Questions on Bear hunting in Canada with a flintlock.

[utseabee]

   I've been thinking about taking a trip to Canada Bear hunting next year and have some questions for you who have done it? Do you ever have problems taking flintlock rifles or black powder across the border? I hope to drive there if I can. Do you use pure lead when you cast your balls or do you cast them a little harder for more penetration? I have several rifles that I could take that are 54, 58, 60, and 62 calibers. Is .54 with round balls enough for large black bear or should I go with one of my larger rifles? I am still trying to decide where exactly I would like to go and the options available. I am hoping to get a chance at one that would be bigger than I would normally see here in Pennsylvania and be cinnamon brown color phase. Any advice is welcome.

[smylee grouch]

 In a general sort of way if you want a color other than black you will have more chance from Manitoba west through BC. Flintlocks are OK and black powder is OK up to 500 grams. 50 cal is the min. cal. in Manitoba but not sure elsewhere. Pure lead or a small amount of tin works OK if shot in the right spot. Most of the time through the lungs will bring them down under 100 yds.

[Dphariss]

   I've been thinking about taking a trip to Canada Bear hunting next year and have some questions for you who have done it? Do you ever have problems taking flintlock rifles or black powder across the border? I hope to drive there if I can. Do you use pure lead when you cast your balls or do you cast them a little harder for more penetration? I have several rifles that I could take that are 54, 58, 60, and 62 calibers. Is .54 with round balls enough for large black bear or should I go with one of my larger rifles? I am still trying to decide where exactly I would like to go and the options available. I am hoping to get a chance at one that would be bigger than I would normally see here in Pennsylvania and be cinnamon brown color phase. Any advice is welcome.

Take the one that is legal bore size wise and that you are the most accurate with.

[rexwolfsen]

Hi: I have killed bears with a 20ga smooth bore, 50cal rifle,and 54 rifle. all flintlock, round ball. A boone and crocket bear with .50 flint. I think a .54 is a mitebite better than the .50. At Close range a 20 gauge round ball will do a good job.

[bob in the woods]

I have taken bears with flintlock firearms for the past 25 years. Sometimes 2 in a year [ you can purchase an additional tag ]  as well as some problem bears ,like the one who broke into my neighbour's house .  Here in the woods, the distances are usually well within 50 yards. I have shot some at 10 yards or less. Here are some photos of bears taken with a .54 , a .62 , and my favourite 10 bore.  Use the one you are most comfortable with, but the .54 is much better than the .50 IMO. 
If you want a "coloured" bear , I would suggest Manitoba .

[Daryl]

Nice fat one with that 10 bore, Bob.
Good shot, too.
We (BC) have some brown and cinnamon/blonde phase black bears, however the blue and white (kermode) phases are protected.
Our odd older "black" bears can also have brown fore-heads along with the cheeks. I've seen that a couple times.

[Daniel Coats]

   I've been thinking about taking a trip to Canada Bear hunting next year and have some questions for you who have done it? Do you ever have problems taking flintlock rifles or black powder across the border? I hope to drive there if I can. Do you use pure lead when you cast your balls or do you cast them a little harder for more penetration? I have several rifles that I could take that are 54, 58, 60, and 62 calibers. Is .54 with round balls enough for large black bear or should I go with one of my larger rifles? I am still trying to decide where exactly I would like to go and the options available. I am hoping to get a chance at one that would be bigger than I would normally see here in Pennsylvania and be cinnamon brown color phase. Any advice is welcome.

I have no experience taking flintlock rifles or black powder across the border. Use whatever lead alloy you're using now, bears are not thick skinned but pure lead is what works the best in my experience. Caliber wise I would use the .54, I used one with 80 grains of FFG to kill a moose with one shot at 100 yards.

I assume you're hunting over bait so that said you will have plenty of time to judge the size of a bear. Make marks near the bait so you can estimate size easily. If size and/or color phase are important then you must be willing to pass up other bears and maybe taking more than one trip to fulfill your goal.

How many bears have you taken previously? This will help determine how strict you are in your goals for this trip. First bear might be "if it's brown it's down". Any bear with a flintlock is a trophy in my mind so make up your mind in advance for your tolerance for coming home empty handed.

[stikshooter]

   I've been thinking about taking a trip to Canada Bear hunting next year and have some questions for you who have done it? Do you ever have problems taking flintlock rifles or black powder across the border? I hope to drive there if I can. Do you use pure lead when you cast your balls or do you cast them a little harder for more penetration? I have several rifles that I could take that are 54, 58, 60, and 62 calibers. Is .54 with round balls enough for large black bear or should I go with one of my larger rifles? I am still trying to decide where exactly I would like to go and the options available. I am hoping to get a chance at one that would be bigger than I would normally see here in Pennsylvania and be cinnamon brown color phase. Any advice is welcome.

I shoot mine with a stikbow /cedar shaft but the idea is the same with lead ,hit them in the vitals and they die easier than a deer !
Let the air out and they run out of gas quik (Big lungs ) ,screw up and they will put a deer to shame getting lost/Ed

[Osprey]

While I agree about the color phase bears in Canada, not sure you'll find bigger blacks than you've got in PA.  Larger average, or median, weights maybe, but they kill 500-700lb bears in PA every year.  Isn't your state record just over 800lbs if I recall correctly?  We've got the same genetics here in MD and even with a very limited season our record is 625lbs and there's a 500lb+ or two killed every year.  I got this one here in MD a few years ago at 354lbs and it was a sow.  If you really want big bodies look south to coastal NC.  Few of the counties there have lots of really big bodied blackies, although from what I've seen the skulls aren't as big for scoring and costs of hunts are shocking.  But they get in those swamps and feed in the corn fields all night and get big and fat.

