How close is too close?

[Pigdog]

How close is too close to take a shot on a big black bear?
Last week I was out in the central Oregon wilderness for archery elk season. I was calling for a friend who was hunting with a stick bow. While we were creeping around a big meadow to get the wind right he had a black bear that we estimate was 350lbs walk across the trail less than ten feet in front of him. He already had an arrow nocked and came to full draw but didn’t take the shot. His reasoning, which I support, was that the bear was so close there was a good chance it would turn and fight instead of run. What do you guys think? How close to a 350 pound black bear would you take a shot with a bow?

 

[KHNC]

I hit one in the head with a stick as it was coming down a trail to a wallow at 7-8ft. If i had a tag i would have killed the hell out of it. He had just cost me a 5x5 bull by chasing it as i was at full draw. He was 350+ we guessed. My buddy had his .45 out too. lol. It slammed on the breaks, hesitated a second, said WTF and then ran off.

 

[dlee56]

I shot a 6'7" black bear in Colorado at 12 yards with a bow in 2019 and he just ran off. I wouldn't hesitate shooting closer if he was closer.
Spent a lot of time around black bears and in my experience folks are way more scared than they should be. My brother and I were charged when we unknowingly walked up on the bear's buried elk calf kill, bear charged in to about 3yards and then turned and ran away just because we stsrted yelling at it.

 

[WCB]

I would have shot...sounds like perfect opportunity.

 

[Ralphie]

If it was truly too close to shoot, I’d take one step backwards then fling.

In other words he really should have shot.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Shoot and do not move a muscle. He'll focus on the point of entry and bite at it. He's gonna wanna bite something. If you become a statue and he doesn't see any motion he'll likely bolt. If you lower the bow after the shot...you may become a target.

 

[gsckorohod]

How close is too close to take a shot on a big black bear?
Last week I was out in the central Oregon wilderness for archery elk season. I was calling for a friend who was hunting with a stick bow. While we were creeping around a big meadow to get the wind right he had a black bear that we estimate was 350lbs walk across the trail less than ten feet in front of him. He already had an arrow nocked and came to full draw but didn’t take the shot. His reasoning, which I support, was that the bear was so close there was a good chance it would turn and fight instead of run. What do you guys think? How close to a 350 pound black bear would you take a shot with a bow

No issue with a close shot. They’ll just bail

 

[Pigdog]

Well, it seems pretty unanimous that he should have let it fly. Now I guess have to go back out to the mountains…

 

[Werty]

I love to shoot one that close!

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Your buddy should have shot that bear.

 

[RWK3]

I shot a nice bear this year at ~10 yards. He roared, snapped at the arrow, spun 180 degrees and ran off. Found him the next morning about 15 yards from where I shot him. Your buddy should have shot that bear.

 

[Hunt260]

He’s hunting bear with a stick bow, how far away does he want em? Also if I’m worried I’ll have to kung fu fight a black bear I’d rather do it after the bear has an arrow in his chest.

 

[Hookedoutdoors]

Fling it!

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Fling it!

Yeah, 99.999% of the time, black bears at super close range run for the hills when they realize they're out-gunned.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

 

[Nick Muche]

Never had a black bear do much of anything besides run off quickly and die close, few times they've moved real slow and died within yards. Grizzly's and Brown Bears at 10-12 yards, of which I've seen several shot that close, a few have run directly towards us but the majority have run the other way. The reactions after an arrow hits the two 2 different species are quite a bit different. Grizzlys/Browns are usually looking for the culprit, black bears typically run away.

 

[go_deep]

Shot one at a real life 4' about 5 years ago, he made it about 25', dead.

 

[Cedarsavage]

I guess I'm not sure what he was expecting by hunting with a stickbow. It's kinda the point to get close

 

[journeyman713]

 

[Scoot]

That's crazy talk! I'd have shot it every time at that distance.