Hunting thick stuff in BC, minimum comfort caliber?

What is your minimum comfort level?

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emerson

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Reference the magnumitis and bear with a 223 threads. I often hunt areas where visibility is 15-20yds. Being comfortable with dealing with a big bear quickly that close, how low will you go powerwise in your cartridge choice? Assuming you are using the bullets you hunt with. No AMAX bs. Of course there are boomer 7mms and anemic 375s, only so many options. Also ft lbs energy might be more precise, but most hunters don’t choose their rifle this way.
 
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Personally, I feel completely comfortable packing a 243 with 105 Amaxs. Hunting buddy carried his on a Sheep hunt this fall.

We watched a pretty good boar grizz all week that was never farther than 1200 yards away, I was 100% comfortable with my 280AI having a bull elk hanging 40 yards from my sleeping bag.


I’m not scared of bears though, and tend to use my head in bear country and during bear encounters.


Incidentally, I hunt with Amax’s.....
 
If it is too tight to see 15-20 yards far and there were big bear signs I'd retreat if I'm not going for a bear.

Otherwise, I'd send the dog in to see what is there while carrying whatever gun/rifle I use for hunting that day. So, maybe "dog calibre" or "stay out/common sense calibre" is my minimum comfort level.

Unfortunately it is not on your list.

RR
 
I’m not asking about caliber for me. I’ve made my decisions already. Asking because of the threads referenced in post #1. I don’t hunt with a dog, or avoid brushy river bottoms that often hold bear tracks.
 
.303 british , 180gr SP ..... nothing I've shot it at has lived more than a few yards.... wolf, black bear, deer, moose from 10 feet to 50 yards.
but recently I've chosen .338 federal, 210gr nosler partition and a close range optic with back up sights for the hunting described in the opening post.
** edit to add..... I'm hunting for big BC black bears right now, well, I'm sitting in my camper somewhere off the beaver lake fsr bored out of my skull and can't sleep LOL the downside to hunting solo. Anyhow.... I voted .338 in the poll but I'm packing a 7mm rem mag for bears this trip due to the open country. Bullet is a 174gr trophy bonded bear claw.
should be adequate. :evil:
 
Killed a lot of grizzlies have you emerson?

I’m not worried about an Amax holding together on a big bear at close range. When I was specifically hunting grizzlies for myself or with buddies I generally carried my 300 Ultra or 7wsm stuffed with TSX’s. Also used to carry a 45/70 with Buffalo Bore rounds, but that was more for having to go dig one out of the alders.

I’ve never really worried about bears since I work in the bush, and spent years working alone km’s from anywhere with nothing more than a can of salad seasoning on my hip.

Hoyt really nailed it in one of the bear threads about reading bear body language and being smart about where you are. Worrying about a bear attack that for the VAST majority of hunters will never occur isn’t really worth the thought. Not many people are going to be able to react quickly enough or smoothly enough to use a rifle adequately in a charge situation, and a lot of internet cowboys have some pretty grand fantasies of how they will perform in that situation using their big magnum.

That said, if it brings you peace of mind to carry a 458 Loudenboomer just in case you run into a bear, then by all means carry what you like. For me though, I worry more about rifle familiarity, fit, function, and point-ability over everything else.
 
KodiakHntr said:
Killed a lot of grizzlies have you emerson?

I’m not worried about an Amax holding together on a big bear at close range. When I was specifically hunting grizzlies for myself or with buddies I generally carried my 300 Ultra or 7wsm stuffed with TSX’s. Also used to carry a 45/70 with Buffalo Bore rounds, but that was more for having to go dig one out of the alders.

I’ve never really worried about bears since I work in the bush, and spent years working alone km’s from anywhere with nothing more than a can of salad seasoning on my hip.

Hoyt really nailed it in one of the bear threads about reading bear body language and being smart about where you are. Worrying about a bear attack that for the VAST majority of hunters will never occur isn’t really worth the thought. Not many people are going to be able to react quickly enough or smoothly enough to use a rifle adequately in a charge situation, and a lot of internet cowboys have some pretty grand fantasies of how they will perform in that situation using their big magnum.

That said, if it brings you peace of mind to carry a 458 Loudenboomer just in case you run into a bear, then by all means carry what you like. For me though, I worry more about rifle familiarity, fit, function, and point-ability over everything else.
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Nope, just 10 or 12 black bears. Hunted grizzly, never connected. You answered my question about what you used though. Thanks. I’ve used a 30-06 mostly, 338 WM a bit, 375 some. I have had target/deer bullets in 30/06 at 35yds explode on a small black bear shoulder and only penetrate the lungs with a few shards.
 
