hey bro i hunt bear with dogs got dogs also use slugs either your gunna get infront of them and your gunna get a running shot or the dogs are putting it up a tree and you wack them out go with slugs ive seen bears 40yrds up huge pines and with buckshot shooting threw tree branches your gunna loose alot of pellets than if you just pick a hole and put a slug into it no need to shell out for a rifle a shotgun goes great id just rock that