Worth Buying A Bear Tag?

OldMxBowhunter · May 28, 2019

Drew The Early Bow Season In 6A. Is There Enough bears of any Size worth Buying a Out of State Bear Tag For. Really Don't Care to Ever Shoot a Young Bear So Just seeing If Its worth The investment or Not From those of You That Know the Area.

Thanks for any Advice

BigDaddyL · May 30, 2019

No offense, only you can answer this question.

Are you ok with possible eating the cost of an out of state tag due to not seeing a "Size worth Buying " bear or the unit is closed because the bear quota has been met? Are you ok with not having a tag and forced to watch a " Size worth Buying " bear walk away from you? Only you can answer these questions.

A good bear can show up at anytime, anywhere or no where at all. Good luck during your hunt, and have fun trying to decide if you want to buy a tag or not.

Muleman · May 30, 2019

There are good #s and good size bears in that area. It's also gets a bit of bear hunting pressure, which means harvesting older mature bears can be challenging.

Bear hunting is finicky, if the bear food is in the area you hunt this year you can see a lot. If the bear food is on a different elevation or part of the mountain this year you won't see any. So it's a gamble either way you look at it without being able to scout.

Another way to look at it is do you want to sacrifice a day or two of your hunt to deal with packing out and taking proper care of a bear hide.

smarba · May 30, 2019

I echo Mule's comment. Dealing with a bear hide (and meat!) will take 1-2+ days minimum. If you want a bear that badly and are willing to sacrifice some of your elk hunting days, then buy a tag.

I finally killed a bear last fall after buying tags "just in case" for decades. The meat is awesome, the big boar had been feeding on acorns. But it took me the better part of 2 days to butcher, pack out and get meat and hide to a cooler.

Carl

OldMxBowhunter · May 30, 2019

Dang You are talking me Out of One. LOL

I Defiantly haven't Considered Loosing That Much hunting Time If I was To Get Lucky and Kill a Good Bear. Eating a Tag doesn't Bother Me At all As Long as There was any Chance to possibly see A Mature Bear. Now I just don't Know If I'm Prepared to give up that amount of time from chasing Elk. This is the first Ever Good Tag I Have Drawn for the Last 20yrs. Too Bad you have to Buy a tag two days before The Hunt or Id Just Buy One only If I was Lucky enough to Kill Out Early. Ill Just Hold out and see What kind of Sign I See While scouting In August.

Thanks For all the Comments Guys

smarba · May 31, 2019

Buy a tag and hunt bears while you're scouting for elk in August. And then hunt bears again after your elk hunt.

OldMxBowhunter · May 31, 2019

>Buy a tag and hunt bears
>while you're scouting for elk
>in August. And then
>hunt bears again after your
>elk hunt.

I'm Dumb to New Mexico Seasons. I'll Defiantly Look into it. Thanks for the Heads Up

OldMxBowhunter · May 31, 2019

>>Buy a tag and hunt bears
>>while you're scouting for elk
>>in August. And then
>>hunt bears again after your
>>elk hunt.
>
>
>I'm Dumb to New Mexico Seasons.
>I'll Defiantly Look into it.
>Thanks for the Heads Up
>

Season Date Starts September 1St

smarba · May 31, 2019

I've never hunted 6A but I looked up and the previous post is correct, 6A falls in Bear Zone 1 in which bear season begins Sept 1. Several of the Bear Zones begin Aug 16 but that's not one of them. So much for hunting bears while you scout in August.

mozey · Jun 1, 2019

6a is where I killed my one and only bear and I can confirm that there are some good bears in that unit. Otherwise, I believe the advice already given above is solid.

OldMxBowhunter · Jun 1, 2019

>6a is where I killed my
>one and only bear and
>I can confirm that there
>are some good bears in
>that unit. Otherwise, I
>believe the advice already given
>above is solid.

Awesome. I'll Defiantly Buy one Just in Case a bear You Can't Pass Shows Up. Seeing I Have 5 Day to Get it Checked In Helps A lot To. Thanks Guys