Black bear hunting....

Goose25

Goose25

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My dad gave me an early birthday present last weekend... This coming june (7-11th), he's bringing me on a hunting/fishing getaway ....black bear and trout are on the menu !!!

Thing is.... either of us have ever been bear hunting. We are totally clueless. The only hunting experience we have is deer hunting in the fall. Unlike our usual hunts, where we usually work hard to prep the upcoming hunting season (tree stands, apples/carrots, etc)... we are going to an outfitter's, where I suspect that they will have the field ready and waiting for us.... I would like to gather as much information as possible. I believe this is going to be my proudest hunting experience to date, as i have the utter most respect for bears.

Any information, comments, suggestions are welcome.... I want to go into the bush informed. Please share your wisdom fellow gunnutz:D
 
The outfitter will bring you to a stand that is pre-baited and you will sit in a stand approx. 40 yards away. Easy. Don't shoot the first bear that you see (immature bears will come to the bait earlier then the dominant bear).

Don't use bug spray, use a good bug net that covers your head and upper body. Make sure that it's a couple sizes bigger then you. Cover your hands as well. just immagine a zillion black flies trying to chew you up while you sit in your stand. Have fun:D

Which outfitter?
 
Caboose said:
Pack bug spray and bug spray.

Where is the Outfitter?
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Actually I should have said "Bugs and heat are on the menu" :D .... i'm accustomed to hunting when there is a couple CM of snow on the ground (no bugs, and cold), this is going to be a radical change...

Like aacollectible mentioned I will be wearing a body net, I've also herd about a new product that will be coming out in a couple months, supposidly it's a personal bug repellent, and i believe it's fueled with propane. I was told that they are going to sell for approx. 30$ each, so i will be looking into that further.

The outfitter is "La Pourvoirie Du Lac Oscar" and is located 1 hr north of La Tuque in QC. Does anyone know this place? Does anyone have any experience there or in that area?
 
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You might want to contact the outfitter and find out what they do and don't supply (there is at least one outfitter in Ontario that requires you to supply your own bait). They should also be able to tell you some details on what to expect when you get there. Like will you be hunting from a treestand or ground blind? What type of terrain to expect, typical shooting distances etc.
 
I have contacted the outfitter.... and this is what is to be expected:

-treestands
-60-70 yard maximum shooting distance (probably 50)
-baited for 1 month prior to our arrival
-we will be the second group of hunters there that hunting season
-terrain? not a problem.... i'm bringing up the 4wheelers


I'm looking for hunting strategy tips especially...
what times are they most likely to show up and feed?
scent? sight? hearing?, what are there strongest attributes?
that kind of thing....

should i wear camouflage, scent cover, avoid quick movements?
what about gutting a bear... would a "so-so experienced" deer gutter have a hard time gutting a 300lbs bear?
 
common hunting sense things like - scent control, no quick movements, etc, come into play of course

bears will feed most active at dusk in my experiences. their sense of smell is awesome, their strongest sense.
​
 
Hunting stategy:

Don't worry much about cover scents, but don't go out with a 3 day stink on :p . The bait site will quite aromatic and the bears are used to humans coming to refresh the baits.

Bear's are never far away from a "hot" bait sight. Walk in and get set-up in the stand quietly. I don't recommend walking from the bait to your stand. You'll leave a tasty smelling scent trail right to the tree your sitting in. Don't ask me how I learned that one :redface: .

Bears eyesight isn't the greatest although they do see in colour. Sit perfectly still in your stand, they'll easily detect your movements.

Usually little bears come out first, then the larger bears just before dark. That being said, I've spooked very large bears of my baits in the late A.M. when trying to refresh them.

If a small bear is on the bait, but nerviously ducking in and out of the barrel, chances are a larger bear is close by out of your sight. Don't shoot the first bear you see, but smaller bears are tastier ;) .

Wait for the bear to stick his head in the barrel before you move to put your gun on him. I like a quartering away shot with the bullet busting the shoulder on exit. I took my 200lbs'er last year like this with a 300 grain JHP .45/70. He tried to take two steps, fell over, death moaned, then lights out.

Field dressing won't be an issue. There's a little less room in the pelvic area compared to a deer. Are you planning for a trophy rug? Plan on about $100 per foot of bear (head to tail) for a rug. Be carefull skinning it. Do some "how to" research. If possible leave the head area and paws on for the taxidermy-man to do.

