# Looking For a bear gun



## c3chambe (Jan 27, 2012)

Im going to be hunting bear over bait next year in the gwinn unit. Will my H&R single shot 12 gauge be a good gun or should i get a rifle. If i get a rifle what caliber is recommended . Thanks in advance.


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## rein1 (Jun 30, 2008)

12 gauge with sabots or slugs no problem ,, how far away is your bait ???


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## c3chambe (Jan 27, 2012)

70 yards


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

12g with slug is the best bear medicine. Why do you want to put your bait so far out?

Before people jump on the 12 let me explain. Bear have a heavy fat layer that can plug the holes, making for a poor blood trail, a 12g slug leaves a big hole. Of course it's is best to drop them where they stand. Pick your shot well. 

I have spent a long day tracking poorly shot bears through nasty wet swamp a couple times. While it is exciting and will get your blood pumping, I wouldn't recommend it.


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## GuppyII (Sep 14, 2008)

Swampbuck is right, a 12ga is serious bear medicine, and yeah, why so far? We set our baits from 10 to 30 yds is all, maybe if the situation dictates 40. Bears are not like deer...
The closer they are the easier it is to judge the size.


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## Callinalldeer (Jun 25, 2009)

The 12 gauge H and R is a perfect bear gun.I have killed lots of bears with mine .Partion golds or lightfield slugs.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

12 gauge will definitely get the job done.


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## aquanator (Dec 1, 2005)

Personally I prefer a high velocity round which imparts lots of kinetic energy and leaves a gaping exit wound - like a .300 mag, or at the least a 30-06. The bear I shot this year was 30 yards out and the 180 grain 30-06 round left a gaping 2'-3' hole - the blood trail was immediate and easy to see.

I get the fact that a 12 gauge makes a big hole, but it's a fairly low velocity round and never my choice on big game.


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## k2mattin (Nov 17, 2008)

aquanator said:


> Personally I prefer a high velocity round which imparts lots of kinetic energy and leaves a gaping exit wound - like a .300 mag, or at the least a 30-06. The bear I shot this year was 30 yards out and the 180 grain 30-06 round left a gaping 2'-3' hole - the blood trail was immediate and easy to see.
> 
> I get the fact that a 12 gauge makes a big hole, but it's a fairly low velocity round and never my choice on big game.


You have to mean 2"-3" hole.....


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## fishdip (Dec 29, 2010)

Slug does a fine job


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## otterk (Dec 24, 2012)

12 gauge slug is the right medicine. Someone arrowed a nice 400 pounder in the swamp I hunt and was not found. Have heard of too many bears not being found by bad archers and bad rifle shots. I am sure it has happened, but have not heard of a slug not getting the job done.


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## 100 Grain (Aug 24, 2013)

12 guage slug is great for bear. Shot my last bear with a mine
Put him down right there. Also the 45/70 is an awesome bear cartridge.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Berserker (Aug 10, 2014)

First year bear hunting, few books I read saw to shoot twice, unlike deer.

Also make sure to sight your scope or sights for that range. Be nice to know how much drop you got or how high at 25 and 50 yards too.


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## firmedan (Aug 7, 2006)

How about 460 smith and Wesson 260 grain?


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

I have seen a bear that went 60 yds shot with a .375 HH. Seen one dumped on the bait with a .30-.30. Shot placement is the key. From my expeirience a 12 g leaves a very good blood trail.


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## jatc (Oct 24, 2008)

Berserker said:


> First year bear hunting, few books I read saw to shoot twice, unlike deer.
> 
> Also make sure to sight your scope or sights for that range. Be nice to know how much drop you got or how high at 25 and 50 yards too.



A 250 lb black bear is not any harder to put down than a 120 lb whitetail. Anything that will cleanly knock down a deer (ie 12 or 20 slug, .243 and up centerfire, or a .45/.50 cal muzzy set up for deer) will work just fine.