Again, Kodiak and all, this thread was to focus the thoughts of others who are passionate in the “magnumitis” and “223 for bear” threads. Hoyt likes a 350RM, Ardent says many of his bear clients used fast 30s and up. Dogleg is a fast 7MM or 30 guy for the bigger animals. 45ACPKING’s 174gr 303 is close to the 180gr 30-06 that makes me feel comfortable.
 
At 10-20 yards you need a CNS shot anyways, so anything you can shoot super fast and accurately. I have shot bears at 5-8 yards with a .308 maybe 4 times and they dropped on the spot with headshots.
 
So your original post said while hunting elk and moose in thick country. Are we now talking about hunting bears?

Like I said originally, while elk and moose hunting my comfort level on cartridge choice with the thought of potentially having a clise encounter is different than while intentionally hunting big bears.

I could easily do ALL of my hunting here in NE BC with a Montana in 7/08, and have contemplated it several times. (Mostly because I REALLY like the gf’s 7/08 Montana.)

However, sometimes Inlike to carry a 243AI. Sometimes I carry a 280AI. Sometimes I carry a 300wm. But at no point does the worrynof a bear attack factor in to my personal cartridge choice. Thats MY personal comfort level. Generally though, I carry a 7 of some flavor for elk and moose, simple because I might want to anchor one where he stands, and ai like the ability to break shoulders without worrying about bullet choice. A 140-150 Mono does that for me.

Would I pass on a bull if I was carrying a 243 two minutes after seeing a grizz in the area? Would depend on the scenario of course, but I wouldn’t be ruling it out simply because of my cartridge choice.
 
KodiakHntr said:
So your original post said while hunting elk and moose in thick country. Are we now talking about hunting bears?

Like I said originally, while elk and moose hunting my comfort level on cartridge choice with the thought of potentially having a clise encounter is different than while intentionally hunting big bears.

I could easily do ALL of my hunting here in NE BC with a Montana in 7/08, and have contemplated it several times. (Mostly because I REALLY like the gf’s 7/08 Montana.)

However, sometimes Inlike to carry a 243AI. Sometimes I carry a 280AI. Sometimes I carry a 300wm. But at no point does the worrynof a bear attack factor in to my personal cartridge choice. Thats MY personal comfort level. Generally though, I carry a 7 of some flavor for elk and moose, simple because I might want to anchor one where he stands, and ai like the ability to break shoulders without worrying about bullet choice. A 140-150 Mono does that for me.

Would I pass on a bull if I was carrying a 243 two minutes after seeing a grizz in the area? Would depend on the scenario of course, but I wouldn’t be ruling it out simply because of my cartridge choice.
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No, you brought up how many grizzlies I had shot. The 7 for breaking big shoulders makes sense to me. I hunt in lots of thick low vis bush around PG and early avoidance isn't always on the table. Speaking of table, I would shoot a moose or elk with a 243 right in front of a grizzly, but that is because a moose in the freezer equals $6K of OT I don't have to work. My biggest gripe about larger calibers is that the less expensive rifles chambered in them are heavy. The couple of pounds between my '06 and 375 make more difference than I expected, especially when carrying a heavy pack at the same time. I have dies and brass for 270WBY, but no rifle, maybe go that way one day.
 
Grouse hunting so not really applicable to the question but always have two slugs in the stock shell holder just in case. Figured it would be better than spraying a bear with no 8's. I guess the answer would be I pack the gun I want for grouse and have a back up plan. As always having a dog is my best protection.
 
KodiakHntr said:
Killed a lot of grizzlies have you emerson?

I’m not worried about an Amax holding together on a big bear at close range. When I was specifically hunting grizzlies for myself or with buddies I generally carried my 300 Ultra or 7wsm stuffed with TSX’s. Also used to carry a 45/70 with Buffalo Bore rounds, but that was more for having to go dig one out of the alders.

I’ve never really worried about bears since I work in the bush, and spent years working alone km’s from anywhere with nothing more than a can of salad seasoning on my hip.

Hoyt really nailed it in one of the bear threads about reading bear body language and being smart about where you are. Worrying about a bear attack that for the VAST majority of hunters will never occur isn’t really worth the thought. Not many people are going to be able to react quickly enough or smoothly enough to use a rifle adequately in a charge situation, and a lot of internet cowboys have some pretty grand fantasies of how they will perform in that situation using their big magnum.

That said, if it brings you peace of mind to carry a 458 Loudenboomer just in case you run into a bear, then by all means carry what you like. For me though, I worry more about rifle familiarity, fit, function, and point-ability over everything else.
Click to expand...

Talk about internet cowboy. Damn you’re awesome.
 
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