Bring your Pike fishing gear. All my bear hunting success has been in the afternoon, so I like to fish in the morning, come back for a late lunch, then get ready to go out.

Have fun :D !
 
Caboose said:
Hunting stategy:

Don't worry much about cover scents, but don't go out with a 3 day stink on :p . The bait site will quite aromatic and the bears are used to humans coming to refresh the baits.

Bear's are never far away from a "hot" bait sight. Walk in and get set-up in the stand quietly. I don't recommend walking from the bait to your stand. You'll leave a tasty smelling scent trail right to the tree your sitting in. Don't ask me how I learned that one :redface: .

Bears eyesight isn't the greatest although they do see in colour. Sit perfectly still in your stand, they'll easily detect your movements.

Usually little bears come out first, then the larger bears just before dark. That being said, I've spooked very large bears of my baits in the late A.M. when trying to refresh them.

If a small bear is on the bait, but nerviously ducking in and out of the barrel, chances are a larger bear is close by out of your sight. Don't shoot the first bear you see, but smaller bears are tastier ;) .

Wait for the bear to stick his head in the barrel before you move to put your gun on him. I like a quartering away shot with the bullet busting the shoulder on exit. I took my 200lbs'er last year like this with a 300 grain JHP .45/70. He tried to take two steps, fell over, death moaned, then lights out.

Field dressing won't be an issue. There's a little less room in the pelvic area compared to a deer. Are you planning for a trophy rug? Plan on about $100 per foot of bear (head to tail) for a rug. Be carefull skinning it. Do some "how to" research. If possible leave the head area and paws on for the taxidermy-man to do.

Bring your Pike fishing gear. All my bear hunting success has been in the afternoon, so I like to fish in the morning, come back for a late lunch, then get ready to go out.

Have fun :D !
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Now that was some great advice.... exactly what I'm looking for, thanks buddy:)


JasonYuke said:
What battery of guns are you taking? Load for bear......Good luck sounds like a great trip.
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I'm bringing a stevens 200 in 30-06, 180gr
my dad his 7mm rem mag
 
Usually, How many bears roam the same territory? Are my chance's good being the second group to go hunt in that area? If the first group has a successful hunt, does that mean my chance's are slim to none.... (obviously, this is speculation because you or I don't know the territory and amounts of bears, but generally.... what would you think?)
 
You deffinately need scent cover and camo, they are very sneaky creatures also more so than the ellusive whitetail (my opinon), last year I had one walk up 20 feet from me while I was eating a sandwich and did not hear him at all just happened to cath him out of the corner of my eye before I pumped two shots in his chest!!!!!!! I nearly crapped my pants!!!!!!!
 
aim for the neck, back or a clear hart shot they are very hard to kill even more so when spooked.
the 2 Black bears that i have shot have both been in the neck and spine and they droped like a tone of lead bricks.
i have also seen a bear with its pumper shot out still run up hill a few hundread yards.

but i must admit the best black bear shot that i saw was a good old texis hart shot at 200 yards :D what a shot didnt even ruin the meat or hit the guts at all :D but there was nuthing left of the upper chest cavity :D
ttyal
Riley
 
death-junky said:
i must admit the best black bear shot that i saw was a good old texis hart shot at 200 yards :D what a shot didnt even ruin the meat or hit the guts at all :D but there was nuthing left of the upper chest cavity
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how does a shot that enters the rear of a bear, fail to not enter the stomach or intestines at all, on its way to the chest. :confused:
 
I have got 3 black bears with a compound bow, 2 in the spring and one in the fall. I actually found them quite easy to kill, 2 heart shots and one neck shot at less than 20 yards over baits. The neck shot one went 60 yards and both heart shot ones only went 10 yards. I think with the gun they are inclined to run more because of the percussion, just my theory. I had the experience of hearing the classic death moan from both of the heart shot bears, you will know it when you hear it. All 3 were shot within 1 hour before nightfall. I actually got two of them in the same evening, 1/2 hour apart in the same stand, that was a really good spring hunt.

Take a foam pad to sit on or it is tough to stay still. Take a safety harness and tie yourself off or you might not be able to tell us how the hunt goes. Take a good head net for the bugs. I usually read a small paperback novel while in the stand but don't move too much. You will likely see the bear before you hear it so keep looking around, eye movement only when possible.
 
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