Maine Black Bear Hunt!!!!

[Savage 12BVSS]

I seldom heard them coming in, they can be very quiet. I just bought a pair of 454 Casull Raging Bulls I'd like to try but my hunting days are over. Make up 4 hooks out of wood round handrail with the flat on the bottom & a 60p common or sinker bent nail so you can hook them thru the wrist front & back to carry them out & get them cool asap as bear meat doesn't last like deer. Wish I could go. Hope you get a bobcat close screaming. Enjoy!

A bear makes a deer or moose sound loud compared to them, especially coming in to bait. They're dark color and pretty much soundless, they are just suddenly there. I forgot bobcats, they are one of the few sounds that make the hair on the back of your neck stand right up. Hunted up here all my life and walked the woods in the dark, in and out from stands without any real fear, coyote pack run up on you in the dark going into stand will give you a real rush. Walking up on a bull moose during rut is what made me start carrying a gun up in the north woods ( a chainsaw and the LORD kept me from getting rearranged that time). But a bear good and close that you don't even know is there gets my vote as the biggest thrill of all. Glad there's no grizzlies up here!The close up sow ate my first game cam pretty good for taking a close-up.

 

[Deleted member 112174]

I like the 420 gr hard cast with a flat point. Have shot elk with it and a free ranging bison. Causes critters hit with that to become very "leaky" and good blood sign. AS they say, "you can eat right up to the hole"; lower amount of meat damage.

 

[wv270wsm]

Definitely take the 45-70 change out the optics though. Get something with lots of light gathering capabilities. An illuminated reticle wouldn't be bad either .
We run bear with hound here in Wv last season the group we hunt with killed 16 total seen them shot with everything from a 243 to the 45-70 you've mentioned . The deadliest I seen one killed this past year was a little boy I believe 6 years old with a 7mm08 . Thought we were going to have to climb the tree to get mr bear out. But he finally kicked a time or so and out he came.
The one gentleman we hunt with has a 45-70 he sometimes back up shoots with it flat stomps a bear for sure . Seen his daughter shoot one in early season with it . One shot and done

 

[flylo]

Nothinging funner that sticking one with an arrow just at dark & climbing out of the tree in the dark & hiking back to camp. When they know you're there they lay out of sight close & smap their teeth wanting you to leave. We normally ran gogs at dawn with a friend, rebaiting our stands at the same time then went out about 3PM to bait hunt in ground blinds. Bear here love smoked pork, bacon, ham, etc. We did it all ourselves & would start baiting just before season & really pile it on. After season started we;d short bait them if w had multiple bear coming in which you spread sand or a bit of flour to tell. Short baiting seem to bring the bigger ones in 1st. We've even cattied bait out at dark back to camp to bring them in earlier.

 

[Bingoc]

Definitely 45-70 Marlin guide gun, Beartooth 405 or 425 hard cast gas checked bullets and H-322 powder yields velocities 1900 to 1950 fps. Bears with no Adrenalin just fold up absorbing that energy at distances to 125 yards with a decent shot placement. You'll be surprised how flat a trajectory these bullets yield over a 100 yards, but the recoil needs some getting used too.

 

[flylo]

Try the 454 Raging Bull at 2000 fps & over 2000 ft pds of energy. here's a 20 year old Gun Test written by pro gun testers. https://www.gun-tests.com/issues/12_2/features/-4467-1.html The good thing is it shoots mild 45LC, Hot 45LC close to 44 mags & 454 Casull. There's a debate on the most powerful production handguns but the 454 Casull is the undisputed hardest kicker. That doesn't count the rifle cartridge BFRs like my 450 Marlin BFR. https://www.fieldandstream.com/hardest-kicking-rounds-all-time/ There's a story I don't know if true or not saying the 1st time you shoot a raging bull load only one rd as they're double action & someone shot & it recoiled into his face & he pulled the trigger by instinct trying to stop it & shot himself dead in the head. Mine are the SS 6.5" I bought on sale for $450 ea where changed to the God awful black ones they have now. https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsupers...matte-stainless-revolver-with-6.5-inch-barrel

 

[Tiny Tim]

As others have stated, it will be dark! That last ten minutes of light in the thick stuff that bears thrive in is like 20 minutes after season in the open fields. Couple that with a black reticle on black fur makes for some interesting uses of flour and other things as someone suggested as a background. Logs and sticks also make good a good gauge for size. As with others, I'd opt for the 45-70. Shots will be close enough. And seriously consider a brighter optic. And good luck! Been alot of years since I lived and hunted there.