As far as needing to shoot "twice", well there are a few variables in play here. Myself, don't care WHAT kind of game it is, once I've commited i will keep shooting until the animal either falls or I can no longer get off a good shot. In my eyes the most ethical thing to do is put that animal down ASAP. Just because it is a black bear would have nothing to do with it, although some would have you believe that our bears here in MI are "dangerous" game and need to be treated as if they were a 1000 lb Kodiak. They are not.

It will serve you best if you can drop the bear in sight though as they will find the thickest, nastiest crap around to crawl into, often making tracking and recovery more difficult. If you shoot and the bear doesn't just drop, than shoot again. It will save you a lot of work.

As far as your last point about sighting in for the proper expected range and then knowing your exact drop at 25 and 50 yards..... Good reasoning but in the real world not necessary. Sight in a modern firearm in a normal bear/deer caliber at 100 yards, and you will be no more than 1.5 inches up/down at any range less than that. Just put the crosshairs on the lungs and pull the trigger. 

Sometimes reading the magazine articles does more harm than good as many authors try to "outsmart" all the other authors by making something that is very simple into a complex issue and confusing the guys that are just trying to start out and really only need to learn the basics. Solutions in need of problems......


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

c3chambe said:


> Im going to be hunting bear over bait next year in the gwinn unit. Will my H&R single shot 12 gauge be a good gun or should i get a rifle. If i get a rifle what caliber is recommended . Thanks in advance.



Your 12g will kill any bear that walks in Michigan.


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## Berserker (Aug 10, 2014)

jatc said:


> A 250 lb black bear is not any harder to put down than a 120 lb whitetail. Anything that will cleanly knock down a deer (ie 12 or 20 slug, .243 and up centerfire, or a .45/.50 cal muzzy set up for deer) will work just fine.
> 
> As far as needing to shoot "twice", well there are a few variables in play here. Myself, don't care WHAT kind of game it is, once I've commited i will keep shooting until the animal either falls or I can no longer get off a good shot. In my eyes the most ethical thing to do is put that animal down ASAP. Just because it is a black bear would have nothing to do with it, although some would have you believe that our bears here in MI are "dangerous" game and need to be treated as if they were a 1000 lb Kodiak. They are not.
> 
> ...


Most hunters get away with not knowing their firearm. If you want to be one fine. You will typically be successful. 

As I said I am 1st time bear hunter. So I can only go by what I have read. But I do know not every animal dies the same. Not every animal has the same heart rate, or characteristics.

Many men can't even comprehend the bullet is high and low. Add elevation vs gravity and distance, and they know less. Granted at 30 yards it doesn't mater much.

Slugs have improved alot, and are powerful, I believe when using it at 70 yards though you should understand its path.

I may be new to bear hunting, but not to guns. I get tired of the people who say I can kill anything with a .22 or such, and it is all about shot placement. Though to do so you need to know your gun. Add on top of that wind and elevation. Then you shoot a gun off hand, with the wind blowing. Saying an animal ran after being shot with a big gun, just says you don't understand guns. I can miss with a .22 too.

I don't make sloppy shots, but I also don't try to prove my manhood, by using the smallest gun, to prove my skill.


Elmer said, I want my hunting done when I pull the trigger.


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## Callinalldeer (Jun 25, 2009)

The Harris and Richard is one of the finest shot guns ever made. Orginially it was made to kill the dangerous five animals.Their are no sights but is drilled and taped for a scope.Every hunter has a duty to make sure their on target.before going hunting. **** happens. Partition golds or lightfields slugs preforn very well out of thr gun. Mine is a bear gun so i line it up at 30 yards and can hit a dime at that distance.

You don't need to sit at 70 yards 30-50 yards would be ideal.
Look at my thread on my spring bear hunt. the bear rolled 20 feet and die 15 feet from the turn around.I killed over 20 big bears with my gun. Brent


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## Callinalldeer (Jun 25, 2009)

Distance is measured horizontally from the animal to the tree. Elevation,aim for the exit wound. The leg goes ahead and the scapula drops down covering the vitals. Put a hole through the scapula and you break the shoulfer.They can't run any where.


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