First bear season

[SouthBound]

i just moved to a state that has a bear season I can't wait to score my first black bear.. Thinking of getting a 300 win 180 nosler partitions are my favorite whitetail round.. Is this a mistake on bears? I love to have a little extra horse power thanks Will Lyman

 

[BallisticsGuy]

Between my dad, uncles and brother we've killed a semi-load of black bears. Not one of them needed any more than a .30-30 to the pumping station. A couple though did end up taking quite a lot more because it's kinda hard to tell anatomy on a black bear.

All that said, black bear don't take well to being shot. They frequently die right there but not always, just like any game animal. Usually they'll just run off and die (let them die, don't pressure a wounded animal). Occasionally though you get a mean spirited beastie that kills 12 dogs and takes 20 rounds of high power rifle ammo at 10 paces to go down.

What rifle you shoot a black bear with is tremendously less important than making a good shot to the pump. Bringing oodles of horsepower really isn't usually necessary however, my personal favorite bear gun is a .444 Marlin because it shatters bones extremely effectively and keeps em' from running real far into the bush. Remember, black bear are not that big. A monster would be 500lbs. Most I have killed and seen killed are in the 200lbs class and don't need any more than most people bring for deer.

What'll mess you up is after you take the feathers off it looks like you've got a human with the skin pulled off hooked up on a gambrel.

 

[IanCo]

I just shot my first bear the other night. I think it was tumbling down the creek bank before I had the trigger pulled completely, that was with a 6.5 Creedmoor at a 100 yards. It was under 200lbs for sure but I would feel pretty comfortable using it on most Black Bears with well placed shots.

 

[Jkling12]

My shot was 65 yards on a 200lb black bear last week with a creedmoor. 129lr accubond. Never heard the gun go off. Fell straight down and never moved. Our group shot 3 others that never made it 10 yards. One with a 7mm mag, 35 Remington, 30-30.

 

[IanCo]

I was shooting the 143gr ELDX, I didn't open up the cavity to see the damage but I think it was significant. It was quartering away and going up a steep creek bank. There was a lot of mushy/damaged tissue at the opposing shoulder when I quartered it but didn't find a discernible exit hole.

 

[HARPERC]

.....All that said, black bear don't take well to being shot. They frequently die right there but not always, just like any game animal. Usually they'll just run off and die (let them die, don't pressure a wounded animal). Occasionally though you get a mean spirited beastie that kills 12 dogs and takes 20 rounds of high power rifle ammo at 10 paces to go down.

What rifle you shoot a black bear with is tremendously less important than making a good shot to the pump. Bringing oodles of horsepower really isn't usually necessary however, my personal favorite bear gun is a .444 Marlin because it shatters bones extremely effectively and keeps em' from running real far into the bush. Remember, black bear are not that big. A monster would be 500lbs. Most I have killed and seen killed are in the 200lbs class and don't need any more than most people bring for deer.

Hope for the best, prep for the worst.

The .44's work well, depending on your style of hunt, I'd move up to the 200 Nosler, if you know it's going to be close the 220 Nosler will work first time, every time.

 

[aaronoto]

Shot my black bear at 230 yards with a .270win shooting a 140g Federal Trophy Bonded bullet. It jumped after the impact, ran 15 yards, then proceeded to roll down to the bottom of the basin I shot it in, made for a great pack out! My buddy took a black bear at 430 yards with a 300 win mag shooting a 180g Partition in a perfectly placed shot and the effects were devastating, the body cavity was a soupy mess. I wouldn't hesitate to use a Partition or Accubond on a bear, shoot whichever your gun likes better. If you haven't already, study up on shot placement for bears, it's a little further back than deer. If you hit shoulder a bonded bullet is nice or you better hope your scooting something heavy and moving it fast and keep shooting until it goes down.

 

[Nickb1075]

I shot my black bear at 35 yards with a 12ga, he ran about 20 yards and dropped. He weighed 280lbs dressed. You really don't need much. My friend took one with a Colt SSA 45. All about placement.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

Assuming that the scope on your shotty means a rifled barrel and/or a slug. That's not really going to qualify in my book as not being much. In fact it's right in the same energy level as a common big game hunting rifle would be. It's also bloody near a .75cal so the hole starts HUGE and gets bigger if there's any expansion. Looks like it bled hard though. That's a pretty big bruin for a blackie. Did you rug it?

 

[Nickb1075]

I wasnt really talking about my shotgun as "not being much". I was referring to my buddy's kill with a 45 long colt out of a revolver when I made that statement. Anyway, I still say they aren't any harder to kill then many other animals.

Yes, I am shooting a rifled barrel with a slug. Yes I did get a rug and euro mounted the skull. Then I tie trout flies out of the trimmings from the hide.

Nick

 

[BallisticsGuy]

Roger that. A paragraph break would have clarified that for me but regardless, you're still right. It doesn't take much if the shot placement is good. Now could we convince you to make with some pics? Wanna see that euro mount!

 

[Zerk]

Sometimes making a well placed shot on black object at dark isn't as easy as you think. The cross hairs get lost easy.

 

[Jerry M]

180 gr Partition from a .300 mag in the vitals will put the slam dunk on any black bear.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[Guy M]

Range is something to consider. Sometimes bears are hunted up close, sometimes on a spot & stalk hunt, the ranges can be considerable. And I've had both happen, on the same hunt.

Another hunter wounded one with a 300+ yard shot, and I got elected, or volunteered, or something... Next thing I knew I was in the brush with that bear, hearing him breathe, hearing him move, and unable to see him. Ended up shooting him at about 15 feet!

My son and his first bear, taken at about 150 yards with his 30-06 and 165 gr Nosler Partitions. It got shot a couple of times because it tried to leave after the first hit.

I've shot bear with both a 30-06/165 gr bullet, and also with my 375 H&H. Didn't need the 375, but it surely did work well. Your idea of a 180 Nosler Partition from a 300 Win mag would be an excellent choice where I hunt.

Regards, Guy