iam going to be doing some black bear hunting this spring and i was wondering were i should aim i want to put it down in the quickest way possible. i was thinking a shoulder or maybe a head shot.

That will work, if you're using a bazooka. (lol)
Are you going to use that crossbow setup?
In any event (gun or bow) best thing you can do is right behind the shoulder blade in a quartering away shot. Sort of like aiming at the opposite shoulder.
Most hunters accomplish this by setting up the bait behind a kind of angled wall of snags and downed timber so the bear has to go to the bait away from the shooters advantage point.
My brother-in-law shared a fireside story with us several years ago about how he and his hunting partner shot a black bear right between the eyes. The bear went down like a wet card table. But when they were field dressing it, they noticed the heart was still pumping!!
They had just knocked it out!!!

no i was planning on using a 30-06 rifle for black bears

Rifle/ML - break him down with a shoulder shot is as good as any on a blackie with a decent bullet IME. Especially straight on broadsides. If quartering away then tuck it behind the shoulder and out the opposing side, like mentioned. I wouldn't shoot him in the head, it will ruin the skull/face/cape and not to mention I don't advocate head or neck shots on any game....personal thing.


I assume since you mentioned head shots your going rifle but FYI just in case.
Bow - stick to quarter away or broad side shots. For the quarter away same as the rifle tuck behind the face shoulder with your aim point to the opposite leg. Broadside when ever possible let the facing leg clear forward then aim through to the opposite leg - this completely opens up the lungs on a bear. Many hunters don't realize the size and coverage a bears shoulder provides in a classic (deer family) broadside pose. So the shoulder on intial penetration is to be avoided with the string and sticks.

when i was hunting black bear in new brunswick, my guide just told to me to shoot them in the neck so you don't have to track them. The woods are mighty thick up there and dragging a bear that runs a few hundred yards would be a pain. I hit mine in the neck and dropped it right there!

shoot him right beside the shoulder or through the shoulders even. Legacy357 not all guides have a lot of brains a neck shot should only be used by experienced shooters. Neck shots are a tight shot and a little slip up could be disasterous.

First shot in the boiler room, second shot in the shoulders or in the hips to break him down. So says Tony Russ, noted Alaskan brown bear guide.

The last one I shot was in the top of the head with a 350 grain 45-70 bullet. The bullet went down through the neck and was found under the hide between the front legs. It was a 500 lb Bear and believe me he never took a step or even twitch. It was about a 30 yard shot.

The boiler room shot should work well also. They do live in heavy cover and can be hard to track. Be ready for a quick second shot if needed. The Marlin Lever in 45-070 or 450 Marlin just screams out for this kind of work. I always felt good packing the 7600 30-06 as well.

This link is pretty good.

http://www.theidahosportsman.com/bear%20anatomy.pdf