year normally one to three of them would meet what I was looking for. Course getting on them is another deal
All that said is to say that bears are incredibly tough to judge for body size (squaring), sex and size of skull.
From time to time they could still fool me, the good deal is/was I just didn't care if I took one or not so I spent a lot of time sizing them up.
I do love watching and studying bears, I've been a crazy mad student of them since 1982.
Memtb, your wifes 5' from nose to tail bruin is more than likely the average bear taken in the Rocky mountains on a yearly basis. Side note, a shot of the sticks at 378 yards is a hell of a shot on a bruin.
She's a hellofa shot. Proves that nearly every year"
I should tell the story about the "magic bullets" that I load for her. The "Readers Digest" version - About 10 or 12 years ago, were hunting with some neighbors, and my wife made a pretty impressive shot….the neighbor lady still talks about it! memtb
Luckily here in Alaska you can kill three or more black bears in most areas. So if your first one is smaller than you'd like, you can still go find a bigger one.
Hopefully the brownies are out once I get back from work.
Montucky Roamer
Well-Known Member
Use a soft violent bullet like the 140 or 147 eldm. Shoot em in the middle of the middle. No drama. That's actually where there lungs are, well they r further back than deer etc. They r easy to kill, and soft all over, except the leg bones maybe.
I hate getting two holes in bears.
Means the bullet didn't operate the way I wanted it to , if I do.
I hate getting two holes in bears.
Means the bullet didn't operate the way I wanted it to , if I do.
ratso000
Member
Frank in the Laurels
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...how is it possible to compile a list of big game bullets without listing the time tested, hunter approved Nosler Partition....disgraceful
Frank, or the Swift A-frame, same concept.
