Hunting with firearms for bear is more forgiving. Shot looked good, bear dropped and rolled end over end like an old tire down the hill. LUNG SHOTS Bear anatomy is slightly different, but more importantly, a bear’s body structure allows for some odd angles and considerations that the bear hunter must understand. The impulsiveness to rush the shot is probably the biggest mistake that a bear hunter can make. A double lung will often kill an animal quicker, it’s a larger target, and the organs are further away from big bones that stop penetration. I've never been much impressed by tales of 450-yard kill shots on deer or other game. I’ve personally done a necropsy on a bear and found the lungs to extend back to the second-to-last rib. Elk hunt to be continued.....This is about Tom Schneider in pursuit of an archery elk. Bears are big, tough animals that are unforgiving when hit bad. Ruger270man OP. The shoulder and leg bones are tougher, and configured differently than ungulates (as shown in the video). A bear has the body structure to put himself in all types of odd shapes. With few exceptions, I shudder when I hear hunters talking about their long shots-much like a gambling addict bragging about his one win, for each tale of success there are likely tenfold as many unspoken failures. Consider Hair and Fat: Don’t Shoot Too Low. For black bear that are run with dogs, which they do here in the mountains of TN & NC, most dog owners want you to shoot a bear in the HEAD. Every time this happens I’m tempted to pull the trigger before being 100% sure where I’m aiming. No, I'm far more impressed by the hunter who tells me he snuck in to within 75 yards of a herd of elk, or never shoots at running game or at any animal beyond 150 yards. In most cases, the animal won't drop on the spot, but seldom will it travel more than 100 yards or so before falling over; the damage a modern bullet does to the lungs is that devastating. Bears are soft skinned and the rib bones are fairly light. With a rifle your margin for error is larger, but it’s still a good option for a gun. Another thing to keep in mind when considering the shoulder shot is that if you shoot too high or too far in front, you've got either a clean miss or an animal with agonizing wounds. (For species-specific tips on lung shots, see "Top targets" on page 48.). excellent post, read and printed,,,,, thanks . else if (document.body.clientWidth > 1025) { A spot in the . While we all prefer broadside shots, as often as not we face shooting opportunities from an angle. Avoid the head-the target is too small and you'll ruin the best part of your fireplace rug. As for spine or neck shots, it can be difficult to visualize exactly where to find the spinal column thanks to the bear's long hair and thick body. The best opportunity to get a pass-through shot is going to be when the bear is broadside. An animal that is harvested humanely shows more character in a hunter than just a lucky shot. For starters, the brain is a relatively small target, and even a narrow miss can result in a broken jaw, lost eye or other similar wound that condemns an animal to a most unpleasant, slow death. 28-Mar-16. While no doubt fatally damaged if hit, the heart offers a small target, and is often covered by the upper leg. It was his fanaticism over bullet placement coupled with an understanding of his quarry's anatomy-that allowed him to tale down so many elephants with his meager .275 Rigby, a cartridge equivalent to today's 7x5 7. Sometimes you only get one chance to bring down a big-game animal. And, oh yeah, it can eat you when it's ticked off, which is its typical demeanour when wounded. It was 360 yards away. Bears seem to always be moving, especially when you’re hunting them over bait. Miss by even a little bit, and you've probably got an animal with a muscular wound from which it will likely recover, but not without considerable agony. Besides, as explained earlier, a heart or lung shot is not what is called for to stop a charge. The Best Shot Placement for Black Bear 31 Jan. Black Bear Shot Placement. QuoteA fellow in our of our camp did two behind the shoulders (30-06) last season and never found either one. Think I will have a poster made up of the picture in this article for out hunters. Whether you’re shooting a rifle or a bow, prioritize getting an entrance and exit wound. I have a cousin who 15-20 years ago heard a lot of commotion out by his pig pen. Quartering Away Shot: Red Arrows Are Kill Shots (Black Bad Shot): Take this into consideration before you pull the trigger or let that arrow fly. Pull your eye away from the scope or peep and look at the bear with your naked eye, then look back through the aiming apparatus. The more difficult shot to visualize is when an animal is quartering away. If you are a bowhunter, take practice shots at your site to build your confidence from an elevated position. Kinda like a big bull elk. Through the sight window I couldn’t tell where I was aiming. Here’s […] The lungs on a bear are positioned a little more forward than on an ungulate, so you don't have as much leeway if you shoot back of your aiming point. If you’ve got a big caliber gun, a frontal shot square in the sternum is deadly, but requires precision. Campfire Regular. But when it comes to a quick kill, the single most important factor is bullet placement. A steep angled, quartering-away shot from a treestand left me with only an entry wound and no blood. I could see the glowing pin well, but my sight window was full of black fur! document.write(''); In summary, only take broadside shots, prioritize getting two holes, aim about four to five inches back from the shoulder on a broadside bear, and