I have hunted a lot of black bears in Arizona. Your .243 will work, but the bigger the better. When using a .243, or any realistic round for that matter, make sure (seriously, make sure) that you break the shoulder. I have blood trailed those varmits for miles to end up empty handed. I have also learned that If the blood runs out, LOOK UP! They tend to scamper up trees when the trailer is closing in on them. Make sure you have a friend with a good dog who is a blood trailer before you go out shooting these guys. Look up a call called the "bear cub bawler," It is fantastic, works better when the sows have cubs. It makes the sound of a cub in distress which calls in boars to kill the baby so the sow goes back into heat.

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