Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: True Sportsman on April 21, 2011, 06:59:08 PM

Title: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: True Sportsman on April 21, 2011, 06:59:08 PM: I'd definitely take a head shot on a bear inside a 100 yds with a solid rest, if it was my only shot opportunity, and if it was a big bear. Anybody ever made this shot? Any thoughts?

For the record, I've killed 3 bears. 2 neck shots and a lung shot. All were dead with one shot.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Wazukie on April 21, 2011, 07:12:53 PM: Head shot is a dead shot!
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Kain on April 21, 2011, 07:45:32 PM: I wouldnt but I got no problems with guys that can do it.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: dirty24d on April 21, 2011, 08:15:46 PM: I passed twice last year on head shots because i wasnt sure but from everything i've heard they crumble quick.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: X-Force on April 21, 2011, 08:19:06 PM: Never had the thought. Did get my first bear in the back while it was standing up facing away from me with its hands up... I think it was surrendering :dunno: but we'll never know. It would be interesting to see if the skull looks decent enough to keep.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: steelhead13 on April 21, 2011, 08:39:03 PM: Shot one at 10 yds right between the eyes since it was running at me!
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Skyvalhunter on April 21, 2011, 08:55:59 PM: Guess it depends on if its a record bear or charging you.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Gutpile on April 21, 2011, 09:02:59 PM: I have but probably wont again

[smg id=8299]
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: BigKnock on April 21, 2011, 09:07:05 PM: Shot one in the face from 10 ft with a double barell 12 ga with 00, found five bbs in the skull dropped like a sack of potatoes.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: bucklucky on April 21, 2011, 09:11:25 PM: I shot one right in the ear out of the top of a tree when I was depredation hunting. It was about 100 yards away. Budy thought I missed and cussed me all the way to the tree " You Dumb ass, your getting our dogs killed, you were suposed to kill that bear you bleep bleep bleep :chuckle: ) Yup get to the tree and the bear is dead dripping blood all over the dogs and they are going ape chit . I didnt even get an apology :o
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: grundy53 on April 21, 2011, 09:27:32 PM: first bear I ever killed. one shot in the head at about 20 feet as it charged me. Never even finished taking it's last step just did about three somersaults. That was my first experience calling coyotes.... It left an impression to say the least.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Machias on April 21, 2011, 09:34:41 PM: Second bear I ever predator called in was at roughly 12 yards standing there staring at me. Right between the eyes, as far as he knows a injured fawn killed him. ;)
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: saylean on April 21, 2011, 09:36:53 PM: Quote from: Machias on April 21, 2011, 09:34:41 PM
Second bear I ever predator called in was at roughly 12 yards standing there staring at me. Right between the eyes, as far as he knows a injured fawn killed him. ;)
lol...nice..
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: BLUEBULLS on April 21, 2011, 10:01:22 PM: Doesn't work with a bow, wasn't me that did it. Broadhead in the skull sure is good conversation piece though. I've done it once from five feet with a rifle, not good if you want the skull but it works.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on April 22, 2011, 12:02:35 AM: One thing to keep in mind about head shots is that they do not always result in dropping the animal in its tracks. If the brain is hit, yes they are D.R.T. But the head also contains the animal's "face," and a shot through the nose (snout) or upper or lower jaw will not, at times even cause the animal to drop. They usually react by either jumping or rolling and then running off.

My first few years of hunting, I used to think that a head shot was the only way to go, especially on deer. No wasted and bloodshot meat and they dropped in their tracks which meant no tracking. That was until I had one move its head at just the right (wrong) moment and my bullet hit it in the lower jaw. This wasn't a long shot (60' or so) or what should have been a hard shot, just poor timing on the movement. I was able to track him down and finish him so he wasn't lost to suffer and slowly starve/die of thirst because he couldn't chew or drink with a shattered lower jaw.

But it certainly gave me pause to rethink my opinion of the head shot being the best shot. Do I still take a head shot? Yes I have. But I usually limit it to ideal conditions, and prefere the animal to be facing (looking) directly at me or directly away. Otherwise I will take the higher percentage chest area shot.

