How about photos of 6 1/2' Blackbear

[bearpaw]

I probably would not shoot, or had anyone else shoot at that bear with a pistol if it was just standing on the ground eating berries or standing in a game trail. A bear can move so fast on the ground that we would only get one first shot and there is 99% chance that size of bear would not drop in it's tracks from one pistol shot. Chances are a big bear would escape wounded because the gun was too small.

Since the bear was in a tree I knew my friend would get at least 3 shots in the bear before it could get out of sight. I knew he could shoot fairly well and I was armed with a 44 myself. If anything bad happened, I could have intervened if needed, so we did it.

Big Rifles, bows, and shotguns are best for bear. I like a 300 magnum the best and a 338 or 7MM next best. If I lived in heavy cover and long shots were rare, I would probably lean toward a 45/70 etc. But where we hunt, we sometimes are shooting longer ranges so i like the flat shooting magnums.

Pistols really don't have the power and neither do muzzleloaders unless you have a heavy or modern projectile in the muzz. I was in a bad situation a couple times where we had a big bear on the ground with a muzzleloader guy shooting round balls, the round balls were not getting enough penetration. On one of those bear the guy ran out of loads and I had to finish a half live bear by cutting its throat. One of the few times I had forgot to carry my pistol. That did spook me, but we couldn't leave a wounded bear, and I was very careful how I approached the bear so that he was focused on everything else, his throat was cut and I was out of reach before the bear knew what happened. It's amazing what a sharp nife and some adrenilin can do.

[littlebuf]

what weight bullet do you prefer out of the 300 for bear. ive been playing with a 200 gr load that i don't quite have worked out yet, but ive got a 168 gr load that's gnats ass, but last year when i shot a bear from 30 yard threw both lungs the damned thing ran 200 yards and off a edge into a ravine  ( i obviously missed the shoulder,and i couldn't get a second shot ) that's why im looking at the 200 gr   

[littlebuf]

oh and it was a BIG bear 

[JackOfAllTrades]

I have but one Bear, respectable, but now I see that there are 7 footers here so he's not worthy at just a tad over 6'. Still, having taken him with 30-06 at 30yds, I really wish I would have taken him with the 44mag that was holstered. I ended up finishing him off with the pistol at about 10yds. When we skinned him, I could tell by the exit wounds that the 180gn bullets from the rifle or pistol did not expand. All shots were through and through. Still, I'd like to say that I got him with pistol. At least I did take him at pistol range...  I hope to get a good sized Bear with pistol on even ground some day.

-Steve

[stringflinger4elk]

2 bears myself one with a 180gr 30-06 soft nose went 200 yards and the second with a 180gr NP from a 300WSM one back flip and a death moan and that was it dead on the spot both less than 60 yards.
I like the magnum outcome way better alot less trackin crawlin through brush on your havds and knees prayin you aren't going to find him staring at you 6 inches away...

[winston2789]

nice bears everyone!!! here is my 2007 bear... 6'8" nose to tail, just about 19 3/4 skull. late aug and full of berrys 

[bearpaw]

what weight bullet do you prefer out of the 300 for bear.

littlebuf
For over 30 years I have been shooting 180's to 220's out of my own 300 magnums on all types of game including many bear and I have watched my hunters also use just about every caliber imaginable on all types of animals. Bullet type is critical. I will not let a hunter hunt bear with Nosler ballistic tips, but on the other hand Nosler partitions are pretty darn good. Corelocks actually will kill fairly well but the bullets just don't hold together as well as they should. The premium bullets hold together well but some may not expand as well as they need to at long range.

I had settled on 180's the last 10 years or so because it just seemed what really mattered was hitting a bear just right and they don't kick near as much as the larger bullets. The guys with the 180-200 partitions are packing one of the all around best loads, that's for sure. Recently I have been pretty impressed by animals I have seen shot with Barnes Triple Shock. The other thing I like about Triple Shocks, they don't lose any weight. I am experimenting with switching over to Barnes 168's. As soon as that bullet is halfway through an animal it still weighs more than many larger bullets that start losing weight as soon as they hit. I have seen excellent success on elk and mule deer with Barnes triple shock bullets and if given the opportunity I will try to determine how they do on bear.

A big bear will take a lot more punishment than any other lower 48 animal that I know of. The best thing is to try and break bone and get the lungs. A bear will run nearly every time unless you break bone. But he also won't die unless you hit vital organs. I like the shoulder lungs combo with a shot if at all possible.

A neck, backbone, or head shot is extremely effective, but most hunters do not shoot well enough in hunting situations to recommend those type of shots.

I would be very interested to hear if any of you guys have used Barnes 168's on bear.

[Craig]

Here is the bear i got got in BC a couple years ago. Spot and stock bear hunting is tons of fun. He it 6'3". Almost 6 1/2.

[D-Rock425]

I shot 2 bears last year with my sako 7mm-08 and 140 grain bullets.  Both bears were with in 100 yards of me when I shot them and I had a good rest both times.  The bears were not really big about 200 pounds but very tasty.  I Don't know much about the rifle I got it from my uncle that pasted away.  Can anyone tell me if you can get bigger loads for a 7mm-08 or any thing else about the round itself. 

[stringflinger4elk]

see the NP's they are bad a$$ bear medicine like I said. One back flip and that was all she wrote... 180gr.  300WSM
kawhoomp!!!!  nothing but a taxidermy bill left over and a pile of bear summer sausage and jerky left to eat YUM YUM YUM!!!

[Branden]

I had settled on 180's the last 10 years or so because it just seemed what really mattered was hitting a bear just right and they don't kick near as much as the larger bullets. The guys with the 180-200 partitions are packing one of the all around best loads, that's for sure. Recently I have been pretty impressed by animals I have seen shot with Barnes Triple Shock. The other thing I like about Triple Shocks, they don't lose any weight. I am experimenting with switching over to Barnes 168's. As soon as that bullet is halfway through an animal it still weighs more than many larger bullets that start losing weight as soon as they hit. I have seen excellent success on elk and mule deer with Barnes triple shock bullets and if given the opportunity I will try to determine how they do on bear.

I would be very interested to hear if any of you guys have used Barnes 168's on bear.

The first bear bear I ever shot was with a regular 180 Barnes. It was a bad angle and I probably should have shot sooner when it was broadside but was waiting for it to stop. It was about to disappear and I wanted to shoot a bear so I shot when it was walking straight away. Hit it in the hip and the bullet broke almost every rib before exiting the front shoulder.

Shot two other bears with 180 triple shocks and both died in there tracks. Never have recovered a Barnes bullet from any animal I have shot. So I would think they are keeping full weight retention. I think they are possibly the best hunting bullets made.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Very nice pool room Craig. Very nice.

-Steve

[scroder]

180 triple shocks, they are possibly the best hunting bullets made.

 

check out the pic of the bullet i got out of my bear. 180 gr 30-06 40 yards broadside the bullet broke two ribs and had just broken the hide on the opposite side.

[BLUEBULLS]

here's my spring bear from this year, not sure on exact size yet. I was in a hurry to get him cooled down. He should be right around 7' long.

[lewy]

Heres a 6' 6" boar, the pic isnt great. I had a rug done that turned out pretty nice i will try and post a pic later...