thanks. shots will be under 100 yards. i have been around bears my whole life and i have been close to them several times. i have been on stand with guys that have killed bears and i know they are tuff to kill. from what they tell me you want to break the shoulder and then put as many shots into that thing until you know it is dead.

thanks again

My observations were simply based on a few odd years of guiding nothing but bear hunters--archery and rifle. I've too often seen the results of over confidence, nonchalance, and an inability to get past seeing and shooting at a bear as opposed to seeing the 'spot' on that bear. So far this season, of nine bears taken, 2 were wounded and lost, 2 weren't found til next day--an abysmal record for hunters by any count. For those of you who think a bear is an easy kill, you just ain't fooling anyone--except yourself.

sawbill, I understand where you are coming from. However as far as "fooling myself" I think I'll let my own actions and what I do dictate that. I never said bears were pushovers and "easy to kill" I did say that I dropped a boone and crockett boar in his tracks with a .270 shooting 140 grain cxp2's, and from what I hear on this post alone so have a few other hunters. I didn't break a shoulder or his spine. I had the correct load for the situation and shot through both lungs. So basically I believe something I actually do myself alot more than what I hear, so believe me, I'm not fooling myself.

JD338- I understand you were stating from your experiences, didn't mean to blow the cork on you, though I still feel the .270 would be a better choice over the .35 Remington simply because the bullet availablity is limited for the .35. I understand that bears can be tough to kill, and never expect that to be an easy chore. This is where I would (or anyone else should for that matter), rely on their ability to hunt bears. If they do not feel up to the challenge, or feel something is not right, they should pass on the shot and wait it out.

sawbill-How other hunters have acted in the past has no bearing on the future and what a hunter plans to use to kill a black bear. The hunters were simply not prepared to make a correct shot on a bear, thats their fault. If you say the .270 is not enough, but guide archery hunters, what do you expect they use? It has been proven time and time again that the .270 is plenty medicine for black bear. I am also not "fooling myself" by how tough a black bear can be, but obviously the hunters you guided were "fooling themselves."

.270'll do fine

Ok

I totally agree with charlie brown. A .270 with 140 gr. Failsafes is fine for black bear. Something that is easy to shoot and put the bullet exactly where you want outranks anything else. That is why my wife uses her 7mm-08 with 140 gr. Failsafe bullets and does just fine. Especially in newer hunters, heavy recoil leads to poor shooting (and flinching), which brings wounded bears. A good hit in the heart/lungs means a dead bear. A miss or partial hit in any caliber is trouble.

Hmmmmm, I wonder where all you great shots are come bear season? Guess I must be imagining all the tracking I end up doing.

You have selected a perfect combination! I have used the Fail Safe extensively, and it is the stoutest bullet made bar none! Penetration is unbeievable. It will break and penetrate any bone encountered! You are unlikely to recover the bullet, as penetration is so great. The .270 is plenty of gun for black bear, good luck!