New Jersy Bear Hunting

[tracker12]

Well two weeks away and it will time to archery hunt bears in NJ.  A friend and I will be at the Worthington Campground.  Stop by if you are in the area.  We will be in a Silver Chevy PU with VA tags and our tent will look like it should be in Wyoming.  (Big white outfitters tent).

I did learn a lesson as always and that is to read the small print.  I read over the counter sales pf permits and figured that meant unlimited.  Well went to buy a permit for zone one only to find out there are sold out.  Now I need a Plan B.  Anyone have any suggestions on areas to hunt in zone 2.  Looks like mostly private property.

[drewsbow]

I did the same Tony and got a zone 2 permit , it does state oc on there site

[forestdweller]

Good luck on your hunt, sounds like a lot of fun!

[bamboo]

zone 2 isn't short on bears!!
  good luck boys!!

[Jerry Jeffer]

That's for sure Mike. Plenty O' Bears in zone 2.

[tracker12]

Well the process to get a non resident license was not easy but the people at the DWF were very helpful and I have my license and permits for zone 2 and zone 3.  

Anyone know of s decent campground near Whittingham or should I just stay the Worthington Campground and drive to the hunting area presuming I decide to hunt Whittingham.

Really hoping this works out.  I have killed bears with my gun and compound but my first time out with trad gear.

[bamboo]

http://www.campthegreatdivide.com/maps/local-map/
 http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/swartswood-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NJ&parkId=670035
 http://www.njcamping.com/kymers/

I've never camped at these--but all are in zn2 or right on the line--

[tracker12]

Thanks a bunch.  Swartswood Stat Park looks pretty nice and good location to get around from.

[bowzonly]

Don't know why anyone would spend there hard earned money for a out of state NJ license. I've been hunting here for 35 years and I am seriously considering not even buying my resident license next year. It's not so much the money ( I spend about 150 a year for hunt, fish and permits) but the wasted time   Its very frustrating getting up at o dark thirty, driving, walking and setting up only to have another "hunter" walk under me at prime time and ask "have you seen anything".  It's gotten progressively worse every year but really bad since x guns were allowed in.  Most public areas are very small and can't take that kind of pressure.  All the game is driven out and are living around homes. Last year I sat tip dark over a couple hundred acres of cut soybeans.  In the past I would have seen 20 deer, but last year none. The following week I was driving down a major highway and counted 17 dead in 15 miles.  I am predicting that the bear hunt,!like everything else in NJ will be a circus. I drove 1 1/2 hours up to Worthington last week to find a spot to get away from the central jersey crowd. I walked up a mountain then walked a mile through the woods and counted 3 ladder stands and the season hadn't even opened yet.  I have been hunting Ariz the last few years (a friend moved there) and it's like heaven compared to NJ. There is plenty of game (and a wide variety) and if you walk half a mile off a road you can have thousands and thousands of acres to yourself

[Jerry Jeffer]

Sounds like sour grapes Bowzonly. Feel free to enjoy AZ any time. I spend almost all my time hunting NJ and wouldn't have it any other way. I hunt public land, almost never see other hunters. I saw 4 nice bears yesterday. Last year my freezer was full of venison, and I'm actually eating the last of it today.

[njloco]

Unfortunately bowsonly is pretty much the truth, there are more deer living in backyards than ever before, I know, I see them there all the time from the RR tracks. Can't tell you much about the bears as they seem to be smarter, but there are plenty of bears to go around, that is for sure.

I was thinking about going for a bear but my heart's just not into it as I can't stand giving my $ to this state any more !

Good luck to all who go.

[Jerry Jeffer]

NJLOCO, it's only $2

[bowzonly]

Once again Jeffers, it's not about the $. I'd gladly spend a lot more for a quality experience i.e. No x guns ( I barely recognize the compound as a bow,never mind those things, and by the way I'm not an elitist, I used the compound for many years and think it is a great weapon) And more bow only areas with limited permits. The excuse that we need to control deer numbers doesn't hold up on public land. There are plenty of deer in people's back yards but to me that is culling, not hunting   Watching people through picture windows drinking their morning coffee, saying hello as the neighbors jog by and waiting for deer to clear the swing set before you have a clear shot is not my idea of fun. I was thinking of checking out PA 013 area. It seems like you can get away from the crowds up there and see some deer as well. What's your take Jeffers

[Jerry Jeffer]

Ok, well, Xguns and compounds I know you are not particular, but they are not going away soon. I don't use them. Culling and hunting, I'm filling my freezer if I can, but I won't be in any back yards. I have never been to PA 013 area. I looked on a map, it has potential as anyplace does. However, I not sure your $$ to experience level ratio could be met here in PA. There is a large hunting club near there. I mainly hunt private land in PA.

[Nantahala Nut]

I know this thread is about NJ but you could hop across the border to Northeast PA. I hunted Susquehanna and Wayne counties most of my life. The bear population has been rising. We see bear every year while up there deer hunting. There are less hunters but you will still have to deal with some pressure. We used that to our advantage especially on opening day of rifle season. Get to the back of the gameland to an area with no public access. The other hunters will push deer and bear straight to you. We killed many deer coming up draws and running benches with no scouting.

[bowzonly]

Thanks for the input guys. At this point ANYTHING has got to be better than NJ public land.  I live in the most densely populated corridor of the most densely populated state in the nation. There is guaranteed to be another human within a couple hundred yards.  And if you do some research you will see estimates of deer #'s at around 125k harvest around 42k ( more than half of which are taken by bowhunters ( so that gives you another indication of how crowded bow seasons are) ).  Deer vehicle collisions 25 k (that's only what's reported, insurance companies estimate it may be at least double that) and there are not many deer left at the end of each year

[Pointer]

My brother actually bought some land in NY to hunt because of the overcrowding on NJ public land. Too often the upland guys are out there with their shotguns and dogs while he and his sons are trying to bowhunt for whitetails. He said he didn't feel safe anymore so he got himself a nice piece of property here to bowhunt

[bowzonly]

Those pheasant "hunts" are the biggest joke of all.  I don't know how the state doesn't get sued for creating an unsafe environment   It's a total free for all. Every year people and dogs are shot. Guys screaming at each other over dead birds. Anyway, long story short(too late) I don't hold out much hope for the bear hunt being any different. If you shoot a bear and it runs more than fifty yards there will probably be another arrow in it and it may turn into a fight. Don't just take my word, anyone who has hunted long enough in NJ has probably been involved in or witnessed several fights over dead animals

[bamboo]

boy jerry I guess we need to get our eyes checked!!
i'm just not seeing all that!!well the pheasant opener is pretty busy!!--but if you set up a safe distance off from stocked fields --they run deer out of the fields up onto the ridges pretty well!
 
 I shot this nice doe Saturday on state land-for scale i'm #250---after getting her dragged to the truck-[7am]-we took a ride to check the other parking spots for this piece--nobody parked anywhere-opening day!!-I have driven through stokes state forest--sunrise mt/coursen rd /crigger rd the first saturday of novermber--FULL RUT !!--not one truck or hunter!!-- stokes is 16000ac--water gap 35000 ac--with many thousands of acres of smaller fish and wildlife properties--I say there is a little elbow room if you look around---I've 4 bear tags in my house--with friends and family rolling in--to make the best of it!!

[bowzonly]

Nice doe. I hope that is true that there is still room to roam up there. That's why I'm giving it one last chance this year. It's an hour and a half drive for me and if it's anywhere near as bad as where I hunt now this will be the last year for me buying a NJ license