Tag Archives: Black Bear Hunting

Hunting for Black Bear.

2012 New York Bear Hunting Harvest Higher than 2011

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NY Bear Hunting

The statewide harvest of 1,337 black bears ranks third overall, lagging only behind the 2003 harvest of 1,864 and that of 2009 when 1,409 bears were taken. [Bear Hunting Blog file photo]

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation took a little more time than usual to release the harvest statistics from the 2012 deer season. But, they’re out there now along with the bear harvest numbers released in March.

Both sets of data come with some very informative reports and I encourage you to visit DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov for a solid look at them.

For now, here’s a glance at the New York bear hunting stats.

The statewide harvest of 1,337 black bears ranks third overall, lagging only behind the 2003 harvest of 1,864 and that of 2009 when 1,409 bears were taken.

The harvest for 2012 was slightly above 2011, which was 1,258. After a dismal 2011 harvest of only 275 black bears, things got back to normal in the Adirondack range where 606 bears were taken. That’s slightly above the five-year average of 547 and the historical average of 515.

Read the rest of the story by clicking here!

Story by: Dan Ladd Adirondack Hunting & Fishing Report
Source: Press Republican
Bear Hunting Blog

Quick Tips: Stalk and Call Black Bears in the Spring

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Spring black bear hunting

“As black bears search the spring woods for forage after hibernation, they can be a thrill to both stalk and call into range.” [Bear Hunting Blog file photo]

This month, black bears should be out in full force as they emerge from their dens to refuel on spring greens and the remnants of last autumn’s berries. Spotting these hungry bears is usually the easy part; just look for black spots dotting slides, clear-cuts, and mountain meadows or munching along beaches and logging roads. Once you’ve located a suitable bear, choose from this pair of pulse-pounding tactics—for both bow and rifle hunters—or use both.

Read the rest of this story by clicking here!

Article by: David Draper
Source:  Field & Stream
The Bear Hunting Blog

North Carolina man gets prison time for killing bear

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ASHEVILLE — A judge sentenced Robbinsville man to five months in prison for violating federal wildlife laws by killing a black bear cub.

Tyler Micaiah Colvin, 20, shot and skinned the cub in the Wayah Bear Sanctuary in the Nantahala National Forest in October 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Colvin’s conduct was outrageous, inhumane and illegal, and anyone involved in the illegal killing of black bears will be vigorously prosecuted by this office,” said Anne Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Colvin pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Asheville in December to one count of transporting wildlife that had been taken in violation of the Lacey Act, which Tompkins called “an important arsenal in our fight against those who illegally kill endangered and threatened species.”

According to court records, Colvin used a .50-caliber muzzleloader to kill the cub. Bear season was not open at the time, and it’s illegal to kill a bear weighing less than 50 pounds at any time. In addition, killing bears in a bear sanctuary is prohibited evening during hunting season.

After shooting the bear, Colvin skinned it and removed the paws and some meat, leaving the remainder of the carcass in the forest in Macon County. U.S. Forest Service agents apprehended him and found the bear parts in his vehicle, court documents state.

Apprehending those who illegally kill bears is difficult task, said Steve Ruppert, special agent in charge with the Forest Service.

“Officers are faced with bad odds when dealing with poaching in such vast areas, so we urge the public to report all big game violations,” he said. “These types of results definitely sent a message to those who steal from the public.”

In addition to the prison term, Magistrate Judge Dennis Howell this week ordered Colvin to serve one year of supervised release and surrender his hunting license while he is under court supervision. He also was ordered to pay $2,232 in restitution to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and forfeit his rifle, a powder horn and a deer call device.

Kristin Bail, supervisor of the national forests in North Carolina, said she hopes Colvin’s prosecution sends a message that illegal bear hunting won’t be tolerated.

The agency is “committed to protecting wildlife to ensure these and other natural resources are available for the next generation of forest visitors,” she said.

Written by:  Clarke Morrison
Source:  Ashville, North Carolina Citizen Times
The Bear Hunting Blog

Sask Bear Hunting encounter goes viral on Youtube

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The video was initially posted in August 2012 but recently got acknowledged by Ultimate Fighting Championship host Joe Rogan and that sent its views to almost 211,000. Even before all of the internet fame Mike Grundman, the owner of Sask Adrenaline Outfitters, said the experience was something he wouldn’t haven’t forgotten.

