HUNTING Black Bear

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Black Bear Hunting Shot Placement

Post your questions, comments or pictures relating to hunting shot placement.

Hunting Black Bear
black-bear-vitals-hunting.jpg

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Hunting Black Bear
black-bear-hunting-vitals.jpg

Anyone has the right to share, copy, distribute and transmit this image/work (but not to adapt it, or use it for commercial use).
 
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Black Bear Hunting Vitals

No quarrel with the shot placement - top ofthe heart and both lungs always works with a sharp broadhead. My question is symantics - are we doing shot placement or aiming point?
If we're talking aiming point - I would raise it slightly - to more the center of the lungs, then you have greater margin for error. Because of the hair hanging, half way up a Black Bear is approximately 1/3 way up actual body and a good aiming point.
Great series, thanks.
 
Thanks for your input and expertise rickconley, much appreciated! We are doing shot placement here, but there is great validity in your aiming point strategy, a good point to mention as well... Looking forward to more comments.
 
Thank you - and I intended to comment on the bow hunting side - with a rifle I'd agree placement is more precise (usually?).
 
any chance someone could post mor pictures showing shot placement at different angles?

thanks
-matt
 
Matt,
Don't have pictures, but (bowhunting) anything quartering towards you more than broadside, is a poor choice and usually unnecessary for bear over bait - patience. For quartering away, the off front leg is a good reference for how far back to aim and still halfway up. Good luck.
 
Ok, hoping to get my first ever black bear "Ursus americanis" in 3 weeks. Do you recommend going right up the front leg or aiming a little back with a bow? Where would you shoot with a .30-06? High shoulder and try to anchor him? I am a little concerned that I will shoot too far back due to the size of the target. Thank you and
GO BADGERS!
Tiss
 
tiss, I can't speak on the archery side but have taken a couple dozen blackies with rifle and I aim no different then for deer/elk/moose ect ect. Tight behind the shoulder, 1/3-1/2 half way up is good to go. Where are ya going for the hunt? Best of luck to you and look forward to the story and pics on your return.
 
one third up is normally where i aim for, but depends on if you are in a tree or on the ground
Last bear i shot was a little close and dropped him where he stood, not the perfect situation and not something for the feint of heart, kind of like them fun lion or buff charges lol
 
I shot my Black Bear in the eye while it was looking at me. It died on the spot with just one 44mag 200gr HP.
The down side was it is a B&C book bear and I cannot enter him since I also shattered part of the skull.
 
way up north in bayfield county. most likely in a tree. hoping to arrow him but if he hangs up in the brush he will get the business end ( barnes vortx 180 gr) of my trusty ol 742
 
Tiss, one more little thing ... wait for that front leg to go forward when bow hunting, a little bit to far forward with shot placement and that front shoulder bone is as tough as an Abrams Tank!
 
If these guys don't stop tearing down my feeders I'm going to need that shot placement chart for practice. This photo is of a young male on the left and a young female to the right. They can be real pains in the rump.
image.jpg
 
If these guys don't stop tearing down my feeders I'm going to need that shot placement chart for practice. This photo is of a young male on the left and a young female to the right. They can be real pains in the rump.
View attachment 30752
Young bears are the worst. The younger they are the bigger pain in A** they can be! especially when there is more than one it's like they have a contest to see which one get into the most mischief.
 
Yep! We have a big Alpha male on the hunting lease that is over 300 pounds. He has pulled some of my feeder stands all the way down....bending the pipes. Had a momma bear walk up on me last year while I was checking the timer on a feeder. Yelling and waving my arms convinced her to walk away. Her yearling was coming from the other direction about five minutes later.
 
Yep! We have a big Alpha male on the hunting lease that is over 300 pounds. He has pulled some of my feeder stands all the way down....bending the pipes. Had a momma bear walk up on me last year while I was checking the timer on a feeder. Yelling and waving my arms convinced her to walk away. Her yearling was coming from the other direction about five minutes later.
That's sure to get the ol' heart a pounding! I'm exercising a little patience while some finance things get lined out, but I'm hoping to go to Idaho for one of these later this year. Hopefully my plan comes together! I got my African trophies back in May, so I'm ready to take the next plunge.
 
Go for it Grunt! A black bear would look great with the African trophies.
 
My aim is a skull mount and a bad ass, beautiful rug!
 
Lovely, but I was thinking on the floor
 

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