Really the only 2 fitting rifles I have for this hunt and I have ammo for are a Savage Scout .308 win with a 2-7 scope. Or a .450 bushmaster ruger American with a 3-9 scope on it. I assume either will be fine. Thinking take both. And figure the .308 as my primary and 450 a backup.

I think either will get the job done. Shooting will be pretty close, I'd assume.

Either. Hell a .44 mag is fine, so’s a 30-30.

if you're hunting over bait, either caliber will work since you'll have time to line up a shot.  if you're still hunting and it might require a snap shot, the .450 would be my choice.

You want as close to full penetration/DRT as you gain get.

As someone who baits, and recovers Black Bear here in Maine, nothing can ruin a trip more than a bullet that doesnt exit or leave a good blood trail and your Bear runs off into the pucker brush. Always a hard recovery unless you have lots of blood or a tracking dog.

More than likely you will be 25 yards or closer, use your 450BM with a Barnes or some sort of bonded bullet.

If your using your 308, use a heavy solid/copper expander (Barnes).

Cant tell you how many Bear I've tracked all night long because someone used a nuclear light weight ballistic tip or rapid expander even from a 300WM that didnt exit or create a DRT.

If you haven't already, know your kill box on a Bear from a tree stand. Its unusually far back compared to a whitetail. More the arm pit area than the shoulder.

Either will do the job.  Shot placement is the key.

It will depend on the type of hunt and to some degree, which part of the state.

Bait with stand in woods, I'd use the .450 with non expanding heavy bullets to ensure through and through. Ranges will be archery kind of close.

A stand, perhaps even baited, but on the edges of the Washington county blueberry barrens or Aroostook county potato fields could be at considerably longer range and I'd consider the .308 with tough bullets.

If its a dog hunt, it will mostly be treed so it doesn't matter much.

If you are stalking, well, forget it, you aren't likely to see one. Almost all stalking kills are by deer hunters having a rare random encounter with a bear. Normally, you see roaming bear in the woods only because you hear them going 25mph away from you before you even get a glimpse.

458 Socom if it's legal. Much better bullet selection.