Shot Placement for Black Bears

If you don't want to trail it through the thick stuff, a head shot is very final. Since your over bait you should have time for a careful shot at close range from a steady position.
 
My buddy shot one last year in the head, .308 at 30 yds or less. Dropped imediately, stone dead!!! . Half way down the ladder to his stand his guide started yelling at him.... shoot, shoot. the bear jsut got up, shook his head and was never seen again.
 
bill c68 said:
My buddy shot one last year in the head, .308 at 30 yds or less. Dropped imediately, stone dead!!! . Half way down the ladder to his stand his guide started yelling at him.... shoot, shoot. the bear jsut got up, shook his head and was never seen again.
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Like I said, head shots on bears is a bad idea.
 
I've shot lots of critters in the head and never had one go anywhere but down. I'm sure the odd one will get up and run away, but I'd bet the percentage of lost head shot bears is way lower than shoulder/chest shots.
 
bam bam said:
I've shot lots of critters in the head and never had one go anywhere but down. I'm sure the odd one will get up and run away, but I'd bet the percentage of lost head shot bears is way lower than shoulder/chest shots.
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I would take your bet on that in a heartbeat! :D

Miss the brain, which is about the size of a grapefruit, and you might have an animal get up.

Compare that to the heart/lung/shoulder area, which is easily bigger than a basketball.

I have shot and killed more bears than I can remember, almost every one with a single shot.

The basketball is always an easier shot to pull off than the grapefruit.

Ted
 
Why not? said:
I would take your bet on that in a heartbeat! :D

Miss the brain, which is about the size of a grapefruit, and you might have an animal get up.

Compare that to the heart/lung/shoulder area, which is easily bigger than a basketball.

I have shot and killed more bears than I can remember, almost every one with a single shot.

The basketball is always an easier shot to pull off than the grapefruit.

Ted
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I would take that bet as well. The only appropriate time to make a head shot is when a bear sticks his head in your tent and that's all there is to shoot at. I wonder how many bears get shot in the face only to run off to die slow and hard with their muzzles shot away.
 
I'm not advocating head shots from long distances. Or at running animals, or at less than ideal conditions. I have never hunted over bait as it is illegal here in BC, but that would seem to me to present a perfect opportunity for a head shot. I figured over bait at a distance of mabe fifty ft from a solid rest a head shot would be a good option. I hear every year about bears being lost from solid hits to the chest. I have never heard of a bear not dropping like a sack of potatoes when they are shot in the head from very close distance. Bears can go a long way even when moratally hit in the body and many people do not have the tracking skills to recover them. Based on my personal experinces I have found if you get close and are careful a head shot works every time, no tracking needed.
 
Definately a shoulder shot is the preference when hunting over bait close to thick timber with little light . I'm somewhat of a bear hunting addict & Gatehouse has it correct
Tony
 
bam bam said:
I'm not advocating head shots from long distances. Or at running animals, or at lWess than ideal conditions. I have never hunted over bait as it is illegal here in BC, but that would seem to me to present a perfect opportunity for a head shot. I figured over bait at a distance of mabe fifty ft from a solid rest a head shot would be a good option. I hear every year about bears being lost from solid hits to the chest. I have never heard of a bear not dropping like a sack of potatoes when they are shot in the head from very close distance. Bears can go a long way even when moratally hit in the body and many people do not have the tracking skills to recover them. Based on my personal experinces I have found if you get close and are careful a head shot works every time, no tracking needed.
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bam bam, have you ever shot a bear? Not trying to embarrass you, just curious.

Oh, and forgot to say "Welcome to the board" in my previous post You will enjoy it here. :cool:

Ted
 
Head shot heroes... we should have a special section for these guys... and I mean "special". :mad:
Not trying to denigrate or inflame but I cannot stomach this foolish notion that a head shot is desireable in any real hunting circumstances.:bangHead:
Wake up buddy there are real hunters on here that have real experience.:slap:
Sorry fellas but I call em like I see em.:evil:
 
BIGREDD said:
Head shot heroes... we should have a special section for these guys... and I mean "special". :mad:
Not trying to denigrate or inflame but I cannot stomach this foolish notion that a head shot is desireable in any real hunting circumstances.:bangHead:
Wake up buddy there are real hunters on here that have real experience.:slap:
Sorry fellas but I call em like I see em.:evil:
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This is for you...
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1342416#post1342416
 
Why Not?
No that question isn't embarassing, are as there are no stupid questions.
Yes I have shot approx half dozen black bears. I have never lost one to date. I have the opportunity to fill tags every year over and over if I so choose, I see and get close to many bears over the course of the year. I hunt more than most on here and run bears with dogs seven months of the year, and cats when the bears go into their dens and until they come out.
If thier is anything else you would like to know, fire away.:wave:

Big Red - everyone is entitled to their opinion, I respect yours and you should mine.
As far as being a "real hunter",,well I guess you da man.lol
 
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bam bam said:
Why Not?
No questions are embarassing, are as there are no stupid questions.
Yes I have shot approx half dozen black bears. I have never lost one to date. I have the opportunity to fill tags every year over and over if I so choose, I see and get close to many bears over the course of the year. I hunt more than most on here and run bears with dogs seven months of the year, and cats when the bears go into their dens and until they come out.
If thier is anything else you would like to know, fire away.:wave:

Big Red - everyone is entitled to their opinion, I respect yours and you should mine.
As far as being a "real hunter",,well I guess you da man.lol
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Where did you hit them?

Ted
 
I shot the first couple behind the shoulder, and have gone to head shots since. I don't shoot until the time is just right.
 
Advocating head shots is about the stupidest thing you could possibly say on a hunting forum... there is nobody here impressed by your rediculous claims.:rolleyes:
You are wasting your time trying to make points off me buddy.:onCrack:



Is it a Bird?:p
 
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