Black Bear Hunt Failure (experience... thank you Rob :) )

ChromeArty

ChromeArty

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So... this story kind of sucks. I want to share to receive advice on caliber, as I think that is where things went awry.

This season is the first for hunting black bear for me... and only my second season ever hunting. I got my first deer last fall. That said, I have a tremendous amount of trigger time in over my life... never stopped shooting from my first bb gun when I was 9... I'm 33 now. I am a good shot with virtually anything you put in my hands.

I'd like to say now that I have done hours upon hours of research before heading out. Books, articles online, YouTube videos... I really wanted to be ethical and successful.

Down to business: I spotted a black bear on a logging road about 200 yards away. I watched the bear walk off the road into the brush, I moved up 100 yards and sat down with my rifle next to me, I began blowing a fawn bleat call, within 30nseconds the bear is back on the road heading right for me at a walk, I call him in to 60 yards or so and lay prone with my rifle. I decide to take a straight on shot at his brisket (chest)... I am now wishing I had waited for a broadside shot and gone for the "middle of the middle". I am sure the rifle went off with my crosshairs on target (but am now hoping I missed somehow). The bear did not grunt or scream, did not scratch at the wound, did not spin around... just turned and bounded into the brush. I could not find a spec of blood or squirt dump or sign anywhere! We looked for 4+ hours through brambles and elevation. A 45° angle in each direction from where the bear entered the brush out to 150 yards... back and forth and back and forth... not a sign!

I am friends with an avid hunter and core instructor who walked me through everything over the phone. I really did my damndest to find him. I hope I bloody missed (but am doubtful)
I guess these things happen to hunters, but damn it! I feel badly :( He told me that the flesh up front on a bear is elasticated and can close up over the wound and not bleed and I probably don't have am exit wound. Broadside only for me I think now.

Any advice is good advice... but what I am really wondering is, was .270 a bad choice? Should I trade to a larger caliber (I may use for deer... but am about to delve into bow hunting for deer... I hunt on a bow or shot only island and we have a much elongated bow season here in region 2 of BC.

And if I should up my caliber, what are your suggestions?

Thank you,
 
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Nothing wrong with the caliber for black bear. Shoot your rifle on target to be sure it’s still shooting where you left it. Hopefully scope is shot or bumped out of whack. Waiting for the broadside shot is also helpful.
 
Scamaniac said:
Nothing wrong with the caliber for black bear. Shoot your rifle on target to be sure it’s still shooting where you left it. Hopefully scope is shot or bumped out of whack. Waiting for the broadside shot is also helpful.
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First thing I did before leaving the bush... the shots were slightly right... but within 3 inches of bull. f:P:2:

I just heard back from my hunting guru... he says that the .270 is fine as well... just that I need to use 140 or 150 grain bullets... I had 130 grain
 
Thanks for the responses lads... I'm on the fence about what to do! Last thing I want is a repeat!

Thanks for your support too... I know the internet can be a nasty place, and I have already beaten myself up enough.

Cheers!
 
bbobie said:
I would say it was a clean miss it hit him with the 270 he would have sho n you some sign s
Stumble you would have heard the impact at 60 yds
I would check the zero on the scope a gain just my 2 cents
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Thank you... I hope so. How I missed is beyond me, I was calmish... not flailing around with buck fever. I took some shots afterwards and it seemed on target.

I'm am at a loss
 
ChromeArty said:
First thing I did before leaving the bush... the shots were slightly right... but within 3 inches of bull. f:P:2:

I just heard back from my hunting guru... he says that the .270 is fine as well... just that I need to use 140 or 150 grain bullets... I had 130 grain
Click to expand...

It is not the cartridge or the bullet. The .270 is a fine choice for deer and bear, and the 130 grain bullets do just as well as the 150's on a well placed shot... and just a poorly on a misplaced shot.
 
