Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Texas Heart Shots on Black Bear

How many of you would attempt a rear end shot on a big black bear?(350lbs+) What cartridge? Bullet? He's winded or heard you and is ambling away slowly at 50-100yds, let him go or place one up the stovepipe? MtnHtr

BTW, this is a big fat fall bear! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

If I was packing a 45/70 or 458,yes.Anything else,probably no.

WB.

If he is walking away and not running or alarmed whistle loud as you can and he will turn to look at you giving you a proper or at least a better shot. Other wise I pass especially at close range with a high velocity rifle. Bullet braek up in that massive fat behind is likely. If the pelvis or spine is not hit he will be travelling a loooong way! Odds of an exit or very low, blood trails from bears are always very bad without an exit. The bulk of fat on a bear is around his hind quarters and it will certainly plug any hole instantly.

I would likely try it with a 375, or bigger with a heavy bullet. But that is not the gun I would usually have in the mountians with me. I would certainly do it with the 458 Lott, but with that I would worry about breaking the skull too!

It's usually best to pass these shots on a bear. Because they don't bleed much following them wounded in the bush will change your feelings on recreational hunting. Tracking a wounded deer or elk is quite a lot different then following a PO'd bear in thick bush.

This type of shot presents itself during about 50% of the bear encounters in my neck of the woods(still hunting) A friend of mine tried it with an '06, 165BT with sour results. I'm thinking the 338Winnie or 350Remmag with 250gr premium bullets may work? Anyone try these? MtnHtr

Shooting an animal in the ass, that when followed up upon, can result in me dying, is not my idea of a "good" shot. I'll pass, thanks.

I watched a video last year of Big Sky gas tanking a very big black bear that was running away at long range. The Barnes X bullet dropped it on the spot. I believe he was using a 300 mag w/ 165gr X bullets. It was most impressive...

Never as a first shot...I've never hunted them so I would definitely wait for a better shot!

Thanks for asking though because now I know I can yell at them to make them turn around and look at ya <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My "bear" gun will be a .35 Whelen with 250gr Partitions because I'm not ashamed to say I have a twinge of anxiety about bears for some reason...I've never seen a live cape buffalo either but they don't scare nearly as bad as bears and big cats...something about getting bit doesn't appeal too me..I wouldn't say it was fear as much as a healthy respect...

Mike

P.S. I'm talking about big bears too not the 150-200 LB ones we generally have in GA even though they can eat you too!

Sky had hit that Bear seconds prior through the shoulders and the gas tank was an insurance/finisher and was to keep him from reaching the tanglefoot. That is different(in my mind) than employing that approach initially,especially at a distance. Though that 165XLC traversed it's body cavity and 100% sealed the deal.

The only one I've felt compelled to do that to initially,was a huge bastard and about 35yds away. He was leaving post haste and I had the tool for the job and was comfortable with it. I mailed him a 270gr Failsafe out of my 375H&H Ackley and it got his attention. He traveled only 20yds and I gave him a finisher,again as insurance.

With tougher conditions and a lesser round,I would have not considered it. With what I was working with at the time,it was a simple chip shot(concerning my ability to place the projectile where I wished) and penetration was the least of my concerns,due to chambering and projectile choices made prior. Before anyone asks,yes that bullet exited the chest.

I've zero qualm using that shot,if the cartridge and projectile have the mettle to really smash stuff and penetrate and I can control placement. That's why I did it at the time and would do it again,if the same circumstances were presented.

Probably not textbook,but still superbly lethal. If a critter is hit squarely through the body cavity and it has an entrance and an exit hole,I see no difference in which end is the exit. If you hit him in the chest,it's coming out the ass. Hit him in the ass and it's coming out the chest.

Dead is dead..............

If the shot truly makes it to the heart, dopes it matter if it's form the "Texas" end?

Blaine

yes ... If that is the only oppurtunity that presented itself to me ... I guess I would be going home knowing I at least saw a bear and hope for a better chance next time. No flames here ... just my $0.02.

