Black Bear BH?

[Luked]

What is your alls preferred BH for Black Bears?
I am thinking of doing a Black Bear trip next year possibly and was wondering if a Mech would be a better choice than a Fixed head.
I have heard that a Mech with a large cut is better due to it keeping the wound open longer as the Bears long hair can close a smaller hole.
Have any of you found this to be right?
Just something I was wondering about while doing some looking.

 

[Beendare]

I've used everything from 2.5" mech heads to 2 blades. They all work.

The big Mech heads might not get a pass through due to the inefficient design....and after using the big over the top mech heads....I have seen better results with pass throughs.

Why not just use the tried and true NAP Thunderhead that has probably killed more critters than every other head?

...AND that head penetrates like crazy....5 for $40
NAP Thunderheads

 

[Luked]

I have plenty of BH to use.
My main question is weather a smaller hole from a fixed head would seal up with the thick hair from a bear.
Not the exact head to use.

 

[Trial153]

Black Bear are game that i definitely like a 1.5 -2.0 mechanical heads… SevR, Thrive, Raptor trick, Torch, REK… all great choices

 

[roosiebull]

What is your alls preferred BH for Black Bears?
I am thinking of doing a Black Bear trip next year possibly and was wondering if a Mech would be a better choice than a Fixed head.
I have heard that a Mech with a large cut is better due to it keeping the wound open longer as the Bears long hair can close a smaller hole.
Have any of you found this to be right?
Just something I was wondering about while doing some looking.

Black bear are softer than deer, and their vitals sit a little further back, so I think bear are made for big mechanical heads.

That being said, fixed heads make very quick work of them too, and the best blood trail I’ve had was a big bear and fixed head, it was a short trail, he ran through a swamp, and it was like a little red river, and blood poured on the skunk cabbage leaves, I could see the blood trail as far as I could see

If I was picking a head specifically for bear, it would be a 2” rear deploy like a trypan or T2, or a GK xl for a fixed head (or 150gr kudu with bleeders)

 

[Decker]

Bears are soft, and their hair soaks up a lot of blood. If shooting a low lb bow, shoot a cut on contact. Shooting 50+ mechanical work great. On bear I want the biggest cut I can get that does as much damage and bleeds out quickly.

 

[Blockcaver]

I like 3-blade 1.5" mechanicals on bears.....decent blood trails, excellent accuracy. Our hunting is almost all sport and stalk (or hounds) on blacks here....we can't hunt them over bait. Bow shots are often a bit longer than bait hunts in other jurisdictions.

 

[Mountain_Life]

The comments above are accurate. Vitals are located farther back from the shoulders and the black bear's thick hair has a tendency to make blood trails difficult.

Large diameter, rear deploying, mechanical broadheads are what seem to work the best in our bear camp.

Obviously any broadhead in the right place works, but you may as well make your selection based on a more reliable blood trail.

From what I've seen arrows seems to penetrate just as well if not better through black bears compared to whitetails.

 

[Pramo]

I'd go QAD exodus, Iron will wide or mechanical and shoot middle of the middle + 3 inches. Placement is most important the lungs sit farther back than ungulates

 

[HandgunHTR]

My last two bears were killed with single bevel Dirt Nap DRTs. The holes didn’t close up and neither bear went more than 40 yards.

One was a full pass through on a slight quartering away shot. The other shot was a heavy quartering away (bear turned at the shot) and the arrow entered the back ham and poked the heart. Not sue a mech head would have made it that far.