Bear Hunting – Caliber Recommendation
August 14th, 2008 at 9:52 pm (Rifles)
This week a friend of mine brought out his new rifle and we sighted it in together. He just purchased a .375 H&H magnum
in a Browning stainless model. What a gun! He explained to me it was my fault he had purchased this caliber.
Well, I like bear hunting and as I thought of a caliber that would leave no one doubting I felt comfortable with his purchase.
Shooting a big bear is a feat! You have to find the beast, get close enough and place that shot. Then with bears you have to find them after the shot.
Several years ago my daughter shot a big black bear at approx. 150yds with a .280 Remington
. This big boar received another 280 slug and 2 shots from my .300 Ultra mag before the bear was stopped as it closed the distance to us. More of a worry to me than the ones that attack or come closer are the ones that may get away wounded or lost.
Because of the characteristics of bear behavior like being, sneaky, shy, aggressive and quiet they also have a great ability to not be seen because of their color and surroundings. A wounded bear can hide in a dark hole or brush pile that, I’m afraid, keeps them from being found often. In northern Alberta I once fatally shot a big boar with a muzzle loader off a bait site. After the customary 30 minutes I actually stepped on him before I spotted him lying behind a log.
Bears are built square with little vital areas. It’s much harder to hit the vitals on a black bear than it is on a deer or elk. On top of this the fat and long hair on a bear soaks up the blood making the ability to track them difficult.
In preparing for this September’s black bear hunt in Alaska I was pleased to find the Alaskan Fish and Game had many recommendations in harvesting black bears including shot placement and caliber recommendation. We’ll talk later about shot selection but here’s my opinion on caliber and getting the bear down.
1. Know your gun–sighted in, kick, noise, bullet weight, care, etc.
2. Select a heavy grained bullet. i.e., 200gr for a 30 06.
3. Use a scope–it gives you light and a fast sight picture.
4. With a choice I like big calibers—.30cal to 0.416 calibers.
5. Look at a lot of bears–picture your shot.
6. Get close–150 yards is a long ways for a big old bear.
7. Perfect shot placement every time!
8. Wind and patience is everything.
I guess I could go on but as you can tell I love big guns and big bears. A 7 1/2 foot black bear is an indescribable trophy! Worth the effort and many trips.
Gary S Winterton said,
August 15, 2008 at 1:50 pm
A very important consideration to factor in when selecting a caliber, type, and grain of bullet, is the foot pounds of energy created at the muzzle, 100 yards, 200 yards etc. I strongly agree that shot placement is key, but it is the hydraulic shock created by the speed of the bullet, and the energy delivered that kills a dangerous predator quickly. The combination of speed, deep penetration, and rapid expansion equals massive internal organ and tissue destruction. I’m not sure you get the additional energy needed from calibers less than .28, and I’m a strong believer in .30 caliber magnums for this very reason. Consider the following comments from Chuck Hawks when hunting dangerous game in Alaska: An adult grizzly might attain a weight of 700 pounds (400 pounds for a female). A very large brown bear might weigh 1000 pounds, and an exceptional example can scale 1600+ pounds. That is bigger than most buffalo, which in prehistoric times were preyed upon by grizzly bears. Both grizzly and brown bears are temperamental, ferocious, and can be very unpredictable. They are also intelligent and curious. Do not underestimate these creatures. It is recommended that non-residents hunt with an experienced guide. Use plenty of rifle when hunting any of the great bears. About 3000 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy (ME) or more is suggested. The various 7mm Magnums and the .30-06 with heavy bullets of high sectional density (SD) are the minimum recommended calibers. Better are numbers such as the .338-06, .35 Whelen, .405 Winchester, .450 Marlin, .45-70 (with heavy loads) and the various .300 and 8mm belted magnums. Powerful medium bores including the .338 Winchester Magnum, .340 Weatherby Magnum, .350 Remington Magnum, .358 Norma Magnum, 9.3×62, 9.3×64, 9.3×74, and .375 H&H Magnum are ideal. I have read that the most popular caliber used by Alaskan guides to “back-up” their clients is the .338 Win. Mag.
Good Hunting,
GW
sal lorenzini said,
April 1, 2009 at 6:13 pm
we aregoing to saskatch. in late may for blk bear> taking 325 wsm, browning. comments, plse.