In this article i covered “Where To Shoot A Bear”, keep reading to know more detail about this. So, you have chosen a lung shot. Good selection. But, as the following tips for three favorite big-game species reveal, where exactly you should place your bullet depends on your quarry. (Refer to the legend of the organ) Sometimes you only get one chance to get a big-game animal down. Here are seven ways to help ensure that it really counts.
1. Black Bear:
While the average black bear is no larger than your average white-tailed buck, the boned buck is much heavier. And, oh yeah, when it’s ticked off, it can eat you, which is its typical wounded demeanor. This means that you want to count your first shot. Avoid the head-the target is too small and the best part of your fireplace rug will be ruined. You will also make your bear for official scoring ineligible. Due to the long hair and thick body of the bear, it can be difficult to see exactly where to find the spinal column.
Once again, your best bet is lung shots. Trace the front leg back to approximately one-third of the way into the chest. The lungs on a bear are placed a little more forward than on an ungulate, so if you shoot back from your target point, you don’t have as much leeway. Follow the centreline of the front leg up to the one-third point of the body for the shoulder / heart shot, which is popular for anchoring bears in their tracks. Be careful not to shoot low or forward or have a wounded animal on your hands quickly.
2. Wunded :
And big game animals lost are part of the gloomy hunting side. None of us are comfortable with the subject, but you have undoubtedly seen examples if you have any measurable hunting experience. Over the years, perhaps you’ve even lost an animal or two of yourself— as much as I’m loath to admit, I know I’ve got it. It is a certainty that game will be wounded and not recovered as long as there is hunting. In such situations, it is just as certain that in the right place the bullet did not hit the animal. Why exactly can be blamed on any number of variables, but the shot should never have been taken in the first place in most cases is safe to say. As hunters, our most important priority is to do all we can to ensure a clean, swift, humane kill-it’s our moral duty every time we go out. In making this happen, here are some important considerations.
3. Bullet Placement:
Much has been written and discussed about choosing the best rifle, cartridge, bullet and optics under different conditions for hunting specific species. Indeed, most of this advice is sage, helping hunters to learn and understand their equipment’s limitations. But the single most important factor when it comes to a quick kill is bullet placement. For example, a.243 in the heart or lungs of even the largest large-game animal is more likely to lead to its demise than a.500 Nitro Express in its leg. Just think of Karamojo Bell hunting legend. It was his fanaticism over bullet placement combined with an understanding of the anatomy of his quarry-that enabled him to describe so many elephants with his meager.275 Rigby, a cartridge equivalent to the 7×5 7 today.
4. Marksmanship:
The decision to squeeze the trigger comes with the first step in ensuring accurate bullet placement. You must have an extremely high expectation of putting the bullet right where you want it before you hit the switch, and that means understanding your own limitations as a marker. I was never really impressed by 450-yard tales of killing deer shots or any other game.
While such shots are possible, with no consistency, not many hunters can make them. With few exceptions, when I hear hunters talk about their long shots, I shudder-like a gambling addict bragging about his one win, there are probably tenfold as many unspoken failures for each success story. A 7 mm Rem was the longest shot I’ve ever taken. Mag. Mag. Mag. On a 5-point bull elk in the Muskwa Valley of B.C.
It was 360 yards from there. I had a good rest, a reasonable amount of time and a mild wind, even if it was raging. When we reached him, the bull was dead, having never moved. Despite that, I’m not sure if it was presented I would take the same shot today. Maybe I don’t feel the need anymore, as when I was a much less seasoned hunter I might have back. Experience taught me that in such a situation too much can go wrong— not to mention the fact that few animals can travel as far as, or as fast as, when wounded, an ells can.
No, I’m much more impressed by the hunter who tells me he’s snuck in to a herd of elk within 75 yards, or never shooting at running game or any animal beyond 150 yards. This is the hunter I admire because he clearly understands that the rule, not the exception, should be undisturbed game and cool-handed marksmanship. This is the hunter who believes that twenty bullets can be equal to twenty deers, and he will only wait to shoot if he is extremely confident of placing a bullet accurately.
