Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Bear Gun?

Drew one of the four non resident Nevada bear tags.We will be hunting with hounds and was wondering what gun and caliber you would use?I thought a shotgun with slugs would be a nice lightweight option but not legal.All of my rifles are bolt action rifles from 257 bee -300 win mag.I am thinking this might be a excuse to buy something

If I was doing a bear hunt with dogs, which I'm assuming means shooting a "treed" black bear, I'd personally take my little Winchester Trapper in .44 mag with some Buffalo Bore Ammo. My thinking is that you would want a gun that's light and handy as you will be running and chasing a pack of dogs, over several miles of rough terrain.
I've got several friends that have done that type of black bear hunt with a handgun in .44 mag.

If it was me, I would take a 44 lever also.

That's a good choice. Since I don't have a 44 mag levergun, I'd use the 99F lightweight in 358.

Sounds like the big ones would rather walk and fight versus tree.Hopefully dogs get them cornered.Thinking I need a new gun.

A 358 Winchester in the current Browning BLR is light, handy and accurate. Perhaps more than you need for a treed bear, but if you ever need to hunt heavier big game within reasonable distances the 358 Win is hard to beat.

The BLR is a very fast shooting rifle as well.

Dan

Use the .300 Win mag.

Load it with 200 gr Nosler Partitions.

What scope is on your rifles,particularly the .300?

Stainless marlin 45/70 lever with a 1-4 scope
Or a nice 44 mag.
I have a ruger 44 carbine and wouldn't hesitate to take a beer down with in 50 yards and a hot load.

My buddy has a 45-70 but it is really heavy.
The 257bee (shooting 100 grain cutting edge) and 300wsm (shooting 168 Bergers) have a zeiss 3x15 while the 300 win has a leupold 4x12x50 but have a extra zeiss I could put on it.

I always wanted a BLR in .358. Win. Caliber

This. Either should work very well for you. Use a good load. 44 Mag lever gun I'd try to find Federal Premium 300 grain Cast Core. Should work well in a lever gun.

Here's your chance then. I shot a small black bear this past year. He was approaching me while I was sitting on a big rock deer hunting. No blind. Damn thing was looking right at me. It was about 25 yds away when I started shooting.

That BLR handled like a dream in the thick stuff where I was hunting. I got three fast shots on him. Two in the boiler room. One in the hind quarter. Bear only traveled about 10 feet.
When the bear was skinned there were exit holes the size of quarters behind his shoulder.

I think that was the fastest shooting that I ever did.

Dan

People seem to like light rifles when chasing hounds. Also people don't like bears injuring the dogs so big bore levers are all the rage.
I like my 35 Whelen and true to the 24 hr campfire tradition I have never hunted with hounds yet I am giving advice on it. Bwah hah ha ha.

I've had some friends that have hunted bear with hounds. It's physically demanding. At least in Maine it is. One has to chase the hounds through very thick and rugged forest. Oftentimes at a distance.

A lightweight 44 mag carbine might just be perfect for hound hunting bear. I just know that a short action BLR doesn't weigh much more than a 44 mag carbine and I believe it's a more versatile rifle for other game.

Lot's of options to weigh.

Dan

Most likely your shot will be 50 yds or less.

The .300 with the 4x-12x50mm will do. The key is to kill the bear and not hurt the dogs... i.e. the bear is dead before it hits the ground. I would still use 200 gr Nosler Partitions. Also,put the scope on 4x and leave it.

I'll bet the good ol' 30/30 in a M94 would kill a bear. Light and inexpensive, and could be lots of fun with cast bullets after the bear hunt. Same goes for 35 Remington in a Marlin 336

12 gauge with slugs would be ideal, oops missed that it wasn't legal there. 300 will kill em, other wise a 35 rem, 35 wheelen, or 45-70 would be handy with a 4x or red dot.

My 308 bolt rifles are the same weight, or less scoped as my lever guns in 30-30 with only irons. The Ruger Predator is the same length as the 30-30 or 35's in the safe and weighs 7 lbs even including optics. Compared to 7-7.25 lbs for the Marlins naked. It cost less new than a Marlin or Winchester will run used. It can be loaded with 125-200 gr bullets and is just as effective at 30 yards as 300 yards. Anyone who learns how to shoot a bolt rifle can get off "AIMED" shots just as fast as with a lever gun.

Without knowing anything about the other options you have I'd take the 300 from what you own. Or the lightest, shortest bolt gun you have in any caliber greater than 243. If you just want an excuse to buy something else I'd buy one of the lightweight carbine bolt guns in the caliber of your choice. Lots of options from many gun makers.

JMR40
Wow! I haven't had anything to do with the Ruger Predators and didn't realize they were that light. You opened my eyes to some new information. Thanks

Royce

Just looked- Retail on a model 94 is $1199 if I read it correctly! Could buy 4 Predators for that I think!