Bowhunting Black Bear

stop overthinking a bear hunt ,, bears have great noses ,they know your there they can smell you ... however they eat stuff that smells good to them they don't care you are there ,, I have taken bears off bait with my recurve ,, not hard to kill ,, many have said bears are made for bowhunting
 
I would be concerned about penetration on a bear with a 45# recurve at 30 yards. I think it would be fine inside 20 yards if you slip it into the vitals perfectly. Too much can go wrong at 30 yards. A 500 grain arrow from a 45lb recurve is no speedster. Speed isn't everything and you're right to go with a heavy arrow, but if the bear moves at all on hearing the release of the string you could want that arrow back. The possibility of the bear moving before the arrow gets there combined with there not being much energy left in the arrow at 30 yards makes it pretty risky. The only thing IMHO that would make this scenario reasonable is if you have a longer than average draw length to impart more energy into the arrow. Just my (humble experienced trad guy) opinion. I currently shoot a 46lb recurve but I would only use it on bear at very close range and even on deer not beyond about 20 yds.
 
Gordon M said:
stop overthinking a bear hunt ,, bears have great noses ,they know your there they can smell you ... however they eat stuff that smells good to them they don't care you are there...
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I disagree... 20 years of guiding bear hunters and 40 years of bowhunting bears has convinced me that unless you are very lucky a good sized trophy boar is NOT going to present a shot after it winds you... you might get many juvenile bears that heed their stomach over their nose, but bears don't get to true trophy size by disregarding their sense of smell.
 
i agree that the big boys don't get big by coming in when some thing isnt right they will wait till dark and you leave or they might not come back ,a sow might bring them in for sure
you usally have ample time to make a good shot so don't rush it,hit him in the right spot and he might go 30 yds make a bad one and you probably will never find him
I guided for bears also for yrs also and have looked for more then a few wounded ones
 
Really enjoying reading everyone's advice and thoughts. Since I am paying for this hunt, versus walking around in my backyard, I am much more engaged in improving my success even the littlest.

elkhuntr said:
Where you already understand anatomy then foreleg forward is always a great option. The main thing is avoid hits rear of the crease at broadside where possible. I hit one about 4" back one time and spent the rest of the day sorting that bear out. Suggest you google bear anatomy and picture where the kill zone is at various angles...IMO the 3 D targets are wrong. And with your set up I would not worry about penetration 30 yards and in. Weights in the 400+ grain perhaps even better 450+ grain will aid you with a lighter draw. My 2c.
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Yes, the kill zone has been a bit of a contention point. We have started 'scoring' the 3D targets differently now, as the kill/point zone on them seems to be a gut shot. This really annoys the other club members!

BlackRam said:
With a bear, an exit wound is a nice plus, as it will provide for a better blood trail, especially if the shot is not as good as one hoped for. Their loose skins, thick fur, and depending upon season or severity of winter and subsequent layer of fat, tends to make for poor blood trails. Keep in mind, that a hit high in the chest will allow the blood to pool within the chest cavity and not out into the ground, also making for a poorer blood trail. Try for a lower chest shot to prevent this. If the bear has more tissue damage to the lungs, the shorter the trail to the downed animal. (This is the same for all game animals)
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Thank you. I appreciate the details.


Rob F said:
I would be concerned about penetration on a bear with a 45# recurve at 30 yards. I think it would be fine inside 20 yards if you slip it into the vitals perfectly. Too much can go wrong at 30 yards. A 500 grain arrow from a 45lb recurve is no speedster. Speed isn't everything and you're right to go with a heavy arrow, but if the bear moves at all on hearing the release of the string you could want that arrow back. The possibility of the bear moving before the arrow gets there combined with there not being much energy left in the arrow at 30 yards makes it pretty risky. The only thing IMHO that would make this scenario reasonable is if you have a longer than average draw length to impart more energy into the arrow. Just my (humble experienced trad guy) opinion. I currently shoot a 46lb recurve but I would only use it on bear at very close range and even on deer not beyond about 20 yds.
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I agree on your thoughts about how fast things can change with a recurve at 30yards. Ideally I want a shot between 15- and 20. The bear would have to fully distracted, munching away, zero wind, for me to think 30 was doable. Basically a perfect situation for me to risk it. There is no way I am taking a shot that could leave the bear injured.

I draw 27" so I get ~44#-45# out of my 45#. I've weighed it at draw.
 
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