“It really is amazing how fast they are. When you experience it really is amazing how fast and powerful they are,” he said.

The video starts with Grundman, who was giving 18-year-old Hunter Coleman a hunting tour, stating that the viewer needs to be prepared.

“I’ve filmed a lot of bears, a lot of big bears and spent a lot of nights in the stand. I don’t think I will stop shaking for a week,” Grundman said in the video.

The video proceeds to show Grundman and Coleman in two side-by-side trees watching a bear near bear-bait that they put out.

“We had bears all around us and we had a great big dominant sow (female bear) at the barrel and she was kind of the boss there,” he said.

“The next thing I know we hear another bear come in behind us. It ended up right underneath us and before I knew what was going the sow charged us and scared the little bear up the tree.”

In a few seconds the mood of the video changes as Grundman films the black bear literally sitting just behind him in the same tree.

“What the heck do you do,” whispered Coleman in the video.

“Just don’t move,” Grundman responded.

For a few very tense minutes both men stay utterly silent.

“There’s not much you really can do. I guess you can maybe try to knock it out of the tree or something,” he said.

“But I think maybe what we did is the best thing.”

Eventually the bear makes its way out of the tree to the very evident relief of Grundman and Coleman.

Grundman said they continued their hunt and ended up getting a large male bear. He said his company Sask Adrenaline Outfitters do use the meat from the animals they hunt by giving it to locals or sending it back with the hunters.

“The bear that we actually shoot… is a boar, a male,” he said, which is the type of bear they like to take.

“Because that big male would have probably killed the cub that came up the tree with us. They are known to do that… maybe we actually saved the life of that little bear that came up the tree with us.”

Reported by Kelly Malone
Source: Newstalk650
The Bear Hunting Blog

New York Black Bear hunting stats released

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New York bear hunters took 1,337 black bears during the 2012 hunting seasons, making last year the third highest bear harvest on record in New York, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today.  Only the 2003 harvest (1,864) and 2009 harvest (1,487) surpassed last year’s take.

Bear Hunting in North Carolina

“New York has excellent bear habitat and vast, accessible public lands that offer exciting opportunities for bear hunting,” said Commissioner Martens. “Black bears are thriving in New York, and they represent a great resource for all New Yorkers.”

“New York has excellent bear habitat and vast, accessible public lands that offer exciting opportunities for bear hunting,” said Commissioner Martens. “Black bears are thriving in New York, and they represent a great resource for all New Yorkers. Through the NY’s Open for Hunting and Fishing Initiative, Governor Cuomo is improving opportunities for hunting in New York State.”

Regionally, bear harvest increased in the Adirondacks but decreased in the Southeastern and Central-Western bear hunting areas.  Though overall population size plays a large role in harvest totals, annual variations in take are also strongly influenced by environmental factors such as natural food availability and snow fall that affect bear activity and hunting pressure.  These environmental influences were very apparent in the harvest totals of the past few years.

In the Adirondacks, hunters took 606 bears in 2012, returning to a more normal harvest level after an exceptionally low harvest in 2011.  This past season, hunters found greatest success during the early season (386 bears; mid-September until mid-October) compared to the regular season (132 bears; late October to early December).  This pattern was expected after a summer of low natural food availability.  The early season harvest is always high in such years because bears are moving more in search of food and many are closer to human food sources, which in both cases makes them more vulnerable to harvest.  In fact, towns along the western and southern fringe of the Adirondacks saw some of the highest harvests as bears were found feeding in corn fields during the early season.  Bears also tend to den early when natural foods are scarce, so fewer bears were available to hunters during the regular season.

In the Southeastern bear hunting area, bear take dropped from the record 630 taken in 2011 to 442 taken in 2012.  Similarly, take in the Central-Western bear hunting area dropped from the record 353 in 2011 to 289 in 2012.  In both areas, take during bow season contributed substantially to the overall take (51 percent Southeastern, 37 percent Central-Western) and increased from 2011, reflecting the longer bow season initiated in 2012 and greater availability of bears during this period.  Notably, take during the regular season dropped in both areas.  The drop was most pronounced in Southeastern New York where biologists anticipated a potential reduced harvest due to early denning behavior associated with the general lack of soft and hard mast (apples, acorns and beechnuts).

