Author Topic: bear hunting (Read 8017 times)

bob in the woods · « **on:** August 31, 2012, 12:49:01 AM »

Our bear season opens on Saturday here in Ontario. I've regularly gone hunting with my flintlocks, so far shooting 3 of them with .62 cal rifles. This year I'm hoping to use my N E fowling piece with a paper cartridge and 120 gr FFg, .710 ball. What I find incredible is the large amount of advise I get against doing anything so foolish !! A single shot, and flintlock at that !! Many recommend a 30-30 at the low end, and a 30-06 or even a .338 as preferable. I've hunted with my flintlocks almost exclusively for the last 16 years, and really don't feel under gunned. I don't carry "back up" since a pistol here in Ontario is a real aggravation re licensing etc. Any other bear hunters here ? I'm interested in your experience. My wife has been listening to the advice givers too much lately, and has been wondering about my hunting habits

I say..so far, so good. A large lead ball is an awesome projectile, especially since I'm shooting inside of 50 yds. More likely inside of 30.

Jerry V Lape · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2012, 01:00:32 AM »

Just tell her that if the 12ga ball doesn't work you will do a Fess Parker (Davey Crockett) and grin the bear to death. I know it works cause I saw it on TV!

Is it permissible in Ontario to carry a muzzleloading pistol during the bear hunt? If you are concerned about not having a quick second shot a big .54 or .58 cal sidearm would give you that capability.

Dave Faletti · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2012, 02:14:01 AM »

I wouldn't have any worries with what you are using.

wattlebuster · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2012, 04:13:28 AM »

That big ball will get er done for certain an for sure

robert · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2012, 05:01:50 AM »

I shot a bear in Ontario with a 50 cal flinter and a 45-120 Sharps. Did not have a prablem with any of them!

bob in the woods · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2012, 05:47:19 AM »

I don't want to get into the pistol red tape here. Besides, I think that idea of a quick 2nd shot is over rated.
One bear I shot, ran up the nearest tree on my shot, and then died and slid down. He went up at least 15 feet in less than a second. If he'd have picked my tree, there wouldn't have been time to even draw, point and pull a trigger.

northmn · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:59:11 AM »

In Mn several people I know shot them with the NWTG's in 20 ga. A 12 Bore hits a whole lot harder. I killed one once with a 22 Hornet. Neck shot him and dropped him in his tracks. A 12 bore should be able to break both shoulders if desired.

DP

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2012, 05:39:31 PM »

That 12ga. ball is going to hit him like a '51 Buick, but bears are about as resilient as any critter in the woods. If climbing your tree is a real concern, I would try to make sure and break his shoulder in the process, of punching a hole in his lungs. That should stop his climbing, and not let him get very far after the shot. Some shots from tree stands are kind of tricky due to the downward angle.

Hungry Horse

heelerau · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2012, 10:11:51 PM »

I shot a teddy bar with my .36 Leman rifle, we only get teddy bars around Gidgegannup. Koala bars down south !

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #9 on:** August 31, 2012, 11:11:53 PM »

How could you shoot those cute things??

Gordon, This is a family oriented forum... what will the kids think??

heelerau · « **Reply #10 on:** August 31, 2012, 11:38:40 PM »

Its really quite easy, they don't move to fast.

I was on the tractor the other day heading back from seeding when I notice all these teddy bears nailed to trees for about 3 miles along this quiet counrty road, now that I suspect does traumatise the kiddys!! Have not been able to find out the story behind it as yet.

bob in the woods · « **Reply #11 on:** September 02, 2012, 08:38:27 PM »

The N E Fowling piece performed flawlessly. The .710 ball went through completely. Bear dressed out at just shy of 300# !!!! Shot was taken at 20 feet.

Gunner 1812 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 03, 2012, 03:42:35 AM »

Bob
Congratulations, nice size for our area.

Should make some great meals.

Don

Daryl · « **Reply #13 on:** September 03, 2012, 09:02:09 PM »

DRESSED at almost 300lbs. - well, very good bear, Bob. I'd have no qualms about shooting anything in NA with my 14 bore - ditto for 20 through 8. Anything larger than an 8 bore (.835") could be construed as overkill, if there is such a thing? Your 12 bore is right in the middle of great bore sizes.

stone knife · « **Reply #14 on:** September 04, 2012, 04:11:24 AM »

Would a .45 do the job?

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #15 on:** September 04, 2012, 06:16:08 AM »

I have killed only two bears with a muzzle loading rifle. First one, a .62 Hawken, and the second, my little .60 cal Jaeger. Both bears received the ball between the eyes at less than twenty yards, and I imagine, never heard the shot. Since then, all the bears I've harvested were with a longbow.
I consider a .54 cal minimum for black bear.

bob in the woods · « **Reply #16 on:** September 04, 2012, 04:35:49 PM »

I'm sure that a .45 would do the job. But I have great respect for black bears. Sometimes they run away...sometimes they don't. Once , while out hunting deer, with my back to a tree, I was stalked by a black bear. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye; never heard a sound ! It unnerved me for a while I can tell you

I would take my .54 rifle for bear, but since I built the .62 Edward Marshal Chambers rifle for moose, I have used it the last while . This was the first time I purposely took the N E fowling gun for bear.
I'm hoping to try it on moose later this Fall.