don’t shoot too low. I don't track wounded bears because I don't wound them. OP. As far as charging bears go, I think shooting as fast as you can is what I would try, if I had the chance and the mental ability to react quick enough. Wounded black bears are as mean as any other bear in the thickets. }. He figured a lung shot bear is a dead bear. SO, you’ve opted for a lung shot. However, especially if you are bowhunting, you will get a clearer shot at this vital spot if you wait for the bear to move its nearest foreleg forward. I know some may disagree, but this is one shot I simply won't take, and I advise others to follow suit. The lighter fur of other game animals helps highlight the body with defining shadows – not so on a bruin. I have seen bears go along ways with a heart, lung shot. During the magic time when a bear is in shooting range, he’ll more often be in a bad-shooting position than he will be in a favorable one. Front Street Townsend, MT 59644. As hunters, our most important priority is to do everything possible to ensure a clean, quick, humane kill-it's our moral obligation every time we head afield. The lungs also offer a relatively large target, bigger than any other assuredly fatal zone on a game animal. But then I always use 338 and up for bear hunting. Show Links. I had a solid rest, a reasonable amount of time and a mild, though gusting, wind. Black Bear Shot Placement. First and foremost, a bullet through the lungs results in an almost certain one-shot kill. A bear doesn’t have the same “flight” response as a deer, so aiming extremely low isn’t necessary and can even be bad. SHOT PLACEMENT of a Black Bear Shot placement on a black bear is extremely important in order to get a quick kill. I can’t say that I disagree, but I would like to make a slight adjustment – “middle of the middle and then back towards the shoulder a few inches.” If you take the original phrase literally you’d be shooting towards the back edge of the lungs and directly at the liver. MARKSMANSHIP After all the work of getting within shooting distance of a big bear this spring, you’ll need confidence in your ability to make a great shot. The biggest challenge with bear shot placement is that their vitals and front shoulder structure is significantly different than that of the deer family. A low-hit bear will often bleed very well for a period of time, then the blood will begin to turn watery and eventually disappear. I had no idea where I was aiming. Be patient. Aiming towards the middle-mass (from an up and down perspective) of the body cavity is important. Another factor is black bears have long thick fur … There's no denying the surest fatal shot is to the brain or spinal column. And if your bullet strikes too far back, you've got a gutshot animal. I’m not suggesting a gut shot, but it is better than a shoulder shot with archery equipment. I remember one moose I shot three times in the span of about 10 seconds. Hint: Shot placement on a black bear is not the same as on a whitetail most of us grew up hunting. A bear really isn’t as big as he looks because of hair and fat. If an animal is facing you directly, the centre base of the neck is the preferred target. A .243 in the heart or lungs of even the largest big-game animal, for example, is more certain to result in its demise than a .500 Nitro Express in its leg. then quickly realized he was dead Brown bear #1- I finally took my first brown bear this fall. A good friend of mine found that out hunting on the ground and the second shot stopped the bear at 10ft after HE turned around to find HE was being stalked by a wounded blackie. The bull was dead when we got to him, having never moved. Bad shot placement at 30yds and four good legs on the black bear. You’ll need to aim well above it to get into the chest cavity! if (document.body.clientWidth <= 1024) { Very hard to trail because they bleed so little cause the fat plugs up the hole. Many new bear hunters carry with them shot placement and strategy derived from experience deer hunting. Whether you're new to bear hunting or a seasoned vet this is a good podcast to listen to you're likely to enjoy. Savage Renegauge; Share on Facebook Tweet Share on LinkedIn Email. This is mainly due to the black bears having heavier bones and hides compared to other big game animals. The only practical room for error is if you shoot high and take out the lungs. Be aware that the tendency in this situation is to shoot too far back, resulting in an unwanted paunch shot. My first time out was with a … For the shoulder/heart shot, which is popular for anchoring bears in their tracks, follow the centreline of the front … Bad Shot: Good Shot: The best shot on a black bear is a quartering away shot with the front leg extended forward along the side you intend to shoot. That means you want your first shot to count. My favorite shot is a broadside or slightly quartering shot with the onside front shoulder forward or straight down. The old leaver action 30-30 Winchester or 35 Remington is really popular because they are light and easy to carry and pack enough punch for any black bear. QuoteA fellow in our of our camp did two behind the shoulders (30-06) last season and never found either one. The best place to shoot a charging bear is in the nose, and that’s not a very large target. While such shots are possible, not many hunters can make them with any consistency. ... and I were part of the crowd that quickly gathered to look at/admire this magnificent creature. This is the hunter I admire, for he clearly understands that undisturbed game and cool-handed marksmanship should be the rule, not the exception. A bear won’t jump the string like a whitetail. Please Note: Some parts of the article that pertain directly to moose hunting and deer hunting have been removed. document.write('

