7mm-08 vs Black Bears

[Mainer207]

Hey ya’ll,

I have a bear tag along with my NY deer tag, and I’ve got a few spots where the bears seem to be showing up a lot on camera.

Do any of you have experience using a 7mm-08 on Black Bears? I plan on running 140gr pills out of my Remington Model Seven. I believe this is plenty of gun, but I was wondering if it’s enough gun when the shot isn’t totally perfect. We all hope for the perfect shot, but sometimes things go wrong.

I hunt with a guy in Maine who took one with his 6mm Rem but the tracking was long and the bear had wrapped its jaw around some tree roots. I’d like to avoid having a drawn out kill like this and step one is knowing if my rifle is up to the task.

cheers!

 

[homers]

Decent bullet and shot placement - bigger won't kill any quicker than a 7mm-08

 

[MThuntr]

Oh yeah plenty. Black bears aren't the toughest animal out there. Agreed a decent bullet and shot placement are important.

 

[WyoDoug]

A 30-30 will work on bear. It did for me. I generally use my 30-06 for bear using 165 grain bullets. But really, it's not the bullet that kills bear but your shot placement. I only take the kill shots generally broadside when I hunt bear. Bears, especially boars do have thicker skin and where they have battle scars thickens up and harder to penetrate, but still proper shot placement avoids even that. You also want to know and respect your limitations as for distance especially on a steep incline.

 

[Borny1]

That would be plenty of gun. Here's a bear I shot with a youth model 243 last week. 90gr. Sierra hpbt

 

[slatebuilder]

7mm08 will work fantastic. 140 Nosler Partitions (federal premium loads this) or 139 Hornady Interlocks (Hornady American whitetail ammo) are 2 over the counter ammos that work well.

 

[kansasdad]

Alberta bear guides told us that bears die quickly with lung shots, and to avoid at all costs hitting them in the humerus (foreleg bone) as it might eventually kill that bear, but it's going to run a long ways with little blood trail to show for it.

 

[jt13]

My fiances 2018 Quebec bear. 7mm-08 w/140 grain Nosler Partitions went only 30 yards before piling up.

 

[Tikka06]

I’m taking my 7-08 to the mountains after bear next month. Either with 140 partitions or 140 E-Tips. No question in my mind that it will get it done if I get a shot.

 

[WyoDoug]

I’m taking my 7-08 to the mountains after bear next month. Either with 140 partitions or 140 E-Tips. No question in my mind that it will get it done if I get a shot.

I use E-tips for about everything. I hate CoreLoks and avod those, but really successful after I switched to e-tips. I have also been successful with ballistic tips even though it's got a bad rep against anything bigger than deer.

 

[Marshian]

Took this 140 lb sow last spring with my 7mm-08 and 140 grain federal fusions. Dropped in its tracks. I wouldn’t worry at all about that caliber for a black bear.

 

[Bullshot]

I cant think of a legal deer centerfire that would not do in a black bear with an adequate hit. 7mm-08 is a great deer gun and should be a great black bear gun.

 

[idahofishnhunt]

7mm-08 kills them all day. 243 will work just fine as well.

 

[Sask hunter]

I have seen and shot some with a 708. Like other said hit them in the lungs. Double lung bear usually don’t go more then 30 yards

 

[88man]

placement kills. A 7mm o8 will kill anything in North America with good bullets.