# Your Opionion on 12 ga. Slug Guns for Bears



## ArrowHawk

I was just wondering what everyones opinion was on using a 12 ga. Slug Gun for taking bears in Michigan?


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## wyle_e_coyote

This past bear season my buddy used his 11-87 slug gun with a rem copper solid. I have to say that is one of the best bear loads I have ever seen. It make a giant hole and the shock it gives when it hits. I have to say I was real impressed with it. 
Hunting bear, no matter if it is over bait or with hounds, is a going to be a close shooting situation. Bear country is too thick to get any thing more then 50-75 yard shots. A 12ga slug gun is a great gun for that !!!!!


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## Big Game

I would have to disagree. There have been numerous bears wounded over the years as a result of using 12 guage slugs. This past season we trailed one with our hounds that was hit good according to the shooter. I am convinced that bear is alive today. I would get some more input from people who have shot bears with slugs before caling it a "great bear gun". I have heard of many horror stories from hunters who have wounded bears and never recovered them.


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## BigJim

While the 12 gauge makes a big hole, a good centerfire cartridge delivers more velocity and kinetic energy. Have heard about and seen too many bears lost to shotguns to call it a great bear gun. Personally, I use a 444 Marlin and .358 Winchester for bear. Many other calibers mentioned on this site (The thread about favorite caliber for bear) are also good - I would choose a centerfire rifle over slug guns.


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## wyle_e_coyote

Well I guess it depends on the shooter. The bear I witnessed being taken with a 12 ga. slug was treed. 1 shot in the boiler room and he fell to the ground dead. Maybe it was the fall that killed him...lol
Personaly I have taken 1 with my 65lb bow with a 100gr muzzy, and 2 with my 50cal Knight muzzleloader. One of the ML kills was 300lb's and it dropped on the bait pile. But with that being said, I will add, I am in the martket for a 45/70 or .444 marlin single shot set up just for bear hunting.









Just for a compare. If you go to







http://www.remington.com/ammo/ballistics/ballistics.htm 
you can compare volicity and energy of 12 ga. slug and any rimfire cal.
That is Remington only, but it should give you an idea. 
You will see that ML volicity and K energy at 100 yrds of a 12ga slug is quit good compared to 45/70, .444mar. The 375 H&H looks a bit better then all those though.


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## USNAVYABH

I had friend in Maine when I was over there in the Navy
He shot a 1000 pound moose with a 12 gauge 3" Rem. 
copper solid and dropped him at 50 yards
he shot one the year after with 7mm mag. same spot he went about 50 yards after dropping 
I was sold on the copper slugs


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## Swamp Monster

I would say that with the right saboted load like many of those available today, the 12 gauge is more than enough gun! I've only seen one killed with one though and it hit the ground right now. A lot of the bad press that slugs have gotten were long before todays loads were developed. A lot of folks just don't realize the potentcy of todays loads. Most would say the .450 Marlin is plenty of medicine for black bears at appropriate ranges right? Well out of an 18.5" barrel of a Marlin Guide gun it will produce about 2000-2100 fps with a 350 grain bullet. Well the Winchester Supreme saboted load with a 385 grain .45 caliber nosler partion will chronograph between 1800-2000 fps depending on the gun for about the same energy level that the .450 Marlin (or warm handloaded 45/70) produces. Both will flatten any black bear in Michigan as long as the shooter does his or her part.

Now, if were talking about thsoe old foster style (you know, the pumpkin balls) than yes, there are far better choices and I would choose a centerfire first.


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## stirfry

i took two bears this year one with a 7mm mauser and one with a 12 ga foster slug. both were one shot kills the bear with the 7mm 175gr round nose went 40 yards the one with the 12ga went 3 feet.learn to shot your gun and you should not have any problems


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## stevebrandle

I still think shot placement is going to be more important than rifle cal. or slug. I know of a B&C Michigan black bear killed with a 30-30. Not a big round, but it will do the job. 

I've never shot a bear with a slug. If I did try it I'd want a good scope on the gun and be able to shoot it well out to about 100 yards. Accuracy (less dropage) would be the only reason for me to use a 3" 12 ga. slug.


