2021 Blackbear

[Hntndux]

While I was sitting waiting for the end of shoot time and bored after spending a couple of deerless days I noticed a black spot amongst the blackberries that wasn't there before. A nice bear had decided to grab a bite to eat about 45 minutes before the end of shoot time so I quickly got into position to make a shot. He wasn't too sure about being in the open with light still remaining and headed towards the manzanita. He was on a very steep hill and I thought about putting one through his back and into his chest, but decided to wait. He got to the edge of the brush and then turned around evidently more hungry than cautious. I waited until he was directly looking at me and sent one under his chin and down his spine. He tucked and rolled about 30ft and that was it. Not a huge bear, but a good eater at 122lbs hanging at the butcher.

 

[Cahunter805]

Nicely done!! What dishes/recipes do you normally make your bear meat into?

 

[Snoopdogg]

Boom!

 

[BradA]

Congratulations

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Right on! Good job.

 

[Hntndux]

Nicely done!! What dishes/recipes do you normally make your bear meat into?

I keep a couple roasts for slow cooking in either a stew or enchilada sauce for wet burritos. The rest I have ground with pork fat and then I add chorizo seasoning for the best chorizo. My bear chorizo has actually made several guys in my club now get bear tags.

 

[Buck300]

This would be news to me but does rifle bear hunting in CA not open until rifle season does? Or does it open as soon as archery season does?

 

[Snoopdogg]

Not sure of his unit, but A zone is open to rifle and has been for a bit.

 

[twdjr]

Congrats!

 

[Hntndux]

This would be news to me but does rifle bear hunting in CA not open until rifle season does? Or does it open as soon as archery season does?

Mostly yes to both questions. Rifle opens when the deer rifle seasons open except for the Sierra Nevada X zones which doesn't open until 10/9. Archery in all zones opens 8/21. The regs seem unnecessarily complicated for bear, but they spell it out pretty clearly on the DFW website.

 

[Snoopdogg]

I think the X-zone regs date back to when we could still use dogs for bear and hasn't been updated. X-zone hunters didn't want bear hunters messing up their opening weekend with dogs barking after waiting for their premium tag.

Bear hunting in X zones was allowed to begin the second weekend of the hunt where almost all deer hunters were either successful or concluded there deer hunt regardless.