Black Bear - .243 Win

[bluedog]

Anyone using the .243 on Black Bear? With 100 grain bullets over bait....is it sufficient?

[wilmsmeyer]

Since no one has responded I'll take a stab and give you my opinion:

A .243 loaded right should do the trick. 100 Nosler Partition or a solid copper X bullet........

A caveat would be a real bruiser...400-500+ pounds at a bad angle for a .243. Then something bigger would be better. If you're on the ground and have to do some chainsawing at a real big SOB....like following up a shot....I'd want a bigger gun.......like an 870 with Winchester Partition golds.....open sighted.

From what I see and hear bears are shot close. No big scopes needed. I've never hunted them but I hear that they have big teeth and long claws and are very strong. Why use the minimum?

[deadeye]

i,agree, went to my barnes manual,if you handload they offer(in .243 win) a 115gn original & 95gn xfb,i would test these two w/accurate loads & put those into stacks of books & jugs of water for bullet performance,could be done w/perfect shot & shot placement. i have bear hunted & you will need good nerves(composure)good luck!

[RAF]

Lots of bears have been shot with a bow but arrow placement is crucial. Same would apply with the 243. Misplaced shot cause very unhappy and angry bears. Me personally, I'd use something much more substantial.`

[ozark]

Bear in my area become bothersome pests. I am no bear hunter and have reasons to dislike them. However I can provide some information on your question. The largest that I have killed was a boar that was in excess of 500 pounds. .22 Magnum solid entered just back of the foreleg on the near side and exited on the far side about the same place. Bear crashed away for about 40 yards, before going down and dying. Another was with a .223 which was more or less a repeat of the one described above. It was also a male that was grown but not as large. Another was with the .17HMR brain shot that went down instantly and permanently.
So, if you are referring to black bear feel comfortable with your .243. It is plenty with any of the normal bullets if shot is properly placed.
The ones I have mentioned were all with lesser kill potential cartridges. Ben

[wilmsmeyer]

Ben,

You are probably right about the .243 and I only added it as a minimum because many hunting situations may not be from the security of an elevated tree. Also, 100% of hunters shooting at bear are not outright killing them 100% of the time. I sure wouldn't want to pursue a bear that may be wounded with a 17 HMR. Your point is well made and I've also watched properly placed .22 LR's drop huge cattle with 100% success. Conversely, I wouldn't want to placed in a corral with a mature bull that has just been gut shot with my Savage and try and stop him with a .22.

Surely though, in reality, it's best to be prepared for any event. Especially if you've planned your hunt and it comes down to 1 shot on the last day 1000 miles from home. Or worse, more then one shot after you reach the ground and it's getting dark!

By the way, why did you take the heart shot on the 500 pounder with a .22 mag? Are these bears encroaching people down there?

[ozark]

wilmsmeyer, my comments were intended to classify the rifles I have used as good bear hunting choices. They were intended to point out that the .243 should be adaquate for black bear hunting. It has been my observations here where baiting bear is legal and many are killed each year that any rifle suitable for deer is plenty for black bear. I have never heard of a wounded black bear attacking but sometimes when people get between cubs and a mama bear that they show aggression.
With me personally, as long as the bear leaves me alone I will not bother them. But when they decide to take over a place they are not easily discouraged. The easilly lose their fear of dogs and people and there is always feed around people who farm or feed fish and wildlife.
If I hunted bear it would be from a dislike or hate attitude and there is no sport in doing it like that.
I used a heart shot on the 500 plus pounder because it was walking and a brain shot could have been slightly off and through the nose or otherwise a disgusting wound. I felt sure that a heart shot would do exactly what it did.
I am sure that some feel my dislike for bear is unjustified. To make it better understood, Our cabin wall has had muddy bear paw prints left from bear looking in windows. They have been on the cabin porch, have ripped metal roofing used as siding on our storage building. I was elbowed awake by my wife at two AM and excidedly told that a bear was outside. I grabbed a ruger semi-auto .22 Cal. pistol and rushed outside but I think it heard her getting me awake and decided not to stay and fight like a bear should. If you are a bear lover, forgive me. That puts us in opposite corners on this one subject. If you feel you can change my mind then welcome to trying it. LOL Ben

[wilmsmeyer]

Neither a bear lover or hater.

I know that Black Bears can raise hell. My dad has a trout pond in the Catskills and keeps his food in a barrel in a garage 75 yds from the house....down the driveway. A big mature bear dragged it out an open door and spilled it in the driveway and layed there and ate a bunch of the food. Dad had a hard time scaring it away. Then it came back and licked up every single peice dad couldn't scrape back into the barrel after dark. Dad doesn't own any guns.

For a hunt I would use a bigger gun. For home pest control I guess it doesn't matter much......just hit something vital and get 'em off the porch.

[youp50]

I have seen several bears killed handily with the 243 Winchester. They all were in a tree and they all were head shots. IMO it worked as well as any other round used in the same circumstances. At every tree there was one or more larger caliber rifles to be used as a back-up.