The "BEAR Essentials" list???

[buckster]

Toehead64 & I are leaving Friday to hunt the black bear with fellow Lefty TG'r... Alain Revist near Montreal on our first Trad Bear Hunt!    

I am putting my gear list together and just wondering what you bona fide bear hunters would recommend I take with me??  We will be flying in, so we are trying to stay light.

Thanks in advance.

[cacciatore]

Rubber boots.

[BowMIke]

Thermacell! With refills! nonscented hunting soap, Quiet clothing. Rubber boots are good too.
I would get some anise oil at a pharmacy and mix a little in a spray bottle with water and spray around the bait. Take a book to read while sitting until prime time hours. I like to wear a Spandoflage head cover under a hat. Light gloves with shooting fingers cut off for shooting. A good small fashlight. Sharp broadheads and skinning knife.
Have fun!

[toehead]

  thanks Barry

[toehead]

BOWMIKE, would anise fish attractant work?

[buckster]

Thanks BowMike!

[TDHunter]

Video Camera  !   so we can see how you do

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Barry

1. Bow
2. Arrows
3. Weiner Dog

You GOTTA give Chowder a chance to track a bear - he'll love you forever!

I'm thinking towards bear hunting again next year (its been TOO long!) and if I do I'm driving - wouldn't leave Oskar at home for anything!

Ryan

[R. W. Mackey]

I second the Thermacell, with lots of spare cells and pads. Get a carrying case for it and turn it on before you hit the woods hang it on your day pack and don't leave camp without it.  You just thought we have bugs in the south!!  Have a great time and remember Lefties dont miss, no pressure or anything and last but not least, remember the vitals of a Bear are farther back than most animals, dont risk crowding the shoulder, Good Luck...RW

[buckster]

More great advise, thanks again ya'll.

Ryan,

I am really bummed that Chowder will have to stay back, since I'm flying to Montreal.

He has been going ape _ _ _ _ for anything that shows up in the yard; bullfrogs, squirrels, you name it.  When I let him in the house to cool off, he insists on building arrows and reading the same old Traditional Hunting articles.  Here's your proof....
 

SERIOUSLY, we need to plan a future hunt and get the boys together for deer, bear, or whatever.  I'm sure that Oskar can teach my boy a few things and it would be a great opportunity for us to roundeveoux!

[Gary Logsdon]

The 14 years I guided spring bear hunters we didn't have Thermacells:^(  We kept the black flies out by wearing a rig similar to the old Shannon's Bugtamer suit.  Wrists, boot tops, and the collar area were duct tapped shut. Latex gloves (with fingers cut off) were worn under a set of light cotton camo gloves so that the huge mosquitoes, aka "The Canadian National Bird", couldn't set up any drilling platforms. Our bears liked peanut butter smeared in strategic areas,anise oil sprayed in the air, and plenty of grease placed in the front of the bait for bears to step in and carry on their pads throughout the bush.  We called it "the good news trail".  Liquid smoke was sometimes used effectively too, as well as the occasional bacon burn heated over a can of solid fuel.  Here is a photo of Byron Ferguson and me after a week of ducking bugs.  Notice our wrinkled hats, the result of wearing a full head net while sitting over bait for hours on end.

(Note: Hit the F5 key to refresh the page if the photo fails to download.)

 

[buckster]

Thanks Gary,

I last night i mixed up some honey, molasses & liquid smoke for burns & a spray bottle of oil/vanilla extract.  I'm taking a bug suit & therma cell with me to battle the bugs.

By this time tomorrow I be headed to the Little Rock Airport, then to Atlanta, then Montreal. Yea!

BTW, you photo with Byron is terrific!

[Gary Logsdon]

That was Byron's biggest bear. It took him, Jerry Simmons,Fred Pape, and myself to get the huge rascal to the nearest vehicle.

[toehead]

Good tip on the latex gloves!  That will work in Oklahoma too during early deer season...One year after opening weekend i counted over 100 mosquito bites on my hands through gloves....
See you in Atlanta Barry  

[toehead]

quick question, you can get the butane for the thermocells in Canada right?  I know you are not allowed any type of fuel on your checked bags.

[Lechwe]

The butane is the same as that used in curling irons. Go to a walmart or Canadian tire and you should be able to find the.

Good luck.