Hunting Forum

im getting ready for my first bear hunt, it will be in late aug in washington state. i was planning on using my .308 and wanted to see how if a 180 gr nosler hunting ballistic tip bullets. this is the same round i was planning on using for elk hunting this year but wanted to make sure it was enough for a bear.

I'd personally use a softer bullet for better expansion.
Especially at low 308 velocities.

Posted By gehee on 19 May 2012 02:59 PM
I'd personally use a softer bullet for better expansion.
Especially at low 308 velocities.

like a 150 grain?

Yes, especially the tipped one if using the tsx
Or even a conventional bullet 180 grain. At 308 velocities it wont come apart and will give you a great mushroom

If your hunting over bait a 150 gr express CORE- LOKT PSP at 18 to 35 yards and that bear is not going anywhere right behind the front sholder. Good Luck

if i were you i would think about a 165gr. nosler partition or a tipped barns they will expand but will have great weight retention.

Hey Ackbizzle...
I have killed A LOT of bears....and I have guided A LOT of people on bear hunts as well.....here are a few tips....

1.  Bears are not that tough to kill...(now that being said...)  It's about a pass through shot.  PERIOD!!

2.  A solid bullet in-case you hit the shoulder.  You need to make sure you get both lungs and here's why...

      A.  Bears don't bleed a ton if they are very fat with thick hair....the fat and hair will soak up the blood and make the first
           few yards of tracking tough if you don't get a clean pass through.  That is a must! (The energy of the bullet exiting will
           cause a liquid vacuum to start the blood flowing out the opposite side, but only if the bullet clears the animal)
   
      B.  Bears have lower blood pressure  (must be the sleeping in late).  And won't pump blood like other animals.  If you
           don't get both lungs or the heart, or a clean pass through, they can run FOREVER on one lung or you wont find blood very
            easy....solid bullet, clean double lung shot....good blood trail!

3.  There is always that chance of a really big bear showing up... (killed one 559lbs last year and one 469lbs the year before!!.  And
     If you have a bullet 150 or less and hit the near shoulder, you wont get both lungs.  Deer don't have the shoulder muscle or
     bone density in the shoulder so I would go 165-180 grains. 

4.  Try to avoid "frontal" shots unless you are in a tree stand and can shoot between the shoulder blades and get the spine/lungs.

Have a great hunt and that 308 should be just fine....good luck.
John---Rogue Outfitters

outstanding now i can just load the same rounds i was planning on using for elk season. 180 grs

If it will kill a deer, it will kill a black bear.

Yep ! Black bears are just as easy as killing a whitetail with the same ol advice of putting the bullet where it needs to go and the bear won't go any further than 40-40 yards if that. Just be sure and study the anatomy of the bear to see where the vitals are best exposed.

dawg, the thread's from last spring.

.308 will do the trick