Fowler or Rifle

[Magungo1066]

Hello all. I have a Maine black bear hunt planned for next year and I want to begin practicing extensively with whatever I choose to bring as my primary weapon. I have a 58cal/24 gauge fowler, and a .54 rifle. Both have similar barrel lengths. The Fowler is much lighter but the rifle handles phenomenally as well. I have never hunted (black) bear, but from what I understand, they are not all that much harder to kill than a white tail. The shot will almost certainly be under 50 yards, as it is in Maine in September, and the brush is very dense. What would you bring if you had to make the decision?

 

[Spikebuck]

Assuming your accuracy is virtually the same for either gun, I'd say it's whatever you want to use. I've personally never bear hunted, but I do hear that the hair can absorb a lot of blood so if it runs off a bigger hole might be better, but I'll venture a guess one won't go far with either if the hit is on.

Good luck on your hunt. Black bear is something I've had on the back burner all my life and I don't know if I'll ever get to it. We have huntable populations of them in Minnesota "up north" and even the occasional one down by me (no season on them by me).

Had a good sized one tear my bird feeder down 20 feet from the house while I hollered out the window at it. I had just shot a coon off the feeder and went out to get it, came back in and put the gun in the rack, looked out the window and he was there! It was just getting dark...I have no idea where he was 2 minutes before when I was out there. He completely ignored me and ate all the sunflower seeds, then waddled away. My feeder was about 4 feet long and the bottom of it was six feet off the ground. On his hind legs, he was looking directly into the feeder, so this guy would have squared at 6 1/2' plus, I assume. I think that's a pretty good size black, from what I've heard.

 

[renegadehunter]

Both are very capable of dispatching a black bear. Assuming both have loads developed that shoot accurately to 50 yards, then choose whichever one your heart desires the most.
You could throw a heavier chunk of lead at it with a conical out of the rifled .54 and possibly get a bit quicker/better blood trail, but I like using PRB and would have no qualms about doing so.
The smooth bore could be loaded up with shot so some grouse hunting could be done if open, they are present in the area, and you desired to do so. In Idaho grouse is open in September and just a standard hunting license covers hunting them. Don't know about Maine, but a lot of bear hunting is morning and evening so some grouse hunting might be a possibility during the day?
In thicker brush I'd hold low lungs so the hole is lower in the body cavity and you get a good blood trail. Their fur tends to trap blood more than what a deer's hide does, so you want the cavity to fill up and leak out the holes as soon as possible.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Great advice above so nothing to add there. Just be aware that the fur is quite long, so when you are holding lower lungs, they are higher than you think.
Walk

 

[Magungo1066]

The grouse idea is something to think about! They sure do have a lot of them in the area. Thanks for the great advice everyone

 

[Brokennock]

The grouse idea is something to think about! They sure do have a lot of them in the area. Thanks for the great advice everyone

Not sure where in Maine you're headed but definitely keep grouse in mind.
While pahtridge are basically gone from Connecticut for all practical purposes, Maine has plenty, at least where we used to go. Used to deer hunt way up in Wittopitlock, grouse were thick.

 

[Magungo1066]

Not sure where in Maine you're headed but definitely keep grouse in mind.
While pahtridge are basically gone from Connecticut for all practical purposes, Maine has plenty, at least where we used to go. Used to deer hunt way up in Wittopitlock, grouse were thick.

I surely am! I am gonna have to talk to my guide but I am assuming wherever it is it will be "grousey". Its a shame they are gone from CT. I kicked one up on accident walking to my deer stand in the dark in PA a few years ago. I almost needed a new pair of pants. It sounded like a helicopter taking off

 

[LawrenceA]

On the face of it and with no experience or knowledge on bear hunting I would say Smoothbore.
How many people do you know that have shot a bear with a smoothbore? It's just extra cool!
If it is a guided hunt I would speak to your guide/accomplice.

I was taught that when hunting with a ML the first thing to do after a shot is reload.
Which can be brought back into action quickest? Is this even a consideration?

