Black Bear Hunting Gun?

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God man your hunting the bear with dogs,why not just run him over with your car.If you are going that far might as well use a 600 nitro express..
 
If you're hunting with dogs, you have a partner/guide? Ask them. They'll also tell you about what sights to use.

My dad had a story, about a friend of his, that was with a group of rich guys (he wasn't one) on an European Wild Boar hunt. All the rich guys grabbed the tricked-out rifles with the bad-ass optics. The old guy that was running the hunt took a double-barrel shotgun, with slugs. Good enough for my dad's buddy! The old guy did not get to be an old guy that hunted dangerous animals, by picking the wrong gun.

In another thread in the Survival sub-forum, the utility of a .22 for Grizzly and Moose is discussed, so go with that. [laugh]
 
If you're hunting with dogs, you have a partner/guide? Ask them. They'll also tell you about what sights to use.

My dad had a story, about a friend of his, that was with a group of rich guys (he wasn't one) on an European Wild Boar hunt. All the rich guys grabbed the tricked-out rifles with the bad-ass optics. The old guy that was running the hunt took a double-barrel shotgun, with slugs. Good enough for my dad's buddy! The old guy did not get to be an old guy that hunted dangerous animals, by picking the wrong gun.

In another thread in the Survival sub-forum, the utility of a .22 for Grizzly and Moose is discussed, so go with that. [laugh]

A friend bought property in a bear-y part of NH. I've always wanted to try hunting bear with hounds. Neither of us have bear hunting experience. Just curious what would be a gun that would be a good fit. I've hunted rabbit with a 20 gauge and beagles and raccoon with hounds and a .22 rifle. Bears are obviously bigger than rabbits and raccoons.
 
I'm not a bear hunter, but the hunting regs for NH should give you guidance (at least they do in the DPRM).

If you give a quick rundown of what you have in the safe, unless this is an excuse to buy something, that will help. After he got is deer in NH, he'd stay with his group, to drive them. He'd have a Drilling, one barrel with birdshot, one with slug, and an 8x57 in the rifle. The solids were for bear, the shot for partridge.
 
I'm not a bear hunter, but the hunting regs for NH should give you guidance (at least they do in the DPRM).

If you give a quick rundown of what you have in the safe, unless this is an excuse to buy something, that will help. After he got is deer in NH, he'd stay with his group, to drive them. He'd have a Drilling, one barrel with birdshot, one with slug, and an 8x57 in the rifle. The solids were for bear, the shot for partridge.

This is an excuse to buy something unless NH Fish and Game won't mind me using a FAL or a JM Pro.
 
I echo Racenet's post. My dad took many a bruin with his Marlin .35. I wish he hadn't sold it.

On the other hand, my younger brother has taken 2 with a .44 Magnum Super Redhawk (He's a little nuts).
 
I think 10mm and 44 mag are common defensive ‘bear gun’ options. However, if you are on the hunt that may change the equation. I have no idea. I have been looking for an excuse to buy a DW Bruin for a long time, maybe I should get into hunting!
 
If I was going bear hunting I would carry my Marlin .44Mag lever action. Its short and lite. I had bought it back in the 80's for deer hunting in NH.
 
Where I grew up in Pa, no one had any special bear guns as said above. Same as the deer gun. 30.06, .308, .270, some .35 rem were the standards. There were a few .44 revolver hunters but not many. Not that slugs wouldn't work and probably work very well but no one used them since it's not a shotgun only state
 
What would be an appropriate gun for hunting black bears with hounds?
What state? That's an important question to answer first. Have to check the regs of that state .....some are quite loose on hunting tools.....some are not so loose.
 
God man your hunting the bear with dogs,why not just run him over with your car.If you are going that far might as well use a 600 nitro express..
Hunting bear with hounds is no different than hunting rabbits or birds with dogs. Common practice in many states.
 
I know that,but what kind of sport is it.The dogs find the bear keep at bay while you shoot it.
You might as well give the dogs a gun,and let them shoot it for you.
 
I know that,but what kind of sport is it.The dogs find the bear keep at bay while you shoot it.
You might as well give the dogs a gun,and let them shoot it for you.

I thought the same thing but was invited on a hunt and went not knowing what to expect but a week away and some good laughs. I traveled to the Selsway/BitterRoot National Forest in Idaho.

First off... for context, this is a remote wilderness hunt and it’s like stepping in to a time machine as you only have what you bring.

The dogs, which were all hounds just take off. They pick up a scent and gone. The guide has a transmitter that he follows. I hiked up and down mountains all friggen day long 6a-6p. The bears only stay in a tree for a while, rest and then run again. It’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination.

Did I get a bear - nope. Did the dogs tree one for me - yes. It was too small but more importantly I was too exhausted to haul the meat all the way back to camp.

The next two days I sat on bait waiting for bear. I had a few opportunities but let them pass. I knew what I was looking for and wasn’t going to bag a 70lb juvenile.

I had the best time but chasing dogs isn’t easy and IMO a young mans game. I have done my fair share of hiking and field humping in the Army but chasing dogs is completely different.
 
Marlin Model 1895SBL chambered in .45-70 Government should work....


Marlin-Model-1895SBL-jurassic-world



 
A friend of mine hunted black bear in NH last year with hounds. He used a 45-70 lever rifle. Saw the video of him blasting it off a tree...
 
I don't hunt bears, but I've hunted birds in the North Maine Woods for over 25 years.
Plenty bear sign, tracks, scat, but only ever saw one bear.
He was far away and moving farther away fast.
If you don't use dogs or bait I don't think you'll ever see a bear.
 
I don't hunt bears, but I've hunted birds in the North Maine Woods for over 25 years.
Plenty bear sign, tracks, scat, but only ever saw one bear.
He was far away and moving farther away fast.
If you don't use dogs or bait I don't think you'll ever see a bear.

My friend's game cam has already recorded a bear and I'd want to hunt with dogs. He's also mentioned hunting over bait. So there's that.
 
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