 

[flylo]

The 1st one you shoot you'll swear weighs 600# rill you find it. Harder to judge the weight of a bear as you can a deer.

 

[Alibiiv]

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@Varmint Hunter what are loading those with? what is your go do powder? I haven't spent any time reloading for the 45-70 but have the stuff to do it. It was one of those guns I always thought was cool to have, just don't do anything with. Probably don't have 50 rounds through it and I shot 15 yesterday.

I don't know how much reloading you have done, would like to suggest that you invest in the Lee Professional Crimping ($20) tool to load the 45-70s with. The crimping die makes setting up the crimp extremely easy and consistent. What I found was that the case length will vary somewhat as a result the taper crimp in the seating die, if set too deep, will buckle the cases. The Lee tool has three lugs that crimp in from the sides and squeeze the brass in to form the crimp. It's really a great tool.

 

[flylo]

I use starline brass, 405gr hard cast.I load 50 gr. of Varget into the shell and tapped the shell a bit to level and settle the powder. I then used my caliper to measure from the top of the shell to the top of the powder. Next I took this measurement to my lead bullet, I found from that the bottom of the bullet to middle of the crimp grove was the same as the distance from the top of the shell casing to the top of the powder.I used federal 210 primers and I seat the bullet using a good crimp using Lee dies.In my opinion this produces a cartrage where the bullet seats firmly on the powder with out compressing the powder and leaves no air space.There is also no debris left in the barrel of my GG. mv is in the 1600 fps range and does not recoil to the same degree as does H4198

 

[Deleted member 112174]

I worked up a load for my Marlin Cowboy ,45-70 for a Bison hunt in Wyoming several years ago. I used the Cast Performance 420 grain flat point with a gas check. Using Reloader 7 I had a load that was to deliver 1600 fps. I shot ten of them from the bench...Please pass the advil. I was not happy with the group at 100 yds, but it wasn;t bad. A guy next to me was shooting an AR in .223. He looked at my target and said, "If that was a buffalo, he'd be dead!" I pulled the rest of the bullets and backed the load down to around 1300 fps. Much more pleasant to shoot, but still enough to keep you alert. I later shot a 7 year old bull at 35 yds and got complete penetration. He ran about 45 yds and stopped. Very little blood in the tissues around the bullets path. The .45-70 is an effective tool.

 

[loren holland]

I shot a Maine black bear Sep 11, 2019. I took what I had, 300WM with Viper5-25. It was way too much scope, and stayed on 5 power. I was glad to have something that picked up that much light though. I saw 2 boars, both at last light, by minutes. The lighted reticle was a life saver.
My god bears can show up out of nowhere. They both just materialized. White tails got nothing compared to how scary quiet this bear was.
I saw a bunch of calibers in camp. One guy even had a 30-30. So don't stress the caliber. Do pay attention to good glass, be ready to shoot in almost pitch dark, and wait for the quartering away shot... I put a 180 soft point ( MV 2965, spread of less than 15 FPS, and grouping .75) all the way through the boiler room from 24 yds (on the ground) and he still ran ,circling me, before he died 7 yds behind me. My .44 was drawn those last few yds, it was a little unnerving hearing him roar and crash through the brush heading towards me.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

My God bears can show up out of nowhere. They both just materialized. White tails got nothing compared to how scary quiet this bear was.

They never show up early unless cubs, the bigger and older they are the later they arrive. Scopes make the difference in the low light shots ( I love my zeiss ). Good hunt and they often circle to wind you when they have no clue where you are, either that or head in a straight line towards horrible cover.

 

[Powell]

Thanks guys, Lots of good info and knowledge. Appreciate it all.