Have you been, or plan to, go bear hunting? (Poll)

[Founder]

Who all has been, or going, bear hunting this year? What state? Archery? Gun? Do you hunt from a stand or spot-n-stalk? Just curious how you all hunt them?

 

[Snoopdogg]

California, every year. Archery (opportunistic), but mainly rifle. Even then, only opportunistic because I focus on deer and if I kill a bear, they are generally big and quite a chore to get the hide, head and all the meat (and sometimes fat) back to camp. All spot and stalk.

 

[GLEDEASY]

Never been, but I have a spring tag for UT. Planning on running dogs. But will also try some spot and stalk.

 

[tailchasers]

No. Bear are one of the critters low on my list. Guess what gets me more than anything else is the known parasitic issues with them. All I'd want is the skull, pelt, and claws. No desire to eat the meat. So I pass on them. But I don't disgrace anyone who is contrary to my mentality.

 

[Betterluckythangood]

Tried it in Utah and Montana spot and stalk. They are hard to find and get a shot at.

 

[coloradoman]

 

[coloradoman]

Probably my last big bear

 

[ICMDEER]

I'll hunt bears. It's a great time to get out and have a low-stress hunt. Camp, shed hunt, fish, etc and then sit on a bear bait in the evening. I'll put out a couple of baits and hope to shoot another good one.

Here's last year's bear on the bait.

 

[Downrange]

I will be going with my nephew, he drew the premium tag for the Dutton unit. We have our own dogs and have hunted lions and bears my whole life. So much fun

 

[rmanwill]

Probably not this year. Have hunted them a dozen times, give or take. Always spring time after a long winter. First hunt of the year as the snow melts. Always a great time. Over the counter. We always had high success. I have taken 8-10 and our group of 3-5 each year probably have taken 35 or so. Low stress hunt with numerous sightings. I know the one year between 4 of us we spot and stocked 19 different bears. Tagged out with 4 bears for 4 of us.

Have 18 points here in Utah and will go for San Juan when I do, maybe next year.

 

[littlebighorn]

My son has a tag this year so we will be out in a few weeks to see what turns up. It's a San Juan tag but with all the tags they have given down there, the big bears have been really thinned out.

 

[StocknBone]

If you love Mule Deer and hunting them, hunt these bears. A fun great investment.

 

[SDBugler]

If you love Mule Deer and hunting them, hunt these bears. A fun great investment.

If I draw my early season deer tag in Colorado we will pick up some leftover bear tags. There are a lot of bears in that unit and need to thin them out and help the mule deer.
Here’s a bear we got a couple years ago on that same unit. She was aged at 10 years old and never had cubs. Probably ate a few fawns in her lifetime

 

[Stillwater165]

Been to Canada twice for black bear, specifically Kenora. Basically just walked the old logging roads, spot and stalk. First trip ended up with a large cinnamon color bear, second time a smaller black. Good times , and the northern pike fishing was a blast also !

 

[DaveD]

My son really wants to go so I'll do it some time soon. I personally have zero interest.

 

[MrShane]

For the life of me I don’t know why any Mule Deer state does not allow free-for-all Bear hunting, even better add them to the Coyote Bounty program and pay $50 for each dead Bear.
I bet any and all Mule Deer biologists would agree?
#BringBackMuleDeer

 

[legacy]

Bear is pretty low on my list but it’s definitely something I’ll eventually do once for sure. I have 19 points for Utah so I have options. Time is an issue for me so I’ll probably have to hire someone for help. I just have to eventually prioritize the time to do it.

 

[MrShane]

Bear is pretty low on my list but it’s definitely something I’ll eventually do once for sure. I have 19 points for Utah so I have options. Time is an issue for me so I’ll probably have to hire someone for help. I just have to eventually prioritize the time to do it.

I wish you the best of luck on your fawn-killer hunt!

 

[JPickett]

I bear hunt every year, never miss it. The other thing I do every year is end up giving myself a ton of crap I have to get done right at the same time. No difference this year, got a long list, probably going to punt for April and try and get it all done to hunt May. It only gets better later anyway but man one of these years, I’m going to have a stress free start to spring bear

 

[txhunter58]

Rifle in Southwest Colorado. Just trying to save some fawns and calves.

 

[SDBugler]

For the life of me I don’t know why any Mule Deer state does not allow free-for-all Bear hunting, even better add them to the Coyote Bounty program and pay $50 for each dead Bear.
I bet any and all Mule Deer biologists would agree?
#BringBackMuleDeer

Colorado always has a lot of leftover bear tags. Raising the NR cost from $100 to $250 this year will probably result in a lot more leftovers.

That’s ok, we will still pick up a tag if we draw a mule deer tag. Always good to help keep the predators in check. And, I still have a cinnamon bear on my bucket list. lol

 

[JPickett]

I'll hunt bears. It's a great time to get out and have a low-stress hunt. Camp, shed hunt, fish, etc and then sit on a bear bait in the evening. I'll put out a couple of baits and hope to shoot another good one.

Here's last year's bear on the bait.

