How often do bears moan

[DHR]

Hey all you bear killers, I'm just wondering how often you will hear a "death moan" with well hit bears.  The one bear I've killed did, but that's all the experience I have with it.  Been  hunting them a little more this year and just kinda curious about the moan thing.

Thanks alot  

[Steve H.]

Out of four blackies and one brownie plus in on a second brownie, I have heard it a grand total of once.

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

I'd say about half the time. That's on the double lung or heart lung combos. The one lung, liver, and guts shot greatly reduces the chances of a moan....believe me, I've made that shot quite a few times!

[JimB]

I have heard it about half the time also.I had three expire in a creek bottom where the creek was rushing and pretty loud so I'm not 100 % sure if they moaned or not.Before that,I would have said 3/4 of the time.

[Izzy]

Two moans for 3 bear.One of the reasons I dont kill em anymore.

[DHR]

Thanks guys, that's helpfull info.

[House]

Out of my four...two.  So 50/50 in my limited experience.  All were black bears in the boiler room.  

Travis

[cacciatore]

The only 2 bears I killed died within 50ys with heart lung shots.Both did and the second moaned 3-4 times.So I think they do it.

[Friend]

To hear a vivid example of a bear moaning multiple times, check out 'Tracy's first bear with her recurve on video!' thread.

Wonderful video!

[penrosefred]

2 out of 3

[dan d]

I only took 1 bear, but I heard the moan, I understand what Izzy means in his post above.
Dan

[Brian Krebs]

I have found that younger bears are more likely to do this than older bears. I am talking age; not size.
 It does tend to keep bear kills for a lifetime to one - for most.
 Keep in mind; that older boars will kill cubs to force sows into heat.
 I had another hunter set up his bait pile very near mine- which was neither intentional; nor 'wrong' in anyway.
 He was baiting with 50 gallon drums of maple syrup candy rejects and overheated maple syrup. His family owned a maple syrup company in Vermont.

 There were two bears in the area; a big boar; and a sow. The big boar was killed by a kid with a kodiak magnum - with arrows fletched from a turkey he killed.

 The sow was killed by me; actually a case of mistaken identity - but a good lesson.

 I skinned out both bears; and the boar had several inches of pure white fat on its back; and pretty much all over it.
 The sow had no fat on it at all ( this was a spring hunt).

 The boar was dominating the bait. I talked with one of the Craigheads one time- bear researchers in Montana- and he related his opinion that 40 bears could thrive where one big boar dominated an area.
 That was based on one particular type of environment. So keep that in mind if you will.

 But definitely big boars dominate food sources; so moans and all- big boars - for the sake of the other bears : can use some well placed arrows.

[hockey7]

-one bear, four moans, and that did it for me too.
No more bear hunting.

[schlaggerman]

I killed five bears with the bow and all five of them moaned. None went farther than 75 yards so they were all within hearing distance. All were shot through the lungs.