When I was younger, I bear hunted in E TN and with Plott hounds...When I chased the dogs, I carried a Ruger Super Black Hawk in .44 mag...Killed three with it...No problems...
When I was one of the stand hunters and someone else chased, I used a Marlin .35 caliber lever action...Killed 2 with it...No problems...
In Ontario, when we went up there, I used the Marlin...Killed
3 there...Again, no problems...
Do you still have any Plott hounds?