New Jersy Bear Hunting

[woodchucker]

You have to get together with Mike, and the other "Jersey Boys"!!!!!

They definately tag many deer each year!!!      

[tracker12]

Anyone have any suggestions for a Motel That will give us decent access to Hamburg WMA.  I was given some decent info on a spot that we are planning on starting at.  My buddy has been having a little trouble with his back is is kind of backing out of camping.  Thinks the cot will not work out for him.

Update
Got a place to stay.  Thanks for all the suggestions.

[drewsbow]

headed down sunday

[bowzonly]

Well I've given it one last chance. Got up at 350 drove an hour and a half spent 30 mins walking 3/4 of a mile up a hill got up in my tree and what do I see. Another hunter 100 yards behind me. Hunters in NJ are like NY city rats for every one you do see there are 50 more you don't.  I started right away wit a predator call and after about 10 mins the guy wandered off. Hope it wasn't one of you guys who drove down from Mass. and bought an out of state license. My buddy in Ariz has great success calling in bears and killing them with a longbow. All you you have to do out there is go a half mile into a deep canyon and you have the place to yourself. Last time he got one and his buddy, who was road hunting with a 300 win mag did not

[bowzonly]

Wanted to make that last post clear. That was the bear hunt up in the gap where there is supposed to be "room to roam"  In NJ you are never more than a half mile from another human

[SteveD]

Nice Doe Mike Congrats

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Nice Doe Mike,


Good Luck Drew

[modr]

I have just the opposite experience as bowzonly ,I live in New Jersey,hunt both state and private land,(about 20 minutes from Worthington),I've killed a buck and two does this season and haven't seen another hunter,two of the three deer were shot on state property.I see numerous bears, no desire to shoot one,I've had 40/50 Turkeys in my front yard numerous times.A great State for deer hunting, bowzonly,give me a call if you'd like to get together and hunt, Ray,973-908-4770

[highlow]

If you are still trying for one this week, I have a short story to relate which might come in handy should you put "blackie" down. Talked to my butcher this morning. Had 11 bruins in yesterday. One was 533 lbs. Took the guy and a "volunteer" (had to go on FB and plead for help) 8 hours to get it out of the woods. That's a long time before cooling the animal. Especially a bear with all the fat acting as reverse insulation. The butcher isn't sure the meat will be any good. Plus, he has no more room in his cooler and will have to turn away any future successful hunters.  These are definitely two things that need to be considered before loosing an arrow. I definitely will not be shooting one. Just not worth the trouble.

[Tique]

How you been Mike? Real nice doe, glad to see you're still stacking them up.

[2wfstlhunting]

I heard today from a very connected source that the bear kill is going strong AND interestingly the percentage of tagged bears is much lower than expected. What this means is that there are apparently a lot of bears out there that haven't even been identified and counted.  Ergo, the bear population is substantially larger than was appreciated by NJ Fish and Game

[highlow]

Something I've always said 2w.

[drewsbow]

I went down to NJ and stayed with Mike  who was a great host  ( thanks again Mike) and had a great time . We did spend some time kinda scouting while we made setups and did some calling. This was new property to both of us and we still managed to see deer , turkey and called in a red fox very close .
The last morning that I hunted we got into some bears with a sow and cubs that where two years old at least and big enough to be on there own . Mike encouraged me to keep working up to them every time they moved and we where with in shooting distance four times.
I had a couple chances for a shot the best being when the sow stood up at roughly 25 yds  and then after she dropped back down. I didn't shoot for reasons known only to my inner mind and when it doesn't feel right you don't shoot . I had my chance and have no regrets on my decision , what a great time.

 Thanks Mike , for showing me how awesome NJ can be. Drew

[bowzonly]

Good to see that a few are having a positive experience in. NJ but I still contend that for the vast majority that hunt public land that is not the case. I have been doing this for forty years and in my opinion it has become a horror story. I have two children and did not introduce either to the outdoors do to the lack of quality experiences available on NJ public land.  Traveling out West has further opened my eyes. Last year I went on a public land mule  deer hunt (lottery permit) License and permit cost about 500. In 10 days I saw 350 deer including several trophy bucks. And on top of that I did not see another' hunter in the woods (they all hunt from the road out there') This year elk hunt, same experience as the deer hunt

[highlow]

I don't know where you live in NJ bowzonly but I will suggest  a state forest where you can hunt and I doubt you will see another hunter. That forest is Stokes in Sussex County. I think most who hunt public land think they have to go deep to evade other hunters so they tend to congregate in the center of these properties. My advice would be to hunt the edges and small sections that others will bypass. What public land do you hunt?

[bowzonly]

In the past , central jersey 6 mile run, Assunpink, Black River.  More hunters than deer in these places nowadays.  Have taken deer out of Stokes with a muzzleloader (Hawken not modern "rifle") That was twenty years ago.  This year on opening day of bear I was 3/4 of the way up the mountain near poxono boat ramp and that's were I had the guy 100 yards behind me.  With all that bear muzzleloader activity (a lot of guys walking around) I'm just afraid that any deer that were up there have already left the big woods and are living behind houses. I've seen that happen many times. Used to do really well on public land. In the late 80's I bow killed a 200 lb 10 pt in Assunpink then the compound rage took off and I started seeing less and less deer. Left the stand early one eve to check the fields and there were none in Assunpink. As I was driving out there were 20 in the field just across the street  Have MANY similar stories

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Sounds like a  very cool experience Drew.  I know where you are coming from, sometimes not loosing an arrow is better than killing something.

[bowzonly]

I don't hunt to say I've killed I kill to say I've hunted (author?)

[Adirondack Bowman]

Jose Ortega y Gasset

[bowzonly]

Thanks Adirondack.  My point being that Trad gang has a lot of like minded members i.e. Hunters, so I prefer to talk on here about the hunting aspects of my hunts and save the nature walk aspects for my FB page where the vast majority of my friends are non hunters.  Feel free to visit my page and you will read many stories and see many beautiful photos relating the tremendous joy I receive from just spending time in the outdoors.  Since my buddy has moved to Arizona I have visited him at least 6 times we have had close encounters with Javelina, bobcat coyote monster Elk monster Mulies black bear Coues deer and I have not killed anything ( had I been using a compound I would most likely have one of each) yet these have been the best hunting trips of my life simply because I have been in the game. In NJ I just don't feel that way anymore I see more hunters than wildlife. Out there I have walked up to 15 miles a day and not seen another human. And I haven't even begun to talk about the gorgeous landscapes surreal sunsets and moonrises (which in many areas you can see both at the same time simply by looking to the left and right). All his friends make fun of me because I am constantly stopping to take pics of wildflowers or sniff a butterflies arse or pick up a insect (again, visit my FB page and you will see many of these photos)  If NJ is the only place you spend your hard earned money you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice. For the longest time I put off traveling and now that my eyes are wide open I am angry at myself for not doing it sooner