School me on black bear hunting.

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antiqueguy

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So I have an opportunity to go hunt black bear this year I will most likely be using a shotgun with slugs.

Hunt will probably be a spot and stalk as I don’t know the property and won’t know where to set up my blind.
 
Everyone I know who hunts them baits them. Being as they are skidish, baiting seems to be the most reliable way to bring them in. I can't see calling working too well, but I could be wrong. But I would assume wounded animal noises are more likely to bring in coyotes then a black bear.
 
Too vague. What time of the year? How big is the property? Early spring hit the first green up. Try a fawn call when fawns drop. Over bait is the best bet by far in boreal forest. I’d suggest a smoke bomb at the very least.
 
Spot and stalk isn’t done in our area. It’s all bait for black bears.

Wait until he gets up on the barrel and let him have it, lol

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I have the most success in the last hour or two before dark, seems they like to lounge around in the shade during the heat of the day and then come out to feed in the evenings. You can't fool the nose of a bear, so make sure the wind is in your face during the stalk. If it spooks, wait 5 minutes...occasionally they come back out. If not, come back at a similar time the next day.
 
Jimbobob08 said:
Too vague. What time of the year? How big is the property? Early spring hit the first green up. Try a fawn call when fawns drop. Over bait is the best bet by far in boreal forest. I’d suggest a smoke bomb at the very least.
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I’m looking at may-June season. Never been to the property so couldn’t tell you the size but it’s in zone 61
 
No bait in BC, it’s all spot and stalk, so it’s totally doable. The suggestion to go on the first grass shoots is what we do here in spring. You’ll also find them browsing buds very early season. Fall’s a different story.

I find early evening to dusk most productive for bears personally. If it’s warm, mid day will be slow.
 
antiqueguy said:
I’m looking at may-June season. Never been to the property so couldn’t tell you the size but it’s in zone 61
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You’re going to want to be out there AT first green up to have the best odds without baiting. Usually south facing hills green up first. I check hydro pole lines, and drained beaver ponds personally, although I’m not sure how much crown land is down there in 61. Stay downwind and don’t spread scent. Usually by the time the dandelions are out bears have lost their plugs and everything is nearly green, that’s when I start baiting.
 
Ardent said:
No bait in BC, it’s all spot and stalk, so it’s totally doable. The suggestion to go on the first grass shoots is what we do here in spring. You’ll also find them browsing buds very early season. Fall’s a different story.

I find early evening to dusk most productive for bears personally. If it’s warm, mid day will be slow.
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Yes. There are bears out at first light but they like last light better. Spend $$$ on good optics and stretch your shooting light.
 
Took my first bear with a slug over a bead sight spot and stalk, many hunts ago. I can’t say I’d choose it, but it will get the job done.

Ideally you can get to 25 yards, mine first was less then. Definitely shoot a lot of slugs at varying ranges, make sure you’re hitting a a small paper plate consistently, and learn how to make a proper lung shot placement wise. That will be most reliable with slugs, the crappy commercial slugs don’t do well with bone (non-Brenneke).

And have a good hunt.
 
antiqueguy said:
So I have an opportunity to go hunt black bear this year I will most likely be using a shotgun with slugs.

Hunt will probably be a spot and stalk as I don’t know the property and won’t know where to set up my blind.
Click to expand...

Speaking from experience, if you even see a bear during a spot and stalk which is very rare in Ontario, you’re going to want to be quick on the action to get another slug ready because when you hit that bear it’s going to take off like a rocket and if you’re not in a blind but in its way it won’t be a great experience. Shot my first bear and watched it absolutely fly out of the bait sight with two holes in its chest and it’s lungs looked like soup when we gutted it so let that tell you something about it’s resilience. Even the 250-300lbs bears.

Good luck on your hunt and play the wind and find natural food sources that they’ll frequent like acorns and berries!
 
Ardent said:
No bait in BC, it’s all spot and stalk, so it’s totally doable.
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The terrain is different in Ontario. The southern 1/8 of the province is largely open farmland with patches of woodlots. The other 7/8, where 95% of the crown land is, is mostly rock and swamp and trees. You might be able to find some spot & stalk opportunities where there's a lot of clear cutting going on, but in a lot of the province you literally can't see the forest for the trees. The only time I've seen a bear more than 50 yds away was when it was crossing the highway. I've blundered into sows with cubs a couple of times at less than 20 feet.

In the southern portions of the province you might catch a bear out in daylight at a distance, but then the property is almost all private and you would need permission.

Not many bears would get shot in Ontario without baiting.
 
Makes sense, NE BC is like that thick boreal, and without sight lines would be incredibly tough. You end up hunting muskeg swamp shores and languid creeks, and human modifications of the forest.

Sounds like antiqueguy is headed to private land, hopefully farmland for his case, any word what sort of landscape you’re going to be working, and when spring comes there? If it’s cropped land, will be handy to know the make up of it in your case.
 
Ardent said:
Makes sense, NE BC is like that thick boreal, and without sight lines would be incredibly tough. You end up hunting muskeg swamp shores and languid creeks, and human modifications of the forest.

Sounds like antiqueguy is headed to private land, hopefully farmland for his case, any word what sort of landscape you’re going to be working, and when spring comes there? If it’s cropped land, will be handy to know the make up of it in your case.
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It’s farmland with brush on part of it don’t think it is used for crops though. My issue with baiting is we are probably only going to be there a week or so it’s 5 hours away and I can’t travel that every few days to check on the bait.
 
Brutus said:
Brennekes whistle through wild boar like nobodys business.
I expect similar results on black bear.
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Unfortunately brenneke slugs are not available locally or anywhere it seems. I got some Winchesters and some federals to try then I’m also going to be loading some pumpkin ball slugs. I’d much rather be use my .303 or x54r or .458 win mag but with no primers in this entire country I can’t reload for any of them.
 
You’re gonna give yourself a massive advantage with the .303, there’s no question between now and spring you can find a box of ammo. A bead sighted 12 gauge on a spot and stock puts you in the decidedly looking for a challenge camp.

Good odds your shotgun is going to shortchange you on a spot and stalk and send you home empty handed after a ten hour round trip, $45 for a box of ammo for the .303 of x54 is very well spent.
 
Spot and stock is how we roll in bc.
Late afternoon to dark has been the most productive for me.
I tend to go fishing in the morning at bear camp. Then hunt late afternoon
Spring hunting is nice because you have daylight until way late in the evening.

Not that I’ve hunted with 12g slugs. But Id guess 70+% of the bears I’ve shot have been inside 100yrds for sure.
 
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