Strut10 Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Lest the non-members of The Off the Porch Gang be also non-believers............ A couple weeks ago I posted the story of me shooting the 2nd heaviest black bear (at 677 lbs.) in PA during the 2006 season. CLICK HERE if you missed the story. Fast-forward a couple weeks. The other night, I had the honor of speaking at length with the fellow who shot the heaviest bear this year. Sixteen pounds larger than mine..........his went 693!!! I had a bit of a time following the story. But here's the general gist of it all: One of his fellow hunting partners shot the bear twice with a 30-06.......first shot went through the brisket fat forward of all the vitals. At the first shot, the bear turned and went away from the guy whereupon he attempted a "Texas heart shot" smack into the bear's rump. The bear bled very little and after a long search the sign dried up completely. Meanwhile, as the hunter and the group leader attempted to track, all the other gang members were posted in the outlying area. The huge bear came out to the second gang member, going at a very healthy rate. The second guy was shooting 140 gr. bullets from a .280 Rem. His first shot hit the bear between the neck and shoulder as it came toward him. It turned and paralleled him along a small ridge. The hunter ran around the ridge and successfully got in front of the bear again. Several more well-placed shots went into the front end of the oncoming bear........the last being at 25 yards as the bear was still walking toward the guy!! As I understood the story, the bear absorbed a total of 6 or 8 shots before going down. One of the other gang members witnessed the whole episode of the second guy shooting the bear. He said it appeared as though the shots were having no effect on the bear until the last one. The fellow's comment to me was "I'm gonna be shopping for a bigger gun before next year!" I welcomed him heartily into The Off the Porch Gang!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. No Comment!!! LOL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hangunnr Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. Don, You wouldn't be would you..... hangunnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted December 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] Don, You wouldn't be would you....... hangunnr [/ QUOTE ] Nope. Just the facts, sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron buck Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. That is why I shoot a 250 grain 35 caliber 35 whelen load when bear hunting here in PA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. No wonder it was 16 lbs heavier-----it was all that dang lead it was packing !! CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted December 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] No wonder it was 16 lbs heavier-----it was all that dang lead it was packing !! CB [/ QUOTE ] Now that's funny, right there!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superguide Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. Hmm I've dropped everything from big Black bears to moose to a big bull buffalo with one shot from a .270-maybe it was the shooter lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] Hmm I've dropped everything from big Black bears to moose to a big bull buffalo with one shot from a .270-maybe it was the shooter lol. [/ QUOTE ] I haven't shot a moose or bear with the 270 but sure have dropped my share of other critters! I agree "maybe it was the shooter"! More than likely it was!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. Hey now, don't confuse the guy with facts, he is on a roll. I had a long thread typed up earlier and I deleted it. I won't bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] No wonder it was 16 lbs heavier-----it was all that dang lead it was packing !! CB [/ QUOTE ] Exactly what I was thinking...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian_Goose Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. Strut you probably carved 16 lbs of meat out of that bear when you hit him with your 375 anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. Goose-----That's funny----ROFLMAO. CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted December 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. O.K. fellers........... here's what I was aiming at with this post. I'm not debating that somebody couldn't kill a Cape Buffalo with one shot from a .243 once in a while. I know it could happen. Heck, one of the most popular elephant guns of 100 years ago was the 7x57 Mauser. You won't find too many people carrying them nowadays ,though. What I'm getting at, I guess, is that, at times, there are situations which arise that can benefit from the extra added horsepower a big gun provides. Unless you're better in the E.S.P. department than I........you never know when it's gonna be. It's for that reason that I choose to go afield packing for a "worst-case scenario"...........which is exactly why the .375 paid off for me a couple weeks ago. Compare the two very similar stories: HIS STORY: [ QUOTE ] .......shot the bear twice with a 30-06.......first shot went through the brisket fat forward of all the vitals. At the first shot, the bear turned and went away from the guy whereupon he attempted a "Texas heart shot" smack into the bear's rump. The bear bled very little and after a long search the sign dried up completely. [/ QUOTE ] MY STORY: [ QUOTE ] I had one split-second chance for a shot at the bear of a lifetime. He was approximately 40 yards and walking straight away from me. I put the crosshairs on the middle of what I could see and sent a 250 grainer on its way. The bullet hit his butt about 4 inches right of the tail and a couple inches lower. It drove through 7 inches of fat, 18 inches of hind quarter (smashing the top of the femur), and travelled on up into the cavity somewhere. I did not find the bullet. But it went through a minimum of 5 feet of black bear. ........... I imagine I'd have had less than a 50/50 chance to get a follow-up shot due to the terrain. The .375 planted 677 lbs of bear on the spot......... [/ QUOTE ] That's what I'm talkin' about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. Strut----we are just having a little fun-----CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted December 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] Strut----we are just having a little fun-----CB [/ QUOTE ] Me too, Bob. Probably more than you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian_Goose Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] O.K. fellers........... here's what I was aiming at with this post. I'm not debating that somebody couldn't kill a Cape Buffalo with one shot from a .243 once in a while. I know it could happen. Heck, one of the most popular elephant guns of 100 years ago was the 7x57 Mauser. You won't find too many people carrying them nowadays ,though. What I'm getting at, I guess, is that, at times, there are situations which arise that can benefit from the extra added horsepower a big gun provides. Unless you're better in the E.S.P. department than I........you never know when it's gonna be. It's for that reason that I choose to go afield packing for a "worst-case scenario"...........which is exactly why the .375 paid off for me a couple weeks ago. Compare the two very similar stories: HIS STORY: [ QUOTE ] .......shot the bear twice with a 30-06.......first shot went through the brisket fat forward of all the vitals. At the first shot, the bear turned and went away from the guy whereupon he attempted a "Texas heart shot" smack into the bear's rump. The bear bled very little and after a long search the sign dried up completely. [/ QUOTE ] MY STORY: [ QUOTE ] I had one split-second chance for a shot at the bear of a lifetime. He was approximately 40 yards and walking straight away from me. I put the crosshairs on the middle of what I could see and sent a 250 grainer on its way. The bullet hit his butt about 4 inches right of the tail and a couple inches lower. It drove through 7 inches of fat, 18 inches of hind quarter (smashing the top of the femur), and travelled on up into the cavity somewhere. I did not find the bullet. But it went through a minimum of 5 feet of black bear. ........... I imagine I'd have had less than a 50/50 chance to get a follow-up shot due to the terrain. The .375 planted 677 lbs of bear on the spot ......... [/ QUOTE ] That's what I'm talkin' about. [/ QUOTE ] There's your problem right there Strut. Your gun should of at least caused the bear to blow foreward due to the sheer force of bullet impact. I think your gun is a tad small.... time to upgrade ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted December 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] There's your problem right there Strut. Your gun should of at least caused the bear to blow foreward due to the sheer force of bullet impact. [/ QUOTE ] It may well have, Goose. I actually lost sight of the bear the instant I shot due to the terrain. I can hardly imagine he did not experience quite a "foreward shove" for a brief period of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbowhntr Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. I understand the fire-power debate that is going on. But I am trying to figure out why two bears were shot in the butt in an attempt to hit the vitals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted December 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] I understand the fire-power debate that is going on. But I am trying to figure out why two bears were shot in the butt in an attempt to hit the vitals. [/ QUOTE ] Only one bear was shot in the butt an attempt to hit the vitals. The other was shot in the butt to hit the vitals. Big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian_Goose Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. Well put strut. As per the foreward shove, you just argueedd yuorself out of a new gun. You could have went bigger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbowhntr Posted December 9, 2006 Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. So I guess I have to buy a bigger gun so I can shot animals in the butt to kill them. I am off to the gun shop. I think I will use what I have and wait for a clean vitals shot. But that is just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted December 9, 2006 Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] I can hardly imagine he did not experience quite a "foreward shove" for a brief period of time. [/ QUOTE ] Only as much as your shoulder felt. Just remember Newtons third law of motion. Bullets do not have "knowkdown power". Gravity is the only thing that makes critters fall over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted December 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I can hardly imagine he did not experience quite a "foreward shove" for a brief period of time. [/ QUOTE ] Only as much as your shoulder felt. Just remember Newtons third law of motion. Bullets do not have "knowkdown power". Gravity is the only thing that makes critters fall over. [/ QUOTE ] Wait a second, professor..............you're con-fuzin me. How is it that the formulae calculate 5000 some lbs. of energy generated by the bullet at the front end, but only around 60 lbs. of force generated on the shoulder at the back end?? I can't imagine that a 250 gr. bullet at over 3000 fps moves an object at the same rate as an 8 1/2 lb. rifle moving at 20-couple feet-per-second. I need some logical convincing on this one 'cause I'm B-fuddled. P.S. I'm familiar with Newton's 3rd law and am fairly convinced I can't break it. But it just don't all make good horse sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted December 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 Re: A big bear & a couple non-magnums.............. [ QUOTE ] Well put strut. As per the foreward shove, you just argueedd yuorself out of a new gun. You could have went bigger [/ QUOTE ] Unless JJL wills me his Capstick ...........I'll be going no bigger. The .375 Wby. in an 8 1/2 lb. rifle is somewhere around the upper limit of what I'd consider a fun gun to play with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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