Author Topic: Would YOU hunt bear with a single shot?? (Read 3624 times)

BMKindoll · « **on:** December 16, 2009, 12:24:22 PM »

Hello everybody. I have a 500 S&W Magnum Handi-Rifle. I have rounds ranging from 350 grains to 700 grains. I am fairly confident that any of these cartridges would handily take down a bear with a well placed shot.

My question is the single shot platform. Would you all feel comfortable hunting grizzly with a single shot 500 Magnum Rifle? Black Bear?

Thanks

Brandon

youthpastorjon · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2009, 12:57:56 PM »

I think I would. Most of us who hunt with single shots, are fairly careful and picky about our shot placement.

dukkillr · « **Reply #2 on:** December 16, 2009, 01:28:50 PM »

Sure. Black bears are way overrated. They aren't tough or even especially dangerous. Shots are usually very close and don't require anything approaching a shooting skill. One shot is all 90% or more bears ever need... and of course you can always reload a single shot...

drdougrx · « **Reply #3 on:** December 16, 2009, 01:38:10 PM »

Yep...you bet...never felt disadvantaged with a single shot.

Empty Quiver · « **Reply #4 on:** December 16, 2009, 01:44:52 PM »

Have hunted them with a bow thats pretty single shot. Once they get themselves shot it's not too long till they are either gone or dead. Where I've hunted it is so thick the second shot is a rare opportunity.

youthpastorjon · « **Reply #5 on:** December 16, 2009, 02:20:13 PM »

I guess it pretty much boils down to whether or not you are confident in your shooting ability and whether you are comfortable out there with only one shot. If you were grizzly bear hunting from a ground blind that would be one thing but a black bear and I am assuming you will be in a tree stand, no worries. You should be fine. I would have put this in my initial post but I had a yelling baby.

Mack in N.C. · « **Reply #6 on:** December 16, 2009, 04:27:24 PM »

yes..............

wayne24 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 16, 2009, 05:10:35 PM »

I took 3 rifles with me to Canada bear hunting this year and all were single shots(2 44mags and a 500 S&W)Took my bear with a 500 s&w using 440 grain wide flat nose hard cast.It was a small bear but only took one shot and went about 15 yards.
Wayne

Graybeard · « **Reply #8 on:** December 16, 2009, 06:03:43 PM »

Black sure. Grizzly/brown bear? Well ONLY if backed up by a professional guide whom I trusted to save my ass if the need arose. Would I chose the .500 S&W? nope I sure wouldn't tho it likely would work it just wouldn't be my choice.

ToadHill · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2009, 06:52:13 PM »

I've seen them hunted with a 50 cal Muzzle loader.

BMKindoll · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2009, 10:58:01 PM »

Thanks for the responses. It's not something I probably plan on doing in the near future or anything, but one day I would like to. And I am sure I will probably end up getting something a little more suited to the job, I was just curious more than anything.

Thanks again.

Brandon

theoldarcher · « **Reply #11 on:** December 18, 2009, 03:25:51 AM »

Yes! Killed all of mine with a recurve bow = one shot.

All died within 30 yards of where they were shot--two never left the logs they were standing on: they just 'woof-ed!', jumped, and died right there. I will hunt out west soon, and will use a self bow for that trip.

Best of luck, Arch

bearfat · « **Reply #12 on:** December 18, 2009, 05:58:58 PM »

Took one in 2006 with the NEF in 30-06 using Sierra 220gr RN handload pumped to max. Here's a bunch of pic's and video's:

http://buckmountainchateau.com/BearHunt.html

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 19, 2009, 01:52:04 AM »

single shot with black bear not a problem. Grizzly I would want more than one shot or a good back up person.

ihookem · « **Reply #14 on:** December 19, 2009, 05:33:32 AM »

If I had to do it all over again I would only have single shots for big game. I make the first one count and never needed anything more. Even if I wanted to shoot twice I never seem to have the chance. Hey Bearfat, where have you been? Was hoping you didn't die or something. Haven't heard from you in a coon's age.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #15 on:** December 19, 2009, 06:46:48 AM »

I would not hunt dangerous game with a single shot, backup or not. I have an Encore short rifle in 308 I would hunt black bear over bait with.

Cheese

mirage1988 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 19, 2009, 02:00:16 PM »

Black bear over bait with a muzzleloader- yes I have and would again, Grizzlies HECK NO!

mechanic · « **Reply #17 on:** December 19, 2009, 04:05:38 PM »

Black bear...no problem. Griz? Only if I had a dang good pistol ready at hand for backup. Even then I would want a magnum caliber.