5. Head And Neck Shots:
So, where should we try to put our bullet on an animal to ensure a clean, one-shot kill? The surest fatal shot to the brain or spinal column is not denied. Either will almost instantly put down an animal, resulting in very little meat that has been ruined. However, this is not a shot that I would recommend under most circumstances. The brain is a relatively small target for starters, and even a narrow miss can result in a broken jaw, lost eye or other similar wound condemning an animal to the most unpleasant, slow death.
Once upon a time, I shot an antelope wounding a fresh bullet through his nose bridge. I can’t say for sure whether the hunter who first hit it was aimed at the brain, but the buck was clearly laboring, almost shaking on blood, and would have suffered considerably if I didn’t come across it. Neck shots are equally uncertain because to ensure instant death, the spinal cord must be severed. Miss by even a bit, and you probably have an animal with a muscular wound that it will probably recover from, but not without considerable agony. You may sever the trachea in the worst-case scenario— the animal is likely to escape, but suffer a lingering death.
When shots of the neck do not connect directly with the spinal column, an animal often drops almost immediately to the ground but recovers and runs off quickly. Therefore, if you shoot an animal in the neck by design or accident, it is important to keep a close eye on it until you have confirmed that it is down for keeps. Head and neck shots are in the right circumstances, but only capable shooters who know the anatomy of their quarry should take them at close range. They are also acceptable when a dangerous animal needs to be brought down in a hurry in the rare event of an emergency.
6. Shoulder Shots:
Some hunters prefer shoulder shots as they disable game while also inflicting heart or lungs fatal damage. Even if there is no collateral damage, a broken shoulder or two is going to bring down an animal, making it helpless. This shot should, in my opinion, be reserved for dangerous game, especially bears. While some hunters are using shoulder shots on larger animals like moose and elk, I find the resulting dispersal of bullet and bone fragments too much meat ruins.
Last year, having shot a whitetail through the shoulder, I can talk about the meat that was wasted first-hand. Another thing to bear in mind when considering the shoulder shot is that if you shoot too high or too far in front of it, you have either a clean miss or an agonizing wounded animal. And if you shoot too low, you have a broken leg animal that can still escape, only to succumb to its wounds or predators later on.
7. Heart Shots:
The heart shot gets a lot of attention, although I suspect most hunters actually don’t realize how low the heart is in big game in the chest. While fatally damaged if hit, there is no doubt that the heart offers a small target and is often covered by the upper leg. There’s little room for error: too far forward and you’ve got a non-fatal brisket shot; too low and you’ve hit your muscle or broken your leg, with no expectation of getting the animal back quickly. And you have a gutshot animal if your bullet strikes too far back. If you shoot high and take out the lungs, the only practical room for error is. While many believe that the heart shot is fatal almost instantly, most experienced hunters will tell you that a heart-shot animal typically travels farther before it collapses than a lung-shot animal.
8. Lung Shots:
I think that the lung shot is the right shot for 90% of Canada’s big game hunting situations. A bullet through the lungs leads, first and foremost, to an almost certain one-shot kill. The animal will not drop on the spot in most cases, but it will rarely travel more than 100 yards or so before falling over; that devastating is the damage a modern bullet does to the lungs. The lungs also offer a relatively large target on a game animal, larger than any other definitely fatal zone. This makes a fair margin of error possible. Shoot low, and you’re going to take the heart out; slightly high, and you’re going to cut the spinal column.
Too far ahead and you’ve got a shoulder weakening shot. Only when you shoot too far back do you usually suffer lingering deaths from a problem-animal shot in the paunch, and if you do recover one, you have a heckuva mess on your hands when it comes to field-dressing. However, if you just shoot a little too far back, you might get lucky and hit the liver. In this vital organ, animals hit tend not to go too far before they lie down. When viewed broadside, the lungs on a game animal usually cover about two-thirds of its chest area, more or less in the center and somewhat downwards.
