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Record Quest: Black Bear

By Keith Sutton

Sep 24, 2004

Gearing Up
The outfitters at Cabela's offer the following recommendations to sportsmen planning a bear hunt:

Modern Calibers: The .30/06 and 7mm Remington Magnum are adequate; the .300 and .338 Winchester Magnums are better.

Archery Equipment: Use bows of at least a 65-pound draw weight and arrows with a total weight of at least 450 grains. While expandable broadheads can and do work, fixed heads are preferable for these heavy-boned animals.

Muzzleloaders: Muzzleloaders should be a minimum of .50 caliber and fire a conical bullet or sabot. Many bear hunts are conducted in constant rain, so proper precautions (nipple and muzzle cover) should be taken. Also bring along a takedown tool and the necessary supplies to clean and dry your gun each night.

Bullets: Black bears have a thick layer of fat and are tough to track if they get into heavy cover. Use only premium controlled-expansion bullets. Bullets such as Swift A-Frames, Barnes X and Trophy Bonded Bear Claws work very well. They penetrate deeply and reliably expand while retaining much of their original weight.

Trophy Bear Areas
"While the average weight of bears taken in most areas is around one hundred fifty pounds, some bears get very big," says Brian Bachman, a NABF founder and operator of Arrowhead Wilderness Lodge in northeastern Minnesota (218-828-7079). "Size depends on available food sources and genetics."

"Most people who pursue bears are looking for 'The Big One,'" says Bachman, who has been an avid bear hunter since 1978 and guides about 30 bear hunters each fall. "I'm often asked, 'Where is the next record coming from?' I don't know, but I do know where the biggest bears are coming from now."

Bachman notes that Canada boasts high numbers of bears, but more of the bigger bruins are being killed farther south. "Wisconsin has the most B&C entries in the top one hundred in the past ten years," he says. "Wisconsin manages its bears very well and limits the number of hunters. It can take five years to draw a Wisconsin bear tag. Minnesota and Pennsylvania are not far behind. Minnesota has a lottery, but tags are easy to get. Pennsylvania does not limit bear hunters. I'd look to one of those states for the next record, and give a slight advantage to Wisconsin."

States with the highest black bear populations:

1. Alaska 100,000
2. Washington 25,000
3. Oregon 25,000
4. Maine 20,500-21,500
5. Minnesota 20,000
6. California 18,000-23,000
7. Idaho 12,000-20,000
8. Wisconsin 14,000
9. Michigan 12,000
10. Montana 10,000-15,000
Source: www.bear.org

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