 

[Magungo1066]

On the face of it and with no experience or knowledge on bear hunting I would say Smoothbore.
How many people do you know that have shot a bear with a smoothbore? It's just extra cool!
If it is a guided hunt I would speak to your guide/accomplice.

I was taught that when hunting with a ML the first thing to do after a shot is reload.
Which can be brought back into action quickest? Is this even a consideration?

That is something I have been thinking about! The "coolness factor". It would be awesome to take a New England black bear with a New England styled fowler

 

[Brokennock]

On the face of it and with no experience or knowledge on bear hunting I would say Smoothbore.
How many people do you know that have shot a bear with a smoothbore? It's just extra cool!
If it is a guided hunt I would speak to your guide/accomplice.

I was taught that when hunting with a ML the first thing to do after a shot is reload.
Which can be brought back into action quickest? Is this even a consideration?

I was taught the same,,,, regardless of gun type. My bolt action is cycled before it is fully back on target out of recoil, pump gun same thing. Double gun is opened and reload is started as soon as the bird is spotted down, or acknowledged as a clean miss.
Front stuffer done immediately so as to be hot and dry.

 

[Zonie]

Hello all. I have a Maine black bear hunt planned for next year and I want to begin practicing extensively with whatever I choose to bring as my primary weapon. I have a 58cal/24 gauge fowler, and a .54 rifle. Both have similar barrel lengths. The Fowler is much lighter but the rifle handles phenomenally as well. I have never hunted (black) bear, but from what I understand, they are not all that much harder to kill than a white tail. The shot will almost certainly be under 50 yards, as it is in Maine in September, and the brush is very dense. What would you bring if you had to make the decision?

I think a 3 dram powder load in your 24 guage shotgun would be about the max load for it. 3 dram's of powder equals about 82 grains. A good part of the reason for this is the barrel thickness which is almost always thinner than a rifle barrel.
A .54 caliber rifle on the other hand can easily handle powder loads of over 100 grains.
This gives the rifle a clear advantage when we are speaking of velocity and power.

Yes, I have heard people say black bears sometimes die fairly easily but have you ever seen a old log that was ripped apart by a black bear looking for bugs to eat? Have you ever seen a black bear run up a tree like it was a ladder? (I have and they can).

While a wounded deer can kick at you and maybe hook you with its horns if your close to it, a wounded black bear on the other hand, has claws that can shred rotten logs to pieces in minutes, flip over 150 pound rocks to find bugs that are under them and jaws with teeth that can crush thru your head with one bite.

That's why I would go for the .54 caliber rifle. I wouldn't want my headstone to say,
"Here lies Jim
He died because of the coolness factor."

 

[LawrenceA]

I think a 3 dram powder load in your 24 guage shotgun would be about the max load for it. 3 dram's of powder equals about 82 grains. A good part of the reason for this is the barrel thickness which is almost always thinner than a rifle barrel.
A .54 caliber rifle on the other hand can easily handle powder loads of over 100 grains.
This gives the rifle a clear advantage when we are speaking of velocity and power.

Yes, I have heard people say black bears sometimes die fairly easily but have you ever seen a old log that was ripped apart by a black bear looking for bugs to eat? Have you ever seen a black bear run up a tree like it was a ladder? (I have and they can).

While a wounded deer can kick at you and maybe hook you with its horns if your close to it, a wounded black bear on the other hand, has claws that can shred rotten logs to pieces in minutes, flip over 150 pound rocks to find bugs that are under them and jaws with teeth that can crush thru your head with one bite.

That's why I would go for the .54 caliber rifle. I wouldn't want my headstone to say,
"Here lies Jim
He died because of the coolness factor."

Hard to argue with that!
Makes too much sense.

