Monthly Archives: May 2025

Arrow Shot Placement on Black Bear

Posted on by
Reply

Hunting black bears with bow or crossbow requires some study of bear anatomy for correct shot placement. When I taught bowhunter education years ago we focused largely on whitetail deer.  My Outfitter will cover shot placement as well.

The National Bowhunter Education Foundation sells small synthetic 3D black bears, deer, etc. ($65) where the anatomy can be seen and a pin representing the arrow can be inserted to see what vitals were hit. The next best is a special target sold by Amazon. The company is called “ethikill” anatomy targets. On one side is a broadside bear and the opposite side is the anatomy, bones, heart lungs, liver and intestines. The hunter can shoot it and see the opposite side, e.g., what vital organs were hit. Many experts prefer a slight quartering away shot so the arrow enters and penetrates forward. 

The downside is that bears don’t often stand quartering for such a shot for any length of time. Broadside is still a great shot.

A video from “Bowhunting road” does a great job to educate. Here it is…

The Ethikill target is excellent for broadside shots. 

A double lung hit and your bear won’t go any distance at all, sometimes just feet. 

Good Bear Hunting!

 

Soon – Alberta Bearcation

Posted on by

The clock is ticking. Getting excited! In just a few weeks I will be in a bear camp. Some folks have a Vacation, but Albertans “and guests” who hunt have a Bearcation.

I shoot my fast 10 Point crossbow daily and play with arrows, fletching and broadheads like a kid in a sandbox with a toy dump truck and bulldozer.

Recently, I watched a video of a family with three generations of bear hunters. Many are teens and 20’s seen whooping dancing and stomping like american indians prepping for the hunt in a large garage below. The senior dad is hunting with his crossbow, like I will be doing. 

Sooo much fun watching the hunting spirit of this family. 

Western Canada has tons of big black bears. Success rates are typically very high. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario are chockablock full of ’em. And as a meat-eater that makes my day. 

My grandkids have just started deer hunting with their dad and me. Maybe get them out on a bearcation in a few years. 

Get Excited! Adventure – Go Hunt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Color Phase Black Bear Hunt Plan

Posted on by

My upcoming Alberta black bear hunt will be among color phase bears. What does that mean? Fur color can be black, chocolate/brown, cinnamon, and blonde. Blonde is perhaps the most rare of the color phases. I have not targeted a bear color per se. For me, what is important is a larger male representative of the species. If a large cinnamon presents itself and its coat is prime.  We shall see…

Of interest is this video below on color phases across North America. 

Good Hunting!

Heavier Crossbow Arrow/Bolt Hunting Thoughts

Posted on by

Most crossbow companies sell “arrow speed” to sell Crossbows based on say, a 400 grain arrow/bolt.

Yes, sure, that 400 fps equates to delivered kinetic energy to game but what about penetration?

Will a 500 or 600 grain arrow get more momentum thus deeper penetration. On a target butt, you won’t see a dramatic difference because it is the target butts job to stop the arrow. It is not flesh.

The same crossbow will lose some speed with the heavier arrows but gain in penetration.

African bowhunters on really big game use say 800 to 900 grain arrows. Bolts are shorter but a 500 to 600 grain bolt will carry more momentum thus penetration. 

An exit wound for an arrow provides the all important blood trail.

If hunting moose or larger, for example; With crossbow, use a heavier arrow.

Below is what Fred Bear said on the subject; https://www.arkansashunting.net/threads/what-did-fred-bear-say-about-heavy-arrows.95210/

Good Hunting!

Find Lost Arrows – Bought an Inexpensive Metal Detector – It Worked

Posted on by

I have always been looking for an excuse to buy a metal detector. Costs range from $79 to many hundreds. Mine was $147. Over the years I have lost arrows in fields. Today my crossbow arrows cost $10 or so per arrow. Finding them was not difficult with the metal detector. I found the head of a golf seven iron too. Maybe you need an excuse to buy one. Amazon delivered mine in a day. Assembly was easy.  

Have Fun!