Shot Placement Philosophy
Bear Hunting Magazine|September - October 2020
The real stuff you need to know.
Clay Newcomb
Shot Placement Philosophy

After all the work of getting within shooting distance of a big bear this fall, you’ll need confidence in your ability to make a great shot. Bears are big, tough animals that are unforgiving when hit bad. Many new bear hunters carry with them shot placement and strategy derived from experience deer hunting. It’s similar, but different. Bear anatomy is slightly different, but more importantly, a bear’s body structure allows for some odd angles and considerations that the bear hunter must understand. Here are five keys to making a great shot this spring.

Go For A Double-Lung Hit (Heart shots are overrated)

Bears seem to always be moving, especially when you’re hunting them over bait. Perhaps it’s a predatory instinct in humans, but seeing our prey move makes us feel like we have to act quickly. The impulsiveness to rush the shot is probably the biggest mistake that a bear hunter can make. My favorite shot is a broadside or slightly quartering shot with the onside front shoulder forward or straight down. A broadside shot gives the most room for error and the greatest opportunity for the most lethal hit of all – a double lung shot. In my opinion, the “heart shot” is overrated. A double lung will often kill an animal quicker, it’s a larger target, and the organs are further away from big bones that stop penetration.

A bear has the body structure to put himself in all types of odd shapes. He can be sitting on his rump like a dog, or be in a “cupped” shape with his head and rump closer to you than the torso. He could be sprawled out lying on his belly. He could be standing up on two legs.

Esta historia es de la edición September - October 2020 de Bear Hunting Magazine.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición September - October 2020 de Bear Hunting Magazine.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE BEAR HUNTING MAGAZINEVer todo
THE END OF 2020, CHALLENGES COMING IN 2021
Bear Hunting Magazine

THE END OF 2020, CHALLENGES COMING IN 2021

SOMETHINGS EVERY SPORTSMAN OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT. STAY ENGAGED!

time-read
7 minutos  |
January - February 2021
SPRING HUNTING IN MAINE
Bear Hunting Magazine

SPRING HUNTING IN MAINE

In 1982 Maine closed its spring season, but you can still spring hunt with an outfitter on some tribal lands.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January - February 2021
Bear Hunting Magazine

Bears & Gobblers

SPRING BEAR & TURKEY IN MONTANA

time-read
9 minutos  |
January - February 2021
Western Bear Hunting
Bear Hunting Magazine

Western Bear Hunting

Picking the right outfitter - Picking the right outfitter can make or break your experience.

time-read
6 minutos  |
January - February 2021
Three Phases of the Spring
Bear Hunting Magazine

Three Phases of the Spring

Understanding the Pros & Cons in the Timing of Spring Bear Hunting

time-read
8 minutos  |
January - February 2021
Extreme Utility
Bear Hunting Magazine

Extreme Utility

Jeff Senger kills for a living.

time-read
7 minutos  |
January - February 2021
Canning - Bear Meat
Bear Hunting Magazine

Canning - Bear Meat

The last six months my non-hunting friends asking increasingly specific questions about how to turn animals into meat.

time-read
6 minutos  |
January - February 2021
Bear Dogs - East vs West
Bear Hunting Magazine

Bear Dogs - East vs West

The term “bear dog” means something different to every houndsman.

time-read
8 minutos  |
January - February 2021
Alaska - One Last Grizzly (DIY)
Bear Hunting Magazine

Alaska - One Last Grizzly (DIY)

NOTHING LASTS FOREVER, BUT THE AUTHOR HAS HAD A HECK OF A RUN ON ARCTIC GRIZZLY

time-read
10+ minutos  |
January - February 2021
Understanding Skull Size in Evaluating Trophy Black Bear
Bear Hunting Magazine

Understanding Skull Size in Evaluating Trophy Black Bear

Black bears can be one of the most difficult big game animals to judge before the shot.

time-read
7 minutos  |
November - December 2020