 

[Sparkitoff]

I had a Maine bear camp for 12-years and I hosted about 20 hunters for the 3 week Sept regular season. These were baited stands and the furthest was 30-yards. We set them up so you could catch a glimpse of a bear coming from either side before it came into a very small opening. The average bear was actually under 200 pounds, although we did get one either close or over 300 pounds each year. The State gets a few in the 400-pound range every year. I wouldn't worry about a rifle if the smoothbore is accurate. I'd bring the one you can cock without sound. No set trigger. A deer will sometimes stop and perk up with a click, whistle or other unnatural noise. A bear will immediately take off in high-gear. I've had many hunters that lost a bear on taking off a noisy safety or tinking the barrel on the stand. If you can cock the longarm silently that would be my first choice. If you have a guided or outfitted hunt the guide is going to insist you stay in the stand until he/she gets there. Unless you roll the bear right there and its thrashing, you're not going to have to reload quickly, if at all. Either arm will get the job done on a typical baited stand hunt in Maine. Where are you coming from? You will need powder so make sure it will be there with you. If your guide is getting the powder for you and one of the two choices is easier to feed, take that one.

 

[poker]

Assuming your accuracy is virtually the same for either gun, I'd say it's whatever you want to use. I've personally never bear hunted, but I do hear that the hair can absorb a lot of blood so if it runs off a bigger hole might be better, but I'll venture a guess one won't go far with either if the hit is on.

Good luck on your hunt. Black bear is something I've had on the back burner all my life and I don't know if I'll ever get to it. We have huntable populations of them in Minnesota "up north" and even the occasional one down by me (no season on them by me).

Had a good sized one tear my bird feeder down 20 feet from the house while I hollered out the window at it. I had just shot a coon off the feeder and went out to get it, came back in and put the gun in the rack, looked out the window and he was there! It was just getting dark...I have no idea where he was 2 minutes before when I was out there. He completely ignored me and ate all the sunflower seeds, then waddled away. My feeder was about 4 feet long and the bottom of it was six feet off the ground. On his hind legs, he was looking directly into the feeder, so this guy would have squared at 6 1/2' plus, I assume. I think that's a pretty good size black, from what I've heard.

We sure do have bear up in northern mn. Ive had my share of fun hunting them. The scouting and baiting being the better part of that. I always used a .50 with 90 gr of ff behind a ball. It worked well.
Heres a trail cam picture of one that kept tearing down bird feeders by the house this summer. Its 48” from ground to bottom of window. There were at least 3 different ones I got pictures of.

 

[hanshi]

Having no desire to hunt/shoot a bear I certainly can't advise you. I've never hunted bears either. But as much as I like my .62 smoothbore for deer hunting I'd prefer my .50 flintlock rifle because of accuracy, range and my being very familiar with that rifle. Whatever your guide recommends should determine what you use.

 

[Flanders]

I’d be using the smoothbore, what ever you choose, best of luck to you

 

[Jay Templin]

Whichever one you take, have fun and good luck!
Jay

 

[Loyalist Dave]

That's why I would go for the .54 caliber rifle. I wouldn't want my headstone to say,
"Here lies Jim
He died because of the coolness factor."

Yep, no extra points for dying or being maimed by an historically accurate method.

I consider bears, bison, wolves, and wild dogs (and even moose) as "dangerous game".

LD

 

[outlan22]

Have you considered loading two patched balls and seeing how well they hit at 50 yards? Two holes better then one, " loaded for bear" as the saying goes. Some good vids on youtube from the duelist ( think thats his handle)

 

[Yewbender]

Take the one you are most accurate with! Now bears do die easy if you hit them right. Take out both lungs and they don’t go far. Now you need to know the vitals on a bear are located different then a deer. They sit back farther then deer. The best way to remember is shoot middle of middle. The reason is how the vitals sit and to acount for hair/fat from top of back to belly. My buddy shot a big bear 450+ this year with a .54 T/C Hawken w/ prb and shot it tight to shoulder like a deer. Tracked blood till dark in thick mt. Laurel and next day had a dog come in to track. No more blood and after a while the tracker said thats it bear still alive. About a week later got the bear on trail cam and fine. We knew it was the same bear cause of a white patch under the troat. So this image of a bear with vitals is the best i’ve seen and should help you out. Study it and know it by heart. You have plenty of time and wish you the best when on the hunt.