Just a quick "what do you use" thread.

[norman1wv]

What do you use to hunt bear?

From my research I hear mentions of .338 rem mag, .375 H&H, even the lowly .270. I don't want to ask what is best, but just what you personally use. I understand bears can be dangerous if wounded so what do you trust with you life?

 

[rlmmarine]

Open sight 30 30 in North Carolina is absolutely the best followed by a 44 mag lever. 12 slugs are absolutely the worst. We've chased more wounded bears shot with a slug.View attachment 77126

 

[BAKPAKR]

If you are talking black bears, I have shot bears in West Virginia with a 6.8 spc, a 270 Win, a 300 Win Mag and bows. All were one shot kills. In Idaho, I shot several with a 44 Magnum revolver. I don’t think black bears are all that tough.

 

[Trial153]

My bow.

 

[weekender7]

8 with a bow

 

[VernAK]

"Ain't the arrow......It's the Indian"

Any reasonable cartridge for big game with quality bullets placed in vital area.

The 12 ga is very deadly with quality slugs......Brenneke!

 

[jray5740]

Rifle Season-300 Remington Ultra Magnum, 200 gr Accubond Bullet. Remington 700 Sendero rifle Topped with Vortex Razor Optic.

Archery Season-Hoyt Vector, 300 Spline Arrow, Hypodermic 100 gr broadhead.

The same applies to all of my big game hunting in Colorado from Antelope to Elk to Bear to Deer.

 

[WJS23]

I use my first production run marlin 1895G with Buffalo Bore..... it a little overkill for Black bears but I love the way the gun handles

 

[OFFHNTN]

What do you use to hunt bear?

From my research I hear mentions of .338 rem mag, .375 H&H, even the lowly .270. I don't want to ask what is best, but just what you personally use. I understand bears can be dangerous if wounded so what do you trust with you life?

Are you talking Brown bear with those calibers?! Black bears are not all that hard to kill even with a .243
To answer your question, I use a bow and arrow.

 

[npm352]

Killed two with .300 win mag. Killed a 20.5 inch bear with a $119 Samick Sage recurve. Killed my last this spring over bait with a .375 H&H. Hot them right woth anything and you're fine...but that can be a tough animal with a marginal shot.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J120A using Tapatalk

 

[MallardSX2]

760 Gamemaster Pump. 30-06. 180 grain bullets.

 

[EcoastDG]

Browning 300 win mag loaded with Partitions.

 

[norman1wv]

I have been looking at some pretty exotic ammo/rifles and just wondered if anyone actually pays the premium to shoot them or use them in the real world. I have always been fond on hard hitting rounds. No weatherby mags yet? take out a loan to buy a brick of that stuff.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

I have been looking at some pretty exotic ammo/rifles

sounds like you might like a big bore double barrel rifle...

 

[MTarrowflinger]

7mm-08 with 145gr Barnes LRX.

 

[KJH]

I've shot lots of black bears. Been at the shot for even more. My first choice is a well placed arrow. The second choice is a 12 gauge slug. Slugs are absolutely deadly on baited bears. If I had to pick a firearm, the 12 gauge slug is far and away my choice. (I've never shot anything with a slug other than paper and bears.) The last, and only bear I've killed with a rifle was not planned, so I used a borrowed 45-70. It did the trick and the bear didn't even take a step. I've shot one with a .45 ACP in 1911. It never took a step either.

Of the rifle choices you listed I'd opt for a open sight or low magnification optic with a .375 H&H. I think just about any rifle would work for black bears, but all my experience is killing bears within 20 yards. A 30-30 would be high on my list, as would most pistols in 40 caliber or bigger.

I have a favorite .375 H&H that is deadly 350 yards, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it on any bear. I also wouldn't hesitate to use a .338 WM. I would use a .270 if I was comfortable shooting it and had good bullets that would retain their weight.

Shoot what you have and what you like.

 

[Tleek]

Anyone have a factory lead free preference for black bear.
Planning to use my .308 with 150 gr Barnes this season, but I have absolutely no experience.

 

[black dawg]

I use my first production run marlin 1895G with Buffalo Bore..... it a little overkill for Black bears but I love the way the gun handles

This is my favorite to use also.....but really sucks when I don't have enough time to get hearing protection on. Have not seen much difference from 243 through 45-70 with behind the shoulder shots, with similar bullets. All 100yds or less shooting.

 

[TREE ‘EM]

Black bear over dogs .22 magnum legal. Where 22 Magnum’s are not legal for black bear, whatever is at hand will do.

My one and only grizzly trip I packed 375 Ruger. Next go around I think I’ll just pack a .270 or 30/06.

 

[marshland_max]

I use my 358 win. I've killed em' dead with my 06' and 12 ga over bait.

I ve chased wounded bears shot with a 270, 7 mm mag and 44 mag. Long chases with recovery dogs. All ended up dead and in the back trucks after hours of tracking.

I know a couple of things based on my limited experiences black bear hunting.

The med velocity rifle kill bears stone dead. Ie the 30-30, 35, 358, 30-06 and 308 to mention a few. They all start out at 30 cal or bigger with most having a decent amount of metplat. I think these bullets lend them selves well to dumping energy into the bear quickly without excessive velocities causing flesh wound or causing poorly constructed bullets to expolde at baiting ranges. (270,7 mag) both bullets exploded on the bears deflating only one lung. Both of those where horrible recoveries and thank God for tracking dogs.

Problem with a 44 revolver I seen is the bullets are either to soft or way to hard. The one I saw fail was a poor shot with an overrated hard cast bullet.

I have seen 12 ga with 1 oz plain slugs dump them right at the barrel.

I think the trick is putting a big enough bullet at moderate velocities right into the boiler room.

I know that sounds obvious, but it works.

Just my 2 cents, but I really like .35 cal cartridges for bear