Bear Load?

[Daryl]

Double balls and a little less powder. If both balls are touching and the bottom one is on the powder, NP.
Sometimes the balls will weld together. To ensure both are touching, I have heard of putting the first one down bare
then the top one is patched.
A single .54 and up will have ZERO trouble with a black bear.  I would feel only slightly under-gunned with a .45 on black bears.
I would not hunt grizzlies with anything short of a "bore" sized rifle & preferably larger than 16.

[OldMtnMan]

Colorado does get some big bears.

[Daryl]

Nice griz and yes, big black bear - brown nose and distance between the "small" ears, likely 6', maybe a bit bigger even, like 7'.
The little 'booboos' are better eating.

[OldMtnMan]

Daryl..............Griz or Black Bear?

[Daryl]

That one looks like a black bear, by the lack of hump and claw length.  Is a BIG BB at 23 1/16" skull.

[Dennis Glazener]

Speaking of Black Bear records, a member of my niece's husband's family killed this 728 lb black bear about 20 miles from where I grew up. When I lived in the area we NEVER saw any black bear, ever few years we would hear of a young one in the area but evidently passing through looking for a home after mama kicked him out.

This 728 Lb one did not break the VA record, which I thinks still stands, of 740 lbs.
https://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/virginia-state-record-black-bear/193912

I have heard of several over 400 lbs killed within 10 miles of where I used to live, never would have thought there would be black bear in our area of VA.
Dennis

[smylee grouch]

All those bears pictured are black bears, nice ones but different color phases. Note the shape of the ears, pointed and larger than a Grizzly,s rounded and smaller. Plus the shorter claws. JMHO

[Daryl]

I still think the first one is a griz.

[OldMtnMan]

I thought so at first too Daryl but it's listed as a black bear. Big blacks can take on a grizz look. If they're dead laying on a log is sort of gives them a hump.

I'm not saying it's not a grizz but it was killed in Colorado and nobody made a big deal about not having grizz in Colorado.

I prefer to not run into one that big with a med load prb.

[Daryl]

The claws look like grizzly claws to me, they do not appear to be tightly curled enough for black bear claws to me.
Could be a a-year, but sure looks grizzly to me.
I would not hunt large bears like those with less that a bore rifle.

[OldMtnMan]

I agree. The problem is those big bears can be anywhere in the state. They have lost their fear of man and sometimes will stalk hunters. Especially, if they know you're stalking them. They circle around and come up behind you.

Trying to call them in is another danger with those big bears. Smaller bears will be more cautious and come in slow. Sometimes they'll circle the caller and catch their scent and be gone. The big boars will come right at you in a full charge looking for lunch. That's why i've said with stalking or calling bears you don't always have time for a proper double lung shot. It's not like sitting in a tree over bait.

[OldMtnMan]

If I had two brain cells to put together i'd retire from bear hunting and elk hunting. Just stick to muley's. Plus, I can kill a muley with a nice comfortable shooting load. Also, no worry about a quick 2nd shot as I do with bears.

Now, if I could just listen to myself.

[Daryl]

I see your point, Pete. AND especially when hunting alone!!
Black bears or grizzlies - they are at the "NASTY" size where they fear little of those on 2 legs.

[wolf]

well fellers I like reading about your bear hunting with muzzleloaders, but when I look a  50cal round ball and think about a bear, no thanks! I live in the low country of SC and there has been  black bears spotted around for years but at 62 years old I have hunted here all my life and never saw one. if I do and am threatened by one I hope I have my 62 in hand. some of ya'll say you are fine with a 45, I here people arguing about a 40 or 45 is not big enough for deer! I have killed an untold amount of deer in my life. it all comes down to shot placement, I bet the same is true with bear. it's just that deer don't eat people, bear do,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[OldMtnMan]

Another problem is bear meat. Only one in five taste good to me. I feed a lot to my dog if it's a bad tasting bear. I eat as much as I can but I can only take so much from bad tasting meat.

I think everything considered. Especially, my age of 77 and the fact I hunt alone high in the Rockies. I should just stick to hunting for deer. I have a muley doe tag for the muzzleloader season this year. Also, a chance for another doe tag in late Oct. If I can get two does that will be a good supply of meat for me and my dog. Our does are pretty big.

