Introduction
So you’ve decided to try bear hunting, a popular big game hunting option in many states. Archery is a popular option, but we are gun people here, so our focus today will be on some good firearm choices for bears. Today we are going to take a look at bear hunting, and what kind of firearm you might select for your first bear hunt.
Bear Hunting Approaches
Depending on where you live, bear hunting can be done in a variety of ways. Some folks do the traditional spot and stalk, while others use bait stations or pursue them with hounds. My experience is mainly spot and stalk, but we’ll look at all the various options.
Spot and stalk bear hunting can take place in thick wooded forests, or in open mountain canyons. And depending on the type of bruin you are after, you might need some serious firepower. Black bears typically can be hunted with the same rifles and calibers you typically hunt deer with. While brown bears might require a bit more energy and penetration, think like a moose or elk rifle. The distances you anticipate shooting from will also have a great deal to do with cartridge selection.
Baiting bears into a shooting position gives you a much more predictable scenario. Typical shots to a bait station aren’t as far as spot and stalk, which makes cartridge selection a little easier. You also can anticipate the bear’s approach and estimated location for when the shot is taken.
Another very popular form of bear hunting is using hounds. Regardless of terrain, the hounds catch the scent of a bear, and when it’s done right, the bear ends up in a tree. Once the bear is treed, the hounds keep it there until the hunters catch up. Shooting a bear from a tree is usually not a very far shot, and could even be done using a handgun if desired.
Pistol Calibers
If you find yourself shooting at a treed bear, rest assured it isn’t a grizzly bear. Taking a Grizzly out of the equation, there are plenty of good options for handguns. A .44 Magnum is always safe bet, it has plenty of power for quickly subduing a black bear. You could also likely use something smaller like a .357 Magnum or my favorite the .41 Remington Magnum. Any of these cartridges I would want loaded with heavy and hard hitting bullets.
Big hollow-points like 240 grain for the .44, or something like a 210 grain hollow-point for the .41 Mag would be suitable. And the .357 loaded to the gills with something like a 170 or 180 grain bullet would also be adequate. Not only because these bullet selections will work when needed, but also because if you are in bear country it’s nice to have that thang on you. Several of these calibers would do well in one of the Ruger Redhawk or Super Redhawks.
Another appealing feature of these pistol calibers is they are often chambered in popular lever-action rifles. A quick shooting lever-gun would be handy for taking a bear from a tree with great accuracy. Something like my Winchester 94 375 Winchester would certainly do the trick.
Rifles and Bear Bait
When shooting from a ground or tree blind over bait, you are more likely to have the upper hand on the bear. This can allow you some dexterity in cartridge selection. For example, threading a perfect shot on an unsuspecting black bear could be properly done using something small like a .243 Winchester. I know where there is an old Ruger M77 chambered in .243 that would be perfect for this. Whereas if you anticipate shooting through big boned shoulders or brown bears, you will definitely want something bigger.
A 308 Winchester shooting typical big game bullets is plenty of medicine for a black bear, particularly up close. If you plan to shoot something much bigger like a brown bear, you would be much better suited with a magnum. Whether it be a 7mm of sorts, or one of the many thirty-caliber magnums. If I was after a Grizzly I’d perhaps even go bigger just to be safe. Obviously overkill is a bit of a myth, so you could use these on small bears as well. A safe bet for heavy hitting cartridges would be a classic rifle like the Winchester Model 70 Pre-64 in .338 Winchester Magnum.
Stalking Bears
Spot and stalking bears is my favorite way of hunting them. The open country of the west were we hunt them can certainly test your patience and stamina. That being the case I like carrying a lighter rifle, especially if I’m going to be on foot for very long. Cartridges with more reach are a good idea in these mountains, I’d like a magnum for this purpose as well. Since I enjoy my 6.5 and 7mm PRC, I’d probably take one of them. A rifle like the Fierce Carbon Rogue would be perfect for something like this.
Stalking often gives you the option of approaching from distance, this can give you the option to stay a safe distance away from these toothy creatures. Your favorite magnum might also come in very handy for a long shot like that. A Seekins Havak in a 300 Magnum would also be an excellent choice for this kind of hunting, with both power and precision.