Bear shot placement
Bears
OK, I am posting this with hopes that Bear Track and other black bear outfitters will comment, as well as any EXPERIENCED archery black bear hunters.
I am not interested in broadhead recommendations (already got that covered, thanks) and anectodotal evidence, though anectdotes and stories are welcome.
I want to fine-tune my target practice, based on sound advice from outfitters and guides, and/or hunters with multiple sucessful archery bear kills to their credit,as to proper, high-percentage shot placement on bear.
Thanks
Cecil
Here's a thread that talked about shot placement.
http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?forum=6&threadid=428735&MESSAGES=73&FF=6
4inches behind front leg in the middle stay away from front shoulders, good luck.
An experienced guy once told me to aim for the middle of the middle. Hasn't let me down yet.
thanks guys, and thanks Reflex. I have trouble searching old threads on here.
sounds like the aiming point is a bit higher and farther back than on hogs.
I can see the appeal of a Q away angle based on the heavy shoulder and front leg bone on bear as opposed to whitetail. I like the slightly quartering shot on (big) hogs as well so it's familiar to me.
ok keep it coming guys!
I ask MY guests to follow up 2" behind the front leg and place an arrow in the middle from top to bottom on a broadside standing bear, then reach or your camera...
1/4ing away, same as any other animal, aim for the opposite front leg and cut a long hole through the animal and again, reach for your camera...
Bear Track, that helps immensely
Bear track, is that back-line profile essentially correct? I've butchered a few bears, but never really paid attention to the spine that closely.
Ron,
I shoot over the top of them first to get them turned around to the angle I want, then let 'em have it with the second shot. ;-)
4 inches of hair hanging on the belly. 1-2 inches of hair on the back. For 30 years we have shot middle high, and middle center, quartering away, with the angle forward we punch vitals and short tracks.
just remember middle of the middle only works if you use the nose as the beginning point from which backwards the middle is calculated. middle of the middle using the brisket at the beginning point will lead to gut shots.
I shoot them in the same spot as any other big game animal, they don't make it out of sight!
interesting. where exactly is that carcus?
Screwball and Bou'bound, that's good info as well. Keep it coming guys.
"interesting. where exactly is that carcus?" I paused the video of the arrow striking the bear and took a still, this is where you want to hit them, like I said they won't make it out of sight!
now THAT is what I wanted! thanks Carcus, I appreciate it!
(that shot, on a hog, might quite possibly, in fact will likely, be too high to kill)
this is why I am pressing the question. I was to tune my brain in to proper shot placement on bears
any way you can post the whole video carcus?
Here is a cut away from Woody Sanford I pulled off here couple years ago.
not saying Carcus doesnt kill bears with that shot, I think im looking at the arrow, but if you look at woodguys cut away you can miss everything and I have seen it.
Zebrakiller your absolutely right. You're much better off shooting a little low than a little high. Here is a short video of a bear I killed with Aexis Desjardins & his brother inlaw Alan MaCcarthy a few years back. The bear died right at the last spot that you see him in the video.
I don't know a lot about a lot but I have shot a few bears w a bow and if you haven't my best advice is LISTEN to your guide and watch a lot of videos like the one above. Bears for the most part are really soft - both in hide and in life - much softer than a whitetail or hog all other things being equal. What I mean by that is you will have no trouble with pass through shots with even a lighter weight bow and that they die really easy if you do your job correctly.
If you do not - it is a LONG day(s) in the swamp. Hammer them in the lungs and 50yds is a long trail. One lung them and it is almost a "forget about it" situation.
The biggest problem I have seen in bear camp is with those that have not shot or seen many up close they get the "where do I shoot" blues and the least opportune moment and revert to doing what their mind is trained to do on a hog or whitetail which can lead to failure with bears. A good bear is big and round in two directions with limited visual clues of bone and muscle structure through all the hair. Just a Black Blob.
I practice from an elevated stand similar in height to what I will be hunting and shoot at a feed bag stuffed with grocery sacks and painted black. It is suspended with bungy cords to force my eye to pick a spot and I aim for the middle of the middle for slightly quartering angles and move roughly two inches head long for complete broadside shots.
Just my two cents and probably worth less than that as compared to those that have guided hundreds or more bear kills but this works for me and hopefully will again.
I can tell you from personal experience, don't hit much left or high of Carcus's image.
"I can tell you from personal experience, don't hit much left or high of Carcus's image."
Or right, unless your a great blood trailer!
Fuzzy,
There are a lot of black bear bowhunting videos on YouTube, if you want to get more input.
Also if you happen to be slipping on a big bear in an open field of clover, get within 20 yards, are startng to draw but he turns and looks at you.......DO NOT look him in the face because an arrow up the nose bleeds like crazy but doesn't make a clean kill.
Circus, I'm guessing you aim awful close to the middle of the green line on the above pic? That's pretty much where I shoot and I rarely track bears more than 50yds. I've had 2 of them die in less than 5yds.
Be careful if that left leg goes forward the scapular will move down.
I shoot for the line on Woodguy's photo, about one third up from the bottom of the bear. I always tell newer bear hunters to imagine an arrow being placed along the back side of the front leg, then shoot for the middle of the bear along that line when he's broadside. I tell new bear hunters to wait for broadside shot.
Its easy to remember and easy to aim for. Personally I shoot a little lower, but that's too much to remember for new bear hunters. There is something different about shooting at bears for new bear hunters compared to shooting at deer and other game. Keeping it simple and easy is really important.
