The Bear Facts
Hunting in the west, Mark took this beautiful bear with an Encore in .300 Win. Mag.
Without a doubt, whitetail deer are the most popular big game animal in America. Wild boar may be close behind simply because you can hunt them year-round. Black bear is another challenging and rewarding hunting opportunity for handgunners. They can be pursued in late spring in several states when most other big game seasons are closed. Black bears can also be hunted in the fall in some states. Whenever or wherever you hunt these magnificent creatures, you can be sure the pursuit will be a challenge with a handgun.
Hunting over bait in Alaska, this bruin was taken on the last day of the hunt with an Encore in .338 Federal.
Bear Essentials
There are basically three methods for hunting black bear: spot and stalk, over bait and with hounds. A few have been called in with varmint calls. In some circles, there are misguided perceptions regarding hunting over bait and with hounds, believing it unethical because it’s a “sure thing.” I have been fortunate to hunt black bear utilizing all three methods, and I can assure you, there is no such thing as a sure bet. With all three methods, I’ve been successful and I’ve come home empty-handed.
So, which method is best? Some states do not allow bait, others do not permit hounds, and some allow all methods. I’m probably the odd duck but I enjoy all three techniques and the uniqueness of each.
Hounds
My wife and I just returned from New Mexico, where we enjoyed the thrill of following hounds around mountains for five days. When we were first married over 40 years ago, we hunted black bear in New Mexico with hounds and enjoyed the experience. I took a nice male on that hunt with a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Mag. We wanted to experience this adrenaline rush again while we were still physically able. This time around, I was packing a BFR in .360 Buckhammer topped with an Ultradot optic. While shots may be anti-climactic, the real fun is watching and listening to the hounds. We treed six bears in four days and passed on smaller bruins. It was a lot of fun and Karen tagged her bear with a Henry rifle in .360 Buckhammer.
Bait
My very first black bear taken was back in the late ’70s, over bait in Maine. I was the only hunter in camp lucky enough to tag a bear that week. That bear was taken on the last hour of the last day (day six) and it was the only bear seen. On another bait hunt in Alaska, I was fortunate to take a nice bear on the first evening of the hunt, thanks to the .375 JDJ. On a most recent bait hunt a couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of hunting Alaska again. Since we were hunting near the Arctic Circle, it stays light for about 22 hours a day. I sat on a climbing stand commonly used by bowhunters from 7:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. every evening. I didn’t see a bear for five days, but I probably killed 3,000 mosquitos. On the last evening, one dandy boar must have felt sorry for me as he presented a 60-yard shot. The Encore in .338 Federal was responsible for punching my tag. Hunting over bait requires patience, and the excitement begins when you first spot a bear coming. Most shots are less than 75 yards.
Hound hunting has been a long-standing tradition. Keeping up with the hounds in hot pursuit of bear
can be physically demanding. Mark took this bear in New Mexico with a BFR revolver in .360 Buckhammer,
topped with an Ultradot.
Spot & Stalk
Spot and stalk is another challenging strategy for hunting black bear. Glassing areas where bears are feeding require quality optics. Once a bear is spotted, you make a plan to position yourself for a shot. It can be a lot more difficult than it sounds. In a few western states, spot and stalk is possible due to the fact you can see a lot of real estate in open spaces. Finding an area where bears frequently search for a food source can take time and hours behind the optics. Shots can vary in distance depending on terrain and how close you can get to your target without being detected. I tagged a beautiful color-phase bear on a 373-yard poke with an Encore in .300 Win. Mag. I shot from an unorthodox position and got whacked in the nose by the scope. That left a mark, but I managed to get the bear. On my last spot and stalk hunt with good friend Dick Thompson, I missed a cross-canyon shot with an H-S Precision in .270 WSM.
Contrary to some opinions, black bears do not require a .600 Nitro Express. A quality bullet in .41 or .44 Mag. will do the trick. However you like to hunt, black bears provide a quality and rewarding hunting experience.
