I heard about the 770 lb PA bear. 3 or 4 years ago in NC a teenager shot a 700 lb one with a 243.
My buddy took a 400 lb boar 3 years ago in NC with a 7mm Mag. They aren't hard to kill and you don't need that much gun but, it was DRT. The average there has been 200 to 300 lbs I think.
I took a 300 pounder with my 9.3x57 and 232 grain Norma Vulkan. He went down, got up and tried to run, got maybe 10 feet and went down for good. I've had a sow with cubs keep showing up in my field who just looked at me and kept sniffing the ground for beans when I yelled at her. One year a young one kept wondering up the fire road everyday but he couldn't have gone more than 150 - 200 lbs so I kept passing on him. That's a pretty typical year as far as seeing sows with cubs and young ones. They aren't too smart nor afraid of people.

Lots of guides on the 'net if you do a search. Anyway, I always have deer meat and always see a bear whether I have a tag that year or not. They're so numerous there's no lottery or anything, you just pay for a tag.