Successfully harvesting a black bear comes down to one critical factor: shot placement. Here we offer insights from seasoned bear hunters, onX’s own Jack Hedlund and Dylan Dowson, to bring you practical visuals and advice for ethical and successful bear hunts.

Bear Anatomy

Knowing black bear anatomy is important for making ethical and lethal shots. Bears have thick hides, heavy bones, and layers of fat and fur that obscure where the vitals really are. Compounding this is a body structure that allows for unusual postures—bears can sprawl, sit dog-like, or hunch in ways that hide their true shape.

A black bear’s lungs are slightly farther back than those of deer, and the heart is more protected by bone and muscle. The lungs extend from just behind the front shoulder to the second-to-last rib. Long hair and fat can also absorb blood and distort the silhouette, making pinpoint shot placement tricky.

Black Bear Shot Placement

For black bear shot placement, the goal is always a double-lung shot. This offers the highest odds of a quick kill and reliable recovery. Compared to a heart shot, a well-placed lung shot creates a larger wound channel and offers a bigger margin of error.

To achieve the double-lung shot, you must understand, and be presented with, a “middle of the middle” shot.

Middle of the Middle

A common recommendation is to aim for the “middle of the middle”—both vertically and horizontally on the bear’s body. This again is different from deer hunting, where we are taught to aim just behind the deer’s front shoulder. A “middle of the middle” shot on a deer would be a gut shot—something all hunters want to avoid. It’s not the same for bear hunters.

The “middle of the middle” placement avoids the dense shoulder while maximizing lung impact. Archers especially should avoid hugging the shoulder; rib bones are light, but shoulder bones can stop arrows and bullets alike.

Don’t Shoot Too Low

Another deer vs bear comparison: Deer are known for lowering their bodies at the sound of a shot. In anticipation of this common deer reaction, called “string jump,” many deer hunters aim low to compensate for the movement. 

Bears are not as prone to reactive movements, and you do not need to compensate for string jump when bear hunting. In fact, because of their long fur and belly fat, aiming too low risks missing the chest cavity altogether. Aim higher than you would on a whitetail deer.

Shot Angle Animations

Recovery Challenges

Bears rarely leave good blood trails. Their thick coats and fatty tissue can plug entry wounds. This makes getting two holes—entry and exit—especially important.

Even when mortally wounded, bears will head for thick cover, often dying in hard-to-find spots. Always mark shot locations using Waypoints on onX Hunt and then listen for a death moan.

Visual Cues Checklist

• Avoid the shoulder.
• Wait for the right posture.
• Use optics to assess vitals (and legality, if you’re in an area with more than one species of bear).
• To field judge differences between sexes and look for rut behavior, watch for roaming behavior in boars and lingering in sows.

Ethical bear hunting starts with knowing exactly where to aim. Aim for a double-lung shot, favor broadside or quartering-away angles, and resist the urge to rush your shot.

By studying bear anatomy and behavior, and using the right gear and patience, hunters can ensure lethal, ethical shots and successful recoveries.