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Author Topic: Black bear hunting  (Read 6219 times)

Offline '46

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #20 on: May 14, 2003, 12:11:00 AM »
I have hunted bears for years and we've had a number of encounters with mad or wounded bruins. Some were badely wounded, others slightly...and some mad mommas too....a few times where the bear has come on hard. In every instance the pepper spray has turned them....thats not to say there isn't a shotgun with buckshot along when trackin a wounded one.  :)
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George
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Offline bayoulongbowman

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #21 on: May 17, 2003, 04:28:00 PM »
George , Im checking places for a bear hunt next year ...I mostly hunt hogs and deer...but this is my first time with bears..(black) any suggestions for 1st timer...especially broadhead choice...I shoot mangus and modocs presently..145 gr. 125...Ive been looking at the WW too... whats the best pepper spray..#78 Mark
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Offline DiamondD

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #22 on: May 17, 2003, 04:58:00 PM »
George,

That is good to hear that the spray will turn a wounded bear!  I'll bet that was exciting!  :scared:    

I shot one in some really thick oak brush, I had a September rifle tag at the time so it was legal to hunt them with a rifle or pistol and I had been packing a Contender with a scoped 338/'08 barrel.  Anyway the pistol was back at camp along with the horses and after shooting the bear with my bow it was a little spooky crawling through the thick oak brush looking for him.

I'd carry the spray somewhere like Utah that doesn't allow bowhunters to carry a pistol, and feel pretty good about it.

Do you use Counter Assault or some other brand?  I would think that they are all about the same?
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Dean Daniel

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Offline O.L. Adcock

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #23 on: May 17, 2003, 09:42:00 PM »
Mark, You shoot fairly heavy bows, don't you? 60#+?....If so, shoot the biggest nastiest broadhead you can as penetration on bears is not a problem as long as you stay away from the shoulder. I like Snuffers out of anything in the low 50's and up....O.L.
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Offline bayoulongbowman

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #24 on: May 17, 2003, 10:25:00 PM »
O.L. Thanks you are one of best at adding great information . Im thinking of hunting out of one of those double bull blinds next year . I have hunted out of them and it is un believeable what you can get away with in them..my bows I hunt with are 62" and 64" and I just hope thats enough room ...I also have 60 recurve . thanks,Mark #78
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Offline O.L. Adcock

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #25 on: May 17, 2003, 10:38:00 PM »
Mark, Yep, those blinds are great. I took a deer from a GH-500 with a 64" longbow but you do have to pay attention to the tips and cant your bow, which I do anyway. The bear I took last year was from the 500R recurve model and I again was shooting a 64" bow...No problem at all with that length in the R model.....O.L.
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Offline bayoulongbowman

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #26 on: May 17, 2003, 10:46:00 PM »
O.L. , did you have to brush in the blind or not..and did have to use any cover scent..thanks Mark #78
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Offline '46

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #27 on: May 17, 2003, 10:47:00 PM »
Mark, O.L's got it pegged. With bears penitration isn't a problem, they're thin skinned. But blood trail is the issue. Bears have a pretty thick layer of fat that seals the wound, preventing much bleeding. They are hard to find if they go very far. The best is to put them down real fast...big nasty BHs, snuffers make a nice hole.

A few years ago I made a picture perfect shot on one, just behind the shoulder, complete pass through. I heard the "death moan" about 60 yards away...no promlemo huh? Took us over an hour to find it. They seem to find the dangdest places to keel over. Put 'em down quick.

Good luck.
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George
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Offline bayoulongbowman

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #28 on: May 17, 2003, 10:57:00 PM »
George, I shoot snuffers with the bleeders and 3:1 modoc 145 gr. both..mark
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Offline O.L. Adcock

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #29 on: May 17, 2003, 11:18:00 PM »
Mark, I brush them in for deer but not for bears. Our bears may not be typical for other areas where they get more pressure however. The area I hunt is remote and the bears have ZERO fear of the blind even sitting in the open. I may brush mine in from now on just so they have something to trip over while they are walking around the blind! LOL Scent isn't a problem with the bears here either, as long as they can't see you or hear you, they don't care about the scent. They will circle at 30-40 yards until they are satisfied it's safe then come on in......O.L.
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Offline DiamondD

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #30 on: May 17, 2003, 11:55:00 PM »
O.L.,

You ever call one in from downwind?  That little bear that came to us had already winded us and was running away from us before we ever saw him.  As soon as my buddy started calling he swapped ends and it was all I could do to nock an arrow before he was on us!  :D  

I love hunting any animal you can call to you, but bears are the funnest!!!!!!
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Dean Daniel