Daryl · « **Reply #17 on:** September 04, 2012, 05:54:31 PM »

Yes, a .45 would work, as-would a .45 pistol - but most certainly it would not be my choice. I stopped hunting with a ML when physical problems prevented me from shooting my 14 bore. Until I got it back, I dismissed the thought hunting with my .45 as I felt it a bad idea due to the street gangs.

David R. Pennington · « **Reply #18 on:** September 08, 2012, 06:38:41 AM »

I havn't had the urge to shoot anything that loads from the back end for quite a while. Just finished a .62 cal. rifle that I'm anxious to try out on black bear. Been working on sights and loads/patch combos. What kind of loads do you guys use in your .62 for hunting. So far I'm getting tightest groups (one hole 3 shot groups) at 25 and 50 yds. with 80 grains 2F with .012 ticking lubed with bear oil and .595 RB. I was thinking this 80 grains seems like a little light but stepping up charge opens group some. Havn't worked on 100 yd much. Still need to file down front sight some. What's your experience?

Daryl · « **Reply #19 on:** September 08, 2012, 06:30:00 PM »

I consider anything around 80gr. of 2F in a .62 as a weaker, 20 bore smoothbore load. Yes- it will kill a bear, but since the huge benefit of a rifle over a smoothbore is for flatter trajectory and longer range, I use more powder to make the rifle work.

I've never experienced a loss in accuracy with heavier loads - possibly due to using a thicker patch. The heavier loads, necessary for flatter trajectories, produce higher pressure and thus. Every time I've increased the loads over those close range, what I call squib loads, my accuracy has increased/improved, not opened up.

For me, a good big game hunting load in a .62 would be 130gr. to 140gr. 2f GOEX - certainly not less than 130.

If using 3F GOEX and a VERY thick patch, a load around 120gr. or 125gr. will duplicate those heavier 2F loads. Swiss might do it with 110gr. to 115gr.

Most people run into troubles with patches letting go, building fouling in the bores and reducing accuracy due to using a ball too small for the bore size.

In a true .620" rifle, .615" pure lead round balls are a good size to be used with a .022" patch (ie: 10 ounce denim). A .600" ball will require an much thick patch to get doen into the grooves and compress in the bottom of the grooves. I am not sure it can be done with a rounded bottom grooved barrel.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #20 on:** September 08, 2012, 08:39:02 PM »

I was out at the range yesterday making sure of my sights for the upcoming hunting season. I was shooting my Hawken rifle with a .62 cal Rice barrel. I had first sighted the rifle in at 200 yds. and was using a hard denim patch of .020" compressed and 127 gr. FFg GOEX. When I shot at 200 yds, I used spit for lube and got very gratifying results. But yesterday, I used TOW's mink oil and the same patch for the 100 m. testing, and though my first three shots cut a very nice group, the successive shots opened up the group badly. I found the cuplrit burning about 10 yds in front of the bench. Yes, my patch failed. I could get away with using this patch for that one shot on a hunting trip, but I'm not happy at all with the burn out, so today, I'm on my way back out there with heavier patch material. I also did a little tinkering with my rear sight to provide a cleaner sight picture.
I agree with Daryl that 130 - 140 grains of powder would yield better accuracy. But in truth, my boney frame cannot handle the recoil. I do not want to develop a flinch, so I stick with my 'squib' load and work on tightening up the group.
Film at 11....

Roger Fisher · « **Reply #21 on:** September 08, 2012, 08:51:26 PM »

Quote from: D. Taylor Sapergia on September 08, 2012, 08:39:02 PM

I was out at the range yesterday making sure of my sights for the upcoming hunting season. I was shooting my Hawken rifle with a .62 cal Rice barrel. I had first sighted the rifle in at 200 yds. and was using a hard denim patch of .020" compressed and 127 gr. FFg GOEX. When I shot at 200 yds, I used spit for lube and got very gratifying results. But yesterday, I used TOW's mink oil and the same patch for the 100 m. testing, and though my first three shots cut a very nice group, the successive shots opened up the group badly. I found the cuplrit burning about 10 yds in front of the bench. Yes, my patch failed. I could get away with using this patch for that one shot on a hunting trip, but I'm not happy at all with the burn out, so today, I'm on my way back out there with heavier patch material. I also did a little tinkering with my rear sight to provide a cleaner sight picture.
I agree with Daryl that 130 - 140 grains of powder would yield better accuracy. But in truth, my boney frame cannot handle the recoil. I do not want to develop a flinch, so I stick with my 'squib' load and work on tightening up the group.
Film at 11....

I'm sure that at least 3 of us are waiting to hear from you if the thicker patch and mink oil held together and if she held to point of bear

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #22 on:** September 08, 2012, 09:16:17 PM »

Roger, I have tags for practically every big game animal this country offers, so I'm prepared for it all. But my concern is not for black bear. I've leaned that with a well placed shot from either a ball or arrow, they die fast. While hunting for moose here, you are just as likely to run into a grizzly, so though I'm not interested in magnum ballistics, I'm completely confident with the devastating effect of a large round ball. I think that a deer has a tighter hold on life than a black bear.

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Author Topic: bear hunting (Read 8017 times)

Dave Faletti

robert

northmn

Daryl

stone knife

Daryl

Daryl