Black Bear/30-06 or 300

[Canuck Bob]

Black bears in southern Alberta are very human wise. I find first light the best. They like river banks and if you smell rotten flesh find it and a bear will be close.

I hunted west of Lethbridge for many years. If willing to hike a bit from a road and work the foothills you might get a shot. I also had luck checking high south facing slopes as they like to sun themselves in the morning.

As far as your rifles, either is fine. Pick the one that feels the most natural to carry and shoot.

 

[Buck45]

Either one would work fine on bear.

You got that right. From the guys I hunt with ...the following are used for deer bear moose.

300 WIN MAG
30-06
270
3030
7MM REM MAG
308
4570
At 25 yards from a tree stand they all hit pretty hard. And yes I did once sit in a tree stand over looking a bog once. Moose season in the James Bay watershed area north, way north of Cochrane. Saw one moose 400 plus yards away no shot !!!

Froze and every time the wind blew so did the tree stand sway. Land of the small trees.

Fellow took a black bear with a 308 that year.

 

[Moose Stalker]

Both are good cartridges, but for hunting within 200 yards the 30-06 would be better.

Sight it in with 165 grain bullet to hit 2 inches at 100 yards and you will be able to hit any target from 0-250 yards easily.

Bears are usually more out on sunny days and they are usually eating grass and ruffage when they come out in the spring time. Hunt them on the mountain side. Don't go to high if there is snow, they usually like the dryer areas.

 

[BigUglyMan]

Temperature is nudging the freezing mark this last week. The snow is slowly starting to wizen. Almost time to start thinking about gettign the 300 H&H out and taking a drive.