Hope I haven't offended any one, but I just wanted to give a little food for thought on this subject, based on my personal experience in the field. If you are well practiced with your weapon, calm and not prone to "Buck fever," then by all means, a head shot is just another option to be considered.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: blindpig on April 22, 2011, 05:51:37 AM: Quote from: Machias on April 21, 2011, 09:34:41 PM
Second bear I ever predator called in was at roughly 12 yards standing there staring at me. Right between the eyes, as far as he knows a injured fawn killed him. ;)
[HAHAHAH!!!]
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: seth30 on April 22, 2011, 06:39:15 AM: I won't since I want to do a shoulder mount :twocents:
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: True Sportsman on April 22, 2011, 06:43:22 PM: Awesome stories guys. That is exactly what I wanted to know. I love bear stories...

Great pic gutpile.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Alan K on April 22, 2011, 07:03:23 PM: If it was at close range and I didn't think I'd get another shot I'd probably take it. Given the opportunity I'll put one in the boiler room every time though.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: BENCHLEG on April 22, 2011, 08:18:16 PM: i shot 1 with my muzzy at 15 yards, out of a tree stand. that was back in the day whwn you could baite them, fun times you could pick and choose the bear you wanted if you had the time.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: DeerThug on April 22, 2011, 09:16:10 PM: Yeah the last 2 before they outlawed dogs. The first one i screwed up cuz he might have made minimum book, but the skull was trashed. Was a 6foot3inch black bore hanging carcuss was 360 lbs.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: boonerboy on April 22, 2011, 09:50:17 PM: Quote from: seth30 on April 22, 2011, 06:39:15 AM
I won't since I want to do a shoulder mount :twocents:

can still do a shoulder mount without skull. :)
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: TeacherMan on April 22, 2011, 10:15:59 PM: I cleaned a skull this year of a nice interior grizz that was shot in the head with a 12 gauge on a charge. The angle of the bears head actually deflected the bullet but it had enough impact it broke the skull plate pushing it in and causing the brain to hemerage. Long story short, I wouldn't shoot a griz in the head unless I had no other option. If the shot would have been a 1/4 higher it would not have killed the bear.

Its the bear in the pic that is missing the top of its skull :chuckle:
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: TeacherMan on April 22, 2011, 10:18:01 PM: Quote from: TeacherMan on April 22, 2011, 10:15:59 PM
I cleaned a skull this year of a nice interior grizz that was shot in the head with a 12 gauge on a charge. The angle of the bears head actually deflected the bullet but it had enough impact it broke the skull plate pushing it in and causing the brain to hemerage. Long story short, I wouldn't shoot a griz in the head unless I had no other option. If the shot would have been a 1/4 higher it would not have killed the bear.

Its the bear in the pic that is missing the top of its skull :chuckle:

All of these are bear skulls, the skulls in the top of the cabinet are 200 pound black bears, the big one is about a 900 pound griz, 28" skull, the other one was a 480 pound griz.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: True Sportsman on April 23, 2011, 06:25:58 PM: Quote from: TeacherMan on April 22, 2011, 10:18:01 PM
Quote from: TeacherMan on April 22, 2011, 10:15:59 PM
I cleaned a skull this year of a nice interior grizz that was shot in the head with a 12 gauge on a charge. The angle of the bears head actually deflected the bullet but it had enough impact it broke the skull plate pushing it in and causing the brain to hemerage. Long story short, I wouldn't shoot a griz in the head unless I had no other option. If the shot would have been a 1/4 higher it would not have killed the bear.

Its the bear in the pic that is missing the top of its skull :chuckle:

That is awesome! Thanks for sharing those pics. If I shot one in the head, I would definitely clean the skull and display it. Good memories...

