Arrow Weight for Spring Bear

[ChasingTurkeys]

Hello,

I am heading to Canada in May for a Spring Bear hunt.  For those of you that have arrowed a bear, can you please review my set up below and make any recommendations?  Specifically, are my arrows heavy enough to be successful?

My current set up is this:

Xpedition X33

Draw Length: 29"

Draw Weight: 65 lbs.

Arrow Weight: 380 grains

Broadhead: Exodus Standard, 100 gr, cutting diameter is 1.25"

Thanks!

[HillHound]

Can’t help you out because all of my bears have been with a rifle but man Am I jealous. Shoot a fatty and make sure you post pictures. all of us Washington spring bear hunters will be living vicariously through guys like you with out of state/country tags

[Jingles]

Can not offer advice whether your set up is adequate but my set up is a Diamond SB1 set at 60 pounds 29.5 draw length, Launching Easton 6.5 with a 340 spine, tipped with Savora 125 grain swept wing 4 fixed blade broadheads and my set up did the trick for me last fall on a WA blond bruin.

[444Marlin]

That sounds like an amazing trip!

Are you going with an outfitter?  If so, I'd check with them to see what other clients have been successful with (or not).  And how long are typical shots.

I think your arrow flight and accuracy is the most important, and making sure you're dialed in on the vitals.  How do your arrows fly?
Your total set up is lighter than what I would feel comfortable with.  So if you were thinking about making a change, you might look at a heavier set up.   I'd start at 500 total weight, and most of that up front with a stout single bevel 2 blade broadhead and heavy insert.  But that's me.

[RobinHoodlum]

Shot placement is WAY more important than arrow specs, speed, etc... IMO. Bone density and thickness are no comparison to ungulates. A bad hit - particularly shoulder - will be a likely wounding loss.

All that said, a Gold Tip arrow with a 100 grain 4 blade Slick Trick "Standard 100" created one of the best wound channels I've ever seen on a boar a few years ago. This was a 19 yard shot out of an older Mathews with a 29.5" draw. Arrow weight and speed unknown.

Hope this is helpful and hope you succeed! 

[ChasingTurkeys]

Can’t help you out because all of my bears have been with a rifle but man Am I jealous. Shoot a fatty and make sure you post pictures. all of us Washington spring bear hunters will be living vicariously through guys like you with out of state/country tags

Thanks, I will be sure to post lots of pictures when I get back. 

[ChasingTurkeys]

Can not offer advice whether your set up is adequate but my set up is a Diamond SB1 set at 60 pounds 29.5 draw length, Launching Easton 6.5 with a 340 spine, tipped with Savora 125 grain swept wing 4 fixed blade broadheads and my set up did the trick for me last fall on a WA blond bruin.

Thanks, that's helpful, it seems like we have a similar set up.  That makes me feel better about my arrow weight.

[ChasingTurkeys]

That sounds like an amazing trip!

Are you going with an outfitter?  If so, I'd check with them to see what other clients have been successful with (or not).  And how long are typical shots.

I think your arrow flight and accuracy is the most important, and making sure you're dialed in on the vitals.  How do your arrows fly?
Your total set up is lighter than what I would feel comfortable with.  So if you were thinking about making a change, you might look at a heavier set up.   I'd start at 500 total weight, and most of that up front with a stout single bevel 2 blade broadhead and heavy insert.  But that's me.

Thanks, I am going with an outfitter.  That's a good idea to ask them what their clients have been successful with in the past and what they recommend.  My arrows fly really well and I practice every day on a 3D foam bear to build muscle memory.  I'm not familiar with 2 blade broadheads - is there an advantage to a 2 blade vs 4 blade?

[ChasingTurkeys]

Shot placement is WAY more important than arrow specs, speed, etc... IMO. Bone density and thickness are no comparison to ungulates. A bad hit - particularly shoulder - will be a likely wounding loss.

All that said, a Gold Tip arrow with a 100 grain 4 blade Slick Trick "Standard 100" created one of the best wound channels I've ever seen on a boar a few years ago. This was a 19 yard shot out of an older Mathews with a 29.5" draw. Arrow weight and speed unknown.

Hope this is helpful and hope you succeed!

Perfect, sounds like we have a similar set up.

[444Marlin]

Thanks, I am going with an outfitter.  That's a good idea to ask them what their clients have been successful with in the past and what they recommend.  My arrows fly really well and I practice every day on a 3D foam bear to build muscle memory.  I'm not familiar with 2 blade broadheads - is there an advantage to a 2 blade vs 4 blade?

longer wound channels and the single bevels will cause spiral shaped wound channels.  Check out the Ashby Foundation.
https://www.ashbybowhunting.org/

There's a lot of opinions out there from guys with more experience than me.  And ultimately good arrow flight and hitting the right spot matter the most.  But, there's some benefits to using all the factors in your favor when the shots don't go well (brush, animals move, nerves, wind, hitting bone...)   That's when I would want a high FOC, more weight and I like single bevels for everything.

[huntnnw]

the ribs of a black bear probably half the density of a whitetail deer. Any set-up to kill a deer will work on a bear. Shot placement is key! a 1 lunged bear may live

[Wolfdog2314]

As everyone has said shot placement is key. But for what it’s worth I killed a bear during archery elk last year in Idaho. Arrow setup was at about 440 grains. Blake eagle rampage arrow with half outs and 125 grain Kudo broad heads. (This is a single bevel broadhead type that’s been mentioned). 70 pound draw weight. Bear was quartering hard to, at about 40. It was a quick shot and the arrow got him at the top of the chest/lower neck. He went 40 yards with a massive blood trail.

That being said I am switching back to FMJ’s. I killed a bear in Idaho over bait a few years ago with the FMJ and Kudu from a tree at 15 yards. Same result.
They fly a bit better out of my bow and I’ll be at about 495 grain. I will also be shooting the same Kudu broadhead, but going with their new “bleeder” option.

I’d assume Canada in the spring will be over bait? You’ll likely have a lot of encounters and a lot of time to be able to take the perfect shot. If you’re a solid shooter with your current setup I don’t think I’d change anything.

[yajsab]

Personally, I think your arrow weight is light.  I would go at least 450+ grn to get as much penetration.  Light arrow is fast but it's like a bee sting.  :-)

[ChasingTurkeys]

Thanks for all the help with the comments and recommendations in this thread.

This was my first bear hunt and took three long days of spotting and stalking to get the job done.

All my buddies hunting with rifles tagged out in the first two days, but I'm glad I stuck out it with my bow.

[Timberstalker]

Awesome bear!
And with a bow, congratulations!
Thanks for sharing.