high shoulder shots on bears

[ubettcha13]

The shots I've been apart of were with dogs and lever guns. 30-30 and 35rems mostly as well as my 06 pump. All but one were dead before reaching the ground. That one ran me over & stepped on my leg as it went by. If they are on the ground I'd hit them to take out the off shoulder at least and both if I had that shot. I've tracked them in some gawd awful places before they were shot. Having to track one wounded in those places would not be very restful to say the least

 

[ishootbear]

Shoulder shots are risky!too many variables with bullet construction .Shoot out the lungs and you will have a short recovery.never had a bear go more than 20 yards .Most drop with being shot with Bergers.

 

[Rustystud]

Black bears shot through both lungs rarely go 100 yards.
And are usually going away from the shooter after the shot.

Coastal brown bears and their cousins mountain grizzlies will go down with a double lung shot. But you take out only one lung and you become the hunted.

Generally hunting Browns one will be shooting a heavier rifle with controlled expansion bullets. If one shoots and breaks both shoulders the bear is planted long enough for a follow up double lung shot.

The great gun writer Bob Hagel once said "there is no such thing as having to much gun, dead is dead"

Nat Lambeth

 

[brentc]

It's true. Bears can run quite a ways when shot in the lungs. It's lethal, but when the area you're hunting strikes familiarity to Jurassic Park, it can be hard to find a bear for a couple reasons.

1) A bear's coat can soak up a lot blood following a hit. This means that a blood trail may initially be hard to find even if it's a lethal wound.

2) They are dark animals that tend to blend into shadows under a thick canopy, and they often crawl into the darkest hole or bush they can find before letting go.

I've seen it too many times. Just hit them in the shoulder and be done with it.

Never underestimate a bear's willingness to survive. Many will go straight down with one shot, and more will withstand several well placed shots. If you take out the shoulder, you'll either knock him straight down, or if he's a tough one, you'll have adequate opportunity to place another shot. It's hard to hit a bear that's running away from you in thick country.

 

[Long Dog]

Probably the best, most common advice I have heard!

 

[ishootbear]

I have never seen a bear that can breathe very long with both lungs shot out.20-30 seconds tops.I have however seen bear shot in the shoulder that were found later with hounds still going.Seen em shot with 180 partitons and barnes X with 300 weatherby and 300 win mag.I have been on hundreds of Bear kills and none that were shot through the lungs were hard to find.No animal will go far with both lungs gone.

just my .02

 

[HARPERC]

The reason for differences of opinion regarding shot placement on bear is either of these shots can produce less than desirable results. This is especially true on your big old boars for discussion sake a 7 footer. These guys are almost another species, almost always shot at dark, rarely more than 1 jump from the jungle. Using "ishootbear's" 20-30seconds on a good double lung shot' and doing the math as to how far a bear can go in this time will explain how these turn into hound hunts even when you do it right. Factor in seasonal differences in body structure, and maybe you only get one lung. A big fall bear may have 8-10 inches of fat over his ribs, catch it with that big "TERMINATOR" arm pulled back and your bullet has some work to do before it gets to a lung. Move back to miss it and next thing you know you're too far back. Either of these shots effectiveness in my opinion are enhanced by good heavy for caliber bullets. The Nosler 220 grain round nose in .30 is where I think the good ones start. I'll take which ever of these shots presents provided I've got the horsepower. I've never chased a bear shot with my .375 H&H.

 

[ishootbear]

Actually I said the "most" time they would have is 20-30 seconds.Never said that was typical.I personally Have never had a bear take more than a couple steps shot with my rifles.pretty easy to find laying where I shoot them.By the way I have taken monster bear with a bow also many over 7 foot all shot through the lungs never had any go more than 75 yards and that was with half of that rolling down hill.And I shoot them in the lungs .

Good luck on your hunts

how the heck do you post pics on here?

