Just wondering what the typical reaction a black bear has when it is struck by an arrow ?

To eat the shooter? :D

Just kidding....

They run, much like a deer will do. You have to follow the bloodtrail much like a deer too. I don't think they go much farther than deer, if shot well.

I'd bowhunt a blackie, but the other bears would require a little more firepower, if you get my drift....
I wouldn't shoot a griz with a bow. .338 Win Mag, minimum.

Barry

Thanks Barry. Yep, black bears are what we have. Will be my first time to hunt them. We are not allowed a gun during bow season so plan on some pepper spray just in case. Thanks for the info.

Hope you get one, A3!

As I said, I wouldn't worry about a hard hit bear going far.

I wanna see pics when you get one. :)

I hope I get one too, that being said, Sometimes it takes a greenhorn a few seasons :D .  But I suppose stranger things have happened :undecided: .  I have done alot of reasearch on the subject, and feel I'm as prepared as I can get with not ever hutning them before. We'll see. I appreciate the input and shore I'll post a pix  

Haven't you heard of beginner's luck?

Hope you get one Antler. I spent about 3 hours looking for one that was arrowed on the first day here. Lungs are further behing the shoulder than a whitetail, you need to be pretty precise. a little to far back and there is a void with no arteries or anything. can make a long blood trail. I have only killed on with a bow and it took out a lung. it was dead in 10 seconds. Always good to give a couple hours with the bow. even hit badly it will go lay down and stay as long as you do not push it. Can't wait to see your pictures. God bless.

Lots of very big critters - elephants, cape buffalo, coastal brown bears, etc. - have been shot with bonarras. Put the arrow where it's supposed to go - heart and/or lungs - and the bear won't go more than 100 yds, and likely much less. I just watched a good-sized moose get double-lunged. He went about five body-lengths and was off his feet for good.
 
I realize that it goes contrary to what is taught by the 'experts', but I have never waited the 'hours' that is so commonly recommended for arrowed big game. There are myriad thing's that usually go wrong waiting for hours to track wounded big game animal. If you know - by seeing - that the arrow hit the hear/lung area, or you suspect - from looking at the arrow that passed through - that the bear was "hard hit", getting after it within a minute or two will NOT cause that bear to run "farther" off... because it won't be able to. Shot in the heart/lungs, is shot in the heart/lungs. An animal doesn't get "extra strength" by being "pushed" that allows it to overcome a hole in its heart or lungs. In fact, it is my opinion, that a heart/lung-shot big game animal should be pushed as hard as possible as fast as possible. I want its wounded heart and lungs working as hard as they can.
 
If it's gut-shot, or butt-shot, waiting long enough for the animal to bed down may be a good idea, but I've not had any first-hand experience with that. In fact, I was just recalling the "worst" shot I ever made on a big game animal with a bonarra. I hit a very large bull caribou "high and back" - it was a VERY long shot. The arrow went clean through the animal piercing the liver and nothing else except skin. That bull ran about 100 paces, and was stone dead by the time I walked up to it. Arrows are amazingly effective killers. There's no justification to underestimate them.
 
I saw a film of Fred Bear shooting a Kodiak coastal brown bear with a bonarra. (The man had way more faith in bonarras than I do. ) The arrow went in behind the ribs, angling forward. It did not pass through. That bear was off its feet in less than 20 seconds and died in less than 10 body-lengths. One arrow.
 
I'm looking forward to pictures of dead critters.
 
Paul

QuoteIf you know - by seeing - that the arrow hit the hear/lung area, or you suspect - from looking at the arrow that passed through - that the bear was "hard hit",

I could not agree with more paul. in fact, if it is a heart or lung hit, a blackbear will mostly likely, in my experience, run itself to death within seconds.

QuoteIf you know - by seeing - that the arrow hit the hear/lung area,

thats where the problem lies. I had a friend tell me this year he had a "good" hit, so I got on my horse and was already to track her down and get it hung. by looking at the footage on the tape, it was not "well" hit. when he shot her she ran off fast as blackbear always do. in fact, you usually don't see them leave. the crashing and thrashing went on for about 10 seconds then quiet. they decided to go get her and when they got a little close to her, she took off from where she layed. we tracked for 2 1/2 hours after that and the blood quit. gut shuts tend to "clog" themselves up after awhile.
I am not much of a waiter. I am usually after what I shot the minute another round is chambered. but I have learned my lesson over the last two years that if they are not hit good, leave them alone and go back the next day. Oh, I am not much for what the "experts" say, but when I get burned once or twice I pay attention. God bless.

Quotebut when I get burned once or twice I pay attention

And that's the most important "thing". We all do essentially one of two "things": We either 1) Listen to "experts" and do as they say, or 2) act on our own experience. If your experience is "bad" with "chasin' ", then you're likely to "wait". If it's bad with "waitin' ", you're likely to "chase". Neither is absolutely 'wrong'. The only "thing" that really matters is recovering the animal...  however it is accomplished.
 
Paul

QuoteThe only "thing" that really matters is recovering the animal... however it is accomplished.

Yes Sir!
 
I will admit though, my urge to "chase" is usually much stronger. God bless.

Lots of good information here.  I appreciate it.  And I do hope for some beginners luck .   Had something on the bait.  Wasn't a bear I don't beleive though.  One reason is there was some left .   Good looking bear there David.  Gets me all excited. Congrats again to you  .

May I ask how you are baiting Antler? I lay a tire on the ground, put the bait in, then put a good thick board over it with a cinder block on top. pretty much only a bear can get into up here. this way your bait is also not bothered by coyotes and such. I first used a five gallon pale. I would tie the handle to a tree about five feet off the ground and put a board in between the handle so it was tight. racoons got on it, but never in it. I found myself looking for the bucket as the bear would carry it twenty to thirty yards off sometime and decided the tire was easier. bears don't always "clean" up the bait. the closer it gets to the season here, it seems the more they leave, especially when they know it is there. they may come by two to three times a day and eat. they seem to get "casual" with it. we can also "pattern" a bear up here. Most bear come the same time of day, multiple hits usually mean more than one bear, in my experience. however, I do realize this could be totally different in your neck of the woods. If you don't have a game cam, look into getting a trip timer, or "trail timer". I used this the first 3 years I baited and it let me know what time my bait was getting hit. If you have all day, then it probably does not matter. are there a lot of blackbears in N. Arkansas? Well antler, I hope you get one, they taste really good and you will certainly enjoy it. God bless.

Hey David thanks for all the good advice. We just turned a 55 gal. metal drum on it's side and chained to a tree. It's open for anything who finds it.  Yes we have blackberries and huckleberries. The bear in our area are not many. ( meaning right here where I hunt) Only one has been caught on camera. The folks who hunt the property next to us is who got the pictures. We've seen the tracks but not the bear.  It's gonna be a hit and miss thing.  Maybe it will find the bait.  Just having fun giving it a try. Thank you again :) .

If there is a bear in the area, it will find the bait. stuff your barell full of old logs and such after you put the bait in, this keeps out the pests for the most part and they will not keep cleaning your bait out. Also found in the last couple of years hanging a bag of rancid meat about 8ft of the ground puts out quite an odor and attracts lots of things, especially the bear. I also use meat in the bait and sometimes that is all they come for. using grease is a big help too. you can get it at any fast food joint, they clean the friers weekly and put it in five gallon jugs. spread it around on the ground, in the bait, and up in the trees with a squirt bottle. that ought to make your site irresistable. Hope you get one! God Bless.