Where To Shoot A Bear? (Shot Placement)

The best place to shoot is bear is in its vital organs. This gives bear hunters the best chance at a clean, fast, and ethical kill.

There are many factors that impact the ideal bear shot placement such as if it is broadside or quartering away, weather conditions, and firearm & optic choice.

Depending on the firearm a bear hunter chooses, there are different factors to consider. Hunters should also have a firm understanding of bear anatomy to know where to shoot a bear & where to place their scope reticle.

What Is The Best Shot Placement On A Bear?

The best shot placement on a bear the vital organs. The vital organs of a bear primarily include the heart and lungs. These are located directly on or behind the bear’s front shoulder joint. Shooting a bear in the vital organs increases the likelihood of a swift and ethical kill. A well placed shot will quickly incapacitate the bear and minimizing its suffering.

The positioning of the bear significantly impacts the accessibility to the vital organs. Bear anatomy can vary based on the species (Black Bear, Grizzly, etc.), size, and posture. Bear hunters need to be aware of their shooting angle and positioning of the bear before aligning their scope reticle for a lung shot.

What Is The Best Bear Shot Placement With A Rifle?

The best shot placement on a bear when using a rifle is the vital organs (heart and lungs). These vitals are located right behind their shoulder joint which is why most hunters prefer shoulder shots.

Here are a list of benefits bear hunters get by hunting with a rifle.

• Shoot from longer range
• Rifles are equipped with scopes that allow greater precision
• Safer for hunters that don’t need to get close to the bear

Hunters also have to consider if a bear is face on, broadside, or quartering away before taking their shot.

What’s The Difference Between Broadside & Quartering Away Shots?

The difference between quartering away and broadside shots is the position of the bear relative to the hunter.

A broadside shot occurs when the bear is standing perpendicular to the hunter. Broadside shots give the hunter a clear view of the bear’s vital organs. Hunters should wait for the bear’s front leg to be extended forward so that the shoulder joint is not protecting the vitals.

Quartering away shots occur when the bear is facing away from the hunter at an angle. This means the head of the bear is further away from the hunter. When a bear is quartering away, the hunter aims their rifle scope reticle behind the bear’s shoulder. This angle shot gives the hunter a chance to hit the bear’s heart and lungs with a single shot.

Which Is The Best Shot Placement On A Bear For Bowhunters?

The best shot placement on a bear for bowhunters is right behind the shoulder. More specifically, they should aim for an 8″-10″ circle behind the front shoulder to access the vital organs. Bowhunters need to be within 20-30 yards of the bear to give themselves the best chance of landing an accurate shot.

Bowhunting bears is more challenging than using a rifle because they must get closer to bear. Bowhunters also have to be aware that arrows have less penetration power from longer distances.

Bear Kill Zone Chart

The graphic below demonstrates the optimal kill zone on a black bear.

Which Firearm Is Best For Bear Hunting?

High caliber rifles the best firearms for bear hunting. Bears are large and powerful animals that require serious stopping power to get a clean kill. There are many different AR-15 rifles that can get the job done as well.

Two popular rifles for bear hunting are the Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan and the .450 Marlin. These rifles have considerable stopping power and can take down large game.

Which Rifle Optic Is Best For Hunting Bears?

Vortex gun scopes are generally considered to be the best rifle optics for hunting bears. These are great hunting scopes that give hunters the magnification, durability, and glass quality they are looking for.

Magnified optics enable hunters to find the vital areas and make accurate shots from longer distances. Almost all bear hunters use a magnified optic on their hunts today.

Can Red Dot Sights Be Used For Bear Hunting?

Red dot sights can be used for hunting bears from close to medium range. However, this is not very popular as it requires hunters to get very close before taking the shot. Hunters can also use a red dot magnifier as well to magnify their red dot sight and shoot from further distances.

How Does Bear Shot Placement Compare To Other Big Game Animals?

Bear shot placement is very similar on other big game animals. For example, hunters also aim for behind the shoulders of wild hogs when taking a shot. This hog shot placement lets them hit the vitals easily from medium to long range.

Where Do You Shoot A Deer?

Hunters aim their rifle scope behind a deer’s shoulder joint. Deer hunting and bear hunting is very similar when it comes to aiming & bullet placement. The perfect deer shot placement is within a few inches of the deer’s shoulder joint.

Most hunters will aim for a quartering away deer because it allows them to hit all the vital organs with a single shot.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

By now you should understand where to shoot a bear. Place your scope reticle behind the bear’s front shoulder to hit their vital organs. Using a magnified rifle scope gives hunters a much better chance of hitting a successful shot from longer distances. Use these tips to hunt bears and other large game animals!