In recent years I have been using a Remington model 700 in 350 Rem Mag for black bear hunting. I've been using the Hornady 200 gr. spirepoint bullet, 59.0 gr. IMR4320, R-P cases and WLR primers, and get 2650 fps from the 24" barrel. The location I hunt has a 90 degree arc behind it of tiny thick spruce and fir followed by a swamp with shoulder to head high grass and shrubs immediately behind the bait pile. I can only see to the end of my finger tips in this stuff. Of course this is where bears run when they are shot. In short, if I don't have a blood trail I'm screwed.
In 2012 I shot a yearling boar that dressed out at 128 lbs. The shot went in and out the ribs and both lungs at 20 yd., and the was an adequate blood trail. The bear went 20 yd., and was easy to find.
Last year I shot a similar bear at 60 yd. there, but did not find a single drop of blood. I searched for two hours that night, and three hours the next day and did not find a bears. The shot looked clean and good when I took it, but I figureed I must have missed. I was baffled.
Two days ago I shot a sow at 60 yd. that dressed out at 196 lbs. Again, there was not a single drop of blood anywhere. There bear had traveled about 60 yd. in an arc to end up about 20 yd. from where it was shot. Even at the site where it dropped the only blood was coming out its nose. The bear was slightly quartering away when hit. The shot entered behind the near shoulder and wrecked the far shoulder. No exit wound. At this point I think something like this happened to the last bear.
None of this would be a problem in a more open area. But in this area I won't be using that bullet any more, and need to find a different solution. I haven't had any problems with the Hornady 195 gr. spire point in the 8 x 57, or their 180 gr. round nose in the .30-'06 giving an exit wound and a blood trail.
Am I expecting too much from the 200 gr. 35 cal. bullet, or just drawing a conclusion from too few instances? If I want to keep using the 350 Rem Mag, I think I should try the 225 gr. Sierra or the 225 gr. partition.
What have been your experiences with any of the bullets mentioned?