That way I can take my time and load slowly in a traditional way and have fun. I'll travel light and just have my possible bag and horn with me. If I get a deer i'll go back to the Jeep and get a backpack.

I didn't mean to take you all down the wrong trail with the bear hunting. I appreciate all the posts but I think this new plan is best for me. I'm stubborn about giving into old age. I need to use more commmon sense from now on.

The Isaac Haines I bought from Dennis will make an excellent deer gun. I think 70gr of Goex 3f and a .530 ball should work well. 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

If you hunt deer in bear country, best be loaded for bear.

[Bob Roller]

If you hunt deer in bear country, best be loaded for bear.

Sound advice,pay attention to it!!Also down here a large caliber pistol
that holds more than one shot.
Bob Roller

[OldMtnMan]

I have never seen a bear in my unit in over 60 years of hunting unless I was hunting them. Even then i've gone a whole month of hunting and not seen a bear. Let alone get close enough to shoot one. My unit is one of the lousy bear hunting units. Out of 300 hunters each year one bear will be taken. Most of the time none. It's a real challenge here.

The problem is not a lot of natural food sources. So, what bears are here leave for where more food is. The only way to get one is real early in the season when there's still some berries left here or just lucky getting a bear from another area passing through here. They travel a lot in fall trying to fatten up for winter.

I know why don't I hunt another unit? Mainly, because bear hunting is not at the top of my list and I love hunting my unit. I know it well and it's hard to hunt. That keeps iit from getting crowded. I love solitude and will do anything to have it. The easier it is to hunt, the more crowded it is.

[windriver68]

It seems 75 gr of 3f does a great job with my .50 CVA and 290gr prb.
Hunted quite a few place in CO. don't recall seeing many bears that would go 275 -300 lbs.
So that should do just fine.  Where abouts do you hunt?

[OldMtnMan]

unit 481

You probably don't know but you shouldn't mention your gun and load on this forum. It's all traditional here.

[Daryl]

It seems 75 gr of 3f does a great job with my .50 CVA and 290gr prb.
Hunted quite a few place in CO. don't recall seeing many bears that would go 275 -300 lbs.
So that should do just fine.  Where abouts do you hunt?

I think you mean a 190gr. Patched Round ball. My .495's in pure lead rings 185gr.

[OldMtnMan]

I just found out the DOW is doing mandatory testing for CWD in my unit this year. I'm not jumping in those hoops.

I'm back to just hunting for bear this year. If I get mauled by a bear it will be a good way for a mountain man to go out. I'll increase the load to 80gr of 3F. I tried 90gr and the gun didn't like it. I won't call anymore and that should stop the head-on shots. I'll do my best to sneak in for a double lung and avoid the stout shoulder bone they have.

So. i'll have from Sept 2-30 to hunt. Not so bad.

Maybe next year i'll get a cow elk tag if my Lakota friend is up for helping me with the meat. Like a dummy, I tried for a bull tag this year and failed in the draw. I won't do that again. A big fat cow is fine. Especially, compared to no tag at all.

[smylee grouch]

If you havent tried it yet you might try 2f in that 54. The recoil might not be as sharp even if you have to go up 5 grains.

[OldMtnMan]

I would if it was a caplock (ugh) but for a flintlock I want the quicker ignition from 3F. It's what Dennis used in the gun too. I don't want to buy 4lbs just to try or I would try it if I had some.

Surprisingly, the gun is pretty soft shooting with 3F. I know 80gr will kill a bear ok with a lung shot.

As it turned out i'll be hunting for a doe in muzzleloader season after all. It seems the CDW testing is only for rifle seasons in my unit. We don't really have any reported CDW but they want to make sure by testing this year and the rifle seasons is more than enough for a trial test. I was also trying for a 3rd season doe tag as a leftover. I won't hunt that one now if I get the tag. Bear and deer all of Sept will be enough.

I talked to my Lakota friend and the cow elk hunt is on for sure next year. He wear what you'd think a Lakota would wear who's old school and i'll be in MM clothes. An old flintlock for me and a self made longbow for my friend. We should get some chuckles but not too loud. Lakota's won't stand for being laughed at. Two cows will be great if we can do it. Enough meat for both of us for a year. We'll do it every year until neither of us can walk anymore.

[windriver68]

Sorry. I see many guys posting their loads. BTW; typing error on weight. Daryl caught it. It should have been 190gr not 290 gr.