Good caliber for black bear hunting?

[roadrunner681]

Turnagain Arm trail closed after hiker kills charging bear | Anchorage | ADN.com

i read this morning, i wouldn't want face a brown bear with just a ak74.

 

[Bull1315]

Im from Pennsylvania originally and used to hunt black bear there all the time. We used a .243 (same gun we used for deer) and never had an problems with knocking them down. A lot depends on shot placement though so make sure whatever you choose your comfortable with it. As a side note the black bears up there are probably bigger and with the other critters running around of good size, you might consider something a little bigger caliber just for assurance.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

The only fellow I know who's went bear hunting used a 7mm Magnum bolt action. He's got a nice bear skin rug, so I guess it must have worked. He's taken it all over the world, including Africa, and has been very pleased with it over the years.

 

[Mark 1911]

The only fellow I know who's went bear hunting used a 7mm Magnum bolt action. He's got a nice bear skin rug, so I guess it must have worked. He's taken it all over the world, including Africa, and has been very pleased with it over the years.

A good friend of mine just picked up a Remington 700 in 7mm Rem Mag on Gunbroker. The seller said he killed two grizzlies with it.

 

[roadrunner681]

Im from Pennsylvania originally and used to hunt black bear there all the time. We used a .243 (same gun we used for deer) and never had an problems with knocking them down. A lot depends on shot placement though so make sure whatever you choose your comfortable with it. As a side note the black bears up there are probably bigger and with the other critters running around of good size, you might consider something a little bigger caliber just for assurance.

i had the same experince over there, freind took me black bear hunting there the bears are not as big as i thought, but the7mm/08 he let me barrow worked just fine.

 

[yotewacker]

If you have to ask what caliber you need. Then you do not have enough experience to go.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

from july '13 guns and ammo, Craig Boddington:

.45-70
.348 Winchester
Browning BLR in .358 (with low-power scope)
.350 Remington Magnum

250gr bullets in the .35s
(except .350 Remington = 225gr Barnes TSX)

 

[roadrunner681]

If you have to ask what caliber you need. Then you do not have enough experience to go.

well with that though no one would go would they.

 

[halfmileharry]

I used to hunt in the U.P. for blacks with a bow and 30-30 both. More than adequate for a 300lb black at close range. I've also hunted out west for muleys etc and ran into a couple of huge bears.
I'm not familiar with the area you will be hunting but Bigger is Better and there's no telling what may wander into your area and decide it's hungry as well.
Make sure "Plan A" is big enough and make sure "Plan B" is fail safe"

 

[Whitsettd8]

A couple of guys I work with went last year I know they were not allowed to take there .458 Socom's or any pistol's. I think one carried a .50 TC muzzle loader and the other a Barnett crossbow. They were hunting black bear.

 

[Hoosier45]

My uncle's wife is from Canada, and her brother is a guide. My uncle has bear hunted with him several times. He took a .45/70 the first time and his brother in law laughed at him for overkill. "Bigger is always better for you Americans!" Then he took a .30/06. I think he has taken his last few with a .308. But he told me where they were hunting was thick, so he wasn't making any shots over 75-100 yards.

 

[AGarbers]

1. I have been to Canada beer hunting twice now. Military-style rifles are not allowed, this includes AR rifles. Pistols are also not allowed. Check out all their regulations before commiting. Dont assume you can just get to the border and ask. Once you get to the check station you are fully on Canadian soil and you are commiting a serious crime by bringing a restricted firearm. They do not have a sense of humor.

2. I second the Ruger Guide Rifle in .338 Winchester Magnum. It is the lightest caliber that experts recommend for the big bears go it is way overkill for black bears. It is a classic and is great for anything in North America and many animals in Africa.

3. I do not recommend a shotgun for bears. Bears have big heavy bones and inches of fat. I shot a bear at 12-yards with a lead slug and the bear was never found nor did it leave a blood trail. It did knock the bear over. We assume the slug hit the front shoulder and then the fat under it and never made it to the vitals. Shotgun slugs have poor sectional density and many experts do not recommend them for anything other than deer for hunting. The next time I shot a bear it was with a 30-06 with 180-grain bullets and he didn't make it 50 yards. The sectional density of a 30-06 with 180 grain bullets have over double the SD of a shotgun slug.

 

[sampo]

I 'd use a .454 Casull. handgun or rifle!

 

[Kart29]

I have a .35 Remington that is right in the sweet spot for bears..

220 Speer flat nose at 2200 fps. I believe it would be more than adequate for effectively killing a black bear. Then switch ammo and I'm back to hunting deer in Indiana.

 

[FERLACH]

I have been to Canada ( northern Ontario) on Black Bear hunts 6 times. Killed 4. I used a .444 Marlin once, a 30.06 once. a .375HH once, and a 9.3x74R once. All were 1 shot kills. My brother also killed one using a .444 Marlin (1 shot kill) and my brother-in-law killed 2. One with a .270 and I dont remember what gun he used on the other one. Also 2 freinds each killed a bear, one with a 30.06 and I dont remember what the other one used. Just a little personal experience and buy the way, all of these hunts were several years ago and I am sure some of the rules and laws have changed.