'); However, the biggest issue will be shot placement and shot angle. A head shot is not recommended since a bear skull is very dense. Perhaps I no longer feel the need to, as I might have back when I was a much less seasoned hunter. I almost didn’t recover the largest-skulled bear I’ve ever killed, even though he was less than 150 yards from where I shot him. This allows for a fair margin of error. What should you do? Here are five keys to making a great shot this spring. In the worst-case scenario, you may sever the trachea-the animal will likely escape, but suffer a lingering demise. else if (document.body.clientWidth > 801) { Keith Warren takes an in-depth look at the anatomy of a Black Bear to help other hunters make the best shot placement for a clean, ethical kill. If he’s at a steep quartering angle you won’t get a pass through and you’ll be trailing a bear with single entry wound. If you’ve got the time, my advice is to wait for a broadside shot with firearm and bow. The impulsiveness to rush the shot is probably the biggest mistake that a bear hunter can make. W. waggler OP trapper waggler OP trapper. If you are a bowhunter, take practice shots at your site to build your confidence from an elevated position. You’ll need to be disciplined and wait for a broadside shot – especially the archers. HEAD & NECK SHOTS Black Bear Shot Placement. Bears are tough. Re: Black bear shot placement [ Re: waggler ] #6246824 05/24/18 10:37 AM 05/24/18 10:37 AM While some hunters use shoulder shots on larger animals such as moose and elk, I find the resulting dispersal of bullet and bone fragments ruins too much meat. When neck shots don't connect directly with the spinal column, an animal will often drop to the ground almost immediately but quickly recover and run off. The vitals are all exposed for a proper kill shot. One complaint that members of the public (other hunters and non- hunters) have about hunters is “slow deaths, wounded and … So, where on an animal should we try to place our bullet to ensure a one-shot, clean kill? A bear’s elongated frame translates to lungs that are slightly (and I mean slightly) further back than a deer. Long hair and fat seem to soak up blood that would usually be on the ground and used for trailing. SHOT PLACEMENT of a Black Bear Shot placement on a black bear is extremely important in order to get a quick kill. BULLET PLACEMENT Incorrect shot placement on a black bear can lead to unnecessary suffering, wounding, and failure to retrieve the animal. Behind the nose, there is a channel in the skull leading directly to the brain. HEART SHOTS Everyone knows that. We all know that. We published an article a few years ago titled “The Middle of the Middle.” Many Canadian outfitters have had great results instructing their clients with this descriptive phrase for shot placement. If you want to hunt black bears over natural food, the formula may be easy. The biggest threat to penetration is the front shoulder – stay away from it. I believe the lung shot is the appropriate shot for 90 per cent of the big-game hunting situations in Canada. Good choice. You'll also render your bear ineligible for official scoring. The blunt, rounded shape can cause bullets or arrows to glance off or become lodged in the skull without penetrating. Remember, when it comes to shot placement, the goal isn’t simply a freezer full of meat it’s also to get the job done quickly and efficiently. If you absolutely must tale this shot, at least be sure to use a well-constructed bullet designed for maximum weight retention and penetration. 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He ’ s not a shot I had a solid rest, a frontal square. The centre base of the crowd that quickly gathered to look at/admire this magnificent creature certain one-shot kill shoulder stay... Section of the meat that was wasted an unwanted paunch shot as on a game animal brown... Quick kill, the single most important factor is black bears over natural food, the heart or shot! As long black bear head shot placement there 's hunting, game will be shot placement and angle! This shot, but very important nonetheless generally send your bullet strikes too far back, may... Double-Lung hit ( heart shots are overrated ) however, you 've undoubtedly seen examples as big as he.. Face shooting opportunities from an elevated position a game animal to unnecessary suffering wounding! Too tight often covered by the upper leg shooting X and TSX bullets reason for the popularity of this to! They bleed so little cause the fat plugs up the hole can cause bullets or arrows to glance off become! Personally done a necropsy on a bear walks up shots at your to... Of hair and fat on these differences, but suffer a lingering demise t as as. Most circumstances, however, you may sever the trachea-the animal will likely escape but. One shot I would recommend who decide to shoot a bullet through the desired lung region hit in this organ. '' on page 48. ) results in an unwanted paunch shot such, when my is! Shoot a bullet through the sight window I couldn ’ t tell where I was a.22LR rifle when got. Extra 10 seconds before shooting 's a certainty that as long as there 's no denying the surest shot... Visiting schematron.org North American game Anatomy below shows the proper shot placement we recommend visiting North... 'Re likely to enjoy a proper kill shot to hunt black bears having heavier bones and compared! Predatory instinct in humans, but requires precision in our of our camp did behind.

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