Wife wants to bear hunt

[lunchbox]

I got a ? for you all. What kinda of gun do you think would be good for her to use? She wants to go black bear hunting with me but does not want to use her bow. She also wants to go on other hunts with me like mule deer and stuff. I would like to get her a rifle that she could use for more than just bear. I know what kind im looking at but im not sure for a woman. She is just 30 yrs young so not old. lol.
Thank you for your help

[whyohe]

well we need to know some stuff about her. is she recoil sensitive or noise sensitive?is weight an issue?. IMO a .270 would be good. I think a .243 with the right bullet would work on black bear but shot placement and bullet would be critical. but these are just my opinion.

[ozark]

I think the .243 would be ideal using a 100 grain remington core-lokt. Recoil isn't stiff enough to make her shoot with fear and it is plenty accurate enough to make a pinpoint shot. Black bear are usually killed over bait that is placed close in so I can't imagine poor bullet placement if she is given good instructions along with say twenty or shots. She needs a good trigger. The Savage accu trigger is fine but there are several after market triggers that are good. Black bear are not tough to kill. I have done it with a .22 Mag. and one with a .17 HMR. As mentioned bullet placement is the key. The most powerful rifle made is not going to put one down if the bullet doesn't damage a vital organ. Good luck to you and to her. Ozark

[lunchbox]

She is recoil sensitive to some degree. she did not like shooting my 30-06 I had in high school. She is pretty good at shooting. She just qualified expert with the M-16 on her range in GA. Noise does not bother her.

[mike3132]

My choice would be a .260 Remington for her. A little heaver bullet than a .243 and not much recoil. You can get one in a Model 7 Remington. Mike

[tdillinger]

Sept 26, 2010 18:55:14 GMT -5 lunchbox said:

I got a ? for you all. What kinda of gun do you think would be good for her to use? She wants to go black bear hunting with me but does not want to use her bow. She also wants to go on other hunts with me like mule deer and stuff. I would like to get her a rifle that she could use for more than just bear. I know what kind im looking at but im not sure for a woman. She is just 30 yrs young so not old. lol.
Thank you for your help

Hmm that is a good question, my first thought would be 7mm rem mag which can do all you mentioned but that has got a good kick if she is small and if you are not going to shoot past 200 yds ?. A 270 or 260 would be my second choice.

[johnp034]

.260 is an excellant choice. 7mm-08 would be my second. Ruger makes a compact in a .260. 16 1/2" barrel, shortened length of pull, ideal not only for small shooters, but a great tree stand gun. I'm not a small guy but I am older than dirt, I have one and its a great gun to walk with. Weighs in at about 6lbs.

JohnP

[ozark]

She needs a .243, she should get a .243, she would be successful with a .243, she would love shooting her .243. BTW, my choice for her would be a .243 Savage with the accu-trigger. Yep. .243. I am close to 83 years old and I have a .243. Accurate, dependable, light recoil, plenty of killing power. Don't be cruel to the girl, get her a rifle that she can shoot like Annie Oakley, and post a picture of her holding her .243 by her bear. I am on her side and I want you to please her and give her something to cause sudden death to Mr. bear.

[rjhans53]

Just cause I'm different. It should be fairly close shots, I'd get her a 35 rem, it will hit like a hammer on the muzzle end and won't beat her to death either.

[lunchbox]

Hum Ozark I think you like, and Im just guessing here, the .243? lol. I have a friend that has one. I will ask him if he will let her shoot it a few times to see if she likes it.
The .260 I am not familiar with it. Can you give me a gun that it might be compairable to and/or some more info on it?
Thanks

[wilmsmeyer]

Yeah to what Ozark said....a .243. She could shoot woodchucks all summer...or prairie dogs...and kill a bear in the fall.

Get her hooked on doing surgery....a rifle at under 100 yds is very capable of surgery. teach her anatomy of the game. Women listen very well. Then put a perfect blade....like a stout 100 gr partition or a 85 gr Barnes X...in her hands and disconnect the pump station. Done deal every time.

Like Ozark said...good coaching and bullet placement and the .243 won't let you, or her, down

[whyohe]

I dont know much about a .260? but a .243 sounds like a good choice for her then. especially if its under 100 yards. also probably easier and more choices on factory ammo.

[lunchbox]

The .243 sounds like what I am going to lean towards getting her. Now if only I can find one that she likes. lol.
And which ones tend to be more accurate out of the box?
I love my savage rifles and usually buy one but she will want to know all this stuff and this time I dont have the answers for her. lol
Thanks for all the help guys

[johnp034]

.260 is the same case as a .243, (.308 parent case). The difference is, you can get it in 140 gr. bullets. Another option would be a .308. Your wife could practice with reduced recoil loads, (.125 grs.), very moderate recoil, and then when its show time, put in the good stuff. I gaurentee she won't notice the recoil when shooting at Mr. Bruin! Remember, you want the biggest caliber that she can shoot comfortably because bears, black or otherwise, have been known to eat people. I, for one, would not be comfortable with shooting a black bear with a .243.