Why is this a failure?
Does one measure success by the kill or the experience of the hunt and the harvest and cut tag?
I would suggest you learned something and a failure it is not.
This might be a case of boar fever and a clean miss and Yogi just got an education.
Bear 1 - CA 0.
There is always tomorrow and the only easy day was yesterday.
Rob
 
I don't think we are measuring success by the kill as much as the fact that we always strive to connect with the first shot. I still remember clear as day the first time I missed an animal - also a black bear. I was 200 yards out lying prone with a bipod (300 win mag) and the bear was standing still. At the range I can come close to 1" groups at that distance. But on that big black bear I had a clean miss right in front of it. It still bothers me but not because I care about not getting the animal. I just want to be a good shot and connect with all the bullets I shoot at game animals. I was lucky with the clean miss rather than a gut or rear leg shot!
 
To the OP: a miss with a bigger cartridge is still a miss. A 270 is perfectly adequate on a black bear. I've seen them shot with a 100gr 243 Win and 180gr 308 Win. Both Nosler Partitions. The bears all died. Maybe try the 130gr Partitions in your 270. I doubt you had a bullet failure but it's good to be confident in your bullet's performance.
 
FLHTCUI said:
Why is this a failure?
Does one measure success by the kill or the experience of the hunt and the harvest and cut tag?
I would suggest you learned something and a failure it is not.
This might be a case of boar fever and a clean miss and Yogi just got an education.
Bear 1 - CA 0.
There is always tomorrow and the only easy day was yesterday.
Rob
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Thank you Rob... means a lot :)

I hope it was a clean miss. He showed no signs of being hit.

I do wish I had a freezer full... but you're right, there is always tomorrow.

I hope I can find him again!
 
rifleman762 said:
I don't think we are measuring success by the kill as much as the fact that we always strive to connect with the first shot. I still remember clear as day the first time I missed an animal - also a black bear. I was 200 yards out lying prone with a bipod (300 win mag) and the bear was standing still. At the range I can come close to 1" groups at that distance. But on that big black bear I had a clean miss right in front of it. It still bothers me but not because I care about not getting the animal. I just want to be a good shot and connect with all the bullets I shoot at game animals. I was lucky with the clean miss rather than a gut or rear leg shot!
Click to expand...

Yes... it is a feeling of "how could I miss!?" ... it honestly felt like he was standing on top of me at the shirt distance he was at.

I'm probably experiencing a feeling hunters have felt since day one of our evolution... missing, and coming home empty handed. No one to blame but yourself.

Truly appreciate the support from you all. I Will get back out there next weekend and let you know how it goes.

Cheers
 
rifleman762 said:
To the OP: a miss with a bigger cartridge is still a miss. A 270 is perfectly adequate on a black bear. I've seen them shot with a 100gr 243 Win and 180gr 308 Win. Both Nosler Partitions. The bears all died. Maybe try the 130gr Partitions in your 270. I doubt you had a bullet failure but it's good to be confident in your bullet's performance.
Click to expand...

I'm definetly going to take some shots at paper again and find out what's going on.

Thank you for the cartridge recommendations
 
ChromeArty said:
Yes... it is a feeling of "how could I miss!?" ... it honestly felt like he was standing on top of me at the shirt distance he was at.

I'm probably experiencing a feeling hunters have felt since day one of our evolution... missing, and coming home empty handed. No one to blame but yourself.

Truly appreciate the support from you all. I Will get back out there next weekend and let you know how it goes.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Yup, 100%. If I go on a hunt and either don't see anything or can't get close enough to shoot or decide not to take an animal for whatever reason, I don't feel like it's a failure. The only time I've felt failure is if I do take a shot and then miss. Then you just have to pick it up and go at it again. And hit the range to build your shooting confidence again :).
 
At 60 yards the 270 win 130 is a dead bear. Certainly much more energy and hydrostatic shock than a 30/30, one of the gold standards of "Bush" range bear calibers.

Seems unlikely you missed. Sometimes animals die in their tracks, sometimes they run for miles. No way to predict it, nothing else you could have done.

Anyone who has not had this happen, has been fortunate or very little hunting experience.
 
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