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## yoopernut

My dad dropped his bear right at the bait with 12gauge slug and as for mine well it's probablly still alive today I used a 35 Remington with 170 grain bullet made an excellent shot(have it all on video) the bear got up and ran off looked that night and 8 hours in the swamp the next day with no luck it has been 2 years ago and it still bothers me showed the video to some long time bear hunters in the U.P. they estimated the bear at 350+. My dad's bear went 252 dressed which is still an excellent bear for Michigan just a little advice from someone who's been there. I definetly would choose a 12 3inch mag myself I seen the damage 1st hand...... :yikes:


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## stirfry

yoopernut i have taken 2 bears with my 35 rem but i used 200gr roundnose. both were one shot kills and only went about 30 yards.i shot a monster in canada last spring with a7mm mauser 175gr round nose that shot didnot pass through but stoped in the other shoulder he only about 40 yards. placement is everything. yoopernut i feel your pain no one likes to lose a animal.good hunting


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## gottawannahunt

I know this is a very old thread but, with the new guns and slugs available now does everyone still have the same opinions? thanks


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## Musket

I took a bear in 08 and 09 with a 12 gauge, so yes it will do the job just fine. 08 was at 15 yards away and 09 was 8 yards away and closing the gap fast. Sometimes it can be very close and personal. What you need to ask yourself is this, what gun do you shoot the best and feel the most comfortable with. For me it's no question. The 12 gauge open sights.


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## Beaverhunter2

There's not much walking this continent that is going to keep it up for long after being hit in the vitals with a 12 gauge slug- sabot or Foster. Huge permanent wound channel, lots of momentum for plenty of penetration.

JMO

Johh


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## uptracker

Took my bear last year with a 2 3/4" Lightfield. Big ol' hole, went 20 yards. If I would have needed to track the bear, the track job would have been easy...I'll just put it that way. The slug entered a tree 10 feet behind the bear. Internal organs in the chest cavity were demolished.


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## slammer

I shot mine with a Lightfield too and it was devestating, tore the bear up. Its all shot placement. Archery is a very common method to hunt bear...why question a slug???


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## gottawannahunt

Hi guys, Thank for replying to this old thread. I was in no way questioning the damage a slug can do. What I am trying to do is see how many hunters still feel that slugs are slow, soft, and inaccurate. Most hunters still think that slugs are marginal at 75yds on deer let alone bear. They seem to think of smooth bore guns and the old pumpkin ball slugs not the fully rifled barrels, sabot slugs, and scopes we have available to us now. Thanks again


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## old professor

Many years ago I killed my first black bear with a Foster type slug and dropped him in his tracks! I would not hesitate to use a modern sabot slug load, especially the Remington Copper slug load. I have take two with a bow and six with a rifle but not because I think slugs woun't do the job. One big advantage to a slug is usually a good blood trail!


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## Beaverhunter2

Here's some food for thought....

If you read about Daniel Boone (yes- THE Daniel Boone), you'll know that he took a number of bears while hunting in addition to some he trapped with deadfalls. His rifle ("Ol' Ticklicker") was whopping *.28* caliber in an era when the only projectile was a PRB!

Anyone for bear hunting with a .22WMR? That's essentially what Ol' Dan'l did!

I'm pretty comfortable that any 12 gauge slug is plenty.

John


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## YoungPhart

ArrowHawk said:


> I was just wondering what everyones opinion was on using a 12 ga. Slug Gun for taking bears in Michigan?


I have only killed 2 bears in my life. My first was over a baited site in N.B. Canada. I used a 12 Ga. with Brenneke Black Magic slugs and the bear dropped right where it stood. The second I shot with a .270 while deer hunting and it went almost 50 yds. Both shots were in the vitals and both shots were fatal but the impact of the 12 Ga. with those Black Magic slugs was awesome.

Now you should also know that I dropped an 875 lb bull moose where it stood with that same .270.

For bear I recommend the Brenneke Black Magic slug whole heartedly. They are harder slugs than the standard lead slugs on the market and they weigh more than most slugs too. One warning though . . . they kick pretty good although you won't notice that when you are actually shooting at a bear . . . I promise!


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