Read and learn more about black bear hunting. For more, visit the Hunting website Hunting FAQ – ICPDLeadersStatement.net
Q: I am looking to start Bow Hunting for Black Bear and deer, any suggestions of a good bow?
Looking to buy a new bow for Black bear hunting and deer hunting, any suggestions would be great.
Thanks, Matt
A: Ninja Bow
Q: Where is some good black bear hunting in southwest montana?
I’m looking for some good black bear hunting places on public land in Southwest Montana around Butte/Helena/Bozeman and between.
A: Drive your car to SW montana , stop in the woods, get out with your gun and shoot a bear! How hard is that?
Q: Black bear hunting in the United States?
I was wondering if there were states where you can, and people do, successfully black bear hunt in the US? If so what is the best state?
A: We have some black bear hunting in Michigan. Contact the DNR for information about getting the necessary permit.
Q: Black bear hunting in Maine – outfitter recommendations?
Would like to go black bear hunting in Maine this September, but have never been to Maine, never hunted black bear – any recommendations on good outfitters (and/or preferable regions of Maine)? Any other words of wisdom on black bear hunting also appreciated.
A: Foggy Mountain Guide Service
131 Ladd Road
Sebec, Maine 04481
(207) 564-3404
http://www.foggymountain.com/black-bear-guide.shtml
Q: How many ft-lbs of energy would you like to have when hunting black bear?
I have a 308 Win that I can nearly drive tacks with (1″ groups at 200 yds consistently) but I am concerned about the terminal ballistics while hunting bear. The bears in my area aren’t too big, 200-300 lbs maybe and I’m wondering what my maximum ethical range should be. Also I dont want to wound a bear and follow it into the brush, not my idea of fun.
A: I am a long time Alaskan hunter, trapper, and military competition shooter.
1″ groups at 200 yards is not tack driving. Shooting at the target, pasting over the hole, and shooting into the same hole again and again all afteroon long – and not having a hole much larger than the first – that is tack driving. 1″ groups at 500 yards is tack driving.
Black bears are no where near as tough as brown. The 308 is probably the absolutly best round to use on black bear from close in to 400+ yards. Black bears do not have a large sectional density – so – any rifle with more power than a 308 is simply just going to pass through the animal and be no help at all………. except to maybe wound a second animal behind the first and make more noise.
Rule of thumb with bear hunting – you keep shooting until the bear stops moving – this rule will prevent you from having to track a wounded bear. Shot placement is only critical when the bear is in a heavy covered brush area and getting only one good shot off is possible……. ideally you want to fire whent the bear has strayed into an area where you can get several shot off at it before it can reach cover.
Generally, if you see a bear today – you can show up earlier and catch it again tomorrow. Keep this in mind – because some bears will look great up front – and their butt or side can be so badly rubbed the hide is worthless and beyond what a skilled taxidermist can fix.
My bear hunting buddy and I were glassing a huge grizzly in Sitka one morning. It was a nice big bear, big head, nice fur on the sides……. and then it turned around and whole butt was totally hairless! It looked like the bear had pulled down it’s pants and was mooning us – just two big bald cheeks and a butt crack a plumber would be proud to own. I couldn’t help myself – I started laughing….I could barely keep it in, my buddy was holding my head to keep the snickers from leaking out….. and the bear heard me and started looking our way. Laughing almost got us killed.
It pays to spend the extra time glassing a bear before you shoot it. But, try to keep out of laughing distance. Bears do funny things.
Your standard 150gr soft point bullet will work fine. Winchester ‘Black Talons’ or any handload using a Barnes X bullet will work best. You want to break bones and damage vital organs – bullets like these – and Nosler Partitions – retain their original weight and do a better job when performing a quartering shot.
Black bear meat is totally awesome! Wondeful pot roasts, steaks and chops – and sausage to die for. Any sausage recipie that calls for pork you can use black bear, just add extra tallow to make up for the bear meat being lean. If you get one – email me – I have some award winning sausage recipies.
That, and black bear tallow and fat makes excellent high quality soap. If you have the fat turned into soap – I can guarantee you, your wife will be all over you asking when you are going to go hunting again.
Hope this helps.
Q: Michigan Black bear hunting tips please?
Hello im leaving to go black bear hunting in Ontanogon michigan. In the Upper peneinsula.
I would just like any tips you guys could give me for black bear hunting since this will be my first time hunting bear.
Any tips would be appreciated .
thank you
A: Been bear hunting my whole life they are my favorite hunt. Hounds and bait work best otherwise glass south facing slopes early in the morning they look like burnt stumps at first so look close. Be carefull not to shoot a sow with cubs even if it is leagle (probably not) it is immoral. Don’t rush your shot bears have poor vision but good noses so wait and harvest humanly. Good luck and the thing you should be most carefull of is becoming addicted and going back year after year. They are very good table fare as well. Salami pepperoni and sausage are best however the backstrap of a well fed baited bear is very nice also…..Now I have to defrost some sausage 4 breakfast tomorow.
Q: what is a good rifle for hunting black bear?
what caliber and rifle are best for hunting black bear and grizzly bear?
A: I have taken both species in Canada and British Columbia. I used a 7mm Remington Magnum and a 300 Winchester Magnum and they both took care of business. If I had to recommend anything else, I would suggest something in 30-06 minimum or larger, preferably a magnum.
