Do bear often charge when you shoot them?

[reagansquad]

Do black bear tend to charge with you shoot them? What if you wing them with an arrow? 

[huntnnw]

I have only witnessed 1 bear that faced us head on in 20 years of hunting bears.. walked up on him alive still..hairy situation. Way I see it with a arrow.. either its dead or gone if u missed the lungs chances of finding it are nill... gun incident was due to bone breakage and bear not being able to leave

[carpsniperg2]

99% chance they will not come after you when you shoot them. Now if you are tracking one and you come up on it why it still has some life in it. Then you have a much higher chance of having them come after you.

[woodman]

99% chance they will not come after you when you shoot them. Now if you are tracking one and you come up on it why it still has some life in it. Then you have a much higher chance of having them come after you.

Agreed, had it happen in Canada one time.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I only have one BS Story to tell in 25yrs of bear hunting ...only had one ever do that ...I had my little buddy with me once and we hiked up this creek and it was some thick sheet and salmon berries everywhere...So we get up where I always sit and glass and that kid looks down at the creek we just came up and starts yelling bear bear ...the water was running and was loud enough the bear never heard him ...I never had a chance to take off my pack anyway I jumped up on a log so i could see it better and when I did the bear looked up at me and starting running up the creek so I let his nose hit the crosshairs and squeezed off , i nailed him in the shoulder and he started chasing his tail in circles so I jacked in another one and before I could close the bolt he was coming UP HILL right at us ...the kid was scared sheetless so i told him do not move as the bear got within 5 ft of us I just pointed the barrel right at the top of his head and BOOOOOM... Night Night....The only reason i am saying it was coming to get us is because it knew we where there and second it was coming up hill ....The stuff I hunt in is so thick that you best pray he is dead when you get there because its scary ..

[reagansquad]

Interesting.. This is going to be my first year hunting those critters. I was planning on starting off w/ a 30-06 in April then switching to bow when bow season opens up in case I see some deer. I wonder how bear spray would work on a pissed off wounded bear. I hear it's pretty good against the non-wounded, regular pissed off type. 

[shoot-em-dead]

PM Rasbo- He told me a story once that fits this topic. I'd love to say more but it's his story.

[RadSav]

In nearly 100 bear kills I have never seen one charge after being shot.  That includes problem bears with little fear of people.  Some where around 35 of those archery with not a bit of extra excitement.  Tracking wounded bear with a good bit of life left in them can offer some fun stories once you get them cornered.  Usually a couple taps with a .45 ends that excitement pretty quick. 

If you are not sure of the quality of your shot with the arrow just back out and give it time.  Just as a precaution go back and get a firearm for the final tracking.  Or call a buddy with calm nerves to back you up so you can keep it as a bow kill. 

Keep a level head at all times...two guys with guns and a wounded bear can increase your danger dramatically.  If you find yourself getting too excited and/or nervous be sure to take a break.  Jetboiled coffee and a Snickers takes just the time you need to relax and get back to safe decision making. 

I often made a visually nervous client unload his gun before tracking or I simply carried his gun myself.  I've always been much more afraid of being shot by the hunter than actually hurt by a wounded bear.

Nothing works better than a little common sense.  Be cautious and believe about 5% of what you've read in Outdoor Life.  Repeat to yourself often, "Gun safety, Gun Safety, Gun Safety" and you will be fine.

Secret to safe bear hunting with the bow is SHOT PLACEMENT and SHARP BROADHEADS!  Make sure they are both perfect before letting the arrow fly.

[Machias]

A few years ago I shot one with my bow at 9 yards, she had just got off the log I was sitting on.  She charged....... right past me, so close I could have literally smacked her butt when she ran by. But she was just running to get away, she had no idea where I was at. 

[high country]

I have a friend with the worst experience ever. He had a bear come up his tree after getting spooked. He of course didn't have his belt on and was swinging a recurve. As the bear climbed the tree he half plucked an arrow at it, hitting it in the nose. It penetrated the sinus cavity and killed it. Crazy.

[RadSav]

We used to have a lot of younger bear climb the trees we were in while on stand.  The first time is always exciting!  You don't want to shoot a small one and you don't want to spook a bigger one if it is around.  And if you really spook them bad you have to climb down a tree covered in bear poop and pee.  Ever smelled a dog after it got scared?...Imagine a 250# dog.  That there is some nasty S*&t!!! 

Worst is climbing into a tree stand only to find out there is a little bear about 12' above your head.  You don't want to stay under the manure spreader, yet you don't want to climb down into the arms of an angry mother neither.  "Levitation" is the only word I can think of to describe the way I got down.  Though I don't remember much between leaving the stand and hitting the ground.

Bear hunting sure is fun, ain't it?

[Machias]

Yes it is!!

[D-Rock425]

Do black bear tend to charge with you shoot them? What if you wing them with an arrow? 

since when do bears have wings .  If you make a bad shot with an arrow you better just give them some time and get some guns for the track job.