Black Bear Hunting in New YorkSince 2005, DEC has expanded the area open to bear hunting in Southeastern and Central-Western New York and increased season length, aligning bear seasons with deer seasons.  These actions were implemented to reduce bear population growth and range expansion.  Most recently, in 2011, DEC expanded bear hunting into eastern New York from Rockland and Westchester to Washington counties.  Hunters took 22 bears from these newly opened areas, with eight bears coming from each of Washington and Rensselaer counties.

Governor Cuomo’s Open for Hunting and Fishing Initiative is an effort to improve recreational activities for in-state and out-of-state sportsmen and sportswomen and to boost tourism opportunities throughout the state.  This initiative includes the streamlining of hunting and fishing licensing and reducing license fees, improved access for fishing at various sites across the state, stocking as much as 900,000 pounds of fish, expanding fishing clinics and increasing hunting opportunities in various regions.

A complete summary of the 2012 bear harvest with breakdown by county, town, and Wildlife Management Unit is available at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/42232.html  on the DEC website.

NYS Black Bear Cooperator Patch Program

Hunters play a pivotal role in bear management through reporting their bear harvests. Hunters also are asked to submit a tooth sample from their bear for DEC to determine the age of harvested bears. Typically, for all hunters who reported their harvest and submitted a tooth, DEC issues a NYS Black Bear Cooperator Patch and a letter informing them of their bear’s age.  DEC is still processing tooth submissions from 2011 and 2012.  DEC anticipates that eligible hunters from 2011 and 2012 will receive their patch(es) in late summer 2013.

Source: Poststar.com
The Bear Hunting Blog

An Outfitters Wife by Cacilia Wardale

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Bear Hunting in Alberta Canada

An Outfitters Wife – Cacilia Wardale

I’d not grown up around hunting, but in the last year it has become a sport I have lived vicariously through my partner and best friend Al. Although I’d grown up spending much of my time outdoors, the dream of a chance at a beautiful blonde bear has been born recently of hearing hunting tales and experiences from Al. I decided to borrow this sport as I wanted to try this new sport and exciting test of nerves for myself!

Following my Hunter Education course this past winter, and much time at the range in early spring, I got my first hunting license, and obtained two bear tags. We were going Bear Hunting! Our first day out showed 6 bears, including a sow with three cubs but the evening ended without a shot fired. An day later that week though turned out much more interesting. The kind of evening I’d always heard about over roaring campfires…

Our first stalk on a feeding bear ended with the bear losing patience and slipping back into the woods and with us beside a borrow-pit encircled with aspen. While hoping for the black to return, we listened to beavers slapping tails feverishly in the water 50 yards away, and figured that there was either a bear or wolves at the pond. While walking in, a grey wolf flashed passed in the dense tangle of willow about 10 yards away followed by another! We caught glimpses through the trees, and since I hadn’t yet the courage to make a shot on a running wolf, Al worked his way to the borrow-pit while I went back to the trail. After a few minutes of waiting I finally watched as the wolves made their way back across the trail and off into the brush on the other side, glancing curiously at me as they did. A first encounter for me!

Alberta Black bear Hunting

Cacilia Wardale with an Alberta Bear Limit!

Not long after that through, we spotted another black at 400 yards and feeding towards us. With the wind in our face, we snuck closer and moved single-file when the bears head was down. At 200 yards we decided that was as good as it was going to get, but the bear was still feeding closer. We watched and waited and the bear closed to 150 yards. From a crouched position, I steadied my rifle on Al’s forearm as he held the shooting stick low and braced for the shot. Coached to “break its shoulder”, I fired when the bear turned broadside, sending the bear into the air and running for the woods, jumping a 6’ wide creek in the process. I had been terrified of the kick of the rifle as well as the blast, but with the blood rushing through my ears and my heart pounding it all happened so swiftly I couldn’t believe it was over. We found the bear just inside the woods, dead and with one broken shoulder, “shot perfectly” as Al would say. Although slightly rubbed, the bear squared 5 ½ feet and a fine first animal. One of the best things for me was hearing the love of my life and long time hunter giggle gleefully with pride and amazement as we packed the bear out of the woods. Already a perfect evening and yet we elected to load the bear up whole and keep going as there was plenty of hunting left in the evening. And we were right….

