Of course a slug will kill a bear. But smooth bore shotguns and rifle slugs lose their accuracy the farther out they go.

Ask any Alaskan that fishes salmon streams about stopping big bears. They keep a 12 gauge loaded with slugs handy.
Granted, their purpose is strictly close range work.

I'm pleased to know this, I'll save it for a guide so I wont be lost when I do go out on a bear hunt. There was a bear that a man had raised from a cub. The man was out playing with his bear, the bear turned on him.

He screamed at his wife to bring his only gun he owned. It was a 22 loaded Marlin 60 He shot the bear 8 times at point blank range, the little 22 killed his loved bear.

That's been at least 30 years ago, was on the news for couple days, with a interview the man quoted what was said. I think he was lucky cause I'm sure the first 2 or more shots only made the bear madder. You may recall the story?

Agreed. But in a lot of the south, due to the heavy thick brush, a 50 yard shot is a long shot and a 100 yards shot would be the maximum range possible. So the point you're trying to make is moot in those conditions. I guarantee you there isn't a black bear alive that can survive a 12 gauge slug in the chest at 50-100 yards.

I've only shot one bear..that was years and years ago when I still had my 'sporterized' Lee-Enfield...it worked just fine..

Some folks up there in the NC mountains say it tastes like pork, I guess because of the fat, (bears have an amazing amount of it) but I think it tastes more like beef...

One trick I have heard..and I am not recommending it, since it sounds an awfully like baiting which is illegal here, is to put a one gallon pot of honey on camp stove or slow fire and wait..the odor spreads..brings in the bear, ideally right past you...