Bear hunting

[Chris Shelton]

#7047

Hey everyone, I just entered for the 2009 Bear permit lottery here in Maryland. I would almost put money on it that I will not get it this year, seeing as how were on the preference point system. Does anyone know how to hunt bears without, bait or stalk and spot.

[David Petersen]

#58589

If you have a subscription to TBM online, use the search engine to look for an article by David Petersen about bear hunting — I can’t recall the title but it ran a few years ago and its whole purpose is to lay out as many non-baiting methods as possible for bear, stuff that can work anywhere, as suggested by a leading bear biologist. For what it’s worth, here in CO, since baiting and hounding were banned in ’92, we have more bear hunters, a higher percentage of kills, and bigger bears on average. There IS life beyond the bait bucket! Best luck, dave

[Jesse Minish]

#58752

The only methods I know besides baiting or spot and stalk would be hound hunting or finding natural food sources and sitting and waiting on one like you would your whitetail. Good luck on drawing your tag and what ever method you use they are all very fun and fair ways to take a bear.

[Robin Conrads]

#59182

Dave’s article was in the Apr/May 2005 issue. It is available in print using this link: 2005 Back Issues, then select Apr/May.

The Download Library (under Resources) has an index of all articles that we’ve ever published (and lots of other neat stuff you can download). The magazines are either sold as back issues or available in digital format for Premium Members. If you ever want help finding something, use the Contact Us form and I’ll look it up.

G’night all.

[sharpster]

#59445

Greatree,

If your bear population in Maryland is anywhere near as dense as it is here in NW NJ, you should be able to find heavily traveled trails leading to/from crop fields or other food sources. You could set up a tree stand or ground blind and hunt them just like you would deer. Our east coast suburban bears frequently don’t travel great distances if there is a readily available food source and they can be fairly easy to pattern.

A few years back when we had a bear hunt scheduled here in NJ, my son and I had the routine of a huge boar worked out to within a few minutes. Every night he would travel about 1/4 mile down a steep forested mountain side, cross a small road and spend all night in a corn field about 1000 yrds away. Then like clockwork, at first light he’d head back up the mountain (large hill to you western guys/gals).(This was right below the Appalacion Trail BTW). His routine was unbelievably predictable. For two months he traveled the same trail, stepping in the same footprints morning and evening. (two trails, one uphill, and one downhill). We had placed a blind on a small flat about half way up the ridge along this trail and had watched him waddle passed us on several occasions. This was gonna be too easy. Then 3 days before the opener, the peta people succeeded in getting a judge to block the hunt…

At least your Governor has enough sense to listen to the biologists rather than the PETA nuts. Good luck and let us know how it goes,

Ron

[Daniel]

#59821

David Petersen wrote: If you have a subscription to TBM online, use the search engine to look for an article by David Petersen about bear hunting — I can’t recall the title but it ran a few years ago and its whole purpose is to lay out as many non-baiting methods as possible for bear, stuff that can work anywhere, as suggested by a leading bear biologist. For what it’s worth, here in CO, since baiting and hounding were banned in ’92, we have more bear hunters, a higher percentage of kills, and bigger bears on average. There IS life beyond the bait bucket! Best luck, dave

My sentiments exactly Dave, we are in the same boat in the Northwest Territories, Canada 🙂

[Don Thomas]

#13758

The key to successful spot-and-stalk bear hunting is simply figuring out what the bears are eating. They are the ultimate omnivores, and will travel great distances to concentrate on the preferred food sources at any given time. Of course those very from place to place as well as from time to time. In coastal Alaska in the spring, for example, its forbs and crustaceans on the tide flats, followed by a move to the salmon streams when the fish enter the river, then another move to the berry patches as they ripen. And you can refine the search even further… When they are on the streams, they prefer red salmon to other species, and big boars tend to fish the smaller headwaters while sows concentrate in the open areas downstream. You’ll just have to answer these questions for yourself in your area… but when you find the food source, you’ll have found the bears. And as Dave points out, the food doesn’t have to be in a bucket. Don

[Chris Shelton]

#17101

Thanks you guys, I still have alot of time I think, like I said were on the preference point system, so it will basically be out of the guys who put in the last two years. I will still check though, we have a short season. Does anyone know if it would be good/safe to track them in snow, like whitetails? I suppose I would only be able to do this if our bear hunt made it to the second split in December. In maryland they will close it if the quota is met! Thanks again everyone!

[SteveMcD]

#29828

I know here in New York State… Like what has been said. If you can find their food source that’s a good start. I know from the apple trees in my backyard, they will come to them in late fall to get the remaining apples, it seems the mushier the better – they are sweeter. Find an old apple orchard with bears in the area is a good bet. Just hope they come in during daylight and not after dark. Also I find using a treestand and a predator call will draw them in also.

[LanceColeman]

#30337

Bears can be patterned just like whitetails during acorn mast falls. The key to that is to only hunt steaming fresh scat and sign. As in if it doesn’t have flies on it or a bears butt 10″ above it?? It’s not fresh enough. Like deer sign, the tell tale story of ancient poop, ol poop, poop from a day or so, and “wow thats still wet!” is your jackpot.

Bears noses are incredible. if you do not play the wind direction to your advantage you may as well be bird watching. Like Steve said they’re creatures of habit and we have bear trails around here that look like soccer ball imprints down them where they actually mainatain the exact stride all the time and form impressions in the dirt.

Doc Ashby gave me a recipe they used in Canada as a bear lure years back. It’s worked for him and I’ve had success with it as well. But around here my favorite is vanilla butternut cake flavoring mixed 50/50 with anise oil. Dip a drag rag in it and figure 8 a trail with your stand in the center, and don’t be afraid to keep some in a spray bottle to “spritz” out every so often.

I used to be bad about crushiung the apples from my trees in a bucket and adding the liquid from sour mash corn to it and allowing it to ferment. Then squeeze the entire mush through a screen and extract all the liquid. You could then pour the liquid over rotten stumps. But bears would come in and eat the dang stumps! DNR says anything they can actually eat drink or consume is classified as bait. So I stopped that.

The best way I personally have found to get on bears?? Just don’t hunt them. The more and more I don’t hunt them the more and more they show up and ruin my deer hunting. The less I look for them the more I see them:roll:

[rayborbon]

#36436

Hello,

I do not live in Maryland but will offer my experiences bear hunting.

First – I found there are no real secrets to finding the bears.
Second – Look or the feeding areas. Bears like to eat. Especially berries this time of year out here.
Third – Find a place that has water and a reason for the bears to stick around.
Fourth – Look for bear sign. Scratches on trees, turds, footprints, hair, anything. (maybe even a live bear 😈 )

I have been hunting bears only about 3 seasons. I spent countless days and time looking for good bear hunting locations in my home state and have settled on about 3-4 places which I visit. They become really reliable by late August.

I passed on a small black bear last weekend and saw another one that day in the same meadow, a larger bear the week before which I blew the stalk on and look for one more chance this weekend.

I agree, pay attention to scent and wind direction.

Good luck on your bear hunting.

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