Leaving in a couple of weeks.  I've been studying the anatomy photos, some folks say shoot the pocket between elbow and shoulder some say divide in half top/bottom and shoot 4" in front if that.  What says the experts?

I'm in the 4" in front of the middle camp.  Half way back, half way down and 4" forward.  In my experience the heart/lungs of a bear are further back than a deer.  The chest slopes from the diaphram up to the neck much more than a deer so the vitals are further back.

Biggest bear I have ever seen and had a shot at I had a pass thru in the shoulder pocket 1/2" from my aiming point..........and lost him.

Biathlonman,let bears come in to the bait and feed for a bit and settle down.They will be cautious for a bit till they settle in.

I wouldn't shoot when they are on their belly feeding.In that position the shoulder blade can roll down,almost horizontal and block a good bit of the lung.For sure,I would hold half way up as far as top to bottom.Mature boars have a pec muscle that hangs down quite a bit below the sternum.Like Pete says,the sternum slopes up but the pec muscle looks like the bottom of the chest.If you could see a bear like that from the front,there is a deep cleft between the pecs.

Double lung a bear with any sharp broadhead and he will go down very fast.Good luck on your hunt and have fun.

I'm doing a spot and stalk hunt...but keep it coming guys I'm taking notes.

The preferred shot for me is the 1/4 away.  Bear vitals are much more forward than deer.  Good luck.

Like I was saying.  Three replys and one guy says they are further forward then a deer and one says they are further back!  IT CAN'T BE BOTH!

Get him quartering away a little bit and shoot him in the middle up and down, and middle right and left - always worked for me!

Black bears are pretty thin skinned and the ribs are lighter than people think.  The shoulder blades are tougher than those of a deer - stay off the shoulders - but the ribs are similar to a deer.  They have a relatively smaller chest cavity than a deer for body size - think big raccoon.  In my experience they give up the ghost pretty easy on any reasonable shot placement.  Just stay off that shoulder blade.

Good luck!

Ryan

As others have said... cut the bear in half top to bottom and in half side to side, aim for where the two cross. I like a broadside shot. I've seen a lot of bears lost on quartering shots (probably because they were shot too far forward). No matter what, stay away from the shoulder. You might as well shoot a rock, the shoulders on a bear are rock hard.

When I hunt bear I want them as close as possible! Under 15 yards.

If you hit them right they won't go far, but a bad hit and your in for a long hard track.

This might help:


Vitals are further back, NOT further forward than a deers.  
Where you hunting, Brad?

In this corner weighing in at ?#'s we have McMiller and in the other corner weighing in at ?#'s we have straight arrow. Gentlemen we want a clean fight, no eye gouging.  

Mmgrode, great photo!  Headed to Montana on the 6th of September.

McMiller wins by a knockout!

Have a fun hunt, Brad.  Are you targeting bears or hoping for one incidental to another hunt?  Nothing quite like bear hunting!

I'm targeting bears, others in camp are chasing elk.

Great pic mmgrode, probably one of the best and most accurate I have seen - thanks.

Shot mine at the 2/3 up the body and a shade less than half way back. She ran 80 yards total distance before expiring. Double lung a bit high and back, but still both lungs. Stay off the heavy shoulder and outta the fat belly. You will be fine.

Great pics, and info guys, I find this really helpful, for me and the wife who will bear hunting soon. We are newbies at it, but both experienced hunters.