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!

I don't want to get the dogs torn up!A guy last year hit one perfect with a 7 mag and was pissed when he hit the ground!

I would use a 30-30 you could find a used one for a lot less than a new one.
30-30 isn't a round that gets shot a lot, most times. It'll work just fine. 170 grain bullet. Bingo!

Suppressed 22 mag or 223.

Hunted bear twice with dogs (did not get a bear) and the first time I took a .375 H&H,the second time I took a 9x57.

Have you asked the houndsman for his opinion?

This or any light weight .308.

I have shot a bunch of bears and lions out of trees with a 30 30. Works perfect. Open sights are the best.

I agree. I've hunted Black bears twice behind hounds in very rugged territory. A Marlin 336 or Winchester 94 (or equivalent) .30-30 with 170 grains bullets will effectively kill any Black bear you'll tree. Most shots won't be more than 25/50 yards. I used a .30-30 on one at about 35 yards and a .41 Mag. S&W on another at about 15 yards in a tree. Both dead before they hit the ground.

A light, handy rifle in .30-30 will make your walking, climbing, struggling through brush and Junipers, etc., much easier than trying to lug around a heavy rifle with an overpowered 'scope.

Good luck on your hunt.

L.W.

I've had good luck with my Ruger 96 in 44 MAG. It hits much harder than mere paper charts would suggest.

Sherwood

I've done a fair bit of bear hunting but not alot with dogs. Bears tend to be in cover and shots fairly close - but I've never hunted in Nevada. Heck I've only been there a couple of times. I've carried a Marlin 1895 in 45-70 with 400 gr Speer, 30-06 loaded with 180 Partitions, 280 Rem with 150 Horn, 300 WSM loaded with 180 PT, 35 Whelen loaded with 250 Part, Ruger Bisely 45 colt with 300 gr hard cast. The gist is you don't need a bazooka and light/handy is very nice.

We did do a spring bear hunt last year in Idaho. I took my 300 WSM because we watched a couple of meadows that had possible 200 yard shots. We also ran the dogs a couple days. I carried the 45 colt. We did get one treed and it was shot at a distance of about 30 yards - almost straight up. My brother shot it with a 30-06 with 180 PT that I loaded. I felt absolutely comfortable with the 45 colt under those circumstances.

When I hunt in PA and Canada, I used to carry the 45-70 or 35 Whelen. Both are short and fairly light. It would be tough to beat a 30-06 loaded with 180 Partitions. I also like the 35 cals mentioned. I've never killed a bear with a 35 cal - yet - but have been on the scene when several were introduced to a 250 gr bewlit. They all hated it - alot. A short, light 358 win would be the ticket.

Post pics!

358 BLR has worked well on 3 blackies, none required tracking

Well my dad found the 30/30 I started with when I didn't borrow his 06.He even had 7 or 8 boxes of ammo.
There were a total of 42 tags given out(4 non resident) with a quota of 20 bears which hasn't ever been filled.It should be fun and will post pictures.I have high hopes as nevada has been real good to me the last couple of years.

You absolutely need a Winchester Big Bore in 375 Win

You said you wanted an excuse to buy a rifle. Here is a great lightweight and more than enough for a treed bear rifle

I used to have a Marlin in .375W that was the cat's meow. For a while. I sold it as honeslty just about anything works on treed bear, or cats.

A light rifle or bigger pistol would be my choice. My Model 94 in .30-30 was handy, as was a Rem Mod. 600 in .308W.

You'll do well with it. The group I bear hunted with years ago had a 94 30-30 that was beat to hell but has accounted for countless bears.

Some thing light and compact for running up and down the mountains you can't go wrong with any pump,carbine or compact lever gun".....

For this purpose, a Winchester Model 94, chambered in 32 Winchester Special is called for.

The perfect bear gun; Winchester 1876 in 45-75. If you don't have one, you can get one and when it is all over, you will have a nice picture to remember the hunt with and a gun that will continue to increase in value along with the remembrance of the hunt...

Are you hunting on horses or mules? Just hiking? This matters a lot. I hate chasing bears and lions with a scoped bolt gun in a scabbard. A mod 94 just fits so nice under your leg.

If using it slung, the lightest rifle that you can find that will be adequate. Anything over about 120 grains is adequate in a rifle, in handgun cartridges, I wouldn't go any smaller than a 357 Mag.

I'm voting for a lever gun of your liking with open sights. 30-30 would do more than needed. Hope your hunt is a success and you have a great time.

Winchester Big Bore .375 is a great suggestion.

By all means you have to buy a new rifle. None of those you mention will kill a black bear.

I have been on 4 bear hunts where we used dogs. I killed mine with a Ruger Redhawk 44 magnum and my daughters both use a CZ 527 bolt gun in 7.62x39. My stepdad used a Marlin 30-30. Mine took 4 shots during a ground fight with the dogs. My daughters both killed their bears with one shot and the bears fell dead from the tree. My stepdad killed his as it was coming out of the tree and it fell stone dead. The 30-30 left a huge exit wound.

A handgun is nice for carrying in rough country, but those little carbines were handy and much better for accuracy and killing power.

Perry

We will be on foot although I like the idea of horses
Pops has a 30-30 I used as a kid and will probably take that and the Bee(lightest) but still wouldn't mind a new gun!

30-30's and 35 Rems are a great choice as well. When ever I go to Canada I take a 35 Rem. Marlin 336. Very affordable rifle and not bad to carry.

A G-string with a dull chain saw.

Puma 92 in 454 sounds about right. Mine is light and handles great. Holds 10 in the tube. Not much I wouldn't hunt with it at a reasonable range.

Well a letter from Nevada fish and just killed my idea of a new rifle!
They sent me a bull elk tag in the early rifle in 076-081!

My go to bear gun is my Marlin 336 in 35 Remington with the Remington 200 round nose Core Lokt bullets.

That would make a sweet walking pig hunting rig, my other choice would be a Rugger 77 in 44 Mag, 5.25 lbs (with out scope) add a Leupold 2.5x (8 oz) right under 6 lbs, and only 38 inches long