 

[snapper]

Any reservations with using a .45 bullet from a ML on a black bear?

Fleener

[Daryl]

As far as large bears go, the black bears on Haida Gwaii (Formerly Queen Charlotte Islands of B.C.) off our West coast run large as well.
I saw one on a logging beam scale in "Jescatla" (logging area on Graham Island) that was 875 pounds. Their meat diet is pretty much salmon
and deer, just about all year long, both being plentiful on these islands along with lush vegetation when that is what they are eating. The
tidal pools on the coast have them eating shell-fish & other aquatic life as well, when desired.

[Daryl]

Any reservations with using a .45 bullet from a ML on a black bear?

Fleener

Absolutely non, Fleener, if fired from a "bullet twist" rifle.

[utseabee]

   Thank you for the information. I have been using pure soft lead for all of my balls so far. The rifle that I was planning on using is a 54 caliber Lancaster. My current load is 75 grains of Swiss 2F, a .520 round ball, and .024 pillow ticking lubed with bear grease. I have plenty of other options to use and will be taking a .60 Jaeger or a .62 long rifle as a back up. Having hunted with a .58 my whole life, I haven't got anything with the .54 yet.
Thanks again.

[Daryl]

.54 is plenty.  I watched a fellow with a .54 cal. rifle, using 100gr. 2F "grade" of phony powder, kill a bull moose that was 170 yards away by laser range finder.  The ball
ended up on the other side, under the hide after holing both lungs and heart along with a 3/8" thick rib on one side. The result was a dead moose within 40yards of the
shot. Your load will do no less on a black bear. make your shot count - done deal.

[smylee grouch]

When you cross the border you will have to pay $25.00CD to bring guns across unless its a flintlock.  No handguns. You might have to have a serial number on them if they are percussion. It's best to have your fire arms declaration paperwork made out in advance, two copies but unsigned until you get there. If you have the PAL card it goes much smoother.

[smylee grouch]

If you go to Canada to hunt Bear you can also bring Bear spray but make sure you tell the border people that you have it along with any thing else that might be considered a weapon such as knives, etc.

[utseabee]

When you cross the border you will have to pay $25.00CD to bring guns across unless its a flintlock.  No handguns. You might have to have a serial number on them if they are percussion. It's best to have your fire arms declaration paperwork made out in advance, two copies but unsigned until you get there. If you have the PAL card it goes much smoother.

Thank you. Anything that I bring will be a flintlock, but I will have the paperwork filled out ahead of time to be safe. My biggest worry was powder. Is a pound can too much?

[Daryl]

Smylee Grouch has noted above that you are allowed to being 500grams of black powder across the border.
That's 1.1 pounds. You should not need more than what a few practice shots perhaps, in camp and one in the bear would take.
1/2 pound should be way more than needed.

[utseabee]

Smylee Grouch has noted above that you are allowed to being 500grams of black powder across the border.
That's 1.1 pounds. You should not more than what a few practice shots perhaps, in camp and one in the bear would take.
1/2 pound should be way more than needed.

Sounds good. Thank You

[smylee grouch]

I have a small round pistol flask that holds about 10 or so 4 dram loads plus about 6 of those plastic speed loaders loaded with 4 dram loads that I carry with along with two small prime flasks full of prime that I bring when I go north. All together it would amount to less than half pound .

[utseabee]

   I've been thinking about taking a trip to Canada Bear hunting next year and have some questions for you who have done it? Do you ever have problems taking flintlock rifles or black powder across the border? I hope to drive there if I can. Do you use pure lead when you cast your balls or do you cast them a little harder for more penetration? I have several rifles that I could take that are 54, 58, 60, and 62 calibers. Is .54 with round balls enough for large black bear or should I go with one of my larger rifles? I am still trying to decide where exactly I would like to go and the options available. I am hoping to get a chance at one that would be bigger than I would normally see here in Pennsylvania and be cinnamon brown color phase. Any advice is welcome.

I have no experience taking flintlock rifles or black powder across the border. Use whatever lead alloy you're using now, bears are not thick skinned but pure lead is what works the best in my experience. Caliber wise I would use the .54, I used one with 80 grains of FFG to kill a moose with one shot at 100 yards.

I assume you're hunting over bait so that said you will have plenty of time to judge the size of a bear. Make marks near the bait so you can estimate size easily. If size and/or color phase are important then you must be willing to pass up other bears and maybe taking more than one trip to fulfill your goal.

How many bears have you taken previously? This will help determine how strict you are in your goals for this trip. First bear might be "if it's brown it's down". Any bear with a flintlock is a trophy in my mind so make up your mind in advance for your tolerance for coming home empty handed.

    I am still trying to decide what kind of a trip for bear that I want to take. I've taken only deer and Elk with a muzzleloader so far, no bear yet. I have passed up a couple of really small bears here in PA. I used to guide elk and mule deer trips in Colorado about 25 years ago and I am at the point now that I don't need to get something every time I go. I am prepared to come home empty handed if need be. If I have my way, the bear needs to be bigger than me  ;)and preferably a cinnamon color. I may change my mind on the color depending on what I see.