Off to the north Ontario bear hunt

[clintsfolly]

Well next Friday I leave for my bear hunt! Wish I could use one of my handguns but law says no! Going to use a custom Ruger 77 in 458ACCREL with a home cast bullet.  Way more gun then need but I spent many hours making it and going to use it. Still have to figure out what I am going to do with a dead bear as far as how to cut and cook it but hopefully the guide will have some suggestions. 

[bula]

Funny, found a F&S magazine in my mail box just now with a recipe for bear chili listed on the front cover. Luck !

[jsh]

Good luck to ya!
How about some input on the cartridge.
Chili and tacos, you ever notice that always seems to be at the top of the list for wild game?
I don't get it myself. I always expect more from a game cook book or from an outdoor magazine.
Jeff

[cmh]

Best of luck on your hunt.... look forward to hearing of ypur successful hunt when you return 😉

[coldtriggerfinger]

458 AR . on a M 77 no less. Is it an M77 Mk ll . That's what I built my 458 Win mag on back in 94/95 . and it just flat executes black bear. Also , pokes a hole thru deer's ribs. And I can eat right up to the bullet hole.
Currently I'm thinking about using sabots with 225 gr Barnes TSX in .358 caliber. For caribou. And if I go to the coast for deer if they are a ways out there. With normal 458 Win loads I'm good to 200 yards. But on a meat hunt. Sometimes the closest bou is at 400 and they are leaving. Should be able to get 2900 fps out of it. If its accurate.

[coldtriggerfinger]

If your bear has been eating berries it should be good eating. And they make very good sausage.

[bigbore442001]

I wish you the best. Hopefully the insects will not be an issue. I know from experience bear stands can be a bit buggy.

[clintsfolly]

Thanks for the good wishes and any ideas on cooking. 458ACCREL is a 375 ultra mag cut to 2.550 and blown out. Case capacity of a 458lott but fits in a standard mag action. I call it my Mild to wild gun. 300 at 1000 to 500 at 2300! The gun is 77MK11 LH and I with my brother help turned and milled out the barrel. I had a stock roughed out of a piece of quilted maple. For bear am loading a 425 fn cast from WW air cooled at 1800.

[clintsfolly]

Looking at local weather been dropping down to 40-45 at night and getting up to 60-65. This should knock the bugs down!

[coldtriggerfinger]

Not necessarily, sometimes with the first frost which I think will be early this year. The White Socks come out , sometimes with a vengence.And if they don't have a frost the no seeums can be really something. But, the skeeters should be reduced. A pair of light cotton gloves and a head net are very handy to have with you.
You should be able to tell if your bear will be good eating by its smell when you kill it . If it stinks , and if it's been eating salmon or garbage , it will stink! If it's been eating berries it should be good. I like a berry bear canned. Makes great sandwiches. And bear makes great breakfast sausage. And summer sausage. Probably make great pepperoni also. I debated on turning my 458 Win into an AR. I think Jeffoso came up with some great rounds. But , I've never had any complaints with its preformance and it has pulled me out of several jams with brown bear. What latitude will you be hunting at ?

[Paden]

And don't forget that bear lard is the best shortening known to mankind!

[clintsfolly]

Just north of the 48

[coldtriggerfinger]

29° F. Here this morning . It will warm right up . First time below 32° since spring. It was so dry this spring that it wasn't buggy at all this year.

[mart]

Good luck. Lots of pics.

[clintsfolly]

Just sat down been rounding up my stuff for the trip! Starting to get pumped!