View attachment 141787

View attachment 141788

You just do the shaker barrels? Popcorn for bait?

 

[MrShane]

Colorado always has a lot of leftover bear tags. Raising the NR cost from $100 to $250 this year will probably result in a lot more leftovers.

That’s ok, we will still pick up a tag if we draw a mule deer tag. Always good to help keep the predators in check. And, I still have a cinnamon bear on my bucket list. lol

Should be free to kill those giant garbage eating Raccoons.
And, the State should offer a bounty for each Bear/Coyote/Cougar killed.
Cheap investment to bring our Deer back.

 

[eelgrass]

There used to be lots of bear hunters with dogs in NW Kali and bears were kept pretty well in check. I see a lot more bears now and could have taken a truck load over the years but just never had the desire. I don't like eating them or it would be a different story. I'm always deer hunting when I see one, so I'd rather just shoo them away.

 

[SS!]

Should be free to kill those giant garbage eating Raccoons.
And, the State should offer a bounty for each Bear/Coyote/Cougar killed.
Cheap investment to bring our Deer back.

birth control would bring the deer back not predator control.

 

[SS!]

Headed to kodiak on Saturday. Heard there’s some bears there

 

[Phantom Hunter]

Killed one smallish bear I badly misjudged on size. Did not care that much for the meat. I will probably go again since my hunting buddy and my son both want to kill a bear. I doubt I shoot another one unless it definitely on the large side.

 

[MrShane]

birth control would bring the deer back not predator control.

So that is why Wyoming has so many Sheep…..for birth control.
Makes sense now.

 

[wstrntines]

Who all has been, or going, bear hunting this year? What state? Archery? Gun? Do you hunt from a stand or spot-n-stalk? Just curious how you all hunt them?

View attachment 141775

I plan but I haven’t drawn. I’ve went with dogs once but we never got on a good track.

 

[bticked]

Yup, every year. Run my own hounds here in NM.

 

[ICMDEER]

You just do the shaker barrels? Popcorn for bait?

It's on private lands, so I can use more than one barrel. I use one vertical barrel. Fill it with popcorn and the leftover cakes, donuts, breads, etc the store lets me have.

The roller barrel is filled with COB (corn, oats and barley) that's treated with molasses. I also sometimes put some syrup on the standing barrel and maybe some fryer grease I keep around from the local grills. And then put some marshmallow cream or other treat on the tree to keep them coming.

But I"ve used all kinds of stuff in the past. I don't use meat in the barrel any more. Gets too hot and the maggots are crazy.

 

[CFMuley]

Headed to Russia in early May for brown bear, and then the day I get back I’ll head to Montana for my annual bear hunt up there. This will be my 9th year in a row.

 

[Mallardsx2]

We killed a couple last year. Not very big bears but the were both very nice.

Made 86 pounds of snack sticks out of them. I might have 5 pounds left. lol

My wife’s first bear.

My first color phase bear.

Heading for Alberta next month. Archery bear hunt.

 

[txhunter58]

Headed to Russia in early May for brown bear, and then the day I get back I’ll head to Montana for my annual bear hunt up there. This will be my 9th year in a row.

Wow you are a braver man than I going to Russia. I guess you think it is safe, but too much going on over there for me.

Hunted with a friend this last week named Vlad. Parents moved from Russia when he was 10 to California. He know lives in Nevada. So he made the statement he escaped from communism twice. Once from Russia and once from CA

 

[Mallardsx2]

Wow you are a braver man than I going to Russia. I guess you think it is safe, but too much going on over there for me.

I'm with you.

Personally, there is absolutely no way I would leave North American soil under this administration right now.

I'm not really happy about even going to Canada next month....

 

[SS!]

Cute some of you are still scared of the dark. How often does an American tourist get kidnapped?

Grow a pair

 

[youngstock14]

I keep thinking a grizzly bear hunt would be awesome........however that is me behind my computer saying that........maybe I would change my mind going to face to face with one.

 

[bullskin]

My son hunts spot and stalk, or calls them in with predator calls. We cannot possibly eat two bears on top of the deer and turkey we kill, so I am content not to hunt them myself. They are damn fine eatin', however.

 

[huntindad4]

We usually have at least one tag in camp in CA. Like Snoop said above it's usually gotta be the right bear in the right place at the right time for us to miss time from chasing deer.

They're a bit of a pain to deal with. Nothing to grab onto and like a bag of jello to move. Once you get them gutted and cool it's pretty similar to anything else. We love the snack sticks when we have them. Great eating.

 

[feddoc]

Yup, spring bear on my own place.

 

[andrew12gauge]

I won’t miss spot and stalk spring bear, I do it every spring, it’s a wonderful time to be in the mountains and watch the plants and animals come back to life after a long winter. And if I get a bear it is good meat

 

[Silentstalker]

My son drew spring bear. We will hit it hard next month. This is his first bear hunt so he won’t be too picky.

 

[buxnbullz]

I've only hunted bear a couple times but I did draw the premium tag for the La Sal unit in Utah this year.