Bear shot placement

[Biathlonman]

Leaving in a couple of weeks.  I've been studying the anatomy photos, some folks say shoot the pocket between elbow and shoulder some say divide in half top/bottom and shoot 4" in front if that.  What says the experts?

[Pete McMiller]

I'm in the 4" in front of the middle camp.  Half way back, half way down and 4" forward.  In my experience the heart/lungs of a bear are further back than a deer.  The chest slopes from the diaphram up to the neck much more than a deer so the vitals are further back.

Biggest bear I have ever seen and had a shot at I had a pass thru in the shoulder pocket 1/2" from my aiming point..........and lost him.

[JimB]

Biathlonman,let bears come in to the bait and feed for a bit and settle down.They will be cautious for a bit till they settle in.

I wouldn't shoot when they are on their belly feeding.In that position the shoulder blade can roll down,almost horizontal and block a good bit of the lung.For sure,I would hold half way up as far as top to bottom.Mature boars have a pec muscle that hangs down quite a bit below the sternum.Like Pete says,the sternum slopes up but the pec muscle looks like the bottom of the chest.If you could see a bear like that from the front,there is a deep cleft between the pecs.

Double lung a bear with any sharp broadhead and he will go down very fast.Good luck on your hunt and have fun.

[Biathlonman]

I'm doing a spot and stalk hunt...but keep it coming guys I'm taking notes.

[straight_arrow]

The preferred shot for me is the 1/4 away.  Bear vitals are much more forward than deer.  Good luck.

[Biathlonman]

Like I was saying.  Three replys and one guy says they are further forward then a deer and one says they are further back!  IT CAN'T BE BOTH!

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Get him quartering away a little bit and shoot him in the middle up and down, and middle right and left - always worked for me!

Black bears are pretty thin skinned and the ribs are lighter than people think.  The shoulder blades are tougher than those of a deer - stay off the shoulders - but the ribs are similar to a deer.  They have a relatively smaller chest cavity than a deer for body size - think big raccoon.  In my experience they give up the ghost pretty easy on any reasonable shot placement.  Just stay off that shoulder blade.

Good luck!

Ryan

[mgompf]

As others have said... cut the bear in half top to bottom and in half side to side, aim for where the two cross. I like a broadside shot. I've seen a lot of bears lost on quartering shots (probably because they were shot too far forward). No matter what, stay away from the shoulder. You might as well shoot a rock, the shoulders on a bear are rock hard.

When I hunt bear I want them as close as possible! Under 15 yards.

If you hit them right they won't go far, but a bad hit and your in for a long hard track.

[mmgrode]

This might help:
 

Vitals are further back, NOT further forward than a deers.  
Where you hunting, Brad?

[smoke1953]

In this corner weighing in at ?#'s we have McMiller and in the other corner weighing in at ?#'s we have straight arrow. Gentlemen we want a clean fight, no eye gouging.  

[Biathlonman]

Mmgrode, great photo!  Headed to Montana on the 6th of September.

[smoke1953]

McMiller wins by a knockout!

[mmgrode]

Have a fun hunt, Brad.  Are you targeting bears or hoping for one incidental to another hunt?  Nothing quite like bear hunting!

[Biathlonman]

I'm targeting bears, others in camp are chasing elk.

[Pete McMiller]

Great pic mmgrode, probably one of the best and most accurate I have seen - thanks.

[buckeye_hunter]

Shot mine at the 2/3 up the body and a shade less than half way back. She ran 80 yards total distance before expiring. Double lung a bit high and back, but still both lungs. Stay off the heavy shoulder and outta the fat belly. You will be fine.

[koger]

Great pics, and info guys, I find this really helpful, for me and the wife who will bear hunting soon. We are newbies at it, but both experienced hunters.