Hello everyone I am new too this forum so please be patient with me. Although black bear in this area are almost too the point of being pest my brother and I have never took hunting them very serious, until now. We have A long bear season here soo my brother myself, and my oldest son are going too black bear hunt hard starting with our fall 2005 season. We are already doing research on the bears in our area, we have over 25 years experince hunting whitetail deer and everything else that roam these woods. By the way I live in West Virginia in A south east county with mountains ranging from 1500 feet above sea level too over 2000 feet above sea level. My first question on the subject of hunting bears and I am sure you have heard it before is what caliber? Now in that field my choices are limited I hunt with lever actions only and calibers available too me are as follows. The 30-30 winchester, the 35 remington, and the 44 remington magnum. I thought maybe the 35 but being new too bear hunting I would appreciate your suggestions. Black bears around here go from around 300 pounds too 600 pounds havent heard of very many above 600, soo thanks ahead of time nice meeting you folks. 
I agree with tnhoundsman all are good bear guns. My first pick would be the 35 that is just a classic black bear gun. My biggest bear to date (400 lbs) I took with a modle 94 in 30-30. My last bear (year before last) I took with my Ruger Deerfield carbine in 44mag.
ADKBear
Thanks for the answers, I sort of was leaning toward the 35 myself. I have taken deer with the 30-30 and the 35. It just seems too me that they drop like rocks when shot with the 35 and it makes alot larger exit wound.
Howdy Boys,
You are all right on the choice of fire power for Blacks at close range from 40 to 100 yrds he's a had Blackie to hang on your wall! Don't forget though -if your at a bait site this is hard to do but does the trick. Wait till he gets broad side and when he moves his front leg forward exposing his entire "boiler room" then take the shot about quarter way up from the side. He might drop and roll upside down and then get out of there like he was stung by batch of hornets,wait a few minutes until you hear him bawl up to 5 blats will be heard and it will sound like a cow hollering ! Wait until the bawling stops,he won't be more than 40 to 50 yrds with that size lead at that range.If you don't hear him bawling chances are you'll never find him,I know from years of experience.
Good Luck Have FUN 
tnhoundsman,
hehehehehe yup that would do the trick real fine
Trouble is there won't be much left of the head hehehe
Can always get rug made without the head 
Yup your right if a big rifle isn't used, Most I've seen shot up this way the whole side of the head was missing hehe,because I 've been a taxidermist for 26 yrs and have to deal with it.now if a .22 cal- magnum is used when they tree its not so bad and they don't know what hit em,but now if their cornered on the ground a big ole rifle puts em down fast ,thats a different story Happy Hunting
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