Q: I’ll be hunting black bear with a 308win, and most likely not taking a shot beyond 75 yards?
what bullet or factory ammo would you recommend?
A: A 165 gr bullet should do the job, but personally, given the short distances involved with most black bear hunting, I’d opt for the 180 gr. The reason is that black bear can get pretty big. If you get your sights on a trophy of a lifetime, the larger bullet should give you better penetration and carry more energy with it.
For factory ammo, Federal Premium makes some great hunting loads. They make some 180 gr. rounds loaded with Nosler Partition bullets or the Barnes MRX.
Another good bullet is the plain old Remington Core-Lokt ammo (the plain Remington Green box). The Core-Lokt bullets do hold together quite well and I have had good luck with them.
Personally, I think the best compromise between quality and price is the Federal Fusion ammo. They are good quality bonded bullets, but they are still pretty cheap (about the same price as the Remington Green Box). If cost is an issue, I would go with these.
Here is a link to MidwayUSA. They have quite an extensive list of ammo for the 308 Win.
http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?categoryString=653***690***&categoryId=7556&tabId=3&brandId=0&refineSearchKeyword=&sort_results_by=manufacturer_a&pageNum=0&numberOfResults=500
Good Luck and happy hunting
Q: Whats the best gun to use if your going black bear hunting?
A: I personally use a remington model seven rifle in .243 caliber. I like the accuracy and low recoil.
Q: Black Bear Hunting Tomorrow!!?
My Father, My Brother, My Dads best friend and My best Friend are heading up north to do a bear hunt. Me and my best friend, its our first time and i was wondering what you were thinking on the choices we picked for rifles. He picked a Remington Model 700 CDL SF limited edition topped with a 3-9×40 mm bushnell elite 3200 in a 30-06 shooting 180 grain silver tips (not ballistic silver tips, just silver tips) and i picked a remington model 700 BDL topped with a 3.5-12x, 42mm Nikon monarch in a 7mm rem mag shooting 160 grain accubond CT.
I expect to get one because last week a bunch of americans went up to hunt black bear and they got 15 black bears as big as 400 lbs-450 lbs. Now that sounds unreal, dont get me wrong i didn’t believe it at first but its true. Thats one hell of a big hunting party and thats one hell of a turn out. Hopefully my little hunting party can bring home a couple decent bears.
A: True that most Northern Black bears top out at 450 lb, but back in the boonies, some get twice that large. The 30-06 180 grainers at full power and good hits at reasonable range should be fine even on the big ones. The 160 grain 7mm Maggies are a great 700 yard deer or 500 yard elk round (assuming you can hit at that distance), but the “Northern backwoods triple-sized” Black bears are not on the menu. However, the regular 450 lb ones are.
Do be aware that recently Grizzlies have made a comeback in some Northern areas, and 200 grain bullets are absolutely necessary on the bigger ones, with that thick gristle plate on them and that thick skull.
Q: How dangerous is Black Bear hunting? ?
I recently took the NY state hunter education course as a refresher and the instructors described black bear hunting as dangerous, to the extent that I always thought grizzly bear hunting would be. For example they said that other bears can come in after a shot is fired and these bears will potentially stalk hunters that shot at them if they are not killed. Is hunting black bear often a dangerous experience? I know that all bears deserve respect but have any of you encountered dangerous black bears afield? I have little field experience but would like to hunt these animals with the appropriate caliber rifle and cartridge as well as plenty of “range practice” is it a bad choice of game animal to start with?
I appreciate all of the informative responses and personal experiences that you shared. In New York you are not allowed to bait game. Regarding bear meat how does it compare to venison?
A: I am glad I did not take a hunter ed course in NY. It sounds as though you were fed a lot of misinformation.
You have to respect an animal that can turn you into it’s dinner. But, they are not going to stalk you just because they were shot at.
You should use a rifle caliber as large as you can shoot accurately. Shot placement is more important than rifle caliber. Anything .270 and larger, with a well-placed and accurate shot, will kill a black bear. They have been taken with smaller calibers, but I would not recommend it.
If you do shoot a bear, wait a short time before you approach. Watch to see if it is breathing. Approach from behind before checking it physically. This will give you an advantage if it does get back up. If its eyes are closed, it IS NOT dead. Animals do not die with their eyes closed. I have always been of the mindset that another round into the vitals never hurts. Good luck and be safe.
Q: Where are some good berry patches in WA to hunt black bear?
I’ll be hunting bear this fall for the first time, and I would like a general area to start scouting around the East Cascade area. Please help me out? If you’ve seen a black bear up in the mountains/eastern WA that’ll help me too.
A: I dont know where you are in eastern Wa. but accross stevens pass is a place called Tonga ridge thats loaded with blue berries then as well as black bear(big one’s)
or at tunnel creek above there are lotsa bear some grizz
or on your side, across from the smith road follow the dirt road to the top….lots a bears and berries!
Q: When is black bear hunting season in B.C, vancouver?
when does the season start and on march, would you see any black bears around this time of the season? The weather appears to be getting warm.
A: its actaully in september
Q: black bear hunting rifle?
is my 30-06 springfield stong enough to go black bear hunting with a 220 grain bullet.
A: heck yes, put em down brother.
Q: black bear hunting?
how do you feel about black bear hunting… is it cool? etc…
A: It is cool as far as I know, I just wish I could find a way to get out to do it.
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