Sitka Gear
Shot Distance on bear from the ground?
Bears
Contributors to this thread:
brunse 11-Aug-23
Charlie Rehor 11-Aug-23
Supernaut 11-Aug-23
Corax_latrans 11-Aug-23
Bou'bound 11-Aug-23
Stix 11-Aug-23
dnovo 11-Aug-23
Ambush 11-Aug-23
Groundhunter 11-Aug-23
BOHNTR 11-Aug-23
JohnMC 11-Aug-23
Paul@thefort 11-Aug-23
BoggsBowhunts 11-Aug-23
Shug 11-Aug-23
Tracker 11-Aug-23
BCPYGuy 11-Aug-23
Buglemaster 11-Aug-23
ILbowhntr 11-Aug-23
Stoneman 11-Aug-23
brunse 11-Aug-23
t-roy 11-Aug-23
rattling_junkie 12-Aug-23
BCPYGuy 12-Aug-23
pav 12-Aug-23
carcus 12-Aug-23
carcus 12-Aug-23
Oryx35 12-Aug-23
Bou'bound 14-Aug-23
Corax_latrans 14-Aug-23
Nick Muche 14-Aug-23
JTreeman 15-Aug-23
JSW 15-Aug-23
yeager 15-Aug-23
Rock 15-Aug-23
Gator 16-Aug-23
From: brunse
11-Aug-23
I am curious about shot distance to archery killed bears…. from the ground. Not really interested in tree stands, baits or hounds. Personally and those of acquaintances you have been involved in.

Longest? Shortest? Perceived limit?

Thank you for your responses.

11-Aug-23

Charlie Rehor's embedded Photo
Colorado Fall Bear.
Charlie Rehor's embedded Photo
Colorado Fall Bear.
I’ve only shot one bear from the ground and it was at a wallow while hunting elk last September in Colorado. Shot was 30 yards. Bear made Awards, Booner at 20 9/16” and was around 400 pounds.

From: Supernaut
11-Aug-23
Dandy bear Charlie!

11-Aug-23
Dang. WHOPPER.

From: Bou'bound
11-Aug-23

Bou'bound's embedded Photo
Bou'bound's embedded Photo
23

From: Stix
11-Aug-23
25 yards

From: dnovo
11-Aug-23
8 yards spot and stalk in Alaska 20 years ago

From: Ambush
11-Aug-23
Dozens and dozens, from five to thirty five yards. Can’t remember any farther than that and the average would likely be twenty.

From: Groundhunter
11-Aug-23
I have set up alot of black bear ground set ups. 20 steps. Average shot 15 steps... all bears recovered.

From: BOHNTR
11-Aug-23
Closest......3 steps walking towards me. Got a bit western at the shot. :) He was my best P&Y bear at the time. The next closest was 8 yards with my recurve.

From: JohnMC
11-Aug-23
3 - 1 at 8 yards and 2 at about 20 yards

From: Paul@thefort
11-Aug-23

Paul@thefort's embedded Photo
Called in this Colorado bear with a predator call to within 18 yards. Yep, on the ground with compound and 3 bld BH
Paul@thefort's embedded Photo
Called in this Colorado bear with a predator call to within 18 yards. Yep, on the ground with compound and 3 bld BH

11-Aug-23

BoggsBowhunts's embedded Photo
BoggsBowhunts's embedded Photo
25 yards still-hunting in Missouri!

From: Shug
11-Aug-23

Shug's embedded Photo
12 yards… see string tracker string passing through
Shug's embedded Photo
12 yards… see string tracker string passing through
Shug's embedded Photo
Same stand
Shug's embedded Photo
Same stand
I’ve taken several From the ground ranging from 8-18 yards…

From: Tracker
11-Aug-23

Tracker's embedded Photo
Tracker's embedded Photo
Ive kille 4 bears in NJ all on the ground sitting in a chair 20-25 yards from the bait.