10 minutes passed after we got moving again, and we spotted another black bear at 350 yards. We got out and moved to a better vantage point to deliberate, and as we watched, a blonde colored black bear surfaced from a depression, feeding towards us at 75 yards! I was so excited and couldn’t help jumping out of my skin at having found my blonde on only my second day! We deduced that it wasn’t a grizzly, although the color could have been, and Al told me it was just the color I’d hoped for. He was sure right about that! Using my forked shooting stick again, I fired, hitting the bear on the near shoulder, and exiting on the neck as the bear held its head low, facing away. It dropped in an instant and never moved. A beautiful bear, taken again with one shot from my .270. The exceptional colored bear was right on 5’, no rubbing and will make a beautiful mount.

We loaded the second bear and drove to a quiet spot to swat mosquitoes and skin them out. I couldn’t help giggling to myself “first time hunter, one-shot kills…” Al said he wished all his clients shot this well.

I really enjoyed my first experience with hunting, and feel good about the way I went about it. Al was there throughout the experience and coaching towards success, but the choices and end results were ultimately my own. This sport that I “borrowed” is full of rewards for those that participate and I feel lucky to have taken part. I think this is one borrowed item that shouldn’t be returned, but is best when shared.

Al & Cacilia Wardale run Moose Country Outfitting in Alberta Canada and offer Black Bear Hunting in the Peace River area. You can get more information on Alberta Black Bear Hunting by following this link.

The Bear Hunting Blog

North Carolina Bear Hunters Association

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Bear Hunting in North Carolina

North Carolina Bear Hunters Association

If you would like information or would like to become a member of the North Carolina Bear Hunters Association, please click the link.

We invite you to join the only statewide association dedicated to bear hunting and hunting with dogs. We’ve lost Washington, Oregon, most of California, Quebec, and now Ontario, so don’t wait until it’s too late.

North Carolina, long recognized as the bear hunting stronghold of the nation is at serious risk. Legislative experts agree that the southeast and especially North Carolina will soon be the next wildlife battleground between hunter and anti-hunting extremists.

Protect your rights; join the one organization that doesn’t quit, the NCBHA. Considered by many, as the most determined and energetic sport-hunting organization in North Carolina. So be counted, where and when it counts most. Join the NCBHA!!!

Source: North Carolina Bear Hunters Association
The Bear Hunting Blog

Black Bears & Grizzly Bears, The Difference is…

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Hunting Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear Hunting

There is no such thing as “a” bear. There are bears…plural. That is to say, there are different species. Most people are familiar with the polar bear. Some might have even heard of the Kodiak bear. For those that enjoy bear hunting, the two most commonly cited bears would be the black bear and the legendary grizzly bear. Is there much of a difference between black bears and grizzly bears? Actually, there are quite a few pronounced differences and those wishing to head out into the great outdoors to hunt bear need to know such differences.

Bear hunting is one of the more misunderstood sportive activities one could take part in. There are a great many complexities required to succeed with this type of hunting. The skills required are quite vast and many of them will center on how to make such a hunt a lot safer.

One other aspect that people do not realize is that different strategies need to be employed for different bears. In most regions of North America, the primary bear indigenous to the land mass would be the black bear. However, in certain areas, black bear live side by side with grizzly bears. (Granted, some of this co-existence is far from peaceful) Now, when you are hunting bear, you need to be sure as to what type of bear you come across in the field. In certain areas, black bear season and grizzly bear season may occur at different points in the season. Other areas may require you have two separate bear licenses for each animal.

Hunting Black Bear

Black Bear Hunting

And, most importantly, the way you hunt a black bear is different than how you would hunt a grizzly bear. Often, these differences are designed to take safety concerns into consideration. Black bears are dangerous. No one is denying that fact. However, grizzly bears can be even more dangerous and more aggressive. They can also be a lot more difficult to kill. Black bears have been hunted in states such as New Jersey with shotguns. Very few hunters would take such a risk hunting grizzly bear with such a weapon.

