Make That First Shot Count

A properly hit black bear is not a hard animal to put down. They are thin-skinned and not particularly tough. Although your first priority with any of the larger bears is to anchor the animal, a well-placed lung or heart shot on a black will work just fine. Head and spine shots are difficult to make in most hunting situations and should be avoided if a better shot can present itself. As with its bigger cousins, such as the grizzly, breaking down the shoulders will quickly disable the animal. A lethal finishing shot can then be taken on an immobile bear.

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Wounded Blacks

Other than with a solid hit in the shoulders, a wounded black that can move will move -- at lightening speed into the thickest, most tangled cover available. As with any potentially dangerous animal, going in after a wounded black is not going to be high on your list of favorite things to do. This is one case where a fifteen minute break before pursuit is highly recommended. During your wait, reload your rifle, turn the scope down to its lowest setting and get your breathing back to its normal level. Adrenaline runs high at this time.

Proceed with extreme caution. Regardless of what you may believe about the danger of black's in general, this is now a wounded animal. Once hurt, blacks have only one aim and that is to stay alive -- by whatever means available. Stay alert and carefully watch the ground and area ahead of you. Look for any telltale signs of a hit. Blood sprayed over ground cover, leaves, branches and fallen logs is the most obvious. Tufts of hair and overturned leaves where the animal has run are also good clues. If you lose your quarry's trail, scout out any black timber in the immediate vicinity. Often, a mortally wounded black bear will moan pitifully and give away the location of their hiding spot, usually under a tangle of windfall or behind a fallen log. Again, stay alert.

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... on to Chapter 6 - Conclusion