Hey everybody, My father always taught me that as long as an animal was still moving (walking, running)or even standing after the initial shot, keep shooting!!!!! I did just that this past fall bear hunting, my bear was quartering towards me and i hit him infront of the left front shoulder, takin out his lungs and heart, but there tough and he first ran towards me a little then turned around and ambled off, the whole time i was shooting at him, i fired 8 times and we counted 5 bullet holes in him. The last shot was a "Texas Heart Shot" and it was only cause he was still walking. But in the end he only got about 35-40ft away from the bait. Sure he had a bunch of holes in him, but he didnt go far and he didnt have to suffer. I guess i would only take a THS if I had wounded a bear and was just tryin to anchor it to cut down on the tracking.
Brock

Brock,

Just to be clear ... which I wasn't in my previous post. I was refering to first shots. By all means if I shot an animal and it was running away and all I had was a Texas Heart shot .. by all means I would take it.

avagadro,
I figured you were talking about the first shot oppurtunity, i wasnt responding soley to your post, and I didnt mean to flame you in any way if i did. I was just responding in general to the whole thread.
Brock

You shot at a bear eight times before he walked forty feet. You using an M60 or what? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

BCR

all that was missing was a "piiinnnnnnggg" of the garand's enbloc being expelled! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

BCR,
Nahh i was just using your plain ol' run of the mill Marlin Model 336 in 35 Rem <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. Those things shoot darn quick.
Brock

A friend gave me some sound advice in my younger days after I didn't take a shot on a trophy antelope because the angle wasn't "perfect": "they don't go down if you don't put a hole in 'em."

Another guy killed him later that day and he scored 86 3/8...that was one lesson I will not forget.

Choose your shots wisely but make things happen.

Pass........without doubt.

JimF

Done it once, on a medium sized bear in 1998. 175 gr. X bullet out of my 7mm Mag @ 70 yards or so. Worked fine, bear just spun around and was dead witin seconds.

Attempted the shot last September on a LARGE bear. I was driving down a logging road on the 4 wheeler, heading to camp from scouting for moose. Came around a corner, and saw a HUGE bear run off the shoulder and into the bush about 75 yards up. I stopped, and took off my shoes so I could walk silently on the road. I was about 20 yards this side of where I last saw him, and then I glanced into the bush, and he was right there, 15 yards away. He was facing me, and swapped ends and started running away. His head was like the size of a basketball. I raised my rifle and just about fired, but he jumped over a log, and I had to adjust for that. Then he made a 90 degree turn, and was going quartering away, full speed. There was too many trees between me and him, but he would disappear within an instant. I fired, and he kept running, out of sight, but I could hear him. I checked for blood, but found instead where my bullet went through 2 pine trees about the diameter of your leg. So, I would of taken the shot at him running straight away if he had not of jumped that log.

I was shooting my Ruger No 1 416 Rem Mag, 350 gr. Speer Mag-Tips @ 2540 fps.

If that is the only shot you're gonna get, take it, but only if you are shooting a stout caliber. For a big brute, I'd say 8mm Rem Mag at minimum, with the 338 Win Mag, 338 Ultra, 35 Whelen, 358 Norma, 358 STA, 375 H&H, 375 Ultra, 416 Mag, or 458 Mag best. As important is a deep penetrating bullet, X's and Fail Safes in the smaller and faster calibers. I've found the slower calibers to work with heavy-for-caliber soft points. I have great confidence in the 350 gr. .416 Mag-Tip, but will be using a 300 gr. X bullet this year.

I always use slightly more (and sometimes,much more) gun than is needed for the game I am hunting.Why?Well,if I see a black bear or buck that I want to take,I want enough gun to cleanly kill them from any solid angle.

Where as,if I saw Mr.Boone&Crocket trotting straight away,and I was packing a 257 Bob,I'd let him go.Been there,done that.Now,I pack 35 Remingtons,45/70s,ect.,and I just bunhole them.With the old slow pokes,they ruin very little meat and always take out the vitals no sweat.

I passed a hell of a 4x4 up on rifle opener this year,as all I had was an a$$hole and elbows shot.It was about 100 yards,and I was packing my pet 7mm Magnum.Have done one Texas Heart Shot with that one,and didn't want to go through that mess again,so I let him walk.

Now on the other hand,if game already has a round in them and is running away,you should take whatever shot you're presented with.I'll give up half a rump roast or a shoulder steak,if it insures that I won't have a lengthy tracking job.

WB.