No matter what caliber is used its all about the shot placement. I took my neighbor with his 45/70 bear hunting once. I didn't know him that well but he told me he could put 4 shots of the 45/70 in the bear anywhere and stop it. I told my brother who was hunting with us if he needed backup after making such a foolish shot i'm going to wait while the bear is charging till he pisses his pants then i'll help him out. I never took him again. We have to make that first shot count or let it go if we have that choice. I know when were surprised we don't have much of a choice.

I hunt bear with my '94 remington 700 in 338win mag. it kills them dead on the spot. I've seen it pick them up and slam them down. The bears don't like it but i also look out for my sons when there hunting too. I'm there backup. God is always watching out for them. Bill

BTW; When it comes to bear hunting we have let may smaller bears go by for many years now. One year we let a mother and cub go by and we backed off from following it. We figured if we kill the mother we have to take out the cub too and we won't do that. This ruins the bear population. After we let that mother/cub go the following year we got a bear and harvested it. So being good hearted does pay off. For a few years we have tracked even bigger bears with paws the size of my 13" sorel boots. We just don't seem to be at the right place at the right time yet for a shot. Which i think is the best time of the hunt. I enjoy just being out there in the wilds. If it happens it happens if it doesn't there's always next season. We have a great time with my neighbors at my camp and family hunting and sharing food and good times too.