Gowge,
Lotsa' guides & hunters been mauled or killed by bears with their hearts and lungs turned to mush, but bones intact...
True, so very true. A heart/lung shot has let many a bear, Black Bear included, travel father than many would believe. Lawdog
Very interesting. I have been involved in literally hundreds (may be in excess of 1,000) bear hunts over the years. Either as a guide, helper,hunter, tracker, ect, ect.
Anytime time there was a good heart or lung hit, bear never went far. Not to mention good blood trail. I will take a good blood trail that a heart/lung shot gives any day over the risks other shot placement options may result in. When I see a good blood trail, I know we have a dead bear. Its just a matter of tracking.
If there heart stops pumping, and it will with a hole in it, no animal including a bear can live for more than a 30 to 50 seconds. A good solid lung hit and your talking not all that much longer. No animal can live long with a good hole in his lungs, it can't breath.
Further, I can honestly say, that it has always been the guys that just have something else in mind that causes all the horror stories in the woods. The neck and head shooters can bring on some the worst cases of pissed off wounded bear and poor blood trail.
Give me the good blood trail that heart/lung shot offers and I will find the dead bear.
