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Looking for advice on Black Bear Ammo

No I don't have a muzzle loader. I have shot the Hornady SST sabot slug accurately to 100 yds at the range. Those actual rounds look a lot like some.50 cal muzzle loader rods I have seen.

What you have and are comfortable shooting accurately is more than adequate for any black bear in North America. Shot placement is much more important than caliber, and your SST FTX’s will deliver nearly a ton of energy at 100 yds, leaving at least one .50 cal hole and more than likely a .50 cal hole and a softball sized exit hole. Not many CXP2 or CXP3 game that can survive that kind of trauma in parts that matter.


Bait hunts are usually 25-50 yds at relaxed bear. I shot my last bear with a 265gr FTX over bait and he didn’t go 10 yds. That was with a 444 Marlin hauling about 500 more ft/lbs than yours @ 100 and the Bear didn’t think it was too fragile, and I didn’t recover it. But DeltaHuntr is right about there being a whole bunch of great options out there for slugs. I used to use Hastings out of a TarHunt custom slug gun I had and that was before the Renaissance in slug technology happened 10-15 years ago. Find one you like and go kill a bear with it....no man is ever undergunned with a 12 gauge!
 
I should have better intel this weekend hoping to get some ranges and more detailed locations.
 
I guess I would find out regulations on compound bow for bear. I would bet guys are telling you to use a gun, not because of legalities. If you are more comfortable with a bow over your current 12g and is legal. I see no problem. My state its legal to bait bear most shots are under 50. Either weapon is more then capable of doing the job. If I was in your shoes the 12g would be going with me
 
You may already be aware, but if this is your first time on a bear hunt, do a little research on bear vitals/anatomy. Point of aim on a bear should be a little different than a deer, especially if considering archery equipment.
 
12 gauge is plenty for bear and if is good out to at least a 100 yards long as you are.
 
I guess I would find out regulations on compound bow for bear. I would bet guys are telling you to use a gun, not because of legalities. If you are more comfortable with a bow over your current 12g and is legal. I see no problem. My state its legal to bait bear most shots are under 50. Either weapon is more then capable of doing the job. If I was in your shoes the 12g would be going with me
Issue was not with legality but with ranges. As it turned didn't matter....
 
You may already be aware, but if this is your first time on a bear hunt, do a little research on bear vitals/anatomy. Point of aim on a bear should be a little different than a deer, especially if considering archery equipment.
I aware but it is a good point. I spoke with a number of bear hunters and studied bear anatomy as well.
 
So I am sitting here in camp having finished 4 days of hunting for bear over bait. Did not even see a bear. One bait got hit but was not finished off, the guy I am here with who hunts here regularly thinks it may have been a small bear. Other than that, a rotted tree trunk that had been torn apart is possibly the only other bear sign we saw. Turns out the bait I hunted over was close enough to use bow or slug at 26 yards. However some baits were in excess of 50 yards with visibility well beyond that. Until I hunted this bait I had no idea which one I would be hunting or if I would hunt multiple baits. So a 30.06 was a safe choice.

Anyway thank you all for your input. Wish I had a great story to repay you with.
 
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