This is why it is so very necessary to be able to clearly determine the difference between a grizzly bear and a black bear. There are some definitive differences between the two. Here is a look at those differences:

Most people will say the main difference is that black bears are black and grizzly bears are brown. (Grizzly bears are commonly referred to as brown bears) Generally, this is true. However, not all grizzlies are brown. Many are jet black. And yes, some black bears are brown. And both of them can be…blond! So, you cannot always go by the color of the bears as the only way to tell which species they are. You need to look at other attributes to determine the differences.

Size would be a major factor. Grizzlies are huge huger on average than black bears. Yes, there will be the errant black bear that is large in size. And there will be some undersized grizzly bears. However, most grizzlies are in the 500lbs – 800lb range. Black bears will be in the 200lbs – 400lbs range. The average height of a grizzly is three feet on all fours and well in excess of six feet when standing. Black bear are decidedly smaller being 3 feet on all fours but rarely more than six feet when standing. Again, there may be exceptions so you cannot always go by size.
The key differentiating factors include the following:

The face of a grizzly will be significantly depressed. This is most evident in the eye/nose region. The ears of the grizzly will also be short and round. Black bears are quite different. The ears of the black bear are significantly longer and more pointed than a grizzly. The nose of the black bear is more extended.

The body of a grizzly has a large hump on the back. A black bear has NO hump. This is probably the most definitive distinguishing factor between the animals.

The claws of a grizzle are significantly larger than a black bear. It is certainly not recommended to get close enough to the bear to tell the difference. However, if you are examining bear tracks, the larger grizzly tracks will have pronounced claws.

Few single items can determine which bear is which. But, when you put all the factors together, you can make a perfect comparison.

Source: Outdoor Base Camp.com
The Bear Hunting Blog

How to Bait Bears And What To Use

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How to Bait Bears And What To Use By Naomi K. Shapiro

By Naomi K. Shapiro

Bear baiting is a “tricky subject.” Rules and regs vary greatly from state-to-state, and indeed, can vary from year to year – even season to season. Be cautious, and check out your state or area regulations carefully before baiting. In a previous article we mentioned that you want to start baiting in early spring. In Wisconsin, that means after April 14th – - not earlier, and you can’t bait from the day after the previous bear season closes until April 14. But that’s Wisconsin. Your state or area may very well be different. We can’t overemphasize the need for strict adherence to baiting regulations. It’s tough enough getting a bear tag, and you don’t want to jeopardize your bear hunting status by “dissing” the regs. What we’re going to do is tell you generic methods of baiting which you can readily adapt to your own local bear regulatory system. The regulations and requirements we cite are for WISCONSIN.

Please remember that I lived in far Northwestern Wisconsin for 15 years, on a lake, right in the middle of a national forest. As far as I know, this particular area still has the largest per-acre black bear population in North America. And yes it is true – the largest “on-the-hoof-before-dressing-out” black bear I’ve ever seen came in at 675 pounds. So there are some “biggies” out there. And while I personally don’t care for bear as a food, my husband and many others love it. He describes the taste as “delicate, sweet pork.”

In Cheesehead Land (Wisconsin), you can’t use more than ten gallons of bait at any one site. The bait itself must be totally concealed and closed, with rocks, or natural logs over it. The reason for this is to insure that deer can’t get at the bait (deer baiting is prohibited in many areas anyway).

Your bait cannot contain any animal parts or animal residue. That means no meat, no bones, or fish, solid or liquid animal fat, bacon grease, or any animal carcass part; and, NO HONEY!

The bait station itself must be ALL NATURAL. No metal, glass, boxes, plastics, or containers. Nothing that has been humanly-processed.

As to the baits themselves: We use one of two sources, and, I repeat from previous articles – we try to champion the use of the least expensive methods possible. In these economic times, if you can save a buck, “go for it!” And saving money doesn’t mean you’re going to be any less successful than the person who spends a lot. Indeed, you’ll probably do better.

