Think I might go bear hunting

[Quinian]

I wanted to add archery to my tag and MT has an online system where they list everything... Yes, I'm they guy who buys crap I don't need at the register. So anyway I picked up a spring/fall bear tag and put in for moose drawing.

My question is what gun would you guys use? Or rather is .308 enough? I've never hunted either. I figure heart/lung or my normal neck shot on a moose (if I win a tag) would be fine but I'm not so sure about the bear.

I know ammo can make a world of difference too, so suggestions on that would be great also.

[CaliFFL]

I wanted to add archery to my tag and MT has an online system where they list everything... Yes, I'm they guy who buys crap I don't need at the register. So anyway I picked up a spring/fall bear tag and put in for moose drawing.

My question is what gun would you guys use? Or rather is .308 enough? I've never hunted either. I figure heart/lung or my normal neck shot on a moose (if I win a tag) would be fine but I'm not so sure about the bear.

I know ammo can make a world of difference too, so suggestions on that would be great also.

I use my 30-06 for EVERYTHING. I killed a moose three years ago with it and factory 165 grain Core Lokt ammo. Shot a black bear two years ago with the same ammo from the same box. You can't go wrong with good bullet placement.

Good luck with both!

[Quinian]

I believe in MT you have to be within 100 yards for bear. Luckly my hunting buddy has a range finder so we can be sure. I generally tend to not push my shots on deer past 200, and my turkeys are all in shotgun or bow range so I'm used to stalking (can't bait and I don't call).

I've seen tons and tons of good reviews on core lokt I might buy a box and see if my rifle likes them.

[Jermanator]

A .308 will kill a black bear easily. Obviously, shot placement is everything and I would lean toward the heavier bullets.

No worries.

[beartracker]

308 will kill a black bear or Moose just fine, in fact a hunting buddy of mine on black bear has dropped them for years with his 7mm08 and a 13 year old son of my friend in Alaska has now killed two Moose with his 7mm08 using 140gr Partitions. You do not need a magnum to do this work and I am a magnum guy. Some like the 30-06 for everything and I use to especially when you consider most game I took for my first 15years of hunting was with an 30-06, but my favorite is the 358Win for everything.

[OldReliable]

I believe in MT you have to be within 100 yards for bear.

Why do you think that you need to be within 100 yards of a bear?

[sarg1c]

I wanted to add archery to my tag and MT has an online system where they list everything... Yes, I'm they guy who buys crap I don't need at the register. So anyway I picked up a spring/fall bear tag and put in for moose drawing.

My question is what gun would you guys use? Or rather is .308 enough? I've never hunted either. I figure heart/lung or my normal neck shot on a moose (if I win a tag) would be fine but I'm not so sure about the bear.

I know ammo can make a world of difference too, so suggestions on that would be great also.

If I were to go bear hunting here in the East, say, Mich., PA., or even here in Kentucky, I would want a Marlin 336 in .35 Rem. no scope quick handling, 200 gr. bullet... Don't get much better than that.

[CaliFFL]

Why do you think that you need to be within 100 yards of a bear?

^This^

And how is this enforced?

[OldReliable]

It isn't enforced because it is not true. This is a classic example of an internet "truth" that takes on a life of it's own. I am seriously interested in how the OP heard this and who he heard it from.

[Quinian]

I may have gotten confused with other state regs. I've recently been reading them for all the places my various family members are. I'll double check.. hang on.

As far as enforced? meh how are tag limits enforced? Someones gotta see it which rarely happens, doesn't mean do what ever the heck you want.


Edit/update: In MT you can apparently do whatever you want short of baiting or using a suppressor. My cousin in Alaska claims the 100 yard max is a reg where he is but I didn't see that on their page. Could be a local burough thing I have no idea but that's where I got that from. Got my wires crossed a bit.

MT is pretty lax actually. Even crossbows are fine in rifle season. No restriction on caliber either.

[OldReliable]

It never hurts to read the regs carefully, glad you got that squared away. I just got back from hunting this morning in the South Elkhorns. Nuttin. Saw a nice herd of bull elk and some antelope does with this year's fawns. Amazing how fast those little guys can run.

[snake284]

There's some states that put Cartridge or caliber limits on game, but I've never heard of a distance reg. Like was said, it would be a bugger to enforce. If they're worried about somebody trying to take a moose at three hundred yards with a 30-30, they need to stipulate no 30-30 used on moose. Not say, OK if you're gonna shoot a moose with a 30-30 you have to be within a hundred yards.

Like here in Texas it is against the law to shoot Whitetail Deer with a 22 Rimfire. In certain countries in Africa it is against the law to take Elephant or Cape Buffalo with anything smaller than .375 (or something to this effect). They don't limit the range. However, if there was a way to enforce such a law there are several applications I could see where it would be beneficial. But enforcement is the key. Limiting distance is akin to requiring that a deer's rack be so many inches wide at some point, such as here in Texas where in some counties they are saying a minimum of 13 inches wide from inside main beam to inside main beam. This is easy to enforce but sometimes next to impossible for the hunter to do correctly. The tape measure in my scope is a bit foggy.

[Quinian]

There's some states that put Cartridge or caliber limits on game,....Like here in Texas it is against the law to shoot Whitetail Deer with a 22 Rimfire.

Yeah I should have said no rim fire is allowed. We also have LOADS of non regulated game (non fur bearer either) like wabbits and yotes you can use a spear or sling shot on if you like. The only restrictions in that case is local restrictions like school trust lands and such. All though most of them have you restricted to shotgun/bow because they don't want a bullet flying for miles. I doubt they have issue with say a pellet gun (my preferred rabbit smacker)

[HAWKEN]

Just don' get confused and go hunting "bare" LOL.....Robin

[JerryBobCo]

Before you go, read up on bear anatomy. I've never even shot at a bear, but everything I've read says that the heart/lung area is forward of where it is on deer/elk/moose. You basically need to aim for the shoulder instead of the pocket just behind the shoulder as you would a deer.

If I were to hunt bear with a .308, I would probably go with 165 grain Nosler Partitions or Speer Grand Slams.

Good luck whatever you decide. A bear rug would be nice to have.

Also, if you are an NRA member, there's a good article in the latest issue of American Hunter about bear hunting. It's worth a read.

[Airedale]

Any rifle that would kill a whitetail would kill a black bear hit in the heart lung area.
If you can break down the shoulder with that hit, so much the better.

[Quinian]

Thanks Jerry. I'll grab a box or two of each on the 9th and hit the range. My rifle can be picky, then other times I'm supprised what it'll fling laser stright

[kgrjohn]

I think that's right!