I have taken 4 black bear, 1 coastal Griz a couple of hogs and several deer with my Guide Gun. I will be in Idaho the last week in May for spot & stalk black bear but I will use my 06 for this hunt given the potentail long distance shots. I will be in either BC or Alaska fall 2009 for griz again but will use either a 338mag or 375 ruger. I love the 45-70 but given the potential distance of these shots, I'm going with one of these rounds. It is an extremlly deadly cartridge with the right bullet and is capable of killing anything in NA.