From: BCPYGuy
11-Aug-23
All spot and stalk here in BC, killed a couple rutting bears under 5 yards and furthest at 53 across a draw. Most of my kills are between 20-30 yards. Where I hunt bears they are not readily spooked if they see you but if they wind you they disappear quickly.

From: Buglemaster
11-Aug-23

Buglemaster's embedded Photo
Buglemaster's embedded Photo
7 yds from the ground. He sat down like a dog looking at me quartering to me. Shot was just inside the right front shoulder & exited behind the off shoulder. Went a total of 15 yds after the shot. 400# My 1 and only.

From: ILbowhntr
11-Aug-23
First bear I ever killed was on the ground at 19 yards.

From: Stoneman
11-Aug-23

Stoneman's embedded Photo
Stoneman's embedded Photo
25 - spot and stalk

From: brunse
11-Aug-23
Awesome. Thank you.

With all the long distance shooters in elk season, I was wondering how many would shoot a long distance at a bear.

I enjoy the long distance TAC shooting as well, yet tracking a bear that I couldn’t be sure of shot placement would be… nerve racking.

When shooting targets past 40 yards I generally know where I hit, yet I am sometimes surprised when I approach the target….

Beautiful bears posted above.

From: t-roy
11-Aug-23

t-roy's embedded Photo
t-roy's embedded Photo
Only one. Stalked in to within 20 yards of him before he gave me a clear shot.

12-Aug-23

rattling_junkie's embedded Photo
rattling_junkie's embedded Photo
20 yards sitting the edge of a corn field.

From: BCPYGuy
12-Aug-23
All spot and stalk here in BC, killed a couple rutting bears under 5 yards and furthest at 53 across a draw. Most of my kills are between 20-30 yards. Where I hunt bears they are not readily spooked if they see you but if they wind you they disappear quickly.

From: pav
12-Aug-23

pav's embedded Photo
pav's embedded Photo
My one and only...spot and stalk on salmon streams...Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Had multiple opportunities that week between 10-20 yards. Shot this guy on the last day...last few minutes actually... at 20 yards. Bear hunting has never been high on my bowhunting bucket list, but that particular hunt was definitely a great adventure.

From: carcus
12-Aug-23
This springs bear, on the ground, 25 yards, walking in to my stand

From: carcus
12-Aug-23

carcus's embedded Photo
carcus's embedded Photo

From: Oryx35
12-Aug-23
30 yards for my one and only. Sitting water.

From: Bou'bound
14-Aug-23

Bou'bound's embedded Photo
Bou'bound's embedded Photo
23

14-Aug-23
Dang, T-Roy - that looks like a real old-timer!

Gorgeous bears here.

From: Nick Muche
14-Aug-23
Couple grizzlies from 40-60 yards, handful of black bears under 20, closest being about 5 yards a few times.

From: JTreeman
15-Aug-23

JTreeman's embedded Photo
JTreeman's embedded Photo
British Columbia. Spot and Stalk. About 22 yard shot, ran less than 20 and he was down.

—Jim

From: JSW
15-Aug-23

JSW's embedded Photo
JSW's embedded Photo
Out of maybe a dozen I've shot on the ground, the closest was around 1 foot. I had to lean back as he walked by so he wouldn't hit my arrow. That was about as exciting as it gets. I had a brown bear head on at 3 steps. I didn't kill that one.

This was the one that wanted to walk by on the same trail I was on. I backed into the oak brush to get off the trail.

From: yeager
15-Aug-23

yeager's embedded Photo
yeager's embedded Photo
Shot this bear from the ground at 17 yards. All my “real” ones are from tree stands.

From: Rock
15-Aug-23

Rock's embedded Photo
Rock's embedded Photo
Shot this one between 3-10 yards after stopping it at 3 yards as it ran towards me without knowing I was there.

From: Gator
16-Aug-23

Gator's embedded Photo
Gator's embedded Photo
35 yards

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