All of these are bear skulls, the skulls in the top of the cabinet are 200 pound black bears, the big one is about a 900 pound griz, 28" skull, the other one was a 480 pound griz.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Houndhunter on April 23, 2011, 07:01:31 PM: heard from family that they have had bullets skip off the skull plate before, not sure on the guns but it happens. i would take a head shot though in the right situation
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: boneaddict on April 23, 2011, 07:10:27 PM: I put a barrel up to ones head and pulled the trigger. It worked fine. Not my shot of choice if he was down range.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: D-Rock425 on April 24, 2011, 05:12:48 AM: I shot one at about 20ft above me on a cut bank while I was standing on the road. I shoot it with a 7MM-08 and dropped him he just rolled down the hill right to my feet.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Bearhunter on April 24, 2011, 10:26:40 AM: Shot one with the Bow at about 10yards with my bow. The only shot I had as he was coming up the trail I was sitting calling elk from. He turned his head while coming straight on, I shot him behind the ear. The bear immediately dropped to his ass arms in the air bawling, I quickly nocked another arrow and but one dead center of his chest and notched my tag, it was pretty intense on the ground action, Ill see if I can find a picture with the blood coming from his ear....
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: TeacherMan on April 24, 2011, 02:27:04 PM: Quote from: Bearhunter on April 24, 2011, 10:26:40 AM
Shot one with the Bow at about 10yards with my bow. The only shot I had as he was coming up the trail I was sitting calling elk from. He turned his head while coming straight on, I shot him behind the ear. The bear immediately dropped to his ass arms in the air bawling, I quickly nocked another arrow and but one dead center of his chest and notched my tag, it was pretty intense on the ground action, Ill see if I can find a picture with the blood coming from his ear....

That would be crazy! :yike:
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: alanger on April 24, 2011, 02:39:53 PM: shot my bear like 4 times in the head and didnt die, 7mm-08
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on April 24, 2011, 02:54:18 PM: Quote from: Blacktail Sniper on April 22, 2011, 12:02:35 AM
One thing to keep in mind about head shots is that they do not always result in dropping the animal in its tracks.

True! In my lifetime, I've seen several bears taken with traditional heart/lung shots and have witnessed three failed head shots that did hit scull that did not drop the bears. None were recovered. There is no blood trail. Two were from behind, one from the side. Yeah, they tumbled, but did run away.. Maybe to die. All shots were with 30-06 at less than 200yds with quality bullets. I would take a neck shot at the base of the scull before I would ever take a skull shot. But I would always look for a mid body vital shot first. Otherwise, pass.

-Steve
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: k_rex on April 26, 2011, 10:45:32 PM: While my dad was hound hunting years ago, his partner shot a treed bear in the head with a 308. The impact knocked the bear out of the tree and it hit the ground running. A few (or more) shots from their revolvers later and the bear came to rest at their feet. After dressing it out they inspected the entrance and exit of the head shot and found that the bullet had never made its way through the skull. The round landed between the eyes and glanced upward off of the bone exiting at the top of the forehead.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: link on April 27, 2011, 08:11:03 PM: I've shot two in the head. Both were under 20 yards though. The first one was in Curlew when I was a kid deer hunting. I was sitting in a stand of timber watching a thinned area, and heard a twig snap behind me. I looked over and there was a bear walking right behind me, I mean maybe 5 yards! It gets out to my left about 20 yds and sits down like a dog, watching the same area I was. I just raised my rifle and shot her in the head. She was a nice sow, close to six feet and had a hide like a sheep. Love those later season bear hides.
The second one was just one I snuck up on just for kicks and ended up shooting it at about 10 yards.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Hornseeker on April 29, 2011, 08:11:39 PM: Well, I grew up hound hunting and most all the bears I killed were 1-40 feet...thats the only shot we ever took. If you heart shoot or lung shoot one he'll keep kicking just long enough to eat a dog up pretty good... so brain shots were the recipe of choice. If I'm hunting without dogs...I"ll take the heart/lung shot unless he's REAL close.

I saw maybe 200 bears hit the dirt with head shots and they rarely went bad... but like I said...10-30 feet was probably average....

