Bear Hunting Rifle Caliber

RJ1

Ten Pointer
As a owner of bear hounds the best advice I or anybody else can give you is listen to the guy that you are hunting with/owner of the hounds he is not going to steer you wrong do that and you will have a good hunt and be invited back. You hunting the coast or the mountains?
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
As a owner of bear hounds the best advice I or anybody else can give you is listen to the guy that you are hunting with/owner of the hounds he is not going to steer you wrong do that and you will have a good hunt and be invited back. You hunting the coast or the mountains?
Good advise, don't be a suck up but the best way to get an invite not to come back is piss off the dog handlers in the bear crowds . Do something that jeopardizes the dogs and usually it doesn't go well. Especially if you went against previously given advise.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
As a owner of bear hounds the best advice I or anybody else can give you is listen to the guy that you are hunting with/owner of the hounds he is not going to steer you wrong do that and you will have a good hunt and be invited back. You hunting the coast or the mountains?
Mountains. I talk to the guy several times a week, ask questions about anything I can, and he mentions stuff he doesn’t want me forgetting. Pretty good dynamic cuz I’m not ashamed of being the new guy and he’s good about wanting to teach me .
 

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
Mountains. I talk to the guy several times a week, ask questions about anything I can, and he mentions stuff he doesn’t want me forgetting. Pretty good dynamic cuz I’m not ashamed of being the new guy and he’s good about wanting to teach me .
You are in a good position, hopefully you will enjoy it for years to come. Again you better start saving up for those kennels. Lol
 

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
Yeah I checked it out. That ship has sailed my friend 💸
I'm telling you, check out the handi rifles in your choice of calibers, they are all over for couple hundred dollars . There will be a dog handler within feet of the bear when it hits the ground to make sure no dogs are hurt . If you don't like the gun I will buy it from you weather I need it or not. I have killed many with all types of weapons and I will not leave the road with out my 45/70 synthetic handi
 

Moose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
As a owner of bear hounds the best advice I or anybody else can give you is listen to the guy that you are hunting with/owner of the hounds he is not going to steer you wrong do that and you will have a good hunt and be invited back. You hunting the coast or the mountains?
not hound hunting but hunting over baits in Maine. Had a conversation with my buddy who I'm hunting with and he has talked me out of the 7mag. Our baits he has started are going to be 15 to 20 yards and not best round for such a.short distance. Dusting off the 06 best choice of what I have in safe. His top recommendation was.45 70 but I don't own one.
 

PPosey

Twelve Pointer
30-30, 44mag. Anything above a 308 win is overkill for a treed bear IMHO.

Lever guns are good if you can shoot it well. Be sure you have a hood on the front sight so you will not drift it without knowing. If your going here in the mnts mark your rear sights location as well, and carry a bore snake. Laural thickets can cause all sorts of things to happen.

One of my students has killed a couple now with one shot each. He is 9 and uses a .223.
 

Cam

Four Pointer
I'm telling you, check out the handi rifles in your choice of calibers, they are all over for couple hundred dollars . There will be a dog handler within feet of the bear when it hits the ground to make sure no dogs are hurt . If you don't like the gun I will buy it from you weather I need it or not. I have killed many with all types of weapons and I will not leave the road with out my 45/70 synthetic handi
I wouldnt recommend a single shot for bear hunting. You may not alwas have a back up man there. And a crippled bear aint no thing to play with. I wouldnt want to trust my life to somebody backing me up. A bear in a tree can be on the ground bayed when you get there or you start to one bayed may be treed when you get there. Man that travels fastest goes alone.
 

Cam

Four Pointer
I have seen bear killed with a 22 darringer all the way up to big a caliber as they make. If i was gonna make a reccomendation this is what it would be any 30 caliber lever gun 3oo6 remington pump not a automatic they will jam get trash in them crawling to the tree to bad. Or a pump870 12 or 20 gauge dosent matter. But alot of the bears i have killed were with 44 mag pistol but youd be better off with a long gun to start with. One more tip if you go with a lever gun tape the rear sight down with electrical tape or when you get there to the bear the ramp will be gone that is under the sight. A bear not killed dead can kill several dogs while he is dieing.
 

Woods and water

Ten Pointer
I wouldnt recommend a single shot for bear hunting. You may not alwas have a back up man there. And a crippled bear aint no thing to play with. I wouldnt want to trust my life to somebody backing me up. A bear in a tree can be on the ground bayed when you get there or you start to one bayed may be treed when you get there. Man that travels fastest goes alone.
Nine out of ten times I will be setting there waiting on the shooter and I hunt the thickest coastal land nc has to offer. If my hounds are involved I will be within feet of the bear or the tree . Quickest way to not get invited back is to shoot before I say to . If the shooter does as I say it will be over quickly. I do not believe in multiple shots when dogs are everywhere. There should be a maximum of two shots . The second one will be in the skull at very close range .it may take several attempts for everything to be "right" but I have all day . As far as the gun I want one with a hammer and no safety that will not jam or misfire and will shoot no matter what.
 

Cam

Four Pointer
Nine out of ten times I will be setting there waiting on the shooter and I hunt the thickest coastal land nc has to offer. If my hounds are involved I will be within feet of the bear or the tree . Quickest way to not get invited back is to shoot before I say to . If the shooter does as I say it will be over quickly. I do not believe in multiple shots when dogs are everywhere. There should be a maximum of two shots . The second one will be in the skull at very close range .it may take several attempts for everything to be "right" but I have all day . As far as the gun I want one with a hammer and no safety that will not jam or misfire and will shoot no matter what.
He may be the man with the dogs in a couple seasons. No really right or wrong gun i just wouldnt want to be trying to reload with a bear eating my dogs up or me either
 

Bluedogman

Six Pointer
Personally I like the idea of the bear being dead when it hits the ground. I’ve only took head shots. Rather it’s a .22lr or a s&w 500 just what ever you’re comfortable with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bass'nhunter

Button Buck
Remington 7600 pump in 35 Whelen,,on gunbroker for 7 to 900 range..one of the best brush/bear guns made
The 35 Whelen is a powerful caliber. With proper bullets good for deer all the way up to the big bears. I have used to take 6 bears & over 100 hogs.
Loaned to hunters in camps who used to take many bears & hogs. All of that said the poster is well advised to use his 30-30 with premium bullets & be happy. Someone should grab the Whalen. Mine is fully engraved as " Bear Buster" with improved trigger & reworked action.
 

CBD21

Eight Pointer
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Nine out of ten times I will be setting there waiting on the shooter and I hunt the thickest coastal land nc has to offer. If my hounds are involved I will be within feet of the bear or the tree . Quickest way to not get invited back is to shoot before I say to . If the shooter does as I say it will be over quickly. I do not believe in multiple shots when dogs are everywhere. There should be a maximum of two shots . The second one will be in the skull at very close range .it may take several attempts for everything to be "right" but I have all day . As far as the gun I want one with a hammer and no safety that will not jam or misfire and will shoot no matter what.
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Woods and water knows what he speaks of when it comes to a bear. If you beat him or one of his people he let’s help handle to the tree you’ve really accomplished something haha and if you shoot before he says it’s good you won’t hunt over those dogs again. His logic is solid no frills no thrills works every time gun and waiting for the right shot equals dead bear.
 
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