 

[Speedo]

Actually I said the "most" time they would have is 20-30 seconds.Never said that was typical.I personally Have never had a bear take more than a couple steps shot with my rifles.pretty easy to find laying where I shoot them.By the way I have taken monster bear with a bow also many over 7 foot all shot through the lungs never had any go more than 75 yards and that was with half of that rolling down hill.And I shoot them in the lungs .

Good luck on your hunts

how the heck do you post pics on here?

Blacks or browns? The blacks that I have shot have gone down a lot easier than the grizzlies. Generally if you can shoot them before they get a chance to get adrenaline pumping they go down a lot quicker.

Gus

 

[ishootbear]

Well I was talking Blacks ...No animal shot through the lungs is going to live long.Elk and moose have the biggest lung capacity of north American game and even they will not go far with both lung deflated.Elks full lung capacity is about 45 seconds without a breath. But only get one lung and Well good luck tracking him.i shot a big bull this last season at 905 yards that did not take a step shot through the lungs.It will be featured on here this month.

 

[Speedo]

Well I was talking Blacks ...No animal shot through the lungs is going to live long.Elk and moose have the biggest lung capacity of north American game and even they will not go far with both lung deflated.Elks full lung capacity is about 45 seconds without a breath. But only get one lung and Well good luck tracking him.i shot a big bull this last season at 905 yards that did not take a step shot through the lungs.It will be featured on here this month.

Never hunted elk so I won't comment on them, moose I have hunted. I've been either the shooter or standing by on well over a hundred of them and they aren't even close to a brown/griz when both are aware that you are there. I live close to salmon spawning grounds and we have some good sized brown bears around here, like on the road in front of my place. You might even run into a 10 footer in this area. If you have ever had to go into the brush after a wounded bear you wouldn't want to count on a lung shot bear having both lungs totally blown out. I've seen bullets expand and demolish a lung on an animal and I've also seen a hole through a lung that didn't do much damage at all. If you take out a shoulder you've slowed them down a bunch. Taking out the lungs is, more than likely, going to kill them but a big bear can do an unbelievable amount of damage before they expire.

Gus

 

[HARPERC]

I agree that 20-30 seconds with both lungs gone is not typical, but not unseen. I also agree with the comments on bow kills, I believe with the double lung lung shot bear die quicker with broadheads than bullets. Archery folks tend to avoid the big bones, wait for the position to be right more often than rifle shooters, and usually have a good exit hole. Back in the olden days when bait and hounds were legal here, too many late night calls asking to bring a dog to help find a bear, kind of shaped my thoughts on what it takes to avoid "atypical" results. I know of one bait set that 5 big bear were shot from over the years, and only one retrieved. When I mull it all around best "guess" is failing to get both lungs due to bullet construction. I don't have a preference shoulder, or lungs. I do have a preference for packing a rifle that allows me options, and works when things don't go just right.
Thanks for the bear picture, what are you packing there? I agree-those bullets that punch through without doing much damage are the ones that give the atypical 20-30 seconds, and use it to get someplace that will give a guy second thoughts about following.

 

[Speedo]

That's a 375 H&H, I shoot 300 gr. Swift A-Frames. I spined that particular bear, it was a radio collared sow that was 30 years old, she squared 7 1/2' and was well fed. She was a fair sized bear for an interior sow.

Gus

 

[akbushman]

When hunting black bear, heart n lung save the meat... Brown/grizzly would place no other shot than front shoulders if givin a choice. A brown/grizzly can take a double lung shot,eat you for lunch, crap you out before falling over dead. A friend was black bear hunting in a stand (Alaska) when a brownie came out. Not wanting to shoot but left with no choice because it was trying to get him and his buddy out of the stand, he took a lung shot and a shoulder shot with a 338 win mag. It left with a fury into the thick brush returning 30 secs later to attempt his hunter tree stand removal again. It was then shot point blank with 12 gauge slug just below the eye, and it headed for the brush again. When returning seconds later it took another hit from the 338 before dieing. After fish n game was called and bear was skinned it was found that the slug from the 12 gauge was stuck just under the skin not penetrating the skull at all. It is very important to get a good front shoulder shot with a big cal. rifle for brow/grizzly bear.gun)