Hi Carl,
I don't know about black bears or bears in general for myself except some i took pictures of in northern British Columbia or Vancouver island. For what i've seen if i planned a trophy hunt for bear i would go to something bigger than 243 or 270 even if these calibers can take their toll.
It seems today, in all parts of the world, hunters want to use the smaller caliber available for hunting, as if it was a sort of challenge. Hunting is not survival...
For me game deserve respect, so we must use an " enough caliber" just in case of, one we can shoot and manage well with enough "ooomph" for the largest most dangerous game of the area.
In the US, Canada, Sweden, Finland (will be there in october 2011) you have access to 30-06 so why use a lesser one. As french i would use german caliber, not the worst: 9,3x62 cause i trust it as i trust my shooting ability, or may be my 8x68S. If money come, for an Alaskan or Russian bear hunt, they would be with me again cause i know they will do the job and i control them well. The most important thing. As Ruark said "use enough gun" and i add, the right bullet. Hunters spoke always of ammo and rifles but not often of their "real ability"....Most of them don't even really train or stay fit enough to walk a day long.
Calibers for bears, buffalos, wild boars, deers, elks all these discussions seem redundant, not only on the fire but in every hunting camp and in my job as outdoor writer/consultant. I don't know ( and all other friends here), about you but it's boring me a bit.
But, there's always a but: it's good to read advices of people like some of the Alaskans there, from Phil and you too who know by experience what they spoke of.
All the best from France.
Dom