Hunting Black Bear over Bait

Go to a local bakery or grocery store. Get outdated pastries, doughnuts, buns, old bread — whatever. And, friends, we promise you that there are usually places that will give you this stuff FREE. You can also go to an area bait dealer who specialize in baits — including bear. Use some of this stuff to complement and enhance the “freebies”. Legal things like cinnamon chips, different flavors of frosting — lots of stuff. If you keep your bait different or “fresh”, you’ll keep the black bearsinterested and saying to themselves: “Wonder what I’ll find today?” We won’t go to McDonald’s every day; we want a change of pace — so we try Burger King or Hardee’s. Bears are the same. And what this “different bait” approach also does is prevent another hunter who may start a bait station just a couple of weeks before the season opens from “glomming” your “bear faithful” to his bait station, just because his stuff is new and different, as opposed to your “same-old-same-old.” Keep your bait station changing — and start baiting as early as the laws in your particular state or area allow you to do so.

We also make our own concoctions, which have proven extremely successful. Get a lot of old bread, put it in a five gallon drum, and mix in molasses, or a cherry or butterscotch-flavored syrup, then dump it all in a bait station hole and cover it. Then douse the whole “covering” with liquid smoke (which is legal — scent or liquid doesn’t have to be covered). This scent diffuses through the whole woods – and you can smell it a hundred yards from the bait station – and if you can smell it a hundred yards away, a black bear will pick up the scent a quarter of a mile away! The bears will be attracted to the spot, and voila, they’ll discover your bait.

By the way, you don’t have to use ten gallons at any one site, even though it may be legal to do so. Five gallons at any one site is more than enough. Don’t overdo. You’ll save money, effort, time, and accomplish the same things.

So, grilled “bear chops,” anyone? Yummm!

-(Phil Schweik of Hooksetters Guide Services contributed to this article).

Source: ForemostHunting.com by Naomi K. Shapiro
The Bear Hunting Blog

Black Bear Hunting With Bait

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Bait Hunting for Black Bear

Black Bear Hunting With Bait

by Chris Larsen

Black bear range and populations are expanding as is the popularity of what was once a hunt reserved for a select few.  Bears are typically hunted utilizing one of three common techniques; over bait, with hounds, or spot and stalk.  In my home state of Wisconsin baiting is the most common method.  Bait is placed for several weeks before the season. Items such as candy, bread, pastries, pie filling and fruit are placed in hollow logs or holes in the ground covered with a rock.  As a precaution against the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease, the rock (or other heavy object) is required to prevent access to the bait by deer.  Animal products such as meat and fat are not permitted.  There are also restrictions on bear baiting near public roads or trails.

At first glance, hunting over bait may seem unsportsmanlike, but it is common practice.  Bears are nomadic and don’t pattern the same way deer will.  To increase success, bait and stands are set in areas that offer heavy cover.  Bears won’t frequent open areas during daylight hours.

Hunters often get excited when they find their bait cleaned out day after day.  Veteran hunters know a clean bait pile is often the result of several smaller bears using the same bait area.  If the bait is being used but left unfinished, it’s a good sign your bait log is being used by one large bear.  A large bear will keep smaller animals out of his territory.  With today’s trail camera technology guesswork about the specific bears using your bait pile is a thing of the past.

Another common occurrence for bait hunters is a sudden drop in activity around the bait pile in the fall. After attracting bears during the summer it seems like they suddenly disappear.  As autumn leaves begin to drop, berries ripen and acorns and hickory nuts hit the forest floor.  Bears gorge on hardwood mast to pack on pounds for the winter hibernation.  Placing your stand and bait in hardwood areas will help keep bears close during this time.

Size restrictions are in place in many states.  In Wisconsin, the bear must measure at least 42 inches from the tip of the nose to tip of the tail.  It is also illegal to kill a bear that is with cubs.

Bear hunting can be serious business.  They are powerful animals and the methods for hunting them are unorthodox to many.  Obtaining a tag may take years in many states.  Accompany a more experienced bear hunter while waiting to draw a tag.  Keeping the bait log full takes a lot of work and the hunter with a tag will appreciate any extra help.  This experience can help the novice bear hunter be more prepared for their future hunt.

Source:  ForemostHunting.com by Chris Larsen
The Bear Hunting Blog