Traditional Black Bears in WV?

[pintail_drake2004]

Hi yall, this is killing me not being able to shoot anything with fuzz or fur this season. Since I'm in WV, I figured I'd start looking for a black bear hunt. Started looking for an outfitter-have not had much luck. Talked to lots of locals in Preston Co., it seems as most folks up here leave the bears alone and target strictly turkeys and deer. I've talked to folks at work, they do not seem too interested in helping someone kill a bear-esp with a bow.
How hard is it for an outsider to kill a bear up here?

[A.S.]

As far as I know guiding for bears in WV is illegal as is baiting. There are plenty of bears around, you just have to be in the right spot.

[Don Batten]

I'd talk to Danny Burnett (SSWV on here) He might offer you some advice. I remember he got one a year or two ago.

[JimB]

There are plenty of bears these days in the mountainous parts of WV and you are in a good county.

Like any rural,conservative area,don't expect locals to warm up to you quickly and start pointing out hunting hotspots.

I lived in WV for 15 years,lived close for20-some years prior to that and probably hunted it a total of 25 years.Back in the '60's,the statewide take was app. 65 bears-any weapon.Most were taken with hounds.

As the bear population exploded in PA,WV and surrounding states experienced rising bear numbers,so the harvest has steadily increased over the years.2011 it was 2007 bears.

A few years after I left,it became legal to bait deer but not bears.The number of bears killed with bows increased drastically,making up 1/3 to almost 1/2 of the total kill.Any idea how that could happen in country where baiting is illegal and terrain is to thick and noisy for much spot and stalk?I still know quite a few people back there and hear some reports.Just don't expect locals to tell you everything about how to kill bears with a bow.

The increased bear population does mean there are more bear sightings and a greater possibility of having one come by a stand.If you want to hunt bears,first you need to pick a place to hunt.That means getting permission on private or researching places on National forest or a couple wilderness areas.

After that,you need to find the current food sources and find concentrated sign.Then you can formulate a plan,possibly a treestand on a good trail or crossing near feed.Woods there are very noisy now except after a rain so still hunting can be tough.I do talk to guys that have seen one and more bears on a weekend hunt.That's pretty good.Don't forget to talk to the WV DNR.I don't know a thing about outfitters but that wouldn't be hard to figure out.There should at least be hunting lodges.Good luck.

[Nathan Killen]

Pintail, I can help you if your interested ! I hunt Mcdowell co. in southern Wv, its a bow only county with a great population of bear and some really good bucks too ! Just this past saturday I had a 450-500# monster of a bruin at only 18yds, but I didnt have a bear tag. I could have bought one but there around $170 and I hunt that area for the trophy class bucks and not the bear. But I might just buy the tag now after seeing that monster ! Send me a PM if your interested and we will talk !

[JimB]

I assumed licenses would have gone up.Back in the day,we used to be able to get a NR bear bow tag for $15,after getting a NR license.Low chance of getting a bear then but a sweet deal and bears were around.

Still,$170 is half what a NR bear license would be here and probably a better chance of getting one.