PA_BOW_HUNTER

I hit a black bear with a dual lung shot and it went only 25 yards. I was with an outfitter and one of his guys took a neck shot with a .30-06. it did put a 2 inch hole in his neck but he still went about 200 yards from where the shot was taken.

I believe the heart on the bear sit's just a little lower than in a whitetail but if you shoot behind the shoulders you should be fine.

DM

With a rifle, unless you "break" the neck or at least hit close enough to damage the spinal cord in the neck of an animial it's a poor hit on that animial!!!

This is why i don't like neck shots on animials expecially on bears. Personally on bears i prefer a double shoulder shot to anchor them right there on the spot. It's doesn't kill them instantly, but it does anchor them!

Heart / lung shots do kill them, but normally they don't anchor them!!! I guess if your up in a tree it isn't a big deal, but i've never shot a bear from a tree stand, i've always stalked them and then took my shot.

Drilling Man

skeeter 7MM

DM just so you know the guys is bowhunting bears so that is why the advice to aim for the boiler room. I agree with a rifle the shoulder shot is JFL!

DM

Thanks skeeter,

Actually my reply was to pa bow hunter telling about the neck shot bear with a 30-06. I never liked neck shots for the exact reason he stated in his post, but guys still keep on trying to make them!!

Drilling Man

BDOA

You shoot a bear in the neck or head in my camp.. I'll send you home. I don't need the stress of tracking that animal.. LOL

Buglin Big Bulls

X army did you check out the link I sent you to ?...A lot of these guys also have a lot of good advise for you as well !!! Hope every thing helped you out a little better.

You shoot a bear in the head and there isn't gunna be much for a tracking job " With a Rifle"!

Buckshot

According to one poster on here, the best shot is the roof of the bears mouth, however the trick is to get the bear to charge you and wait till he tries to put your head in his mouth, that way you have good clean access to your aim point.

BDOA

You would think hey..
I had a guy come to my camp, Raving about how good of a shot he was and how he kills everything with a head shot.. I told him not here you don't, never a head shot, lung shots only..
Well my guide got him in close on a nice sized timber wolf, this guy decides to prove how good of a shot he is and shoots the wolf in the head. Well not only is he stupid, but he is a bad shot too, he took the jaw clean off the wolf, the wolf ran off at warp 2, I tried tracking the animal, but he vanished as quickly as he appeared. I revoked his right to hunt wolf for the remainder of the trip, and advised my guide that loud talking and heavy walking shouldn't bother the moose... (get my drift) I didn't care how much he paid for is trip, I was not going to have him shoot the jaw off a moose as well.

skeeter 7MM

Shooting a bear in the head is just stupid, I can't see other than in a charge situation anybody thinking this is a good shot. Not only a small target with too much room for error but seeing most hunt bears for the trophy portion busting the skull would mean not eligible for the record book and make for a heck of a poor rug.

BDOA you got that right I have seen jaw missing animals it ain't pretty and not to mention IMHO unethical. In one occasion at my deer camp (not outfitting) I witnessed such a feat of marksmenship, it was disgusting/heart wrenching and simply uncalled for...needless to say that was the last time he hunted with our group. Check your ego at the door and go for the high percentage kill shot, leave the head shots for gophers!

DM, sorry I see what you were referring too. Just wanted to make the original poster was clear that a shoulder shot on a bear is not suggested when using archery tackle.