Bear ?

crazyaboutcoues · Aug 18, 2003

How long does a bear hang around a dead carcuss? I just came back from setting a stand for deer and found a dead domestic cow carcuss that a bear had been feeding on. Fresh track everywhere. The pads on his tracks were about 4 1/2 wide, is this big? I'm not much into shooting something that looks like one of my aunts,

but I guess if it comes to it I will.

Happyhunting · Aug 18, 2003

4 and 1/2 inches is average. It is probably a 250 pound bear. The bear will feed on that carcuss for 5 to 10 days usually.

bullwidgeon · Aug 18, 2003

Sometimes bears will hang out on carcasses until the meat is all gone. It all depends on other available food and how hungry they are. Usually they only leave carcasses to get water and then return. My grandfather found a bear on a carcass once and after he shot the bear he said it was the foulest thing on Earth having to pull the bear out of the dead cow and then clean the bear. I guess the cow was pretty much maggot ridden and the bear was wallowing around in it pulling out meat x( . I guess beef goes bad pretty quick in the hot Arizona September sun ;-). I would think deer will abandon your spot until the bear has moved on, they will stay away from the bear by a hundred yards or more while he is around anyways...

Bret M.

antler · Aug 18, 2003

Bret is correct, the bear will hang on that kill until the meat is totally gone. After you kill a bear, watch the carcas, and other bears will feed on it as well.

Lance