how do you guys go about finding blackbears?? this may be my first year hunting them and i would really love to harvest one....but heck.....ive never even seen one......ive seen tracks.....and ive seen droppings....but what other sign do they leave?? how do i find one and where do i look??? ill be hunting the mountains of PA.......ive hunted there all my life and havent seen one...seen some sign but never the bear that left it.........any advice?? if i dont go with my buddy to his camp i might beable to talk dad and his buddys to going up to bear hunt.....they might be anyway....if i go with dad ill beable to do alot of scouting and maybe find a good spot...becuase we have to scout for deer up there anyways....if i go with my friend i dont know what ill do....hunt where they say the first day then take a walk and try to find a spot myself or something for the next day......any advice?
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>>----Give 'em the shaft!--->
Find a well traveled bear path and sit on it.... but most likely I would think you should set up bait of some sort near the trail. Someone said that cooking up rasberry jello will bring em in. Just get one of those magic heat stoves and cook up some rasberry jello.
I am also new to black bear hunting, and this will be my first year going after them.
Hope my little bit of advice helps.
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-Idaho State 5A FB Champ 06
"If you're not first, you're last"
hi there hunting bears is not the same as hunting other animals sometime you might be the one running. i`ve hunted bears all my life and have taken blacks, browns, polar bears. when i want to try and find one first i ask around if anyone has seen any or signs of one then i go there and see for myself and try to see if there might be more of them there . what i mean is that bears want food so if there is a food source in the area like migrating aminals or a dump site or an old kill i would watch the area for awhile to see if it will return. if you live in an area a long time you will have some idea where to go an bag one. BUT REMEMBER YOU COULD BECOME THE FOOD SOURCE IF YOU ARE NOT READY. it is always best to hunt with a partner till you are comfortable to hunt them alone.
Do you have stands of beeches in that part of PA? Bears will climb the beeches to eat nuts in the treetops. They continually pull twigs toward themselves, eating the nuts off the ends of the twigs. They end up creating a "nest" of branches. Look for those, or branches that fall to the ground, the fresher the better. They do this up until first light, or just after, and again at dusk. So, if you find one of these areas, still hunt through it, keeping the wind in your face. Use binocs to scan the treetops.
Also, look for any sources of fruit, apples, grapes, raspberries, autumn olive, or whatever else there might be in your area.
I have hunted black bears in Pa for a couple years now and our camp always gets a few every year. The thing we see with bears (in our area anyway) is that they have such a long range so you may see them one day and they woun't be back through for a day or two. We always have the best luck hunting in the hollows right off the top of the mountains. I can't begin to tell you how many we have taken this way. I guess my suggestion to you is find a hollow that you can see pretty far down the mountain and wait it out. If you have snow on the ground look for tracks and stalk. Bear aren't like deer. They don't run like crazy when they see you. They just turn around and walk away, this gives you a good chance to make a decent stalk. Either way I always follow 2 rules. 1st - find an area where you know bears are and 2nd - the further you can see in the woods (open hollow) the better chance you have at seeing one pass through. Good luck, I hope this helps.
__________________ Last edited by CalHunter; 08-10-2009 at 01:21 PM. Reason: Inappropriate--called a mbr "douchebag"
bearklr is right. They move over huge areas looking for food. That means seeing sign doesn't mean you're going to see them. Spot and Stalk is a tough game for sure! Based on going for a day or two I would say more luck than anything UNLESS you have big bear pop. and can glass over long ranges like bearklr says. Check out Jim Shockeys videos with his Victoria Island spot and stalks. You can pick up good tips but defintley having the bear numbers and being able to spot bears for miles is something you may not have.
Bait Pile can almost guarantee you one but it takes time and effort. Need to bait until you get a "hit". Then keep the bait replenished every day. They'll keep coming if the food keeps coming but if they come back and nothings there they move on.
Go to you local grocery store, bakery and get the loaves of bread they are throwing out because they are old (just check with the bakery dept. manager )(old donuts from the donut shop are even better). Pack as many loaves of bread and bring a bucket of icing sugar. You can buy the powder stuff I believe that mixes with water to make it or buy a big jug from a bulk or wholesaler store. Pour the icing sugar over the bread for a cheap sweet, bear treat!
I have a friend who owns a sugar shack. We used 40 gallon drums from collecting the sap and cover it with a heavy rock on top but I have seen large logs used. You have to literally bury the food under heavy logs so only the bears can get it, not raccons or other smaller animals. This way when you come back and the logs are tossed around there is no question what came. (Scent proof your self just like deer! wear gloves when you set up the bait station)
We found that it may take a few days to get the bears there in the evening. You go in the morning and they have hit it but may not show up until after dark the next night. That's why you have to go re-plenish EVERY day. The bears will see this "treat" as a great thing and after a couple days they are there sooner than later to get it. Sometimes it took my buddy a week before he finally gets a "hit" but once he does it is almost a sure thing if he keeps at it.
If you find a spot with sign, just set up your bait pile. If your lucky you can sit and get a hit that night. If you have the time and stay at it you'll get one eventually if there is bears anywhere around. I would set up a bait pile if I was just going to sit. If you spot one in another area go after him, if not maybe the bait will bring one in.
Ontelk, a bait pile is a good idea but the only problem here in Pa is that we aren't aloud to bait [:'(]. So basically we have to just sit it out and keep our fingers crossed.
__________________ Last edited by CalHunter; 08-10-2009 at 01:21 PM. Reason: Inappropriate--called a mbr "douchebag"
Scout areas you have seen bear tracks and droppings in the past.Look for fresh sign.When you find fresh sign do some glassing and check the shady areas especially.If you spot one put the stock on em.If not go early in the morning the earlier the better and set up on a good trail by a feeding area and use a turkey or elk diaphram or predator call to call em in.The louder and raspier the better.If you do call one in be ready for some excitement.Good Luck and be carefull!
Elkshed
I don't hunt in the mountains but for us hunting the forest our main constant is water, food and bedding areas. Then we start looking for the sign and travel routes associated with these elements. Here hunting is done over bait for the most part but we still pick an area bears travel and feel comfortable in hitting. Our most successful location have been near lakes, swamps, small meadow areas or on routes to the salad bar/berry patches.
In the mountains I would be looking for the feeding areas and sitting on them at peak movement times, the shady side is always a good bet for game, using the shadow to mask their movements makes them feel safe. Range is always a big factor in bear sightings but you must pick the best spot based on the sign and other elements. Spot n stalk will also work if you are able to slip along and scope various locations without being detected.
We always inspect the droppings to determine what they are eating and find those spots. A few years ago we found all kinds of coke can pit turds on the trail..indicating a large boar eating choke cherries. Find that food and you should find all kinds of sign, a great place to start your quest for a bear!
bear scouting....
