Shot placement for black bears.

[DOUBLELUNG]

http://www.bear-hunting.com/2014/5/middle-of-the-middle-redefining-shot-placement

Anyone ever try and shoot them far back

I did with a .308 a few weeks ago, 98 yards broadside.  Another member found the rotted carcass 4 days later.  She went a long way. 

[h20hunter]

Ttt.

C'mon draw. Some shot placement refresher.

[tgomez]

I have shot all 3 of my bear with a 30-06. I shoot for double lung shots on ALL ANIMALS. Two of my bear were small boars 130 lbs and 108 lbs, and they didn't move at all after I shot them. My 326 lb sow ran about 75 yards and the only reason I didn't shoot it again is because I had no second opportunity. I agree with many others who are EXPERIENCED bear hunters, aim for the vitals(heart and lungs) and if they are still moving shoot again.

[Calvin Rayborn]

Here is another one.

Cool Pic! 

[Brian_Whitman]

This is great stuff, thank you!

[jennabug]

Looks like the majority of the pictures of shot placement are no longer available and some of the links have been broken. 

[Jonathan_S]

Tight to the shoulder, broadside or quartering away for archery.  Same or right on the shoulder for rifle with quality bullets.

They're not exceptionally tough IMO, they just don't bleed on the ground as much

[jennabug]

That's what I've gathered so far.  

[bearpaw]

In my opinion bear are one of the toughest to kill animals in the lower 48. Unless you hit vitals, the spine, or break shoulders, you probably won't find a bear and he has a pretty good chance of healing, even shot up broken legs heal, we've taken numerous bear that have had significant old wounds that had healed.

[eyesinfront]

Shot a big boar this spring with my 270. Quartering towards me at 89yds. Figured the combo of hot hand loads and Barnes bullet would power through that front shoulder...wrong! Turned into a gong show and ended up putting 3 more into him. I'll wait for broadside shots from now. Recovered the bullet from his shoulder and it looked just like it came out of a Barnes add only it never made it past the shoulder into the chest cavity.

[dilleytech]

The original photos are not available but the middle of the middle is a little far back imo but a much better choice then tucking it in close to the shoulder as you can completely miss the vitals. tight to the shoulder is not correct. Bear vitals are further back then deer and elk. Take a look at a middle of the middle pictures and go about 3” further forward. Bears are the easiest animals to kill if you hit double lungs . There ribs are soft and flexible and easily penetrated with archery equipment as well. More people wound bears hitting them to far forward then to far back. Why you would want to shoot an animal in the shoulder and ruin all that meat if you don’t need to is beyond me.

Of course with a high power rifle you have a lot more wiggle room as bears aren’t very big.

[npaull]

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.

[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.

[dilleytech]

This Bear was shot in the top of the heart and ing the lungs.

[Jellymon]

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........