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Offline O.L. Adcock

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #31 on: May 18, 2003, 09:05:00 AM »
Dean, I don't remember ever calling one in from downwind. In the thick stuff it's them circling downwind that ended the game most of the time. My comment about them not spooking from scent is using the blinds by water. I don't use the blinds while calling.....O.L.
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---Six NAA/FITA National and World flight records.----

Offline DiamondD

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #32 on: May 22, 2003, 08:46:00 PM »
O.L.,

It may have been an isolated incident when we did it.  The bear was a small one and looked pretty scrawny, but it AMAZED me when he ran right to us.
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Dean Daniel

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Offline **DONOTDELETE**

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #33 on: May 23, 2003, 09:58:00 AM »
When baiting is outlawed, you have to take the easy route.Bears have playgrounds where they feel safe and spend lots of time in these thick brushy areas during daylight hrs.I just picked the nastiest draw with a creek running through it, and this is where the bears will be.The one I have been visiting has foot prints that are used continually over the many years, and are worn in the ground.Also look for the bear trees where the boars will claw and leave their mark.It may take a lil clearing with the snips, but it will pay off.GR
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Online Terry Green

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #34 on: July 09, 2003, 09:14:00 AM »
ttt
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Offline '46

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #35 on: July 13, 2003, 01:22:00 AM »
Love bear hunting, been at it for almost 40 years. Here's an excerpt from an email I sent Mickey this spring.

Bear huntin' was fun. Bugs were awesome in the woods and the walleyes were biting. Bears at all the stands, one blond (300+) and 2 cinnamons in the 200 range. Lots of newby bear hunters, so there were a number of small bears shot, 125-250 range, as well as several real nice ones. No other trad bow hunters.
I didn't make it in time to hunt Tues nite, tried... but got a speeding ticket about half way there so I figured I'd better slow down the rest of the way.
The first night I hunted was Tues. I was at the "Eagles Nest" stand, don't know if you were in that one or not. It's a 3' white pine, stand at about 20' and an easy 20 yard shot. Stormed most of the evening, high winds & rain and I didn't see a thing.
Wednesday I was at one of the stands south of Sprague, one of the ones I was in last year. The evening started out well, couple of 200 pounders came in (one maybe 225) and tore everything up, few others came in...about the same size. The first bear in appeared to be dominate over all of the others, he kept coming back and driving them off. About an hour before dark he sauntered down the trail past my tree, looked up at me with his beady little eyes, clacked his teeth a few times and came chargin' up my tree....woofin' and growlin', mad as hell at me. I haven't used my pepper spray for about 4 years and was sure glad when it worked...heh heh. He just jumped down on the ground, ran about 30 yards, in plain sight, moaned, rubbed his face and rolled around until the stuff wore off then went right back to the bait and started eating just like nothing ever happened.
Ok, so now it's getting dark and I gotta go home and all so I rattled an arrow on the metal stand hoping it would scare him off. He ambled slowly back into the woods. I get down, gather my stuff and start down the trail through the spruce.....that little devil is now about 25 yards behind keeping pace. It's too dark to shoot in the spruce, all I can see is a black blob walkin' behind me on the trail so I just keep going. When I finally got to the logging road it opened up and became lighter, he was still there and coming on strong. I walked to where Larry was going to pick me up at, put my gear down, nocked an arrow and started walking back towards him hoping to get a shot. He took off when I got 20 yards or so from him....then Larry came and we left.
Went back to the same place the next night. Li'l Nasty was back and just ignored me. I had a real nice one come in on the trail, 8 yards out on my open side, spotted me as I started draw on him and left fast. I figure he was an easy 350+....too bad, guess that's why they call it "hunting" and not "catching" huh?  :)
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Offline bayoulongbowman

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #36 on: July 13, 2003, 12:13:00 PM »
George, Thats really cool ...Id love to try catch them walleyes I hear there great fish to eat maybe the best! sounds like alot of fun ...Lots of them bugs too huh....mark#78
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Offline '46

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #37 on: July 13, 2003, 12:35:00 PM »
Mark, it's good trip. We fish all day and start hunting about 5:00, don't come in 'till after 10.

Mickey went last year and saw a monster. Someone else saw him this year and missed.

Bugs are beyond description. Full netting including a bug suit, surgical gloves for the hands.
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George
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Online Stykbowslim

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #38 on: July 16, 2003, 09:38:00 AM »
Slim,

I used a 65# longbow, with an 800 grain GrizzlyStik on this boar.

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Offline O.L. Adcock

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Re: Black bear hunting
« Reply #39 on: July 16, 2003, 09:23:00 PM »
TWO WEEKS! And we'll be chasing some of these NM bears. Got my Griz Stics ready......O.L.
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