Black Bear/30-06 or 300

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bockhoule

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Lethbridge Alberta
Just looking for some input on black bear hunting. I have a 30-06 and a 300 win mag. which should I take along. also any tips on types of habitat where to find them and any other tips for a first time black bear hunter in southern Alberta?
 
Can't see how adding a couple or three hundred feet per second is going to make a difference,,take the 30-06,...chances are it's lighter and shorter than the 300 also. Spot and stock black bear hunting involves lots of walking/stalking,...I'd take a lighter rifle everytime over the extra velocity. Get within reasonable range and the '06 will do the job.
 
I'd take whichever of the two rifles you prefer. 30-06 vs 300WM when comparing the same grain of bullet, have as Rembo states only a small difference in velocity. I notice in Winchester Supreme 180's, the differnce is 175 fps. I can't imagine that being a factor in success.
 
I'd personally take a 50cal lol :) just kidding I hunt bear with a 300 RUM usually or a 257wby but having said that all my shots have been out and beyond 400 m where I hunt. If your hunting Bait or doing a spot and stalk the 30-06 is fine but if your gonna hunt feilds or where a long shot maybe possible it'd be nice to have the 300 for a little more reach. Put the first shot through the front shoulders to anchor him (because tracking a wounded bear is no fun and just a little dangerous) especially around or in thick brush.
 
Are you comfortable enough with the 300 to take advantage of the extra range. If you are , and have done enough long range the 300 might be good for that bear that is just in a weird spot to stalk. That being said i haven't ever done a spot and stalk black bear hunt so im just guessing
 
if your asking from a " will it kill it" standpoint. black bears are not cape bufflo. 30-30 and .243 have plenty of killing power. last srping i used 165g sst 30-06 at 120yrds. that bear didnt go 10 ft.

TIP: when the sun is out glass the heck out of south facing slopes.
 
South facing slopes on sunny evenings as soon as they green up a bit, is where you'll find black bears grazing. Take the 300 and do some practice out to 400 mtrs with it. They are almost impossible to stalk on the open hillsides so a longish poke may be necessary to be successful.
I've killed dozens like this.
 
you like recoil? and love to have more powder load then your current rifle, like to shoot longer range like 400 + for game kill or plink targets at 1000yards??
then 300WM.
are you sensative with recoil, want to shoot cheaper factory ammo, looking for something easy to shoot and use all around hunting rifle?
then 30-06. i will still do 200-300yards no problem and will kill any game in canada.
 
Based on your choices, go with the one you are best with. Either is more than sufficient for the task. Your only concern will be having the right optics or sight system for the distance you are going to be hunting in.

Personally I go much lighter, with a 30/30. It is plenty for any bear I am likely to meet.
 
c-fbmi said:
South facing slopes on sunny evenings as soon as they green up a bit, is where you'll find black bears grazing. Take the 300 and do some practice out to 400 mtrs with it. They are almost impossible to stalk on the open hillsides so a longish poke may be necessary to be successful.
I've killed dozens like this.
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I hunt in Ontario, so I will have a hard time giving specific western bear habitat advice... in spring I agree with c-fbmi's advice... we hunted similar locations here during spring green up... also try river/creek glades that provide plenty of lush greenery... unfortunately here in Ontario, we no longer have a spring season (thank God for turkeys!), thanks to a motivated Anti and a couple crooked politicians! :mad:... While the 300WM will give you a little more range... the purpose of "more range" is placing a bullet in the "bread basket" so the extra range doesn't help you if you have a hard time shooting it accurately... and since 30/06 is plenty of bear medicine, I would say take whichever you are MOST accurate with. Of the forty or so bears I have taken, all have been with a bow, including a good number stalked in blueberry cuts and grain fields... so range is relative to your ability to stalk.

saskcop said:
Either one would work fine on bear.
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YEP... the most accurate one will work best.
 
ryan32 said:
Are you comfortable enough with the 300 to take advantage of the extra range. If you are , and have done enough long range the 300 might be good for that bear that is just in a weird spot to stalk. That being said i haven't ever done a spot and stalk black bear hunt so im just guessing
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Extra range!? Wtf does that matter!? It's irrelevant. Bear hunting is supposed to be done at close range, the closer the better.

I'd load some 200gr Nosler Partitions in the .30-06 and take that.

Then stalk up as close as you can get to that sum-#####, and bust him!
 
c-fbmi said:
South facing slopes on sunny evenings as soon as they green up a bit, is where you'll find black bears grazing. Take the 300 and do some practice out to 400 mtrs with it. They are almost impossible to stalk on the open hillsides so a longish poke may be necessary to be successful.
I've killed dozens like this.
Click to expand...

Last year I discovered something about the Black Bear. They respond very well to the sound of distressed game screaming sounds.

Calling for coyotes, and out pooped one big brown bear, one average sized black bear boar and one mama with cubs. All of them looking and sniffing for the sound of lunch. Not good when I'm holding a 223 with 50 gr or a 243 with 70 gr varmint bullets. Now I have my 30-06 or 308 within handy reach at that spot.
 
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