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Re: best spot for stopping a charging bear

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10 December 2003, 07:32
Gatehouse
Re: best spot for stopping a charging bear
Quote:

You must attempt to place your shot on the point of the nose if it is a bear or big cat. If the animal continues the charge it is less likey it will be able to bit you with it's jaw fractured. The downside is, big cats cause as much or more damage with their claws from the infection that is sure to occur from all the bacteria that lives there. Bears grab and shake you like a rag doll when they get a grip on you. That shaking action is devastating on any human anatomy. Hard to hit those samll targets when the animal is in full charge.

One thing is ceratin, once a big cat commits to the charge, he will kill you or die in the attempt. Big cats will avoid humans, but are sinlge minded, and they will not back down once they determine you are a threat to them. Even if the shot is a killing shot the big cats can still do you in before they expire.

Larger game can be turned or stopped with brain shots. The hunter must know the anatomy of any big game animal he hunts, as the average hunter would not know the exact placement of the shot.



Shoot it in the nose????

Shoot for the head/center of mass. If it's coming towards you, that shot gives you the best chance of hitting somethign vital. whether it iis the brain, neck, spine or shoulder...

And keep shooting.
10 December 2003, 11:39
x-man
When a bear charges its head bobs up and down giving two chances of a brain shot...Slim and none.

Depending on the angle I think the best frontal shot is over the head into the shoulders/spine or under the chin near the base of the neck (center mass).
My object of a frontal shot is to tag the spine after passing the vitals from below. From above I want to go through the spine into the shoulders and hopefully catch some lung (bone fragments usually help here).
You need a tough bullet to do the job right especially if the bear is wet. The heaviest super premium bullet for the caliber chosen should be about right.
A fair size bore helps as well.

Gatehouse’s recommendation to keep shooting is good advice. I have never had it happen but we all have heard the stories of the bear that wont stay down!

Jamie