If you don't hit a vital area with your shot they can go a long way and often not be recovered. They are tough but a shot through both lungs does them in pretty quick. I know a guy who shot one with a 338 RUM and a 250 gr bullet at 3000 fps, at the shot it dropped (very common with bears)so he walked over towards it with his gun down. As he got closer the bear jumped up and ran away never to be seen again, they even went back with a dog but never found it. Obviously he never hit the lungs and that big cannon did him no good, but he couldn't believe anything could ever stand up to the mighty 338 RUM. It's guys like this that will start telling everyone that you need a 375 or bigger.....

Gerry.