I am booked for a ursus americanus hunt in November after my return from the war.

We are hunting in the Sierras near Visalia, should be Tulare county. I was told I would be hunting primarily orchards, and that bears would tree in the hills near the orchards or in the orchards themselves.

Still working on the rifle, either going to take my 35 Whelan Ruger M77, my 375 Ruger in a Ruger M77 (if the smith has it done), or my Sako 30-06. I have some other suitible rifles, but am leaning towards the 35 Whelan.

I understand the state of California has changed the hunting laws and are only allowing non lead bullets?

I guess I will have to work out a TSX or Lapua Naturalis load for the 30-06.

The non-lead bullet requirement is only in the expanded condor range not the whole state.You'll be hunting in the non lead zone.You can also use Nosler E Tip non-lead bullets in fact I bought a 50 round bag of 30 cal 180gr blems when Nosler offered 2 50 round bags @ $16.95 apiece for Nosler Forum members,I decided to only buy 1 bag & give others a chance to buy them.Nosler also makes E Tips in 30 cal 150gr.I've bought a lot of Nosler Blems (2nds)on www.shootersproshop.com & before nosler changed its web site they were selling bulk bullets so I bought a 100 round bag of 300gr JHP Remington & a 100 round bag of 405 gr Jacketed soft point Winchester bullets . Nosler 1sts & 2nds are also for sale at www.bivwak.com a new mailorder business in Bend,Ore.Your Sako 30-06 will do fine on Ursidae.A friend uses Nosler 165gr Solid Base(lead tip)bullets with IMR 4831 powder in his 300 Weatherby Mag for Odocoileus , Cervus & Ursus.Lots of my WW2 friends used 165gr & 180gr bullets in their 06 rifles .

You will be hunting just north of where I live and yes, that is the lead free zone. There aren't any really tall trees there so you are probably looking at a 20 yard shot at most.

I had thought about using my 340 Weatherby, but I don't want to pack it.

Dad has a nice Marlin 444, thought about using it as well. I also have a really heavy 45-70 1885 Browning, but like I said it's damn heavy.

Also have a 41 Magnum Ruger but I haven't shot it much. Might be kind of nice to whack one with a pistol.

Out of the rifles you mentioned the 444 Marlin would get the nod from me, simply because it is lightweight and your future hunt is just what it was intended to do.

Use the 30-06 with E-Tips or TSX's.

And sight it in for 25 yards

Some of the houndoggers I know use an 870 pump with a 20" barrel with sights for treed bears. Slugs or buckshot, and yes, there are lead free slugs and buckshot.

I would bet the 12 ga. 3" Hevi-Shot 00 Buck loads would flop Yogi right out of the tree.

I probably won't be sure until closer to the time.

Whacking one with a pistol sounds like a hell of a good deal.

if your hunting bears with dogs which you refered to tree take something lite like a 30-30 or a ruger 44 mag carbine you don't need a africa gun for thin skinned black bears talk to your guide about the pistol as you might have some 70 plus yard shots in an orchard.

He said the 10mm, 41, 30-06, 444, 375, and 35 Whelan are all fine.

US1,

Never seen you on here before, I would say welcome to the forum, but it looks like you have been here for a while just don't post much.

if you take the .06, I can tell you that in a few I've loaded for, the 168 TSX does very well with a max charge of H4350. In my rifle, that happens to be around 55.0 gr.

quote:

He said the 10mm, 41, 30-06, 444, 375, and 35 Whelan are all fine.

US1,

Never seen you on here before, I would say welcome to the forum, but it looks like you have been here for a while just don't post much.

D99 thanks for the welcome

I'm off and on mostly off uncle sam sends me on missions to save the world from time to time I just happen to be on for a few weeks.

Was raised in ca. and tagged along with a bear guide for a few year up in north end of state I watched many a guy bring a over bore over weight gun on a hunt, they were dragging ass by 10 am just wanted to pass that along the chase can be brutal at times.

I know what you mean, that is my worry as well.

We are probably spilling the same blood in the same mud, Semper Fortis Go Navy beat, well you know the rest!

I would really like to shoot one with a single shot rifle.