A bad night/morning - Maybe not so bad?

Have been following this - good luck, maybe consider using something with a bit more oompf, just to be absolutely certain? You mentioned shotguns; time to get out the 1oz slugs perhaps?
 
The bear I shot yesterday had a fist sized hole through his shoulder, right through his heart and he ran 50 yards. Keep looking, you never know. Also watch for magpies (if you got 'em around), crows etc. But big game animals are remarkably resilient. If the bear wasn't hit quite right, he might well survive.

A .30-30 should do the trick, if the shot placement is right, but maybe this is the excuse you need to convince the wife you need another bigger caliber, eh?

Good luck.


Just thinking the same thing... "honey, it's for the greater good of mother nature" !:D

get something that will punch through both sides and leave a blood trail!


Sorry to hear about your failed hunt, I know the feeling...
 
As mentioned before, even a small sapling you couldn't see could have deflected your bullet enough to hit him, but not good. Also, I have seen a black bear fly backwards and thrash around wildly, flopping and rolling, and breaking lots of brush and creating a hell of a ruckus, and found out later that the shot that caused all that hit the bear in the FRONT PAW. You can't assume crashing and fussing means a good hit.

My sympathies for this situation. Wounding somethings SUCKS!
 
Two years ago my friend had a 100 yard shot on a nice sized bear in an open field. 300wssm that shoots ragged holes on paper. He aimed for the white tuffed of hair on his chest and let one fly. Bang, flop... or so he thought. He started to walk towards the bear and it started to get up. He put another round into the same white spot on his chest and the bear took off and tried to climb a short fence. Buddy put a third into that same spot and the bear was leaning against the fence and he fell over. This time dead. We skinned him out and took it a friend of ours at the tannery. There we found a perfect inch and a half group in the white tuff of hair where all three shots landed. He couldn't have asked for a better shot.

Bear are amazing creatures. I have no doubt that your shot was well placed, your care for the animal is apparent but I think the x-factor that a bear brings to the party is to blame.
 
They are tough, had one come out of a ditch do 500 dollars worth of body work damage and pop the seal of the front tire of a the GMC reefer I was driving, then take off up the road a good 1/4 mile befor he headed into the bush and disappeared! No limp, no blood just back legs passing ears at each bound. I figure I was still doing at least 45 mph when we met and he/she was up and running by the time truck stopped.
 
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