JohnP

[ozark]

A black bear is rarely agressive. When protecting cubs or when they get used to being fed by humans they sometimes lose their natural fear of people. But in the wild the black bear is going to vacate the area if they determine a human in there. I have killed bear with calibers less than the .243 and have found that they are as no more difficult to put down than a deer. Any rifle commonly used for deer will put black bear down for the count. Many bear hunters using dogs take bear with handguns from trees. My daughter took a nice 7 point with my .243. One shot and down right there experience for her.

[mike3132]

A .260 is a 6.5mm bullet compared to a .243 with is a 6mm bullet. As said above its based on the .308 case. I shot deer with mine using 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip. The recoil from one would be almost the same as the .243. Look at Remington's model 7 or ruger that are built with short barrels and short stocks for women and children. Put her a nice 3x9 compact scope on it and she can kill any deer or bear. Mike

[deadeye]

i dont know if you are on the "indiana" .358 wssm wildcat bandwagon,but if so surprisingly the 200gn barnes tsx coupled w/748@approx 2600fps is a mild load if the gun is not ultra-lite,just a thought,could serve a dual purpose.she would not be the 1st woman shooting this in indiana.

[pposey]

Do you reload?

Yes I would say 7mm-08,,, sorry guys but it will do all the .243 will do and better, If not I'd say 7mm-08 or .308 Win. More of a variety of usable factory loads with the .308,,,

[pposey]

If she like accutrigger a savage bolt. If not a Stevens 200,,, not an accutrigger fan myself

[northny]

Another vote for the .308 winchester at least...if not a 30-06. Put a good aftermarket recoil pad on the rifle (i like limbsaver pads) to tame the recoil if it is a problem.

Dont get me wrong, I like the .243 for varmints and deer, and I would not be hesitant to shoot a black bear if one crossed my path with a .243 in my hands. But if I was going looking for blacks, or equiping my son who is not grey haired and experienced, the .308 is the smallest item in the gun rack I would recommend. I would not argue with 7mm 08 or .270 but the .243 strikes me as too little .

Use enough gun.

[Al]

7-08 or 308 would be my pick for her. There use to be some reduced loads with H4895 if I remember right, good to practice and hunt with.

Dunno about a .243 for blackies, I have never hunted them here in the states, only in Manitoba. I've seen small bears, big bears, and big big bears, and trust me, when you see a 450#+ bear under 30yds, whatever you have in your hands will feel small, very small.

[ozark]

lI killed a 500 Lb. black bear that was to large to go into the Game and Fish wardens trap with a .22 Mag. using a solid tip (Not hollow point) It was about 30 yards away and ran in a panic type run for about 40 yards before falling. The bullet entered just back of the right fore leg and exited just behind the left fore leg. A bullet of about any size into the heart/lung area is effective and instantly removes any instinct they may have to attack. I would have absolutely no fear of having my wife or daughter take one with the .243. Cornered they could charge you but if they have a exit route available believe me they will take it. I know that some campers have been hurt or killed by Black Bear but I have never heard of a hunter getting in danger after shooting one. Believe me, I would never recomend a caliber if I had the least amount of fear that it could get someone hurt. A crippled buck deer can be a threat in some situations but common sense will keep you out of danger.

[pposey]

For me the .243 isn't about safety bear hunting, my grandfather killed only he knew how many bears with a .22lr,,,, shot to the head= a dead bear, back then bears were nusance animals here in the mnts and I've heard many stories of him taking 2-4 and once 5 bears a night with his hounds. Only safety problem he ever had was a dead bear falling out of the tree and landing on one of his hounds, broke the dogs back.

For me the issue is more of why use a borderline caliber, yeppers the .243 will kill deer and bears but is it as low as anyone should go? The 22-250 is next down the list and with a .223 barnes bullet I bet it would slay the critters as well as will a .233 remington with a premium bullet,, .233AI shooting a barnes solid copper is a deer killer.

For big game the 7mm-08, basicly a .270 in a smaller case,,, and a .308 win are better ballanced rounds. She decides to go elk hunting a 160 7mm or 180 30 cal bullet will be a better choice than the avilible .243 fodder, even a .243 barnes. Were she looking for a coyote/pronghorn rifle that will be used some on deer and perhaps a bear then sure the .243 is better suited than the .308 and as good as the 7mm-08.

They all kill critters well but why go marginal when one can shoot for dead center?

