Black bear shot placement

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Hey guys, heading to the Bob in September on elk/deer/black bear combo hunt. I've never shot a bear before, and I'm hoping you can provide tips on the best shot placement for broadside/quartering away/quartering to. I am using a .308 with 180 grain Federal TBT. From what I've seen elsewhere, it is similar to deer/elk, but slightly further back than the point of the shoulder or just behind the shoulder.

 

[orelkaddict]

Years back I always aimed for behind the shoulder just like elk hunting. Now if I'm bow hunting for bears thats still the spot, but if I'm using a rifle then I will go high shoulder shot every time. I hate tracking bears and want to break them down on the spot whenever possible!!

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Middle of the middle (something like that)

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Middle of the middle (something like that)
View attachment 276715

That's what I've seen, but I'm anxious about gut shots. I would think just left of the red dot and down where that "puff" mark is would be high shoulderish?

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

If you shoot "behind" the shoulder then you will want to wait until the front leg clears.

 

[Coveyleader]

No way I would shoot middle of the middle. One, it's too vague on what's the actual "Middle"

 

[OneSkinnyHunter]

Good info here - following this one as I have a spring archery tag

 

[Spoonman]

You’ll hear a bunch of different responses on this. Middle of the middle is a hard one for a lot of people to understand and also has more room for error in my opinion(easy to hit too far back). For me I really don’t like losing meat so I’m not a huge fan of shoulder shots but in some cases it may be needed to drop em where they stand. I’ve shot all my bear behind the shoulder and they have all ended up in the freezer. Some blood trails worse than others but it’s worked for me. Also bear will make you question stuff some times. Some eat bullets for breakfast and go a ways and other fall right over on marginally placed shots.

 

[jaslam]

I go for high shoulders with the intention to break bones. Hoping to reduce the tracking effort that way. So far been working ok.

 

[Lowg08]

For no second guessing head shot. BUT behind the shoulder just a bit further back than a deer. Quartering away with the shot side leg forward is what I consider a best case scenario in my opinion.

 

[Lowg08]

General placement

 

[Bear_Hunter]

Based on your set up, I'd aim right behind the shoulder. And I'd rather error on the side of hitting slightly further forward rather than towards the back.

 

[rclouse79]

You are a smart man to be researching this now. I mistakenly thought right behind the shoulder was the best shot on all animals. My first shot went in right behind the shoulder and clipped the off shoulder. I had to make a follow up shot at a standing bear at close range. It got my heart going and is a memory I will not soon forget, but in the future I will strive to dump them in their tracks. I think my new plan will be to aim directly between the middle of middle and the back of the front shoulder.

 

[Adam Gibbs]

I've never shot one with a rifle, but for those considering using a bow, middle of the middle has worked extremely well for me twice. Both times, I had to consciously aim further back and as soon as the arrow hit, I thought "f@$&, I just gut shot it". Both times the bear ran 20 yards and died in a few seconds. It works well on my small sample size. I can't say I'd do that shot placement with a rifle though, just because broadheads kill differently that bullets.

 

[Coveyleader]

My experience...........more bears are lost due to being hit too far forward then back. From an archery point of view, I like to aim a hand width back off the crease on a broadside shot slightly lower than mid body up and down.

Have fun, good luck!

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Thank you for all the responses guys. I appreciate ALL the feedback. I'm hoping for a quartering away shot where I can simply let the near leg clearn and line up on the far leg, similar to my ideal bow shot on a whitetail. In that position, a well placed bullet should hook both lungs and smash the far shoulder. However, I want to be prepared for a straight up broadside opportunity as well.

Thank you also for the guidance on neck/head shots, but I am not confident in my ability to hit such a reduced target, plus if I'm fortunate to take a bear, I plan to preserve the skull.

Now the final question... Is it worth the risk to take a quartering to or straight on shot? Again, I'm not excited about wounding and potentially losing a bear or any animal for that matter.

 

[Lowg08]

I’m not a big fan of quartering to or straight on shots. I would rather wait myself. That is just me. A half dead or injured bear can be very dangerous.

 

[JNDEER]

I think it was on this site- but while back on some forum there was a great thread by a bear guide in CA or BC and he said middle of the middle with way more bear data kills than I will have in my lifetime.

 

[BackcountryBloodline]

Quartering away I'm actually aiming right behind the opposing shoulder, as lethal as it gets...frontal shots are most definitely deadly too but larger margin for error.

 

[rclouse79]

Thank you for all the responses guys. I appreciate ALL the feedback. I'm hoping for a quartering away shot where I can simply let the near leg clearn and line up on the far leg, similar to my ideal bow shot on a whitetail. In that position, a well placed bullet should hook both lungs and smash the far shoulder. However, I want to be prepared for a straight up broadside opportunity as well.

Thank you also for the guidance on neck/head shots, but I am not confident in my ability to hit such a reduced target, plus if I'm fortunate to take a bear, I plan to preserve the skull.

Now the final question... Is it worth the risk to take a quartering to or straight on shot? Again, I'm not excited about wounding and potentially losing a bear or any animal for that matter.

The few animals I have shot in the chest have dropped in their tracks.