Shot placement for black bears.

[dilleytech]

Sorry dilleytech but that’s flat wrong. There simply ISNT anything “forward” of the heart and great vessels in the thorax of an animal like that. There’s no extra space inside an organism. Every organ is in immediate and direct apposition with its neighboring organ. No matter how far forward your shot is, if it’s behind the bones of the front leg on a broadside bear, you are in the chest. In fact, farther forward shots hit bigger vessels before they branch and are MORE quickly lethal.

My experience with shot placement and examining the organs After has show this pic to be spot on. Disagree all you would like.

The born and raised guys 10 ringed a bear right in the black spot above the heart and in front of the lungs on that picture with a 308. They tracked blood for a while and never found it.
I hit a bear in the same spot with my bow a few years ago from 20yds, Three of us saw the shot hit perfectly behind the shoulder with a complete passthrough. After waiting about 25 minutes we followed what looked like gallons of blood. After a few hundered yards the blood trail petered out and we started a grid search. Ended up not finding it.

I’m not 100% sure if bear vitals are farther back, but the two situations above have made me wonder........

Exactly. The only bear I have lost I hit right right behind the shoulder and just a tad above the middle. Just like you describe. If your going to aim forward it need to be high shoulder with a gun that can handle it. Heck I arrowed a bear a little behind the middle of the middle and hit nothing but liver and that bear went 60 yards.

[mdbuck5x5]

Interesting thread to read and really good info for anyone from rookies to experienced bear hunters to learn from. The 2 bears I killed this year were quite different. The first one a yearling boar I had to shoot twice. First shot was about 80 yards was broadside busted the shoulder and lunged him but had to put another in his neck to finish him off. The second one a much bigger sow she was standing fairly straight on to me at 159 yds and I put it thru her chest clipping the boiler room she nosed dived rolled 20 yds and that was it no need for a follow up. Both bears killed with a 30.06 180 grain. I think shot placement is obviously key but no doubt bears are some tough animals that can withstand a lot.