[deadeye]

i think it boils down to the proper bullet selection on the selected game- rather than caliber selection. i love ballistic tips but would not elect to use them on bear & if i had too it would be a 180gn/bt out of my 300rum,but would still opt for the 180tsx.the core-lokt is also a good choice but i would still lean towards a solid, neverminding the caliber within reason.

[ET]

I may not hunt bears but this is one animal I have respect for in the wild from previous encounters. I’ve seen the agility and speed they can produce. No they are normally not aggressive but under the right circumstances they can be very vicious.

I agree even smaller calibers with the right bullet will do the job when the bullet is properly placed. In my location starting about 4-hrs drive North bears really put on some fat for winter hibernation so in being selective for what I would use say on a Fall hunt I would take into consideration this extra fat layer. Sure you can shoot them in the head if you are just after the meat but not if you want a head mount. Another consideration is the size of bear normally found in a specific location.

270 with a few selective bullets would be the minimum caliber I would choose and feel confident I would easily enough drop this bear and not have to go far looking for it.
Just my opinion here.


Ed

[ozark]

Many calibers and opinions have been offered. Feeling comfortable with the bullet size (caliber) is needed but the bullet used and its placement overrides all other considerations. I think it is great the lady wants to bear hunt and I wish her luck. It is vital that she knows the anatomy of the animal and where the bullet placement will cause a quick death. Give the hunter a cannon and deliver a bad hit and there are problems. Any of the calibers mentioned with a good bullet will do the job cleanly and efficiently. If I could talk to the girl I would tell her that it will be her shooting skill that kills the bear and not some magic caliber. Hunters say they killed a Moose, elk, deer, bear etc. when actually in a sense it is fact. The skilled hunter knows where to place the bullet and has the ability to aim and place the bullet. Many people teach that the hunter will not feel recoil during the kill. This is generally true however the fear of recoil and knowing that it is coming doesn't make the hunting time pleasant. I think it is best for the new hunter to not be dreading the results of recoil while waiting for game to appear. It is for these reasons that I am a .243 fan. I have not dread of recoil or doubts of bullet placement when the moment of truth comes. It has served me perfect.
Being close to 83 years old makes me as fragile as a young lady. But since this thread has brought so much interest please keep us informed right up to the success or failure of the hunt. I do wish her good luck and an enjoyable hunt. Go Girl Go. We are all rooting for you. Ozark

[tcmech]

I personally like my 243 for most of the hunting I do and I would not hesitate to take a black bear with it here where I live in southeast Virginia. That being said I would not go buy a 243 to take bear hunting, I would go with a something a bit bigger for that.

I like what I have read about the 260 remington, and if I was personally looking for another deer rifle I would probably take either a 260 or a 7x08.

Just for sake of convenience I might even get a 308 so I know I can find ammo anywhere and also use some common reloading components with my 300wm.

Whatever you buy make sure to get a good recoil pad on it such as a limbsaver.

[lunchbox]

Thank you all for your thought and opinions. I enjoy reading everyone elses experiences and thoughts.
Right now my wife is deployed, but only to GA for training, for a year. She will not be home till next Aug. So the hunt is put off for at least that long. We are trying to decide where to go to hunt bear and if we want bait or dogs. I hunted blacks in Manitoba once and loved every min of it. I still only shot a small one but the memories are priceless.
Anyone got any good outfitters that you can throw out there along with this thread?
Thanks

[Al]

only one I hunted with in MB, is 21Bear Outfitters in The Pas, but there are plenty of good ones. I've went with Steven 10 times now in the spring and can't say enough about them. What I liked about MB, colored bears seem more abundant, I'm sorta cursed with them, 6 of the 9 I have shot have been colored and finally last trip I got a good black.

ET, your right, blackies deserve respect. I've been bluff charged 3 times while walking into baits, two were little fellas that raise their hair, turn sideways on tiptoes to look bigger, this third one was a bit different thou, he came head on, ears down, jaws popping, at 20yds Wally my guide said he ain't stopping in not so polite terms and I dumped him at 30', mind you, this all happened in seconds and things were extreamly tense in that time.

He went 330# dressed and was the last blackie I took. His rug hangs on my bedroom wall as a reminder to what Steven once said, 99 out 100 bears will turn and run........... you just never know which one is #100.

Btw, my rifle of choice is a Browning 71 in 50 Alaskan.

[ET]

Al

That bear that dressed at 330#s would have exceeded 400#s live weight. That is a good-sized mature bear and congrats on such a fine harvest.
Of all the creatures I might encounter in northern wilderness the one I would consider any real threat is the Black Bear. Never experienced the Bluff Charge but had an angry Sow display her anger when her cubs were getting too close to me for her comfort. She went upright growling and if she would have quickly dropped on all fours a charge more than likely would have occurred.
Yeah the safety on my rifle was off and ready to shoulder. Just glad the cubs heeded mother’s anger and went to her. This incident I never forgot.

Ed