[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

Title:The Hunting Notesfile
Notice:Registry #7, For Sale #15, Success #270
Moderator:SALEM::PAPPALARDO
Created:Wed Sep 02 1987
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1561
Total number of notes:17784

531.0. "Tips On BEAR Hunting" by PH4VAX::DISTRICT (District) Mon Oct 30 1989 17:04

     I'm writing this note in hopes of getting some helpful hints on bear
    hunting. I live in the central part of Virginia and have hunted various
    small game along with white tail deer since I was a kid. In this part
    of the state we have a fair population of black bear which are hunted
    with the aid of of dogs. What I'm looking for are tips on still hunting
    or stalking. Things like signs to look for, what they feed on, places
    they prefer, do they bed in areas other than a den. Please add anything
    that may be helpful.
    
       Thanks,
    
        >>>--Mike--->
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
531.1BAIT'EMCSMADM::PAPPALARDOTue Oct 31 1989 13:1644
    
    Still hunting Black-Bear sounds interesting, but in my opinion I would
    set up a baited stand.
    
    Bears in N.H. and Maine though in huntable numbers are so wide spread
    and travel so much it would be in my opinion pure-luck for a still
    hunter(stalker) to creep up on one. Unlike deer, when a bear gets wind
    or hears an unnatural noise, he seems to not care but rather goes in
    another direction in a hurry, otherwords he is not to curious and wants
    nothing to do with Man. Niether do deer, but they seem to tolerate us
    more.
    
    The bears downfall is food, and this is where bait comes in. If there
    are bear in the area, in a matter of a few days to a week you should
    know by baits. What we use here in N.H. and Maine is a number of
    things, as long as it smells ripe, it will work, ofcourse you might
    attract other animals but you'll have to use your judgement.
    
    You can use 5gal buckets of bacon fat, a big ham, fish, scrapes of meat
    really anything.
    
    Once you locate where you want to set up, make sure you either build a
    tree stand or use a portable, I recommend the "Loggy Bayou" put it up
    about 15ft. Make sure your baits are wired to a tree so as they don't
    drag it off everytime they come in. When the bear comes into the bait
    he'll be real careful and cautious, he might even stand up to really
    smell any human scent. He will probably stay about 30-50 yds outside
    the bait for as long as an hour before he comes in, just to insure its
    safe. They are really really cautious this is why I say still/stalk
    hunting is pure luck for bear. Anyway once they come in they will only
    come to the bait ONEWAY and EXIT oneway, the next time they come they
    might come in the exit and exit the entrance but they will only use
    these two points from that time on. To you in the stand you will see
    the paths they made and are to watch them closly. In reality you should
    start to bait heavy about a month before the season opens.
    
    You could hunt early morning but I would hunt from 2pm til dark. Each
    morning i would check and re-bait if you have to. When going into your
    stand be real cautious as you never know what could be there.
    
    Well I guess I rambled on enough, Good-Luck!!!
    
    Rick
     
531.2Bacon GreaseWFOV12::CHANGThu Dec 28 1989 14:2019
    Hi Roger Chang here
    	I've hunted bear in Mass where you can't bait bear and in Canada
    where you can. I was luckly enough to find (by chance) and run that
    the bears use to get from point "A" to point "B" and have caught
    they on the move three times. 
    
    	In Canada I was on a week hunt in Chibougamau and the owner
    of the camp showed us just how fast bears react to bacon grease.
    I was already in my stand and he put down moose meat scraps and
    jelly donuts (which they love) and then bacon grease. After he had
    the bait down he took a coffee can and a pair of pliers and a blow
    tourch and burnt a half cup of bacon grease till it smoked up good.
    It wasn't but about 3 to 4 minutes and here they come, they got
    about 20 yards and started barking I thought the guy was going to
    die.He brought in three of them at once, see they have a bear problem
    in Chibougamau the bear average more then one point something per mile.
    So try burning some bacon grease but I suggest you do it in the
    tree stand. I have a brouchure from Canada if your interested.
    Happy hunting
531.3GUT PILEWFOV12::CHANGTue Feb 06 1990 09:4615
    Hi Roger here again
     	Just remembered something else about bear Hunting if while deer
    hunting and if bear season so the same time in your state. If you
    know of a deer killed in the area and you find a blood trail that
    the deer has been draged out. Back track and find the gut pile and
    sit on it are within shot of it. Bear pick up on the blood trail
    and they follow it almost at a running pace. They must think it
    is a wounded aminal and try to run it down for food. I watched a
    (approx 500) pounder pick up on a blood trail in the snow and he
    or she took off at a run down the blood trail, I fillowed and caught
    up with it when it found the gut pile. It was sitting in the snow
    like a buda munhing on the pile, but couldn't get my bow shot off
    before it saw me and took off. Hope this is some help 
    shoot streight 
    Roge