>>108827Eastern NC, here. I've never shot a bear but there are tons of them around. Last year a 400ish lb. black bear walked under my deer stand. I see more bear during deer season than deer.
Most people around here use a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with slugs or a rifle chambered in at least .30-06. I've heard you can kill them with a compound bow but you want your draw weight to be at least 65 lbs.
FYI, you should watch a youtube video of someone killing a black bear before you commit to shooting one. It's pretty sad, they scream and yelp and cry out, even when the shot placement is really good. I think this is because their hearts beat so slowly. Also, black bears are gentle, very skittish animals. I can't bring myself to kill one and I hunt pretty much every other game animal in this state.