Swampman · « **Reply #18 on:** December 19, 2009, 04:09:05 PM »

I'd love to have a go at a grizz or a blackie with my .45-70.

Mad Dog · « **Reply #19 on:** December 20, 2009, 03:44:02 AM »

My son did, in 2006. We were ona spot/stalk hunt in Idaho. 1 shot from his H&R Ultra, .30-06 did it in. He was using Fed. factory loads, with 180 gr. nosler partitions. His shot was 200 yds. Here's a pic.

Mad Dog

mannyrock · « **Reply #20 on:** December 20, 2009, 09:45:20 AM »

If you are talking about a black bear, then of course. Why not? As long as you use a big bore caliber, such as the .45-70, or a high power round, such as the .30-06 an up. Why is everyone so danged scared of black bears? I don't get it.

Swampman · « **Reply #21 on:** December 20, 2009, 09:52:15 AM »

Errrr....because they kill more people than all other bears combined? Personally I'm not afraid of bears or snakes. I respect any wild animal.

Bees are the #1 killer & deer are #2 if I'm not mistaken

ihookem · « **Reply #22 on:** December 20, 2009, 10:01:40 AM »

I can't sneak up on a black bear to save my soul. For years I've baited bear sneaking up slowly and never saw one.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 20, 2009, 10:54:16 AM »

Quote from: mannyrock on December 20, 2009, 09:45:20 AM

If you are talking about a black bear, then of course. Why not? As long as you use a big bore caliber, such as the .45-70, or a high power round, such as the .30-06 an up. Why is everyone so danged scared of black bears? I don't get it.

I really don't see where anyone said there were scared of Black bear here. I have hunted them, and have taken 5 of them with my handguns. Now Grizzly is a totally different animal all together.

But no matter what bear I hunt, I respect all bear. Being cautious is not being scared.

mannyrock · « **Reply #24 on:** December 20, 2009, 05:12:46 PM »

Funny story: Last year when I was deer hunting in the mountains of Virginia with a friend, we were both on tree stands about 200 yards apart. I saw a big black bear go by my stand, but it was just too far, and too much brush, for a decent shot. I knew it was heading towards my friend's stand, so I just waited.

About 15 minutes later, I hear his 7 Mag go off. Man, that's loud. One shot only.
I waited another 15 minutes or so, and didn't hear anything, so I got down and walked towards his stand, to see if he shot the bear.

My friend weighs about 280 pounds. When I got to his stand, he was standing at the bottom of it, as white as a sheet and shaking like a leaf. He told me that he shot the bear, from about 80 yards away, and that he saw it go down into a heap, but he was too scared to approach it! (I guess he figured his 7 Mag wouldn't stop a "charge".)

Man, what a chicken! He wanted ME to go see if it was dead. I could hardly stop laughing.

I walked in the direction he said, with my little .308 rifle, and there was the bear, dead in a pile. I came up to him and poked him with a stick to make sure he was dead, and then called my friend. As it turned out, the bear was not that big, only about 250 pounds, so in actuality, my friend was bigger than the bear he killed!

Mr. Chickenheart then spent the rest of the season bragging to everyone he knew, that he had killed a bear!

Mannyrock

BMKindoll · « **Reply #25 on:** December 21, 2009, 12:42:41 PM »

MadDog, is that a black or brown bear? Judging by size I would say black but just wanted to clarify. And also was that a single shot kill?

And BTW, thanks for the pics. Must have been an awesome time!!

Brandon

bearmgc · « **Reply #26 on:** December 22, 2009, 08:23:54 AM »

Congrats on some great bear hunting with a single shot. I prefer the comfort of a quick follow-up shot, if needed for bear.

Mad Dog · « **Reply #27 on:** December 24, 2009, 02:12:45 AM »

it was a cinnamon colored black bear. Not the biggest, but taken on the next-to-the-last- day, of a 5 day hunt.

Mad Dog

rokefert · « **Reply #28 on:** December 28, 2009, 02:17:06 PM »

Shot placement is more important than caliber or type of rifle with a black bear. Screw up your first shot and youll wish you had a different gun, but in all likelihood you wont get a second shot. Where i hunt its thick, and ive taken the second uneeded shot, and missed because there running full bore in a hell hole before the 30 yrd pileup. Bears hit in the heart and lungs die everytime, bears hit elswhere may not die the same night, and it makes trackin a bit nerve racking when you know the shot is bad-----thats the time to leave the single in the truck and crack out the old shotgun or pistol.

S.E.Ak · « **Reply #29 on:** January 04, 2010, 06:58:02 AM »

No problem with a single and big bears. I have never shot a bear more than once and a single will reload about as fast as a bolt gun if needed.