Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Little, non magnum cartridges? Not for me or THIS hunt.....

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...Bear_story_or_The_proper_way#Post8739123

I was glad for EVERY ONE of the 225 grains of solid copper bullet weight, and each and every one of my 3100fps muzzle velocity when I took the shot in the linked story above, which I just posted in the general campfire and general big game forums. The scene.... A VERY large, probably once in a lifetime for me, fat, bowlegged, male black bear. Quartering away and about to get away, 350 yards out.

I would not have tried this shot with a 223, 243, or any other sub 30 caliber bullet, and I was lovin my uberfast wildcat big 33 when the opportunity came along to poke this guy, and hard.

Ask yourselves after you look at my photos of this years bear and read my report if you would have made an attempted shot with a rifle that was much less than mine in power and capabilities.

What would YOU have wanted in your hands, with the always very real possibility of a less than ideal shot placement? And PA- LEEZE don't pipe up with that "I only take perfect shots" crap. Real hunting in the real woods, for really big and mature animals, does not allow that kind of selectivity.

It matters not what I would have wanted. I hunt within the means of the rifle I am carrying. If things are not right, I move on and hunt some more. Has happened more than a few times even when I was toting a thumper.

A 270 Win would have been just fine.

Shot a lot of black bears and seen plenty more die. Never seen one that a well placed 270 couldn't flatline. Bigger is nice, but black bears die easy.

Where I hunt the trees and animals are most certainly real, and if the shot isn't perfect, I pass or get closer. Sure have passed on a lot of opportunities, but on the other hand I've also never lost a big game animal I've shot at.

Yes.

Real hunting in the real woods means shooting critters in the ass?

Um, okay.

What? You're going with the long brass Brad! I was thinking .308 or 7-08 would work just fine but nothing wrong with a firebreather if that's what you what to shoot.

Very nice bear no matter what you shoot it with. Congrats!

You continue to amaze.

Bears are not deer that flush and run after holding in tight cover as you approach. The hunting approach you take, to sit and wait them out, is the same one I take. No rushed shots at running game are typical in that scenario. Shot placement shouldn't be an issue. Bears usually lumber around fairly slowly, looking for food and such and working the wind carefully.

If I was worried about lengthwise shooting one, I'd probably shoot only Barnes bullets, although I don't think they're necessary, they might be good insurance. I get your concern for the extra energy of the large cartridge on a big bear at long range. It's like any game, the biggest specimens have an extra spark and will to live which may carry them a few more yards after a fatal hit, but they most certainly are going to go down just the same, 270 or 340, if a well placed and well constructed bullet are used.
All that said, it's REALLY nice to anchor them in their tracks rather than risk a runaway. I think of it like this- It doesn't have to be shot and live to be a failed hunt it only has to be shot and live long enough to increase the risk of you not being able to track it to where it dies.

I say pound 'em hard, especially the biggest ones at long range.

Fascinating to me,that someone would extoll the "virtues" of this Goat [bleep] and trump the chambering,boolit or placement...let alone anything else?

On the brightside however,it only took 2 day for the Bear to die, only 2 guys had to shoot at it,they only used as a minimum 2 different firearms and when the dust settled...the "VERY large" victim was only 2-inches and change from making The Book.

Should be a Country Song: "I Got Half My Bear In Two Days Of Shooting".(grin)

'ball, would LOVE to see your version of a "Big One".

Laffin'!

Too bad it wasn't a chambering the OP could shoot well,as he woulda got a whole Bear,less fanfare. Though it wouldn't diminish rubs,nor stretch a skull.

Hint.

Better song: "I Got Halfa Bear Without Much Hair And The Skull Size Just Ain't There".

Bears is always [bleep] funny!

Lots of backslaps on the freakshow, who woulda guessed?

"Hunts" like this make me shake my head like I have Parkinson's.

Didn't click but lemme guess...


Was it warm enough for a sleeveless t-shirt to be involved in any pics?


Please say yes.

You're like a psychic.

Nothing better than tatted up guns!


grin

Just thought of something great.



Boxer, you should get some skull tats and start wearing headbands instead of hats.

Just proposing the most common of Western Cartridges, not saying I'd have used it.

The 308 would have been my choice cause that's what I use, but a 257 rob, 260, 7-08... heck, anything within reason works on black bears.

But I'm relatively secure in my manhood

Laughing my head off..

+1.

Shame there isn't a campfire award for testosterone.

Reminds me of this. You KNOW this is some serious schitt when the Dew Rag comes out!




Disclaimer:No azz shots were taken in the making of this photo.

Oh yeah Poobs!



Stylin', profilin' and buckwilin' homie!