Didyou read Phi Shooemaker's reply a Bear Guide in Alaske for 25 Years, He stated that he has stoped up close charges with a 30-06. Phil has a reputation for produceing big bears and states that a BIG BORE is not needed or recomended for a hunter hunting un wounded bears I hunted and lived in Alaska for 7 years and knew of nolocals that hunted the big bears or guide that recomended his client to hunt or carry anything larger than a 375 H&H.
A big gun does not neccesarly put a bear down instantly with one shot careful shot placement being mor important than caliber
again I am going tpo post Phil Shoemakers recomendations as he has 25 years experience as a Bear Guide:
Posted by Phil Shoemaker:
458Win
one of us
Posted Oct 5, 10:06 AM Hide Post
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ONE BEST BROWN BEAR CALIBER. A good bear hunter can make do with most any reasonable caliber. For most of the past seventy years the rifle of choice for the vast majority of Alaskan guides was the 30-06 and it still works as well today -actually even better with modern bullets - than ever. I have used one to kill half a dozen big bears - including serious up-close full-on charges.
That said, I don't consider it the ultimate big bear caliber but it works.
I don't have the exact number of bears my clients have killed over the past 25 years but it is somewhere between 100 and 150. In my experience the "ideal" calibers begin with the 338 Win, include the 358 Win, 35 Whelen, 9.3x62, 375H&H and up to the modern 45-70 loads.
The various 416's and 458's are great as a stopper for guides who might be required to stop a charging, wounded bruin but are absolutely un-necessary for any qualified hunter after un-wounded bears. If you honestly can handle one well they are fine but 99%+ of every hunter I've seen carrying the biggest bores are unreasonably afraid of both their rifles and of bears , which is a deadly combination. That is why if you ask the vast majority of experienced big bear guides what caliber they recommend they will recommend something close to what I have. A gut shot bear with a 460 WBY is a lot more dangerous than one heart shot with a 30-06.
Phil Shoemaker
A big gun does not neccesarly put a bear down instantly with one shot careful shot placement being mor important than caliber
again I am going tpo post Phil Shoemakers recomendations as he has 25 years experience as a Bear Guide:
Posted by Phil Shoemaker:
458Win
one of us
Posted Oct 5, 10:06 AM Hide Post
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ONE BEST BROWN BEAR CALIBER. A good bear hunter can make do with most any reasonable caliber. For most of the past seventy years the rifle of choice for the vast majority of Alaskan guides was the 30-06 and it still works as well today -actually even better with modern bullets - than ever. I have used one to kill half a dozen big bears - including serious up-close full-on charges.
That said, I don't consider it the ultimate big bear caliber but it works.
I don't have the exact number of bears my clients have killed over the past 25 years but it is somewhere between 100 and 150. In my experience the "ideal" calibers begin with the 338 Win, include the 358 Win, 35 Whelen, 9.3x62, 375H&H and up to the modern 45-70 loads.
The various 416's and 458's are great as a stopper for guides who might be required to stop a charging, wounded bruin but are absolutely un-necessary for any qualified hunter after un-wounded bears. If you honestly can handle one well they are fine but 99%+ of every hunter I've seen carrying the biggest bores are unreasonably afraid of both their rifles and of bears , which is a deadly combination. That is why if you ask the vast majority of experienced big bear guides what caliber they recommend they will recommend something close to what I have. A gut shot bear with a 460 WBY is a lot more dangerous than one heart shot with a 30-06.
Phil Shoemaker