A professional hunter in Africa once told me that he thought North American hunters tended to shoot dead center in an animal’s chest; he thought the more effective shot was at the top of the lower chest third. He may have been right, but 1 still argues that allowing as much room as possible for error is the wisest thing that most of us can do. As such, I usually aim for the center of the chest just behind the shoulder when my quarry is broadside. Often, an animal won’t react to a lung shot immediately, causing some hunters to think they missed when they made an excellent shot. I remember one moose in the span of about 10 seconds I shot three times. During that time, it did not take two steps, and I couldn’t understand how I might miss such a big target. However, the animal fell shortly after the third shot, and a salad plate would have covered all three holes in its chest and lungs when I skinned it out. (Please see “Top targets” on page 48 for species-specific lung shot tips.)
9. Shooting Angles:
While we all prefer broadside shots, we face shooting opportunities from an angle as often as we don’t. However, you still want your bullet to enter the chest cavity, so visualizing the path your bullet has to take is important. Your target should be somewhere between the base of the neck and the point of the face shoulder with an animal quartering towards you. If you are directly faced by an animal, the neck center base is the preferred target. When an animal quarters away, the harder shot to visualize is. Take your shot to break the far side shoulder and you will usually send your bullet through the desired region of the lung. Be aware that in this situation, the tendency is to shoot back too far, leading to an unwanted shot of paunch.
I recommend that you do not shoot when animals quarter at extreme angles or face directly away from you. While we all know that the old “Texas heart shot” can be fatal through the back, the odds are that your bullet breaks down or deflects on bone contact, hampering its ability to enter vital organs. I know some might disagree, but I’m just not going to take this one shot, and I’m recommending others to follow suit. If you absolutely have to tell this shot, be sure to use a well-designed bullet for maximum weight retention and penetration at least. Remember, when it comes to shot placement, the goal is not just to get the job done quickly and efficiently as a freezer full of meat.
FAQs about where to shoot a bear
What is the best gun to take down a bear?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best gun for taking down a bear will vary depending on the size and species of bear you are targeting. In general, however, larger bears can be taken down with powerful rifles or shotguns, while smaller bears may be killed with a handgun or bow and arrow. Always consult with a professional hunting guide before attempting to take down a bear to ensure you are using the most appropriate weapon for the situation.
Can you use any type of bullet to shoot a bear?
Again, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as different types of bullets may be more effective against different species of bear. Generally speaking, however, bullets designed for hunting large game such as deer or elk will be most effective against bears. Again, it is always best to consult with a professional hunting guide to determine the best type of bullet to use in your specific situation.
What should you do if you encounter a bear while hiking?
If you encounter a bear while hiking, the best thing to do is to make yourself as small as possible and back away slowly. Do not run away, as this may provoke the bear into attacking. If the bear does attack, try to fight back aggressively and do not let yourself be dragged down by the animal. Remember that bears are incredibly strong animals, so it is important to stay calm and use all of your strength to defend yourself.
What is the best gun to take down a bear?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best gun for taking down a bear will vary depending on the size and species of bear you are targeting. In general, however, larger bears can be taken down with powerful rifles or shotguns, while smaller bears may be killed with a handgun or bow and arrow. Always consult with a professional hunting guide before attempting to take down a bear to ensure you are using the most appropriate weapon for the situation.
Can you use any type of bullet to shoot a bear?
Again, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as different types of bullets may be more effective against different species of bear. Generally speaking, however, bullets designed for hunting large game such as deer or elk will be most effective against bears. Again, it is always best to consult with a professional hunting guide to determine the best type of bullet to use in your specific situation.
What should you do if you encounter a bear while hiking?
If you encounter a bear while hiking, the best thing to do is to make yourself as small as possible and back away slowly. Do not run away, as this may provoke the bear into attacking. If the bear does attack, try to fight back aggressively and do not let yourself be dragged down by the animal. Remember that bears are incredibly strong animals, so it is important to stay calm and use all of your strength to defend yourself.
Conclusion: where to shoot a bear
Where To Shoot A Bear? Hunting bears is an exciting trip that can only be done once in a lifetime by many hunters. You will increase your chances of killing a big black bear by taking your time to study the anatomy, behavior, and travel patterns of the animal. You can use the tips listed above to help you achieve your goal, whether you want to shoot a bow or kill a bear with a gun. By doing your research, you can reduce the risk that a black bear will get away from you, and by not injuring an animal you can’t find after the arrows fly, you can also protect the bear hunting ethics.
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