As mentioned above....its not a good choice at longer range because sometimes you end up blowing a jaw off and they get away and starve to death later...same with deer or elk...
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on May 01, 2011, 07:07:25 PM: Quote from: alanger on April 24, 2011, 02:39:53 PM
shot my bear like 4 times in the head and didnt die, 7mm-08
HUH .. What you shootin blanks ? what grain bullet ? last time I seen one shot with a 7mm 08 it got spanked ...
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: uplandhunter870 on May 01, 2011, 07:28:45 PM: i have twice, first was around 125yds with a 300wsm right above the left eye, the pics are not appropriate for posting lets just say there isnt a taxi in the world that world that would even attempt a mount or rug.

second was with a 243 around 75yds again right above the left eye, pics again not appropriate but less hide damage only an entry hole the skull im sure is a mess still waiting on word from my taxi as to if its even euro mountable. with this one we recovered the bullet from the base of the spine.

both shots put the animals down in their tracks. both times these were the only shots i had presented.

is it the best way to kill a bear?, as we can see the jury is still out it worked for me and were clean quick kills

do i prefer to shoot bears in the head? no, but i will if its the only opportunity that presents itself
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: True Sportsman on May 02, 2011, 03:11:00 PM: Quote from: Hornseeker on April 29, 2011, 08:11:39 PM
Well, I grew up hound hunting and most all the bears I killed were 1-40 feet...thats the only shot we ever took. If you heart shoot or lung shoot one he'll keep kicking just long enough to eat a dog up pretty good... so brain shots were the recipe of choice. If I'm hunting without dogs...I"ll take the heart/lung shot unless he's REAL close.

I saw maybe 200 bears hit the dirt with head shots and they rarely went bad... but like I said...10-30 feet was probably average....

As mentioned above....its not a good choice at longer range because sometimes you end up blowing a jaw off and they get away and starve to death later...same with deer or elk...

Great stories, thanks for sharing that stuff.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: Swatson on May 02, 2011, 05:19:46 PM: Shot a stud 530 pounder in the Colockum elk hunting when I was a kid(1997). Found him eating a dead cow and never got a shot. Took my buddy back in there with me the next morning and found him eating on her again. My buddy put the first round in his shoulder with his .270. After a very long track I put 3 more rounds in his head(one hit him in the snout) in thick brush at about 20 yards from my 30-06(180 grain). That just stood him up on his hind legs and pissed him off! Two more rounds from the 30-06 and .270 behind the shoulder finally put him down! Taxedermist skinned him out(yes we put him on a meat pole and packed him out whole, only about a mile or so from a road) and the head shot bullets dropped to floor as they didn't penetrate and just layed in their behind the hide. He was estimated by wdfw at 19.5 years old. One of his rear paws was a nub(maybe got caught in a trap at one time and chewed his way out). Taxedermist knew of this bear as apparently a lot of locals did as well as he had been run several times by dogs and was obviously unique in the fact that he was running on a rear nub! My buddy put the tag on him and has the shoulder mount(I'd a done a rug). Was young a dumb back then and didn't know what a true trophy we really had. My buddy never got him scored but was told by the taxedermist and several others it woulda scored way up there in the Washington books.
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: carpsniperg2 on May 02, 2011, 06:07:19 PM: Quote from: Hornseeker on April 29, 2011, 08:11:39 PM
Well, I grew up hound hunting and most all the bears I killed were 1-40 feet...thats the only shot we ever took. If you heart shoot or lung shoot one he'll keep kicking just long enough to eat a dog up pretty good... so brain shots were the recipe of choice. If I'm hunting without dogs...I"ll take the heart/lung shot unless he's REAL close.

I saw maybe 200 bears hit the dirt with head shots and they rarely went bad... but like I said...10-30 feet was probably average....

As mentioned above....its not a good choice at longer range because sometimes you end up blowing a jaw off and they get away and starve to death later...same with deer or elk...

My thoughts as well. I shot my first bear in the head at about 50y, and it was a done deal. If its a close shot, and you know your gun very well and have a solid rest. A head shot with good placement works great!
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: blacktailcrzy on May 03, 2011, 08:32:11 PM: my first bear was shot i the back of the head and it dropped in its tracks
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: CementFinisher on May 06, 2011, 09:46:32 PM: Head shot mine in 2010, crumbled damm quick
Title: Re: Anybody head shoot a bear?
Post by: beardog T on May 09, 2011, 01:07:34 PM: never shot a bear in the head. all the bears ive killed have been over 300 to 600 yards. except the one i smoked with my bow :). but i would shoot a bear in the head if close enough. cuz them beasts can pack some lead lol