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Category:	NORTH AMERICA
Page Views:	1384 views
Last Update:	4 year(s) ago
Added on:	November 12, 2008

Bear

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Latin Name:	Ursus americanus
Physical Characteristics:	The Black bear is a medium sized bear when compared to Polar and Brown bears. A full grown adult male can weigh anywhere from 250lbs to 600lbs and they have been giants taken up to 800lbs. Females are generally smaller in size, but have been recorded up to 400lbs in weight. They have small eyes, rounded ears and a small short tail. Colorings of a black bear vary from mostly black to cinnamon, blonde, white and brown. They have long shaggy hair and fairly big claws. Black bears have an excellent sense of smell however their eye sight is poor. In some areas some Black bears have a white V marking on their chest. They are good swimmers and can also run at speeds up to 30 miles an hour over short distances. They do not have the back hump which is found on Grizzly bears. Black bears are omnivores and will eat plants, berries, fruits, nuts as well as meat and insects. They also feed on salmon and will kill young deer fawns and elk calves. Black bears are generally shy timid animals and will avoid the presence of humans. They do however become bold and will raid camp sites, garbage bins and bird feeders in search of food. Human fatalities have occurred fortunately very rarely.
Distribution:	The Black bear is the most common species of bear found in North America and is found in 41 of the 50 States in America and most of the Canadian provinces. Black bear populations are increasing all over their range and are now venturing into areas where they were not commonly encountered until a few years ago.

Hunting Method:	Black bears are hunted a number of different ways. Spotting and stalking, as practiced in Alaska, British Columbia and other American states and Canadian provinces involve covering large distances by driving logging roads and glassing clear cuts. Glassing the shore line from a boat is another good way to spot a good trophy bear. Once a good bear is spotted the hunters then plans a stalk using the wind to their advantage. Baiting is allowed and practiced in Maine in the US and New Brunswick and Alberta in Canada to mention a few locations. This hunt is typically a guided hunt where your outfitter will bait the bears over several days prior to the start of the hunting season. An outfitter will typically cover a wide area of ground several hundred miles in most cases and bait a number of known bait sites. These bait sites are well established in most cases and are situated in areas known to hold bears, such as edges of swamps and other thick cover. Baits used can vary from sweet offerings such as leftover cakes, donuts, syrup and other such goodies to meat, salmon, beaver carcasses etc. and depends upon the type of food that the bears are used to eating locally. Hunting bears with hounds is another very effective method of hunting Black bears. Typically a scent is picked up early morning off a bait site and the dogs are released on the bearâ€™s trail. Depending upon the bear the chase can last from under an hour to several hours. Bigger bears tend to run and fight the dogs on the ground, whereas smaller bears and females will often tree quickly to escape the dogs. Getting a bear to come into a varmint call is also another way to hunt Black bear and can make for an exciting hunt when it works. It is probably the least common practiced method of hunting a trophy bear. Apart from the above mentioned methods several Black bears are shot each year by deer hunters who come across them by chance while hunting deer. It can happen but itâ€™s certainly not a way to specifically target your black bear trophy.
The Shot:	This depends greatly upon the hunting method used. Spotting and stalking will often involve a long shot which should be taken using a rest. A rucksack, handy tree or shooting sticks will do nicely in such a situation. When hunting over bait, shots are very close range, most times within 25-30 yards, however be prepared for low light conditions. Big bears are wary brutes and donâ€™t come out until the very last light. Most often all you will see is a dark black shape that suddenly appears where there was nothing there a few seconds before. A good scope with a big objective lens to let in as much light as possible is recommended here. Keeping deathly quiet for hours is the key here. Bears will often circle a bait site before making sure all is clear before coming into the bait, the sound of a breaking twig will sometimes give away its presence before it shows up. Shooting a bear on the ground while it is hemmed in by a pack of hounds is always close range work. Excitement will be high and the possibility of shooting a dog by accident is always there so be sure to keep calm and pick your shot when the opportunity presents itself. A shoulder or lung shot on a bear is most effective. Bullet or arrow placement is vital. Often due to the dark shape and long hair the shot is not accurately taken and the vitals are missed. If a bear is facing you and is level with you, you can aim directly at the center of the chest. Be sure to allow proper allowance for the angle if taking a shot from a tree, as is the case when hunting over bait.
Calibers:	While an average male black bear is 250lbs and many Black bears are shot regularly by deer hunters with their favorite deer rifles and cartridges Black bears are tough animals. I have seen an average boar take a perfect chest shot with a 375 H&H magnum, using a 300 grain Swift A frame bullet roll over at the shot get back on its feet and take off at high speed. A quick follow up shot dumped it in its tracks. The bear would no doubt have died from the shot but in the thick fur forest of Maine it was better to end things right there. Depending upon the hunting method we would select a suitable caliber and rifle. For Spot and Stalk hunts a 30-06 or 300 magnum caliber with a heavy bullet would be a good choice, as shooting distances will likely be between 100 and 150 yards. When hunting with hounds or over bait a handy short big bore lever action would be hard to beat. A 30-06 with a 220 grain bullet would also be a good choice and offer good penetration. It is better to over gun and be ready as you never know if that once in a life time 600lb Black bear is circling your bait barrel waiting for nightfall to come into your bait! Keep in mind that Black bears during the fall hunting season will be carrying at least a couple of inches of fat. This often closes a bullet hole and there is very little blood to follow. A larger caliber with a slow moving heavy bullet is therefore preferable than a light fast bullet from a small caliber rifle.
Ammunition:	Use a good premium factory loading or hand load with a premium bullet such as the new Barnes Tipped Triple Shock X bullet and you will have your bear. Where possible use a heavy bullet over a lighter bullet for your caliber of choice to ensure good weight retention and penetration.

Selecting a Trophy:

As with all bears, the overall size of the bear is what counts. A trophy male bear's ears will look small in comparison to the overall size of it's head.

Best Locations:

While big trophy black bears are shot everywhere. Generally speaking Alaska and British Columbia produce bigger bears. Much of this is due to their rich diet of fish. Alberta, Canada offers a chance at a different color phase Black bear and these are highly valued by hunters.

Alaska (USA), Alberta (CANADA), Arizona (USA), Arkansas (USA), British Columbia (CANADA), Colorado (USA), Georgia (USA), Idaho (USA), Maine (USA), Manitoba (CANADA), Maryland (USA), Massachusetts (USA), Michigan (USA), Minnesota (USA), Montana (USA), New Brunswick (CANADA), New Hampshire (USA), New York (USA), Newfoundland & Labrador (CANADA), North Carolina (USA), North West Territories (CANADA), Nova Scotia (CANADA), Nunavut (CANADA), Ontario (CANADA), Oregon (USA), Pennsylvania (USA), Quebec (CANADA), Saskatchewan (CANADA), South Carolina (USA), Tennessee (USA), Utah (USA), Vermont (USA), Virginia (USA), West Virginia (USA), Wisconsin (USA), Wyoming (USA), Yukon (CANADA)